Chocolate & Raspberry Black Bean Crepe Cake

a beautiful disaster...

Impress guests with this 16 layer chocolate cake in more ways than one! First off, it's really quite beautiful, but does require a good part of an afternoon to make and a little skill cooking the crepes. That said, it's totally something that can be learned with some practice. I got pretty good at making them by the end! Additionally, your guests will never know that there's a cup of black beans in the crepe batter. You absolutely can not taste them.

This crepe cake should be served chilled and at your home. We tried to travel with it yesterday and it was a beautiful disaster. I hadn't chilled it at all and the layers went in opposite directions as soon as we made our first turn out of the driveway. I was so defeated. So, take my advice and serve this impressive cake well chilled and at your home. Or, build it when you get to wherever you are going! Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 8
Black Bean Crepes
2 C Whole Milk
2 Large Eggs
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, divided
1 1/2 C All-Purpose Flour
1/3 C Cocoa Powder
1/4 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 C Prepared Black Beans

Chocolate Mousse
1 Package Dream Whip
2 C 2% Milk, divided
1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Package Jell-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

Raspberry Sauce
2 Pints Raspberries
1 T Granulated Sugar
1 T Chambord (Raspberry Flavored Liquor)

Topping: Chocolate Sauce

Directions
Prepare the black beans as directed in my previous posts. A little less than 1/2 C dried will yield 1 C prepared.

Make the crepe batter: Melt 3 T butter; reserve the remaining stick to cook the crepes. Combine the milk, eggs, melted butter, flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and beans in a blender. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Make the mousse: While the crepe batter chills, make the mousse. Following the directions on the Dream Whip box, make the whipped topping (see side panel). Then, follow the directions on the back to make the Chocolate Mousse. Cover and chill the mousse while making the raspberry sauce and crepes.

Make the raspberry sauce: Set aside ~10 raspberries to garnish the cake. Put the remaining raspberries, sugar, Chambord, and 3 T water in a small sauce pot. Cook over medium-low heat until the raspberries break down and the sauce begins to thicken, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool.

Cook the crepes: While the raspberry sauce is cooking, make the crepes. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium low. Add 1/2 T reserved butter to the skillet and turn the pan to coat the bottom. Then, pour in ~1/4 C crepe batter, again turning the pan to spread the batter to the edges in an even layer. Cook the crepe until set, about 1 minute. Carefully flip the crepe and cook another minute. Transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter to make about 16 crepes.

Build the crepe cake: Once everything is ready, it's time to assemble the cake. On a cake stand, lay one crepe in the center, top with ~2 T chocolate mouse spreading it evenly over top, and then top with ~1 T raspberry sauce spreading that evenly over the mousse. Stack a crepe on top and repeat by adding more mousse and raspberry sauce. Repeat this process until all of the crepes have been used up. Top the last crepe with any remaining mousse and raspberry sauce. Decorate with the reserved raspberries and chocolate sauce. Chill, then slice to serve. Enjoy!

Smokey & Spicy Vegetable Black Bean Soup

look past the gas...

Beans get a pretty bad rep. They make many of us gassy, so we avoid them. However, black beans are extremely good for you and shouldn't be avoided. They are high in protein and fiber, low in fat and cholesterol, and help support a healthy immune system by providing many other nutrients such as iron, folate, and antioxidants. Few other foods can provide even half as many health benefits. So, don't avoid these little gems, just take some Gas-X or Beano, and enjoy this soup.

My Smokey & Spicy Vegetable Black Bean Soup isn't only good for you, it's quite tasty. The chopped chipotle in adobo and sauce to give this soup it's signature flavor, both smokey and spicy. I suggest seeding the jalapeño, but the seeds can be left in for even more heat. Lastly, the cilantro adds a needed freshness at the end. Top the soup as you like with sour cream, avocado, lime juice, and/or hot sauce. Just enjoy it before the weather gets too warm. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 4
5 C Prepared Black Beans (~2 C Dried)
2-3 T Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Jalapeno, seeded & chopped
2 Carrots, peeled & diced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 Chipotle in Adobo, chopped + 1 T Sauce
1 C Cilantro, roughly chopped
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
Optional Toppings: Chopped Cilantro, Sour Cream, Sliced Avocado, Limes, and/or Hot Sauce

Directions
To prepare the beans: The night before, put 2 cups dried black beans in a pot and cover with water by an inch or two. Cover, refrigerate, and soak until ready to cook. The day of, drain the beans, put them back into the pot, and just cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer with the lid on. Cook until tender, about 35-40 minutes. Salt about 10 minutes before the beans are done cooking. Drain and set aside. You will end up with 5-6 cups cooked beans.

As the beans finish cooking, heat a large soup pot over med-high. Add 2-3 T olive oil and the veggies: onion, red bell pepper, jalapeño, carrots, and garlic. Sauté the veggies until tender, about 5 minutes.

Next add in the chipotle, adobo sauce, vegetable broth, and prepared black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 20-25 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt & pepper.

Serve the soup topped as you like. I suggest more cilantro, sour cream, avocado, lime juice, and/or hot sauce (just in case the soup isn't hot enough for you). I also made a cheese quesadilla for dunking. Enjoy!

Black Bean Hummus

little black beans...

This past week our church, Crossroads, hosted their annual "beans and rice week" to save money and change lives. We've attended this church for the past 3 years and have participated in this fundraiser each year. The idea is that for one week you eat rice and beans (or eat cheaply - we just eat whatever we have in the house), then subtract that cost from your usual weekly grocery bill, and then donate the difference. You can learn more here. So for this series I'm repeating (for the first time in 3 years - yes, I've been posting to my blog for that long!) an ingredient - black beans.

There are so many different things you can do with black beans, so even though I'm repeating this ingredient, these recipes will be original. Also, all of these recipes will start with dried beans instead of canned. I'm starting off with a black bean hummus. This recipe is quick and easy to make. You can adjust any of the ingredients to your liking - make it spicier with more cayenne or a add a diced jalapeño, make it smokier with more cumin, or load it up with freshness by adding more green onion and cilantro. Use what you have on hand and make this recipe (that's what I did). Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
2 C Prepared Black Beans (1 C dried beans)
2 T Tahini Paste
3 Green Onions, chopped
1/4 C Cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
2 T Lemon Juice
1/2 T Chili Powder
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
~1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil, more for drizzling
Kosher Salt
To Serve: Tortilla Chips and Assorted Veggies

Directions
To prepare the beans: The night before, put 1 cup dried black beans in a pot and cover with water by an inch or two. Cover, refrigerate, and soak until ready to cook. The day of, drain the beans, put them back into the pot, and just cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer with the lid on. Cook until tender, about 35-40 minutes. Salt about 10 minutes before the beans are done cooking. Drain, cool, and store. You will end up with 2-3 cups cooked beans.

Make the hummus: Put the beans, tahini paste, green onions, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper into a food processor. Pulse about 10 times, or until the beans are coarsely chopped. Next, with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the hummus comes together. It will be smooth and creamy. Season with salt to taste.

Scrape the black bean hummus into a bowl and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve with tortilla chips and assorted veggies. The hummus will stay good refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 10 days. Enjoy!

Green Beer

luck of the Irish...

It's St. Patrick's Day and many have been celebrating since early this morning. Ah, it reminds me of my college days at Miami. Up until a few years ago we never had the chance to celebrate St. Patty's Day because our spring break always fell on that week. So, what did we do? We celebrated the Thursday before and dubbed the day Green Beer Day. It's Miami's version of today's celebration...oh, excuse me...I have to say it's Oxford, OH's version of St. Patrick's Day.

Well, as the years have passed Miami officials have tried to stop Green Beer Day by moving spring break after the St. Patrick's Day holiday. So far, it hasn't stopped the tradition of celebrating green beer on the Thursday prior to spring break. I hope it never does! This Thursday is Green Beer Day at Miami and today is St. Patty's day. So, whenever and whatever you celebrate, just drink Green Beer. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 2
3 Light Lager Beers
Green Food Coloring
2 Large Mugs to Serve

Directions
Add 4-6 drops of green food coloring into the bottom of one of the large mugs. Tilt and pour in one and a half beers (or too the top). Repeat. Cheers. Drink!

I'll leave you with an old Irish Blessing:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Chicken & Snap Pea Risotto (or Fancy Chicken & Rice)

classin' it up...

One of my husband's favorite foods is rice, more specifically, he loves risotto. So, I made this dish with him in mind. But, I also had to consider my featured ingredient - snap peas. Making a spring risotto with peas lead me to thinking about the classic dish chicken and rice. So, for this dish I made a "fancy" version and it's delicious!

Risotto is one of those things that intimidate people, but it really is easy to make. There are just three keys to being successful: 1) Know the correct ratio of liquid to rice, it is 3:1. 2) Heat the liquid, this is important as it keeps the rice cooking at a high temp, helping the rice absorb it. 3) Finally, allow the rice to absorb all of the liquid before adding more, this helps the rice release it's starches and you achieve the creamy texture of a well made risotto. So, be fearless, make this fancy chicken and rice. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4-6
1 Box (32 oz.) Chicken Stock
2 T Unsalted Butter
1 Small Yellow Onion, diced
2 Carrots, pealed & diced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
8 oz. Sugar Snap Peas
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 C Arborio Rice
1/2 C White Wine
1/2 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Rotisserie Chicken, white meat shredded
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Put the chicken stock plus 1 C water into a sauce pan. Heat over medium until warm, but not boiling. Keep warm.

As the liquid heats, cook the veggies. Heat a large, high-sided skillet over med-high. Add the butter, onion, carrots, garlic, and snap peas. Sauté until the onions and carrots soften, about 5 minutes. Remove the veggies to a plate.

Add 1-2 T extra virgin olive oil to the skillet and return to med-high heat. Add the rice to toast for a few minutes. Then deglaze with the wine. Continue to cook 1-2 minutes, or until the wine is completely absorbed.

Next, little by little, add the warm stock to the rice, stirring after each addition until it's completely absorbed. Repeat this process until all of the stock has been used up and the rice is creamy, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the cheese, veggies, and chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then, plate the risotto and sprinkle with a little more Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Snap Pea & Asparagus Salad with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette

spring forward to spring green...

We all lost an hour today, which sucks, but it really is good news because it means that spring is just that much closer (only 12 more days!). It has been warm and sunny this weekend - it's hard to believe we had snow last week. Most of the snow has melted and I'm really hoping we are done with it for this year. I guess we will see...

For this series I'm focusing on snap peas. Little more makes me think of spring than green, green peas that is! This recipe celebrates both snap peas and green peas along with asparagus, another veggie that makes me think of spring. These vegetables are blanched and then tossed in a Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette to create a simple side salad to welcome the up-coming spring season. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6
Salad
1 lb. Snap Peas
1 Bunch Asparagus
1 C Frozen (or fresh) Peas

Vinaigrette
1 T Dijon Mustard
1 T Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 tsp. Sherry Vinegar
1 tsp. Capers, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. Caper Brine
3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T Fresh Dill, chopped
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously.

Trim the asparagus and then cut into 2 inch pieces. Drop the snap peas, asparagus, and frozen peas into the boiling water. Blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove to an ice bath (bowl filled with ice and water) to shock the veggies and stop their cooking. After 5 minutes, drain and pat dry.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a large bowl combine the mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar; whisk. Next, add in the capers, brine, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil. Stir in the dill.

Add the dried peas and asparagus to the bowl with the dressing. Toss well. Refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving. Stir and serve. Enjoy!

Strawberries & Cream Cornmeal Bars

with a name like strawberries & cream, you know it has to be good...

The brain child for this dessert literally came from a childhood memory. I had cornbread at least once a week at my baby sitter's house...I'm sure it was more often than that. Anyway, when she served cornbread at dinner we always had butter and jams on hand. I always loved strawberry preserves on my buttered cornbread. So, when I was thinking about this post it only seemed appropriate that I'd create a recipe with these flavors.

But, I needed to sweeten it up a little more, so I thought what pairs well with strawberries? Cream came to mind, but more specifically cream cheese frosting (my favorite). I have to say, I was skeptical of the cornmeal crust. I was worried it might be too gritty, but after trying one of the bars tonight, I'm happy with this recipe. The cornmeal crust gives these bars the crunch they need. Come down memory lane with me and make these dessert bars. Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 12 bars
Cornmeal Crust
Nonstick Baking Spray (with flour)
1 C Yellow Cornmeal
1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1 Stick Cold Unsalted Butter, diced
2 T Granulated Sugar
1/4 C Confectioner's Sugar
 1/4 tsp. Salt

Filling & Frosting
1/2 Jar (18 oz.) Strawberry Preserves
8 oz. Block Cream Cheese (low fat okay), softened
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, softened
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 C Confectioner's Sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8x8 pan with foil, leaving a 2 inch overhang on all sides. Grease the foil well with nonstick baking spray (with flour). Set aside.

In a food processor, combine the cornmeal, flour, butter, sugars, and salt. Pulse to mix together. Add 1 T cold water and continue to pulse until the dough begins to form. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden and browned around the edges, about 25 minutes. Allow the crust to cool.

Once the crust has cooled, spread the strawberry preserves evenly all over the top. Place the bars in the freezer to harden the preserves, about 30 minutes. This helps with spreading the frosting on top.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a medium bowl cream the cream cheese and butter together. Mix in the vanilla and then gradually mix in the sugar. Remove the bars from the pan and frost. Note: you will have extra frosting. Cut into squares and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Enjoy!