Recipe of the Month: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tostadas

Written by CAWLM. Posted in Features, Monthly Issues, Recipe of the Month, Recipes

By Winner Katie Johnson

Servings: 4
Prep and cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1    large sweet potato, diced
1    can black beans, rinsed (or equivalent in dried beans, cooked and rinsed)
1    large onion, diced
2-plus cloves garlic, minced
6 to 8 servings of spinach (can use fresh or frozen, refer to packaging for serving sizes)
8-plus corn tostada shells (or flour tortillas for burritos)
1    Tbsp. cumin
1    tsp. coriander (optional)
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and/or hot sauce to taste
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan that has a cover (I use my 3.5 qt. sauté pan). Add sweet potato, onion, cumin, coriander and cayenne; stir to coat, then sauté while covered for about 30 minutes. Add beans for the last 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat some oil in a frying pan and add garlic. Sauté for a couple minutes, then add spinach a handful at a time and cover to wilt, adding a little water if needed. Repeat until all spinach is wilted (if you are using frozen spinach, just sauté until cooked).

To assemble, place some spinach on a tostada shell, then top with a large scoop of the sweet potato/bean mixture. Add salt, pepper and/or hot sauce to taste.

Tags: katie johnson, recipe, sweet potato, tostadas

Recipe of the Month: Amazing Mac and Cheese

Written by CAWLM. Posted in Features, Recipe of the Month

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Number of servings: Four
INGREDIENTS
1/4 C. butter or margarine
1/4 C. flour
2 C . warm milk
Dash of pepper
1/2 tsp. hot-pepper sauce (to taste)
1/2 C. heavy cream
12 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded coarse (3 C.), divided
8 oz. (2 C.) macaroni elbows or double elbows, cooked and drained

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat. Add flour; stir with wooden spoon or spatula three minutes or until the roux is frothier and raw-flour taste is gone. Gradually stir warm milk into roux. Turn up heat; stir until sauce is just at boiling point. Turn down heat; let simmer few minutes. Add pepper and hot-pepper sauce (don’t use pepper sauce too sparingly; it will help bring out the cheese taste). Stir in heavy cream; simmer briefly or until flavors are blended. Stir three quarters of the cheese into simmering sauce until melted; combine cheese sauce with macaroni; pour into greased two-quart dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and light golden.

Tags: mac and cheese, recipe of the month