Thursday, December 1, 2011

"Cheesy" Black Bean Triangles and Chewy Granola Bars

These are two more of our favorite recipes around here.  We probably make these at least once every two weeks.  I'm pretty sure you'll love them too.

"Cheesy" Black Bean Triangles
This recipe can be found here (I've also copied it below).  It's another Morningstar Farms plug.  Like I've said we've always got something of theirs in our freezer at all times.

I've altered it slightly with the cheese.  But obviously you can make them however you'd like.  I use the rice cheese (see previous post) instead of dairy cheese and I don't use butter, I just put them in and bake them as is.   I've added in a can of black beans before as well as green peppers, onions, cilantro, I really like to experiment with recipes and make them my own.  I've made these as the triangles, but I feel like I waste a lot of the tortilla so my new favorite way of making these is rolling them up into taquitos.  My kids like them better that way too.


INGREDIENTS

MorningStar Farms® Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burgers
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
1/4 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese (1 ounce)
2 teaspoons salt-free Southwest or Mexican seasoning
10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
2 1/2 cups shredded lettuce (optional)
2 tablespoons finely chopped red or green bell pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In medium bowl toss together MORNINGSTAR FARMS SPICY BLACK BEAN VEGGIE BURGERS, salsa, Cheddar cheese, Pepper Jack cheese and seasoning.

2. Use pizza cutter to cut tortillas into 7-inch triangles. (Save trimmed edges for another use.) 3. Place about 2 tablespoons burger mixture in center of each triangle. Fold corners of large triangles over filling, completely enclosing filling and making small triangles. Secure with toothpicks. Place on baking sheet, toothpick side up. Brush with butter. Bake at 375°F for 9 to 12 minutes or until beginning to brown on top.

4. Arrange on top of shredded lettuce. Sprinkle with bell pepper. Serve immediately. *Note:To thaw, place in microwave and heat for 30 seconds.
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Chewy Granola Bars
This recipe can be found here (also copied below).  These are delicious!  And a great snack to have as an alternative to the granola bars you can buy at the store.  My kids love these and gobble them up.  I've altered the recipe here a little as well.  My changes are in red.

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup butter, softened (1 cup peanut butter)
  • 1/2 cup honey  (1 cup Agave, I prefer the taste.)
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar (1 tight fistful of brown sugar)
  • 2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips (I don't do chocolate chips but might throw in Craisens here or there.)  

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan.
  2. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter or margarine, honey and brown sugar. Stir in the 2 cups assorted chocolate chips, raisins, nuts etc.
  3. Lightly (lightly?  No, you really want to pack it in there as tight as you can.  If you don't it will just crumble.  I use the bottom of my drinking glass) press mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 18 to 22 minutes (I bake it for 11 minutes, pull it out re-press it down as hard as I can so it won't crumble, and then bake it for another 11 minutes)  or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.