Avocado and Black Bean Salsa

This recipe was submitted by atc282 on June 24th

This is perfect as a summertime appetizer, side dish, or a relish for any grilled meat! Super easy and great to serve if you're doing Mexican or are grilling out!!

Avacado & Black Bean Salsa
Ingredients:
1-2 large fresh tomato(es) or 1 can diced tomatoes
1 Can Black Beans
1 large avacado
1/2 Can Corn
1/2 Lime, juiced
1 small red onion (optional)
1 bunch fresh cilantro (optional)
Seasonings: Cumin, Salt & Pepper

Directions:
In a strainer, drain (if using canned) tomatoes, corn, and black beans. Chop and dice (if using fresh) tomatoes, avacados, red onion (optional). Combine all ingredients in bowl, and squeeze on the lime juice. Season to your liking with cumin, s&p. Add chopped cilantro to top before serving (optional).
Served best as an appetizer with blue corn tortilla chips! Another great addition is adding a handful of crumbled queso fresco or feta to the dip right before serving. 

Strawberry Bruchetta

This recipe was submitted by 2shihtzus on June 18th

I made this strawberry bruschetta this week and it was SO good.  I did all of the components the night before and then my husband and I each took it for lunch.  I wasn't sure if my husband would like it but he loved it, we both love the heck out of some goat cheese though.  It was so good and it was surprisingly filling so it was a perfect lunch (and it was nice to have something sort of different for lunch) but it could also be a really nice appetizer for a summer party or something.  Here's the link:
http://annies-eats.net/2011/06/13/strawberry-bruschetta/

Strawberry Bruschetta
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Ingredients:
1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
1 tbsp. sugar
1 French baguette, sliced on a bias
4 oz. goat cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
¼ cup minced basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine the  strawberries and sugar in a small bowl; toss to combine.  Let the berries macerate for about 30 minutes so that they begin to release their juices.  Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on top of each baguette slice.  Top each slice with spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Top each slice with the basil leaves and cracked pepper, to taste.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

This recipe was posted by AlishaMay on June18th

I made a pan of these today, and I'm certain we'll be making at least one more by the end of this weekend  A new take, on an old favorite from the Smitten Kitchen

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats
What’s different about these? Oh, just a bit more (coughdouble) butter which you toast until it’s brown and nutty and help along with some coarse salt, just minor things. But it changes everything.
Makes 16 2-inch squares or 32 1- x 2-inch small bars
4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)
Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.
In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.
As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.
Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. I liked to use a piece of waxed or parchment paper that I’ve sprayed with oil to press it firmly and evenly into the edges and corners, though a silicon spatula works almost as well.
Let cool, cut into squares and get ready to make new friends.

Banana Coconut Muffins

This recipe was submitted on June 10 by 123pcb

Muffins have been my go to pregnancy snack, especially when dealing with nausea. I try to make them healthy, but that doesn't always work...here is a recipe I tried a while ago and it is delicious. Banana Coconut Muffins  - Coconut has been a number one craving for me.

The recipe can also be viewed on 123pcb's blog with lovely photos of her cooking assistant ;)

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed (3/4 cup)
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbs coconut milk

How I changed the recipe - I added cardamom and coconut milk to the recipe. I think this made the recipe.

Preheat the oven to 375. Mix bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla, butter and coconut milk in a mixer. Then fold in the sifted flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Last, fold in a 1/2 cup of coconut. Used lined muffin tins, sprinkle with remaining coconut and bake for 25 minutes. Let it cool for five before you burn your mouth off tasting the deliciousness. Good luck with that wait. I still can't say the word Yes without is sounding like Yeth thanks to my patience that only let me wait 2 minutes to try them.

Tips:

I mashed the bananas up. I do this with banana bread too so that you don't have to over mix the batter to get all the banana mashed up.

Jam Filled Strawberry Chocolate Chip Scones

I found this recipe on Once A Month Mom and had to try it!  I made a slight variation based on one of the comments from the site, and turned it into a jam filled scone.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

View the original recipe here

• 1 1/2 Cups All purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 1 large egg yolk
• ½ cup buttermilk,  (can be made with 1/2 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 c milk)
• ½ cup strawberries,chopped
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp Strawberry Jam or Preserves

1)   Preheat oven to 425 and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper
2)   In a large bowl sift together all of the dry ingredients. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, until it resembles a coarse meal.
3)  In a smaller bowl whisk together egg yolk and buttermilk. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until dough starts to pull together.
4)   Fold in chocolate chips and strawberries and roll out onto a floured surface.
5)   Pat dough into a large square  and spread jam or preserves evenly over dough.  Fold dough in have so that jam is in the middle of the dough.  Pat into a large square, and cut into squares again, then triangles
6)   Place triangles on cookie sheet and place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes
7)   Once cooled place in sandwich bags, or all in gallon bag.
8)   To serve: Reheat in microwave or toaster oven.

These freeze easily, and thaw nicely in the microwave.