Falafels with Tzatziki

Sometimes I get a hankering for falafels and although it’s sometimes easier to go to my local Mediterranean restaurant and pick them up, they are honestly so much better homemade.  Unlike a lot of take-out places, these falafels are crispy on the outside and smooth on the inside with a lot of flavor to carry them on their own without being dried out.  The tzatziki adds a creaminess to bring the whole thing together for a fresh and quick dinner.

If you have a food processor or blender these come together in a snap.  The main ingredient is garbanzo beans so they are very inexpensive to make, and I think are good reheated.  It makes for a much more interesting lunch than a peanut butter sandwich.

Servings: 8
Active Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Time: 4 hours

Ingredients for Tzatziki:

• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and seeded (use other half of cucumber as garnish for falafel)
• 1 1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt, divided
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 tsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Ingredients for Falafels:

• 2 (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour + more for coating falafel
• 2 tsp. cumin, fresh ground
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Oil for frying (peanut, canola, corn)

• 4 warm pita breads, cut in half
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• Diced tomatoes
• Diced cucumbers
• Hot Sauce

Directions for Tzatziki:

1. Grate cucumber and sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt.  Transfer to a fine sieve set over a bowl to catch liquid.  Allow to drain for 2 hours.
2. Transfer strained cucumber to a bowl.  Stir in Greek yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt.
3. Refrigerate for 2 hours before using to allow flavors to meld.  Can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Directions for Falafels:

1. In a food processor, combine garbanzo beans, 3 Tbsp. flour, cumin, minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 tsp. cayenne in processor until combined. Add 3/4 cup onion, egg, and pulse until ingredients are finely chopped.
2. Transfer to a bowl.  Roll mixture into 1 inch balls, then roll in a bowl of flour.
3. Pour oil into a heavy skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Once oil is hot add four falafels at a time making sure to not overcrowd.  Turn after about 2 minutes to brown on all sides.
4. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
5. Serve falafels in pitas with tzatziki, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, and hot sauce.

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BBQ Frito Pie

Today my job consists of creating recipes that include my KC Masterpiece Original BBQ Beans.  I originally created these beans as a side dish so I’ve had to be a bit creative to fit them into a center-plate meal.  The goal is to get these into a circular for Walmart so the recipes need to have simple ingredients, be cost-friendly, and easy for the home cook to prepare on a weeknight.  My first idea is a BBQ version of Frito pie.  I’m very impressed with how well this turned out and will be adding this recipe to our weeknight repertoire.  It took me 30 minutes from start to first bite so that’s always a plus for me on a busy weeknight.  It has a sweet BBQ flavor that is kid-friendly plus, hey, you can even sneak a few beans into the mix.  The Frito topping gives this casserole a really nice salty crunch that rounds out the sweetness.  I hope you enjoy!

Yield: 6 Servings         Prep Time: 15 minutes         Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 1 (16oz) can KC Masterpiece BBQ Beans
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
• 2 cups Fritos corn chips, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Brown ground beef with onions in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Drain fat and return to skillet.
3. Stir in KC Masterpiece beans, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and mustard over low heat until ingredients are combined.
4. Add beef/bean mixture to a casserole dish.  Top with crushed Frito chips and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.  Serve immediately.

 

White and Green Bean Casserole

Here is a new twist to the classic holiday green bean casserole.  You can eat this any time of the year as I have added white beans in place of all the holiday guilt!

Servings: 9

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes (topping); 15 minutes (casserole)

Ingredients

Topping:

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. Panko bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. coarse kosher salt

Casserole:

• 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. coarse kosher salt, divided
• 12 oz fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed, and halved
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 (15oz) can S&W white beans, drained and rinsed

Directions
Topping:

1. Preheat oven to 475F.
2. Combine topping ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss to fully coat onions.
3. Spread onions evenly on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
4. Cook until golden brown for ~30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and set aside.

Casserole:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 Tbsp. salt.  Add green beans and blanch for 5 minutes.  Strain beans through a colander and plunge into an ice bath to quickly stop cooking.  Once green beans are cooled, strain and set aside.
3. Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add flour and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth.
4. Add pepper, garlic, and nutmeg.  Continue heating over medium heat until sauce is smooth and has thickened.
5. Reduce heat to low and stir in half-and-half.
6. Add white beans and green beans to sauce mixture until heated through.
7. Pour sauce mixture into a casserole dish and top with onions.
8. Bake until bubbly, ~15 minutes.

 

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

This is a great snack and adds a nice spicy crunch to any salad.

Ingredients:

• 2 (14oz) cans S&W Garbanzo beans
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Drain and rinse chickpeas.  Transfer chickpeas to a paper-towel lined cookie sheet to dry chickpeas as much as possible.
3. Combine the dry ingredients.
4. Transfer dried chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil then mix in the spice blend.
5. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the chickpeas are very crispy being careful not to burn.

 

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

Serves: 10
Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6.5-8.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16oz) can S&W 50% reduced-sodium black beans
• 1 (16oz) can S&W 50% reduced-sodium kidney beans
• 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
• 10oz package frozen corn
• 2 (14.5oz) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with chiles
• 1 packet taco seasoning (30% reduced-sodium)
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. Combine onion, beans, tomato sauce, corn, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, cumin, and chili powder in a crock-pot and stir to combine.  Add chicken breasts.
2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken is tender enough to shred with a fork and cooked thoroughly with no pink remaining.
3. Remove chicken from crock-pot and shred.   Place back in slow cooker, stir to combine all ingredients, and allow to cook for another 30 minutes for flavors to combine.
4. Serve in bowls with cilantro garnish.

 

Mexican Lasagna

About 8 Servings (Serving Size is 1 cup)

Ingredients:

• 1 (15oz) can S&W black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1.5 cups corn
• 4 greens onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. reduced sodium taco seasoning
• 1.5 cans crushed tomatoes
• 5-6 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 4oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Combine black beans, corn, green onions, cilantro,and taco seasoning in a large bowl.
3. Spread a layer of crushed tomatoes on the bottom of a 9″ loaf pan.  Layer with lasagna noodles, bean mixture, and then cheese.  Repeat process until all ingredients are used.
4. Cover the pan with tin foil.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
5. Remove from oven and let stand at room temp. before serving.

 

Crockpot Chicken and Rice with Black Beans

Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3-4 hours (on high); 7-8 hours (on low)

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 can S&W black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn, preferably cut off of cob
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup heavy cream or 2% milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with smoked paprika and place in crockpot.
2. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

                                          Nutrition Facts for 1 cup of Prepared Casserole

                         HEAVY CREAM                                                   2% MILK

HEAVY CREAM

2% MILK

 

Kale and White Bean Bruschetta

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (15oz) can S&W white beans + 1 can water
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups kale, coarsely chopped
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 baguette, cut in half, sliced, and toasted
• Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions:

1. Add entire contents of beans to large pot.  Refill the can with water and add to the pot.
2. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf, and salt.  Simmer with lid on med-low heat for 8 minutes for flavors to combine.
3. Add kale and return to burner another 5 minutes, covered.
4. Drain contents of pot through a colander, discarding liquid.  Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and stir in oil, red wine vinegar, and crushed red pepper.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spoon bean and kale mixture onto toasted baguettes and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

 

Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 red peppers, cut in half and seeds removed
• 2 green peppers, cut in half and seeds removed
• 1/2 pound lean ground turkey, browned and drained
• 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked
• 1 can S&W black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup fresh sweet corn
• 8oz medium-hot salsa
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided

Garnish:

• cilantro
• sour cream
• avocado slices

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Place peppers on baking sheet, drizzle with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and roast for 20 minutes until softened.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Saute onions in remaining olive oil until soft, ~5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, mix together turkey, taco seasoning, rice, beans, corn, salsa, and 1/2 cup mozzarella.
4. Spoon mixture into peppers and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella on top.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until filling is heated through and cheese is melted on top.
6. Serve with garnish on the side.

 

Salmon Sliders with White Bean Aioli

Ingredients for Salmon Sliders:

• 3/4 pound skinless salmon fillet, cut in small pieces
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. prepared white horseradish
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp. mayo
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• Small hamburger buns or dinner rolls

Ingredients for White Bean Aioli:

• 1 (15oz) can S&W white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Gedney dill pickles, chopped

Directions for Salmon Sliders:

1. Combine all ingredients except for butter in a large bowl.
2. Form into 4 patties and place in a sprayed regular size muffin tin.  Freeze patties until firm, ~10 minutes.
3. Melt butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add patties and cook until browned, ~3 minutes per side.
4. Serve on small buns with a dollop of aioli.

Directions for White Bean Aioli:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.