Spicy Citrus Black Beans

Ingredients:
1 (28 oz.) can black beans
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
pepper, chopped or minced (bell, Anaheim or jalapeno depending on your taste)
½-1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1½ tsp. dried oregano
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp. pureed chipotles in adobo
1½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Juice of 2 limes (added lime zest - optional)
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
Chopped fresh cilantro, to taste, plus more for garnish

Directions:
Place the beans in a colander and rinse throughly. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and pepper until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the beans. Mix in broth (more or less depending on how much liquid you would like) and bring to a simmer. Mix in the oregano, bay leaves, salt, chipotle puree, cumin, orange juice, lime juice and vinegar. Once simmering, reduce to medium-low or low and let simmer, covered, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, stir in chopped fresh cilantro to taste and serve.

Source: Annie's Eats
Note: I did not use the chipotle's when I made this, still a little gun shy when it comes to those. Also I used fresh oregano which was tasty.

Paula Deen's Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 c. confectioner's sugar
1 t. vanilla

Directions:
1- In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, and confectioners' sugar and 1 t. vanilla.
2- Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter at room temp.
2 c. sugar
5 large eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1 t. red food coloring

Directions:
1- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2- Add eggs one at a time.
3- Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in mixing bowl. Add 1/4 of dry ingredients to creamed mixture then 1/4 of buttermilk alternating until mixed well.
4- Mix in vanilla and food coloring.
5- Fill lined cupcake pans 1/2 full of red velvet batter.
6- Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for approx. 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7- Cool cupcakes in pans for 5 to 10 min. the remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks before frosting.

French Bread

This is a super easy french bread recipe. It comes out very moist with a crispy crust.

Ingredients

3 cups bread flour
1 Tbsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 egg white
1 Tbsp cold water

Direction

In mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour and yeast. Stir in 1 cup warm water. Let stand 5 minutes until yeast is activated. Add salt and 1 additional cup flour. Mix until dough is formd. Add additional flour if necessary.

Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead 10 minutes. Brush dough with oil and place in bowl. Cover and let dough rise until doubled in size.

Punch dough down and turn onto floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 moinutes. Roll dough into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from long side. Taper ends and seal edges with water.

Grease baking sheet. Place loaf, seam side down, onto baking sheet. Lightly beat egg white with 1 Tbsp cold water and brush over dough loaf. Cover. Let rise until doubled in size.

Make several diagonal cuts about 1/2 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white. Loosely cover with foil (to prevent over browning). Bake 15-20 minutes longer Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.

Curry Vegetables in Crock Pot

Erin made this and it was very yummy. She served it over rice. You can vary the vegetables to whatever you have on hand.
Ingredients
3 lbs (1½kg)	chopped fresh vegetables (see note below)
½ cup	frozen peas
1	clove garlic
13oz (400g)	diced canned tomatoes
1½ cup	vegetable stock
15oz (470g)	can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp	curry powder (this makes it medium - use more or less to your liking)
1 tsp	ground coriander (cilantro) seeds
1 cup	coconut milk
Method
1.	Put all the vegetables, tomato, garlic, and chickpeas into the crock pot.
2.	Combine the stock, coconut milk, curry powder and coriander. Then add to the crock pot.
3.	Give it a quick stir to combine.
4.	Cover and cook for 10-11 hours on Low.
Notes
Serves 4-6 For vegetables we used - 3 carrots ½ bell pepper (capsicum) 2 zucchini (courgette) 3 potatoes green beans