Spinach and Artichoke White Bean Hummus

I've been meaning to make this hummus for quite some time and last night I finally got around to doing it!

It's amazing what I can get done when I'm trying to avoid thinking about the upcoming semester. I think it's going to be a doozy.

You will need: 1 can of great northern beans, 1 Tbsp tahini, 1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes, 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 jar of artichoke hearts, 1 Tbsp of artichoke heart oil, 5 oz of thawed frozen spinach, and 1 Tbsp of olive oil (not pictured).

Pictured that I didn't use: onion powder. After all was said and done, I just didn't think it was needed.

Drain and thoroughly rinse your can of beans and throw it in the food processor.

Stir up your tahini; it tends to settle.

And add 1 Tbsp to the food processor.

Next add in 1 clove of garlic. I threw in two because I love garlic. However, this makes for a super garlic-y hummus, so proceed with caution.

Now add in about 10 artichoke hearts.

Now, artichokes are, in my opinion, one of the greatest foods on the planet. So, 10 artichokes didn't produce the intense artichoke flavor I wanted. Next time I think I will add in the whole jar. If you love artichokes as much as I do, try it and let me know how it went in the comment section!

Now slap on the top and give everything a whir until it reaches a smooth consistency.

See? Smooth and super thick.

Now pour in 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 Tbsp of oil from the artichoke jar. It adds lots of flavor. Whir it all up again.

Next add in about 1/2 tsp of fresh ground pepper and 1 Tbsp of dried parsley. Fresh would be great, but I forgot to buy some.

Than, squeeze all the water out of the thawed spinach and add it to the food processor. If you want the spinach to be completely pureed into the hummus, you can do this step earlier.

I still wanted some chunks of spinach so I just pulsed it a little until it was combined.

Tada! Hummus. This is great served with tortilla chips, pita chips...

Or with fresh bell peppers and cucumbers, which is how I'm enjoying mine right now!

Enjoy!

 Spinach and Artichoke White Bean Hummus

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 15.5 oz can of great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 1/2 jar of artichoke hearts
• 1 Tbsp of artichoke heart oil
• 1 Tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 5 oz frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out

Instructions:

1. Blend all ingredients except for spinach in a food processor until smooth.
2. Add in the spinach and pulse until combined. For a completely smooth texture, add all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Black Bean, Corn, and Quinoa Chili

Georgia has forgotten what month it is and it is cold! So, I decided to make some soup in the crock pot yesterday. I wasn't in the mood to babysit something on the stove. (I'm enjoying my last weekend of relaxation before my final semester of grad school starts up on Monday.)

Originally, I thought this would turn out like a soup, but after all the vegetables, beans, and quinoa had cooked, it was more like a chili. And it. Was. AWESOME.

Let's cook!

You will need: 1 zucchini, 3 ears of corn, 2 carrots, 1 sweet bell pepper, 1 onion, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 cup of quinoa, 1/4 cup of tomato paste, 3 Tbsp of chili power, 2 bay leaves, 1 Tbsp cumin, 1 small can of diced jalapenos, and 1 bag of black beans (that have been soaked overnight).

Dump the soaked beans in your crock pot.

Add 1 cup of quinoa.

Is anyone else on a quinoa kick? No? Just me? Ok.

Now dice up that onion!

Toss it in the crock pot.

Dice up the zucchini and throw it in as well.

Now dice up both carrots...

And you guessed it! Throw those in too.

Do the same with the bell pepper.

Now cut the kernels off of the cob.

After you have cut off all of the kernels, scrape the back of the knife down the cob to release all of the "corn juice". It's better than it sounds.

See? That's yummy stuff!

Now toss all the corn stuff into the crock pot.

Now add in the bay leaves.

Then the small can of jalapenos...

3 Tbsp of chili powder...

1 Tbsp of cumin...

1 Tbsp of salt (you may need to add more later)...

1/4 cup of tomato paste (this is homemade after I neglected to watch my marinara closely)...

Now add in 4 cloves of minced garlic...

Finally, grind up some fresh pepper in there.

Now pour in 8 cups of water.

It's so full!

Now turn the crock pot on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.

Now go about your day and let your dinner cook!

Now 6 hours, some cheese, sour cream, and chives later, this is one super tasty meal.

Enjoy guys! My roommate is enjoying some right now!

Black Bean, Corn, and Quinoa Chili

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, diced
• 3 ears of corn, kernels cut off from cob
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 sweet bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of quinoa
• 1/4 cup of tomato paste
• 3 Tbsp of chili power
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• 1 small can of diced jalapenos
• 1 bag of black beans (that have been soaked overnight)
• 8 cups of water
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1.  Throw everything in the crock pot, put the lid on, and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 10 hours.
2. Garnish with cheese, sour cream, chives, or anything else you want!

Quiche with Prosciutto and Asparagus

 Back in May I went and visited my older sister in Orlando. We made this delicious quiche for lunch one day while I was there so I decided to make it again when my boyfriend came to visit me last weekend to celebrate my birthday. As always, he loved it. (I choose to believe this is because I am an incredibly talented cook and not because he will eat anything you place in front of him.)

A lot of people are intimidated by quiche but it is really a simple and elegant dish (especially if you use store-bought crust like me).

You will need: 1/2 bunch of fresh asparagus, 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese, 6 large eggs, 2 Tbsp heavy cream, 8 oz baby bellas, 1/2 large onion, 4 oz prosciutto, 1 pie crust, flour for dusting, and 2 Tbsp butter (not pictured).

It's amazing. The word butter is in the title of my blog and I can't remember to take a photo of it.

Take the pie crust and lay it on a floured surface and dust some flour on top.

Now, starting in the center, roll the crust away from you. Keep rotating and rolling, always starting from the center of the crust. Stop when the crust is about 3 inches wider than your pie plate or tart pan.

Gently lay the crust in the pan. Form the crust to the pan by pushing the dough into the crease and pinching the edges.

Tada! Now, either you can pre-bake the crust or you can fill everything and bake the quiche at a higher temperature at the end. I have found that pre-baking prevents a soggy crust so I went ahead and baked the crust according to package directions (after poking with a fork).

Now, break of the woody ends off of the asparagus. It's the only vegetable that is nice enough to tell you which parts you should throw away.

Break the tender part of the asparagus into 2 inch pieces. Keep going until you have a large pile.

Peel half of a large onion...

And slice it into thin strips so that you have half circles.

Add 2 Tbsp of butter to a large skillet over medium heat.

Throw in the asparagus...

8 oz. of baby bellas...

And the onions with some salt...

And fresh cracked pepper, to taste.

Give everything a good toss and cook until the asparagus is just tender.

While the vegetables are cooking, let's get the rest of the quiche ready to assemble. First, cut one rind off of the gruyere cheese.

Grate up about 1 cup of gruyere cheese. This doesn't have to be exact. If you prefer more cheese, grate more! If you're lactose intolerant, I suggest you don't add any.

Crack 6 eggs into a large liquid measuring cup (or anything that has a spout).

Add in 2 Tbsp of heavy cream.

Beat the eggs until a little frothy with a fork then add in the cheese with some salt and pepper, to taste.

Now, arrange the vegetables in an even layer inside the crust.

Top the vegetables with 4 oz. of prosciutto.

You could also dice the prosciutto and mix it with the vegetables, but I like it this way.

Now poor the egg/cheese mixture over everything.

A lot of the cheese will wind up on top, but that's fine. It makes a nice golden top.

Bake the quiche at 375 for about 50 minutes, or until the eggs are set.

See what I mean? Look at that golden top!

This quiche was delicious. And they're versatile! You could easily substitute any vegetables or meats you want to suit your taste, the method is still the same.

Enjoy!

Quiche with Prosciutto and Asparagus

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bunch of fresh asparagus, ends removed and cut into 2" pieces
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 6 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• 8 oz sliced baby bellas
• 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
• 4 oz prosciutto
• 1 pie crust
• flour for dusting
• 2 Tbsp butter 
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Prebake pie crust according to package/recipe instructions.
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. Add butter to large skillet over medium heat and add in the asparagus, mushrooms, onions, salt and pepper. Toss and cook until vegetables are just tender.
4. Crack 6 eggs into a large measuring cup and add in the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Beat until eggs are slightly frothy. Stir in cheese.
5.  Arrange the vegetables in the prebaked crust. Top with prosciutto. Pour the eggs over everything.
6. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the eggs have set.