Elote Corn Dip

Photo: Unsplash

This week's Tailgate Treat is good enough for a 4th of July BBQ but also acceptable for dinner. Sharing is not required.

Ingredients

• 2 cups – Fresh corn kernels

• ¼ cup – Mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons – Sour cream

• ½ tablespoon – Jalapeno chopped

• ½ tablespoon – Grated garlic

• 2 tablespoons – Finely chopped cilantro

• 1 ½ tablespoon - Lemon juice

• ½ tablespoon - Elote seasoning, or you can use 1 teaspoon chili powder, salt to taste, and ½ teaspoon cumin powder instead of an elote seasoning blend.

• 1 tablespoon – Butter

• 1 tablespoon – Parmesan cheese

• A pinch of chili powder for garnishing.

Instructions

1. Heat butter in a pan. Add garlic and jalapenos, Sauté for a few seconds.

2. Now add fresh corn kernels. Stir and cook until it gets a little bit caramelized, for about 5 to 6 minutes. Switch off the flame. Let the corm mixture cool down.

3. Now add Mayo, sour cream, cilantro, elote seasoning, and lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients until well combined. Taste it and adjust the seasoning as per your liking.

4. Cover it and keep it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. You can serve this dip right away too.

5. Take this dip into a serving bowl, sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese and some chili powder (optional).

6. Serve with tortilla chips, and enjoy!

This recipe is by Cooking Carnival where Dhwani specializes in vegetarian recipes. This is one of the many delicious dishes she has on her website, including one of our favorites, Thai mango sticky rice.

Cowboy Caviar

Photo: Shutterstock

It's too hot to cook in the summer, and who wants to be stuck in the kitchen? This week's recipe, Cowboy Caviar, is versatile, easy and delicious.

Ingredients

• 2 - 15 oz. cans of black-eyed peas, drained

• 1 - 15 oz. can black beans, drained

• 2 cups corn, fresh, canned or frozen

• 1 cup red onion, minced

• 1 green bell pepper, small diced

• 1 red bell pepper, small diced

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 cup minced cilantro

• 3 scallions, sliced thin

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• Juice of 1 lime

Optional additions if you please:

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

• A dash or two of ground cumin or hot sauce

• This recipe is a compilation of a few different recipes. Modify for your preferences. Less garlic? Sure. More spice? Go for it.

• Pro tip - We are not all about kitchen gadgets but this chopper will change your life (and is fun and safe for kids who want to help). It takes about 15 mins to do this whole recipe (dicing and chopping included) with this.

Instructions

1. Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and refrigerate. Let it sit for an hour or up to 24 hours for the flavors to combine before serving.

2. Serve with tortilla chips, on top of burgers or grilled fish or as a side dish.

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Crunchwrap Supreme

Photo: Unsplash

You never have to put shoes on to hit the drive-thru for this fast food favorite.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef

• 1 tsp. chili powder

• 1/2 tsp. ground paprika

• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 8 large flour tortillas

• 1/2 c. nacho cheese sauce

• 4 tostada shells

• 1 c. sour cream

• 2 c. shredded lettuce

• 1 c. chopped tomatoes

• 1 c. shredded cheddar

• 1 c. shredded Monterey Jack

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Instructions

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, combine ground beef and spices and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Remove meat to a bowl and set aside. Drain fat and wipe the skillet clean.

2. Stack 4 large flour tortillas and place a tostada shell in the center. Using a paring knife, trace around the edges of the shell to cut 4 smaller flour tortilla rounds.

3. Build Crunchwraps: Add a scoop of ground beef to the center of the remaining 4 large flour tortillas, leaving a generous border for folding. Drizzle cheese sauce over each, then place a tostada shell on top. Spread sour cream over each shell, then top with lettuce, tomato and cheese. Place smaller flour tortilla cutouts on top and tightly fold the edges of the large tortilla toward the center, creating pleats. Quickly invert Crunchwraps so the pleats are on the bottom and they stay together.

4. In the same skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add Crunchwrap seam-side down and cook until the tortilla is golden, 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining Crunchwraps.

   • This can be made vegan by eliminating the meat and cheese, vegetarian by bypassing the meat and gluten-free by using a gluten-free tortilla. Consider using beans in place of the meat.

Thank you Delish, for this (dare we say) delicious treat. The site always had the best recipes. Make sure to check it out.

Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

Photo: The Latina Homemaker

Philly done right with these one-pan cheesesteak sliders.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• 1 large green pepper, thinly sliced

• 1⁄2 pound of freshly shaved steak

• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

• 1⁄2 teaspoon of ground garlic powder

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 - 12 pack of sweet bread buns

• 6 slices of provolone cheese

• 1 tablespoon of melted butter

• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme (not ground)

• 1⁄2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large pan, heat oil and add in onions and green peppers. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until peppers and onions have softened.

3. Next, add shaved steak, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Cook steak, breaking it apart with two forks to prevent the steak from clumping. Cook until the steak is no longer red. Set the pan to the side.

4. Slice sweet rolls in half horizontally, while keeping the 12 pack of buns intact. Place onto a baking sheet. Spread steak mixture over the bottom half of the buns, evenly. Top with cheese slices and the top half of the buns.

5. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter, dried thyme, and Worcestershire sauce together. Brush butter mixture generously over the top of the buns.

6. Place sliders in the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes or until the top of the buns are golden and the cheese has melted. Serve and enjoy!

Thanks to The Latina Homemaker for this amazing recipe. She has so many more delicious dishes on her website so check it out.

Cheese And Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

Photo: Delish

Bread and cheese, what else does one need to be the best chef at the party?

Ingredients

• 1 crusty loaf of bread, preferably sourdough. If you’re cooking for some gluten-free friends, they make gluten-free sourdough loaves, usually in the freezer section of the grocery store.

• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (or other melty delish cheese)

• Garlic butter

  • 1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

  • 3/4 tsp salt

  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Melt the butter, garlic and salt in a bowl in the microwave and stir in the parsley when melted.

3. Cut the bread on a diagonal into 1" diamonds but do not cut all the way through the bread.

4. Use your fingers or a knife to pry open each crack and drizzle in a teaspoon of butter and stuff in a pinch of cheese.

5. Brush the surface with the remaining butter.

6. Wrap with foil and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese has mostly melted, then unwrap and bake for 5 - 10 minutes more to make the bread nice and crusty.

7. Serve immediately.

There is an underground of pull-apart bread recipes from cranberry gouda to spinach dip if you want to take a deep dive.

Easy Fall Off The Bone BBQ Ribs

Photo: Unsplash

These are so easy but no one will have any idea since they taste like you’re a barbecue champion-level chef.

Ingredients

• One rack of pork baby back ribs

• Juice of one lemon

• 1/4 cup dry rub (your own or Jenny’s recipe). If you want to prep them gluten-free, make sure to check the ingredients in your dry rub before using.

• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (your own or Jenny’s recipe) Make sure to check your barbeque sauce if you’re prepping these for a keto/paleo or Whole30 diet.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300° F.

2. Remove excess fat from ribs. Peel the silver skin off the back of the ribs - lift with a sharp knife and grab with a paper towel to remove.

3. Cut ribs apart into individual pieces.

4. Rub ribs all over with lemon juice.

5. Coat ribs with a dry rub. Place meat side down in a large baking pan, & cover tightly with foil, shiny side out.

6. Bake in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.

7. Remove from oven & pour off liquid.

8. Brush bbq sauce over all sides of ribs.

9. Grill: To finish ribs on the grill, remove from the pan and place ribs on the grill (I use a basket over direct but low heat) basting and turning a few times for about 10 minutes.

10. Oven: To finish ribs in the oven, set oven to broil and return ribs to the same middle oven rack, uncovered, basting and broiling about 5 minutes per side, watching so they don’t burn. They will be so tender, so it’s best to turn them using gloved hands. (If foil starts to burn, transfer ribs to a clean sheet of foil for broiling)

This recipe is courtesy of Jenny Can Cook. We scoured a bunch of recipes and this one seemed to be the most straightforward and simple. Enjoy!

PS: Prefer beef ribs? She has a recipe for that too.

One Sheet Pan Quesadillas

Photo: Unsplash

Cheese makes people happy therefore this is the best way to make a group (and their stomachs) happy.

Ingredients

• 4 scallions, thinly sliced with the white and green parts separated

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

• 1 pound (about 4 cups) cooked* shredded or diced chicken OR 1 1/2 lbs of cooked ground beef

• 2 (15-ounce) cans of pinto or black beans (or one of each), rinsed and drained

• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

• Melted butter or olive oil

• 16 (10-inch) flour tortillas or 24 (8-inch) flour tortillas (we also love Siete tortillas for a gluten-free version)

• 3 to 4 cups shredded Mexican blend or Pepperjack cheese

• Can serve with: guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, and/or sour cream

  *You can also add a jalapeno, an onion, 4-5 cloves of garlic and/or bell pepper into the mix if that’s what you’re into.

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Lightly brush the bottom of a 13 x 18-inch sheet pan evenly with melted butter or olive oil

2. Sauté any veggies you might use until soft, then mixture to a large mixing bowl.

3. Add cooked meat (chicken or beef), beans, sour cream, the green parts of the scallions and toss the mixture until evenly combined. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed.

4. Arrange tortillas overlapping around the perimeter of the pan so that half of the tortillas overhang the rim, with two additional tortillas layered in the center so that the entire bottom surface of the pan is covered. Spread the filling evenly over the tortillas, followed by an even layer of the cheese. Place two tortillas overlapping in the center of the pan (similarly to how you arranged the bottom layer), then fold the overhanging tortillas back towards the center until all of the filling is covered. Brush the tops of the tortillas evenly with melted butter/olive oil.

5. Place another large baking sheet on top of the quesadilla to weigh it down. Transfer the stacked baking sheets to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet and bake for 5 more minutes, or until the tortillas are lightly golden.

6. Slice the quesadilla into your desired size/shape of pieces and serve warm with your desired toppings and sauces.

Simple Tips For A Quick Meal

Photo: Unsplash

The need for speed isn’t reserved only for Tom Cruise. A true talent is the ability to throw together a dinner (that’s not cereal) that people will actually want to eat.

Here are some of our favorite tips to make your life easier:

• Use frozen fish sticks for fish tacos vs. breading and baking/frying the fish yourself. 

• Double a recipe and freeze the leftovers. The night before, put the frozen portion in the refrigerator so it’s ready to go when you get home after work. You can even order an extra pizza on takeout night, put it in the freezer and then reheat it in your oven later. 

• Use what you have for a “kitchen sink” dinner like stir fry or this thai curry. 

• Wash and prep your veggies, etc when you get home from the store to save prep time on weeknights. 

• Your broiler is your BFF. From English muffin pizzas to quick quesadillas to fast-cooking fish, a thin cut will cook quickly without burning. 

• Keep your pantry stocked with the essentials like beans, rice, pasta and canned tomatoes for quick dinners. (Full list here).  

• Invest in a pressure cooker that can have dinner ready in under 30 minutes or a slow cooker where you can toss everything in before work and it’ll be ready when you get home.