Sweet and Tangy Bean Dip

Perfect Pairing:  Scoop chips

This dip is going to be a regular on my summer menu.  It is my new favorite recipe!  It is so easy and delicious.  It is downright addictive.  I served it as a dip, but it would be pretty great as a side dish.

I made this for a party at my brother’s office.  He is a dentist and bought his own practice two years ago.  His awesome staff threw him a surprise two year anniversary party. 

He was SO surprised!  It was great.  By the way, if you are in the north shore and need a dentist you must go see Jay!  He is the best!  I promise there will be no cheesy elevator music in his office, and his staff is fabulous.

When I thought about what to bring to the party I knew I needed something that did not need to be cooked/warmed up, and more importantly, I needed to make it a few days in advance because of a busy schedule.  This dip was perfect because it just gets better with time. 

I suggest serving it with scoop chips for obvious reasons!  You don’t want any of this good stuff falling off the chip.

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing:  Trail Mix Wheat Berry Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Orange Vinaigrette

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Deviled Eggs with Goat Cheese and Herbs

Tweet

Slow Cooker Calico Bean Bake

Perfect Pairing:  Thorough rinsing

So it turns out Slow Cooker Calico Bean Bake is not an easy thing to photograph.  It must have something to do with it being all one color, not holding any shape, and let’s face it, it is just not very beautiful.  My cousin took these pictures for me because she is awesome at photography, and I was baffled on how to take a good picture of it.  Fortunately, it tastes about 100x better than it photographs! 

Part of my job requires me to spend long days in production studios.  I assure you, I am not doing anything too exciting in said studios.  My absolute favorite studio is here in Chicago.  They have an amazing facility with multiple stages and sets.  One of those sets is a gorgeous, fully functional, kitchen. 

Next to the gourmet kitchen is a prop room.  An entire room dedicated to kitchen props!  I pretty much lose my mind over that room.  Each time I am at that studio I daydream about how awesome it would be to photograph my recipes there.  The backdrops!  The lighting!  The utensils!  The plates!  The trays!  Nerd alert.

Perhaps I could even make Slow Cooker Calico Bean Bake looks gorg in that environment.  This is definitely a family favorite.  It is so good!  Even my little cousin Callie loved it!  I mean…. She REALLY loved it.  We lost track of how many bowls she polished off. 

Now this dish will forever be known as Callie Bean Bake instead of Calico Bean Bake!  This recipe is so flipping easy.  After browning the meat and cooking the bacon you just throw everything in the slow cooker and let the flavors develop.  It is fantastic served alongside anything you take off of the grill.  I recommend thoroughly draining and rinsing the beans.  This removes a good amount of sodium and can make it easier to digest. 

 

Tweet

Southwestern Chicken Slow Cooker Soup

Perfect Pairing:  Toppings!

I am so over winter.  SO over it.  I know, I know, everyone feels the same way if they live in the Midwest or on the East coast.  It has just been brutal this year!   I think it will be May before the foot of solid ice in my yard has a chance to thaw.  I live in constant fear of pipes bursting.  I feel like I am on an obstacle course while driving in Chicago to avoid the thousands of cavernous potholes.

Enough whining.  I really do like to look on the bright side of things!  In winter that means looking forward to warm vacations, cozy nights by the fireplace, binge watching seasons of a new favorite show (Downton Abbey) on Netflix, and warming comfort food.  This Southwestern Slow Cooker Soup totally fits in the last category!

My cousin told me about this recipe and I am so glad she did, it is delicious.  It is also one of the easiest meals I have made in a long time.  You just fill the slow cooker with the ingredients and walk away.  You can even put the chicken in frozen!  I used spicy Ro Tel tomatoes and chipotle chili powder which made my version really spicy.  If you are sensitive to spice you might want to use the mild Ro Tel and cut back on the chili powder.  This makes a big batch so you could cut it in half easily.

This soup just screams for toppings!   I recommend shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack), green onions, cilantro, Fritos (why do they have to be so good?), and sour cream.

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing:  Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Blue Cheese Puffs

Tweet

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Tahini Salad

Perfect Pairing:  Thanksgiving

How is it almost Thanksgiving?  Seriously, where did the last few months go?  It seems like everyone I talk to feels the same way.  What kind of weird time warp are we in right now?

Weird time warp aside, I live for this time of year.  Gathering with family and friends is my favorite thing in the entire world. Add in great food, good wine, games, laughter, and you pretty much have perfection.  My family kicked off the holiday season a little early this year.  We had a “pre-Thanksgiving” celebration since we could not all be together on the actual holiday.  It was a great time! 

 My mom and I have it pretty easy for the actual Thanksgiving dinner.  We have been tasked with dessert and stuffing.  I actually insisted that we make the stuffing, because my mom’s stuffing is without a doubt the highlight of the Thanksgiving meal.  She does not really follow a recipe, but it includes sausage and dried cherries.  Amazing.

Also amazing?  Butternut Squash and Chickpea Tahini Salad.  I ran across this recipe on Smitten Kitchen while searching for recipes that used tahini, and thought it looked unique and healthy.  I had only used tahini in hummus and had a jar hanging out in my pantry begging to be used.  I am so glad I ran across the salad recipe, it is absolutely delicious.  The roasted squash is slightly sweet and pairs nicely with the nutty tahini and fresh cilantro and red onion. 

The Perfect Pairing for Butternut Squash and Chickpea Tahini Salad is Thanksgiving.  If you are looking for a great side dish to bring to your family’s table, this just might be it.  I found that I can make the dressing and roast the squash the day before and then assemble before the meal.

Tweet

Tortilla Soup

Perfect Pairing:  Your favorite salsa

Fall = Soup weather.  Am I right or am I right? 

I think it is safe to say that I have probably made this recipe more than anything else on my site.  Every time I make it I am reminded how delicious and easy it is.  You can have dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes with this recipe. 

I have been at the grocery store many times trying to think what to make for dinner and end up grabbing these ingredients because they are easy to remember, easy to find, cheap, and healthy.  Once you get the cans open you are halfway done.  It really is so simple.  I usually get rotisserie chicken from the store so I don’t even have to cook the chicken at home.

The fat free refried beans make this soup thick, so it feels decadent but it is actually full of fiber and nutrients.  It is incredibly filling and satisfying.

The Perfect Pairing for this recipe is your favorite brand of salsa.  I really like spicy food so I tend to go for the “hot” variety, but you may want to start out with mild or medium if you are not a fan.  The salsa adds a lot of flavor to the soup so it makes sense to find one that you really like and use that in the recipe.  I think my favorite is Paul Newman’s chunky hot salsa.  The last time I made this soup I was in a hurry at the store and somehow grabbed chunky peach salsa.  I didn’t realize it until after it was in the soup.  Not going to lie, it was tasty!  There was a bit of a sweet undertone to the spicy soup.     

Tweet

Caribbean Bean Puree

Perfect Pairing:  Bob Marley, Legend Album

The ingredient list for this recipe may seem a little strange.  Black beans and bananas?  You are just going to have to trust me on this one.  This Caribbean Bean Puree is SO yummy.  I love beans in any form but I think this is my all-time favorite bean dish.  I know it seems strange, but give it a try.  There is just a hint of banana flavor which is balanced by the garlic, shallots, cumin and lime juice.

The Perfect Pairing for this recipe is my all-time, number one, absolute favorite album…. Bob Marley’s, Legend.  I have already professed my love for all things Caribbean on this blog, so I am sure this comes as no surprise.  Even if you are not a reggae fan you will love this album.  It has many of his iconic classics like I Shot the Sherriff, Could You Be Loved, and my personal favorite, Three Little Birds.  It is the perfect thing to listen to while making and enjoying this dish. 

Tweet