Bissara (Fava Bean Dip)

Approximately 1 cup shelled fava beans

Zest and juice of one lemon

Few tbsp. of olive oil, to get your preferred dip consistency

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Few sprigs of cilantro

1 jalapeno

1 clove of garlic

Salt to taste

Steam cook (or sauté) the fresh fava beans for about a minute along with garlic and jalapeno.

Place them in a blender/food processor along with other seasoning, blend them and with a running motor add some olive oil until it reaches your desired dip consistency.

Add salt to taste.

Banana Lemon Muffins

1 stick margarine

1¼ cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup mashed bananas

Pinch of salt

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

¾ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease muffin cups.

Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Whip in bananas, lemon juice and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Stir in banana mixture alternately with buttermilk. 

Bake for 20 minutes.  Makes 18 muffins

Sweet Potato Hash

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1 red bell pepper, diced (about 2 cups)

2 pounds sweet potatoes, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Pour the oil into a large skillet and place over high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the potatoes, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender and some are browned. The potatoes will begin to stick as they cook. Just continue to turn with a spatula.

Find this recipe here.

Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob

Ear/s fresh corn

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place corn husks directly on the oven rack and roast for 30 minutes or until corn is soft.  No need to remove the silk!

Peel down the husks and use as a handle when eating.

This recipe can be found here.

Banana Bread

1 cup granulated sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

3 ripe bananas

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

Recipe can be found here.

Mae Dawson's Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, unsifted

1/2 pint (1 cup) whipping cream

3/4 cup milk

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Pinch nutmeg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine sugar, flour, cream, and milk in a mixing bowl. Pour into pie shell. Dot butter bits all around top of pie. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and cook for approximately 30 more minutes.

Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until chilled. Serve chilled.

Cook's Note: If using a glass baking dish, lower oven temperature by 25 degrees F.

Recipe can be found here.

Monster Cookies

§  2 sticks butter, softened 

§  1/2 cup sugar

§  1-1/2 cup brown sugar

§  2 eggs

§  1 Tbsp. vanilla

§  1-1/2 cup flour

§  1/2 tsp. baking soda

§  1 tsp. baking powder

§  2 tsp. kosher salt

§  1/2 cup oats 

§   1 cup chopped nuts (or more!)

§  2 cups chocolate chips

§  2-1/4 cups Rice Krispies

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cream butter with sugars until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add to mixing bowl and mix till combined. After that, add in remaining ingredients in whatever quantity you prefer.

Add more nuts if you'd like, or add M & M's, peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips.  Be as creative as you want!

Add Rice Krispies at the very end, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix!

Use a cookie scoop to scoop balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown about 10 minutes, then allow to cool on a rack.

This recipe can be found here.

Tuna and Chips

1 can cream of chicken soup

½ cup milk

1 can tuna, drained

1¼ potato chips, crushed

1 cup peas

Mix soup and milk in ungreased 1 quart microwavable casserole.  Stir in tuna, 1 cup of chips and peas. 

Microwave uncovered on high for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining chips on top; microwave 4 minutes longer.