I’ve seen many versions of this viral Thomas Keller zucchini recipe on social media lately, and couldn’t wait to make it. Scoring the zucchini helps it cook evenly and creates nice caramelization, and topping it with the marinated tomatoes made it extra special. This was a fun, tasty zucchini recipe that was devoured quickly and paired nicely with some leftover Boursin potatoes and some Italian meatballs.

Scored Zucchini with Marinated Tomatoes

Marinated Tomatoes:

• 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp shallot, finely minced
• 1 clove of garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Pinch of sugar
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1½ cups of cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, diced, excess seeds removed

Zucchini:

• 2 zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise
• Sea salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp avocado oil, for cooking
• 3 tbsp capers, drained and dried well on a tea towel

Serving:

• Fresh basil leaves, garnish
• Fresh parmesan, on the side

How to Make Scored Zucchini with Marinated Tomatoes:

Marinate the tomatoes by whisking the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, shallot, garlic, parsley, sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small bowl.  Fold in the tomatoes and stir until evenly coated. Set aside to let flavors mingle, and stir every once in a while.

Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, then score the flesh side in a cross-hatch pattern, ⅛” to ¼” deep.

Salt the zucchini halves by seasoning the flesh sides liberally with salt. Let zucchini rest, flesh side down on a tea towel or a few paper towels for 10-15 minutes to draw out its moisture.

Pat the zucchinis very dry with a fresh towel or paper towel.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cook the zucchini by heating the avocado oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, place zucchini halves cut-side down in the skillet and sear until golden brown and beautifully caramelized, 4-5 minutes total.  Side Note: Adjust the heat if they are browning too fast.

Flip the zucchini halves over and sprinkle the dried capers around the zucchini.

Roast the zucchini by transferring the ovenproof cast-iron skillet to the oven to roast until the zucchini is softened, about 15-20 minutes.

Place the zucchini on a towel to remove excess grease, then place on a serving plate.

To serve, spoon the marinated tomatoes over the zucchini, along with the crispy capers. Top with the fresh basil leaves and serve. Enjoy.

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Scored Zucchini with Marinated Tomatoes

Course Sides

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Sharp Knife
• Large Cast-Iron Skillet (ovenproof)

Ingredients

Marinated Tomatoes:

• 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp shallot finely minced
• 1 clove of garlic finely grated
• 1 tsp fresh parsley finely chopped
• Pinch of sugar
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1½ cups of cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes diced, excess seeds removed

Zucchini:

• 2 zucchini ends trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise
• Sea salt to taste
• 2 tbsp avocado oil for cooking
• 3 tbsp capers drained and dried well on a tea towel

Serving:

• Fresh basil leaves garnish

Instructions

• Marinate the tomatoes by whisking the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, shallot, garlic, parsley, sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small bowl.  Fold in the tomatoes and stir until evenly coated. Set aside to let flavors mingle, and stir every once in a while.
• Prepare the zucchini by cutting them in half lengthwise using a sharp knife, then score the flesh side in a cross-hatch pattern, ⅛" to ¼" deep.
• Salt the zucchini halves by seasoning the flesh sides liberally with salt. Let the zucchini rest, flesh side down, on a tea towel or a few paper towels for 10-15 minutes to draw out its moisture.
• Pat the zucchinis very dry with a fresh towel or paper towel.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Cook the zucchini by heating the avocado oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, place zucchini halves cut-side down in the skillet and sear until golden brown and beautifully caramelized, 4-5 minutes total.  Side Note: Adjust the heat if they are browning too fast.
• Flip the zucchini halves over and sprinkle the dried capers around the zucchini.
• Roast the zucchini by transferring the ovenproof cast-iron skillet to the oven to roast until the zucchini is softened, about 15-20 minutes.
• Place the zucchini on a towel to remove excess grease, then place the halves on a serving plate.
• To serve, spoon the marinated tomatoes over the zucchini, along with the crispy capers. Top with the fresh basil leaves and serve. Enjoy.

I combined two of my favorite things (potatoes & Boursin) and made this delicious & easy Boursin mashed potatoes recipe. I’m shocked I haven’t thought of combining the two earlier, but I’m so glad I finally did. We all loved these garlicky, buttery potatoes were decadent and delicious, and we all thought they paired well with a juicy steak, steamed artichoke, and simple salad.

Boursin Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into same-sized chunks
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2-3 tbsp butter, to taste
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 (5.2-oz) package Garlic and Fine Herbs Boursin Cheese, crumbled

Serving Options: 

• Butter, optional
• Chives, snipped, optional

How to Make Boursin Mashed Potatoes:

Cook the potatoes by placing them in a large pot of well-salted water and bringing to a boil over high heat. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the hot pot over the stovetop for a minute or two to steam off excess moisture.

Meanwhile, warm the milk, butter, garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste until melted & very warm.

Make the Boursin mashed potatoes by adding the warm milk/butter mixture to the hot potatoes, along with the crumbled Boursin cheese.

Beat the potatoes with a hand mixer or hand masher until creamy and smooth. Taste & re-season if needed.

To serve, spoon the potatoes into a serving bowl and top with a dollop of butter, fresh chives, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

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Boursin Mashed Potatoes

Course Sides

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large pot
• Colander
• Hand Mixer or Hand Masher

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. russet potatoes peeled and chopped into same-sized chunks
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2-3 tbsp butter to taste
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 5.2-oz package Garlic and Fine Herbs Boursin Cheese, crumbled

Serving Options:

• Butter optional
• Chives snipped, optional

Instructions

• Cook the potatoes by placing them in a large pot of well-salted water and bringing to a boil over high heat. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the hot pot over the stovetop for a minute or two to steam off excess moisture.
• Meanwhile, warm the milk, butter, garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste until melted & very warm.
• Make the Boursin mashed potatoes by adding the warm milk/butter mixture to the hot potatoes, along with the crumbled Boursin cheese.
• Beat the potatoes with a hand mixer or hand masher until creamy and smooth. Taste & re-season if needed.
• To serve, spoon the potatoes into a serving bowl and top with a dollop of butter, fresh chives, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

We’ve been having a load of hot weather, which makes me want to make simple dinners that don’t heat the house. I used a combination of greens that we had in the fridge, and kept it simple with just a few toppings. The citrus vinaigrette paired well with the other ingredients, and the salad was delicious. This healthy, quick, and simple salad paired nicely with some spicy chicken sandwiches and a fruit salad.

Simple Mixed Greens Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Citrus Vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (white wine vinegar will also work)
• Zest from half a lemon + 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Zest from 1 mandarin + 1 tbsp fresh mandarin juice (can also use a Clementine)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½-1 tsp honey, to taste
• 1 small clove of garlic, finely grated
• ⅛ tsp onion powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Simple Mixed Green Salad:

• 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup baby arugula
• 3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
• Parmesan, shaved, to taste  ***Vegetable peeler works well to shave the cheese
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

How to Make a Simple Mixed Greens Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette:

Make the citrus vinaigrette by combining the oil, vinegar, zest & juice from the lemon & mandarin, Dijon, honey, garlic, onion powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with a lid and shake well. Taste & re-season if needed.

Set aside to let the flavors mingle for at least 15-30 minutes before using.  Side Note: You won’t need all of the salad dressing for this salad. Store the remaining vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. 

Make the salad by combining the romaine lettuce, baby spinach, and baby arugula in a large bowl.

Drizzle some of the well-shaken citrus vinaigrette over the greens and toss to coat them evenly. Pour the salad on a serving plate, if desired.

Sprinkle the top with toasted pine nuts, shaved Parmesan cheese, and lots of freshly cracked black pepper to taste.  Side Note: Toast the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over low heat for a few minutes, tossing them occasionally, until golden brown. 

Serve immediately with additional vinaigrette on the side. Enjoy.

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Simple Mixed Greens Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Small glass jar
• Large Bowl

Ingredients

Citrus Vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar white wine vinegar will also work
• Zest from half a lemon + 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Zest from 1 mandarin + 1 tbsp fresh mandarin juice can also use a Clementine
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½-1 tsp honey to taste
• 1 small clove of garlic finely grated
• ⅛ tsp onion powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Simple Mixed Green Salad:

• 2 cups romaine lettuce chopped
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup baby arugula
• 3 tbsp pine nuts toasted
• Parmesan, shaved, to taste ***Vegetable peeler works well to shave the cheese
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Make the citrus vinaigrette by combining the oil, vinegar, zest & juice from the lemon & mandarin, Dijon, honey, garlic, onion powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with a lid and shake well. Taste & re-season if needed.
• Set aside to let the flavors mingle for at least 15-30 minutes before using. 

  Side Note: You won't need all of the salad dressing for this salad. Store the remaining vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
• Make the salad by combining the romaine lettuce, baby spinach, and baby arugula in a large bowl.
• Drizzle some of the well-shaken citrus vinaigrette over the greens and toss to coat them evenly. Pour the salad on a serving plate, if desired.
• Sprinkle the top with toasted pine nuts, shaved Parmesan cheese, and lots of freshly cracked black pepper to taste. 

  Side Note: Toast the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over low heat for a few minutes, tossing them occasionally, until golden brown.
• Serve immediately with additional vinaigrette on the side. Enjoy.

This is the best and easiest corn on the cob recipe, and I doubt I will ever cook fresh corn on the cob any other way again. Using a microwave is the quickest, easiest way to get freshly cooked corn on the cob that keeps its texture and taste, and it doesn’t heat the house! This method has you steam the corn directly in the husks. Once it is cool enough to handle, you cut off the BOTTOM of the cob and squeeze the corn out of the husk, along with all the corn silk. Easy-peasy, and the corn tastes fantastic & not waterlogged.

Easiest Corn on the Cob

Ingredients:

• 3 ears of corn, husks kept on!

Serving:

• Butter
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

How to Make the Easiest Corn on the Cob:

Place the ears of corn, husks intact, in the microwave.

Cook for 7-8 minutes for three ears.  Side Note: 1 ear of corn cooks for 4 minutes; then add 1-2 minutes per additional ear, depending on the microwave’s power.

Carefully remove the ears of corn from the microwave and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Using a very sharp knife, cut off the bottom of the corn (stem end) about one row of corn in from the stem.

With your hands on the top, uncut side of the corn, squeeze and slip the corn from the husk, which will also remove the silk.

Serve with butter, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Enjoy.

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Easiest Corn on the Cob

Course Sides

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 minute minute

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Microwave
• Sharp Knife

Ingredients

• 3 ears of corn husks kept on!

Serving:

• Butter
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place the ears of corn, husks intact, in the microwave.
• Cook for 7-8 minutes for three ears.  Side Note: 1 ear of corn cooks for 4 minutes; then add 1-2 minutes per additional ear, depending on the microwave's power.
• Carefully remove the ears of corn from the microwave and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Using a very sharp knife, cut off the bottom of the corn (stem end) about one row of corn in from the stem.
• With your hands on the top, uncut side of the corn, squeeze and slip the corn from the husk, which will also remove the silk.
• Serve with butter, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Enjoy.

I made this tasty Italian bean salad recipe, which I found on Two Peas and Their Pod, to pair with some lemon butter chicken, roasted asparagus, and crusty bread loaded with roasted garlic I was making for dinner. This protein-packed bean salad was easy to make and tasted fantastic with the rest of the meal. Flavorful, healthy, and delicious.

Italian Bean Salad

Vinaigrette:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar, to taste
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Salad:

• 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, remove as many skins as possible
• 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup Persian cucumber, diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup orange bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup pepperoncini, chopped
• ¼ cup red onion, diced   ***Soak the diced onion in ice-water for 10 minutes if the flavor is too strong
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, hand torn
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

How to Make an Italian Bean Salad:

Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parmesan, Dijon, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with an airtight lid and shake very well. Set aside to let flavors mingle.

Remove the chickpea skins by placing the drained & rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water. Gently rub and pinch the beans together between your hands and fingers, which will allow the skins to slide off the beans and float to the surface.  Side Note: This step is optional.

Prepare the salad by combining the rinsed chickpeas, cannellini beans, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, pepperoncini, red onion, parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley.

Dress the salad by pouring the well-shaken vinaigrette over it and tossing until everything is evenly coated.

Serve, or for the best flavor, chill for 30–60 minutes to let the flavors mingle.

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Italian Bean Salad

Course Salad, Sides

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Allow flavors time to mingle: 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Glass Jar with Lid
• Sharp Knife

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar to taste
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese finely grated
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 clove garlic finely grated
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Salad:

• 1 (15-oz) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained, remove as many skins as possible
• 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup Persian cucumber diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced
• 1 cup orange bell pepper diced
• ½ cup pepperoncini chopped
• ¼ cup red onion diced ***Soak the diced onion in ice-water for 10 minutes if the flavor is too strong
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese finely grated
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves hand torn
• 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped

Instructions

• Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parmesan, Dijon, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with an airtight lid and shake very well. Set aside to let flavors mingle.
• Remove the chickpea skins by placing the drained & rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water. Gently rub and pinch the beans together between your hands and fingers, which will allow the skins to slide off the beans and float to the surface.  Side Note: This step is optional.
• Prepare the salad by combining the rinsed chickpeas, cannellini beans, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, pepperoncini, red onion, parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley.
• Dress the salad by pouring the well-shaken vinaigrette over it and tossing until everything is evenly coated.
• Serve, or chill for 30–60 minutes to let the flavors mingle for the best flavor.

I love this restaurant-style black beans recipe using canned beans and roasted poblano pepper, which is loaded with flavor, but super easy to make. I made these quick & easy black beans to pair with some carnitas, cilantro & lime rice, flour tortillas, and a simple avocado & salad with chipotle honey vinaigrette. The beans were super tasty, had a nice kick, and paired well with the rest of the meal, but next time, I’ll make a double batch!

Spicy Black Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 very small poblano pepper
• 1 tbsp avocado or vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp red onion, finely diced
• ½ small serrano pepper, finely minced
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp dried coriander
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• ⅛ tsp paprika
• ⅛ tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 (15-oz) can of black beans, drained
• ⅓ cup chicken broth or vegetable broth

Serving:

• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Cotija cheese, crumbled

How to Make Spicy Black Beans:

Prepare the poblano pepper by preheating the oven to broil and setting the oven rack directly under the broiler.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place the small poblano pepper on top.

Broil the pepper for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered.

Carefully flip it over and broil for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Remove from the oven, place the charred chile in a large zip-lock bag, and seal it.

Allow it to steam for 5-7 minutes. Peel off the charred skin and discard the stem and seeds. Chop the poblano and set it aside.

Cook the onion & serrano by heating the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.

Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, chili powder, paprkia, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add drained black beans, chicken broth, and 2 tablespoons of chopped roasted poblano (saving any remaining for another recipe), and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and re-season if needed.

Serve the beans with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro and cotija cheese, if desired. Enjoy.

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Spicy Black Beans

Course Sides

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Small Baking Sheet
• Large saucepan

Ingredients

• 1 very small poblano pepper
• 1 tbsp avocado or vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp red onion finely diced
• ½ small serrano pepper finely minced
• 2 large cloves of garlic minced
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp dried coriander
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• ⅛ tsp paprika
• ⅛ tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 15-oz can of black beans, drained
• ⅓ cup chicken broth or vegetable broth

Serving:

• Fresh cilantro chopped
• Cotija cheese crumbled

Instructions

• Prepare the poblano pepper by preheating the oven to broil and setting the oven rack directly under the broiler.
• Line a baking sheet with foil and place the small poblano pepper on top.
• Broil the pepper for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered.
• Carefully flip it over and broil for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Remove from the oven, place the charred chile in a large zip-lock bag, and seal it.
• Allow it to steam for 5-7 minutes. Peel off the charred skin and discard the stem and seeds. Chop the poblano and set it aside.
• Cook the onion & serrano by heating the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
• Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, chili powder, paprkia, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add drained black beans, chicken broth, and 2 tablespoons of chopped roasted poblano (saving any remaining for another recipe), and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and re-season if needed.
• Serve the beans with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro and cotija cheese, if desired. Enjoy.

I had a craving for a salad for lunch, and instead of making my go-to vinaigrette, I wanted to try something different. I ran across the viral recipe video for Chipotle’s signature salad dressing, and thought it sounded delicious. This quick & easy chipotle honey vinaigrette recipe is sweet, smoky, and spicy, making a delicious salad dressing that makes any salad extra tasty, especially a Southwestern salad.

Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette (Copycat Recipe)

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 3-4 tbsp water, to taste, depending on desired spiciness & consistency
• 3 tbsp sauce from adobo pepper, to taste
• 2½ tbsp honey
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup vegetable or avocado oil

How to Make Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette (Copycat Recipe):

Place the red wine vinegar, water, adobo pepper sauce, honey, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a blender. Blend until well-combined.

Gradually pour in the olive oil while blending. Taste and re-season if needed.

Serve immediately or store in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Print

Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette (Copycat Recipe)

Course Condiment

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cup +/-

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Blender, Food Processor, or Immersion Blender

Ingredients

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 3-4 tbsp water to taste, depending on desired spiciness & consistency
• 3 tbsp sauce from adobo pepper
• 2½ tbsp honey
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• ½ cup vegetable or avocado oil

Instructions

• Place the red wine vinegar, water, adobo pepper sauce, honey, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a blender. Blend until well-combined.
• Gradually pour in the olive oil while blending. Taste and re-season if needed.
• Serve immediately or store in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.

We love hummus in my house, and I try to always have some on hand. I stumbled upon a quick and easy olive hummus recipe I found on The Healthy Foodie that sounded perfect because I had olives that needed to be used up. This tasty hummus was creamy, flavorful, and loaded with small bits of olives, which tasted great with flatbread and fresh veggies.

Olive Hummus

Ingredients:

• 2 (15-oz) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained, and skins removed
• ½ cup tahini
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Sea salt, to taste
• ⅓ cup kalamata olives, chopped, plus more for garnish if desired
• ¼ cup Castelvetrano green olives, chopped, plus more for garnish if desired

How to Make Olive Hummus:

Remove the skins by placing the drained & rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water. Gently rub and pinch the beans together between your hands and fingers, which will allow the skins to slide off the beans and float to the surface.  Side Note: This step is optional but highly recommended as it creates an ultra-creamy hummus. 

Make the hummus by placing the drained chickpeas in the bowl of your food processor, along with the tahini, water, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, white vinegar, garlic, and sea salt to taste. Process until smooth and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Scraping the sides, as needed.

Add the chopped olives and pulse only 5-6 times so they will still have texture.

Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before serving.

To serve, sprinkle the top with parsley, additional chopped olives, and a drizzling of olive oil. Serve with flatbread and veggies. Enjoy.

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Olive Hummus

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Lebanese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cups +/-

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 2 (15-oz) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained, and skins removed
• ½ cup tahini
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• Sea salt to taste
• ⅓ cup kalamata olives chopped, plus more for garnish, if desired
• ¼ cup Castelvetrano green olives chopped, plus more for garnish, if desired

Instructions

• Remove the chickpea skins by placing the drained & rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water. Gently rub and pinch the beans together between your hands and fingers, which will allow the skins to slide off the beans and float to the surface.  Side Note: This step is optional but highly recommended as it creates an ultra-creamy hummus.
• Make the hummus by placing the drained chickpeas in the bowl of your food processor, along with the tahini, water, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, white vinegar, garlic, and sea salt to taste. Process until smooth and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Scraping the sides, as needed.
• Add the chopped olives and pulse only 5-6 times so they will still have texture.
• Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before serving.
• To serve, sprinkle the top with parsley, additional chopped olives, and a drizzling of olive oil. Serve with flatbread and veggies. Enjoy.

Warning!!! These delicious spicy chili-crisp edamame are very addictive! Spicy, salty, and so easy to make, edamame is one of our favorite snacks or Asian side dishes. I whipped up this easy edamame recipe to pair with a recent meal of sticky Asian pork ribs, garlic-ginger rice with cilantro, and bok choy with ginger sauce.

Spicy Chili-Crisp Edamame

Ingredients:

• 8 oz frozen edamame
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce, more to taste
• 2 tsp chili crisp 
• Sea salt, to taste

How to Make Spicy Chili-Crisp Edamame:

Blanche the edamame in a large saucepan of salted, boiling water, over high heat for 3-4 minutes.

Drain and rinse the edamame with very cold water to prevent it from cooking further.

Dry the edamame pods on a clean tea towel (or paper towels) until very dry.

Finish cooking by heating the olive oil, toasted sesame oil, and smashed garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until golden brown, to season the oil, tossing occasionally. Don’t let the garlic turn dark or burn.

Add edamame to the skillet with the oil and garlic; toss it all together for 1 -2 minutes to get it nice and coated.

Add a splash of soy sauce and chili crisp, stir & cook for only 1-2 minutes, to preserve the green color of the edamame.

To serve, discard the garlic cloves. Transfer to a large bowl, and season with sea salt to taste.

To eat, grab an edamame pod, and use your teeth to pull the little edamame beans out of the shell while holding it. Discard the shells and repeat.  Enjoy.

Print

Spicy Chili-Crisp Edamame

Course Appetizer, Sides

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large saucepan
• Large skillet

Ingredients

• 8 oz frozen edamame
• 2 cloves garlic peeled, smashed
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce more to taste
• 2 tsp spicy chili crisp
• Sea salt to taste

Instructions

• Blanche the edamame in a large saucepan of salted, boiling water, over high heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Drain and rinse the edamame with very cold water to prevent it from cooking further.
• Dry the edamame pods on a clean tea towel (or paper towels) until very dry.
• Finish cooking by heating the olive oil, toasted sesame oil, and smashed garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until golden brown, to season the oil, tossing occasionally. Don't let the garlic turn dark or burn.
• Add edamame to the skillet with the oil and garlic; toss it all together for 1 -2 minutes to get it nice and coated.
• Add a splash of soy sauce and chili crisp, stir & cook for only 1-2 minutes, to preserve the green color of the edamame.
• To serve, discard the garlic cloves. Transfer to a large bowl, and season with sea salt to taste.
• To eat, grab an edamame pod, and use your teeth to pull the little edamame beans out of the shell while holding it. Discard the shells and repeat.  Enjoy.

A quick and easy Asian green bean side dish that pairs well with beef, chicken, tofu, seafood, and pork. I adapted this easy diced green bean recipe from I am Homesteader, and thought it would be fun to make, as I’d never chopped or diced green beans before. The results with smaller chopped green beans are that the Asian flavors penetrated the green beans much better than if they were kept whole. These spicy, delicious garlic chili-crisp green beans paired nicely with garlic rice, soy-garlic flank steak, and a cucumber salad.

Garlic Chili-Crisp Green Beans

Ingredients:

• ½ lb. green beans, ends trimmed, and chopped (or diced)
• 1½ tsp vegetable oil
• 1½ tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 large cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp spicy chili-crisp, or more if desired
• Splash of seasoned rice vinegar, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Toasted sesame seeds, to taste

How to Make Garlic Chili-Crisp Green Beans:

Clean and dry the green beans well. Snip off the ends, then chop them into small pieces.

Place the vegetable oil, toasted sesame oil, and smashed garlic in a large skillet or wok. Heat slowly over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic has seasoned the oil, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and chop it into small bits.

Add the chopped green beans and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Add the soy sauce, chili-crisp, rice vinegar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Taste and re-season if needed.

Stir in the chopped garlic and pour into a serving bowl. Top with toasted sesame seeds and serve. Enjoy.

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Garlic Chili-Crisp Green Beans

Course Sides

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large Skillet or Wok

Ingredients

• ½ lb. green beans ends trimmed, and chopped (or diced)
• 1½ tsp vegetable oil
• 1½ tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 large cloves of garlic smashed
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp spicy chili-crisp or more if desired
• Splash of seasoned rice vinegar to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• Toasted sesame seeds to taste

Instructions

• Clean and dry the green beans well. Snip off the ends, then chop them into small pieces.
• Place the vegetable oil, toasted sesame oil, and smashed garlic in a large skillet or wok. Heat slowly over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic has seasoned the oil, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and chop it into small bits.
• Add the chopped green beans and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce, chili-crisp, rice vinegar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Taste and re-season if needed.
• Stir in the chopped garlic and pour into a serving bowl. Top with toasted sesame seeds and serve. Enjoy.