Avocado and Sumac Whip

This of this as a cross between guacamole and hummus ... in other words, the perfect snack. This works great as a dip with bread or as a side dish to some fish that's been crusted with toasted cumin and a bit of sumac.

One year ago: Chile-Smothered Pork with Vinegar
Two years ago: Hare and Chocolate Sauce
Four years ago: Lemon Sugar Cookies

Avocado and Sumac Whip (from Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume)

Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
juice of 1 small lemon
1/4 cup tahini
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed sumac
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp black sesame seeds

1. Peel and cube the avocados, discarding the pits.
2. In a food processor, blend avocado with lemon juice until smooth.
3. Add tahini, olive oil, sumac, cinnamon, cumin, and garlic and mix until the consistency of mayo.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Edamame Hummus

I made this as a warm side dish to go with some goat chops, but this works equally well as a cool appetizer to dip raw vegetables in. To me, this seems a little less fussy than making hummus (peeling chickpeas is not my idea of fun) and the flavor is equally good.

One year ago: Spice-Braised Tuna
Two years ago: Hash Brown Quiche
Four years ago: Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Edamame Hummus (from Smoke & Pickles)

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups shelled cooked edamame (you can use frozen)
1 cup water
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cumin

1. In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until soft.
2. Add edamame and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add water, tahini, lemon juice, soy sauce, salt, and cumin. Stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 6 minutes.
4. Transfer to a food processor and process until thick and crumbly (it doesn't need to be completely smooth). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Peppers with Anchovies and Capers

If you like roasted bell peppers, this is a great appetizer for you. The bell pepper mixture can be made up to 2 hours ahead of time. The original serves 6 - 8 people, so feel free to scale down.

One year ago: Sweet Watermelon with Garlic and Red Chiles
Two years ago: Walnut Muffins with Coffee Glaze
Three years ago: Sausage and Balsamic Tomatoes

Roasted Peppers with Anchovies and Capers (from Big Small Plates)

Ingredients
3 red bell peppers
3 yellow bell peppers
2 ounces anchovies, finely chopped and smashed into paste
1 handful fresh basil leaves, shredded by hand
pinch of fresh oregano, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
sea salt and pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
12 - 16 slices baguette or other bread

1. Roast peppers until blackened (on a wood grill or under a broiler).
2. Place peppers in a paper or plastic bag until cool enough to handle.
3. Peel peppers and remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Tear into strips over a mixing bowl to catch the juices and place in bowl.
4. Mix in remaining ingredients except bread.
5. Brush bread slices with olive oil and toast in oven at 375 or on grill.
6. Pile bell pepper mix on each crouton and eat.

Hummus

I've tried making hummus before, but I've never been 100% satisfied with it, so I had resigned myself to supermarket hummus. I decided to give it one last try. I've always heard that secret to silky smooth hummus is removing the skins, but never had the patience for it. Sadly (or thankfully depending on your perspective) that does appear to be the secret ... along with processing for 5 minutes and adding iced water. Luckily, getting the skins off of chickpeas that have been cooked, frozen, and thawed is remarkably easy. If you don't already do this, I highly recommend cooking bags of dried beans in the freezer and then portioning out into ziplock snack bags to freeze for later use.

One year ago: Miso-sesame Sear Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Hummus (from Jerusalem)

Ingredients
600g cooked chickpeas, skins removed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp tahini paste (270g)
4 tbsp lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 1/2 tbsp/100 ml ice-cold water
1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Place chickpeas in food processor and process until you have a stiff paste.
2. With machine running, add tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.
3. Drizzle in iced water and allow to mix for 5 minutes until very smooth and creamy.
4. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for at least 30 minutes.

Pureed Beets with Yogurt and Za'atar

I love beets, but my better half isn't the biggest fan, so I'm constantly trying to find new ways to present them in a form that's a bit more palatable. This beautiful dip paired with goat cheese, hazelnuts, and green onions fit the bill. The savoury toppings and herbs offset the sweetness of the beets. The chiles also give it just the slightest hint of heat.

One year ago: Butternut Squash Pie
Two years ago: Pad Thai
Three years ago: Spinach Quiche

Pureed Beets with Yogurt and Za'atar (from Jerusalem)

Ingredients
900g medium beets
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tbsp date syrup or maple syrup
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp za'atar
salt
Garnish
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (15g) hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
60g goat's milk cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Wash beets and place in roasting pan. Roast uncovered 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 6 pieces each. Allow to cool.
3. Place beets, garlic, chile and yogurt in a food processor or blender and blend to smooth paste.
4. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl in stir in syrup, olive oil, za'atar, and 1 tsp salt.
5. Spread mixture on flat serving plate. Scatter green onions, hazelnuts, and cheese on top. Drizzle with oil and serve at room temperature.

Beef Cubes with a Tamarind-Mint Sauce

This dish is listed as an appetizer in the cookbook. It would be great to have out at a party, but it also works as a light dinner, especially when paired with a refreshing mango salad. The beef is spicy, but not as spicy as you might expect when you read through the recipe. The author suggests pairing with a cold beer. I didn't have any on hand, but I do think that's an excellent suggestion!

One year ago: Penne with Chicken and Pesto
Two years ago: Spinach Soup with Red Lentils

Beef Cubes with a Tamarind-Mint Sauce (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
Kebabs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
6 - 8 green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed
6 medium garlic cloves
2 lengthwise slices ginger (2"x1"x1/8")
450g boneless beef stew meat, cut into 2" cubes
1 tsp ground Deggi chiles or 1/2 tsp cayenne + 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp whole cloves, ground
Bamboo or metal skewers
Sauce
1/4 cup firmly packed mint leaves
1/4 cup firmly packed cilantro
1 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp tamarind paste or concentrate
1 - 2 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed

1. To make marinade, pour yogurt into blender. Add chiles, garlic, and ginger. Puree until smooth.
2. Place beef in bowl and pour marinade over top. Stir in ground chiles, salt, turmeric, and cloves. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour or overnight.
3. To make sauce, pour 1/4 cup water into blender and add sauce ingredients. Puree until smooth.
4. Pour sauce into small saucepan and warm over low heat while you cook the kebabs.
5. Heat grill or broiler to high.
6. Thread beef cubes onto skewers with the marinade.
7. Grill or broil for 6 - 8 minutes until cooked to desired level of doneness.
8. Slide beef off of skewers, spoon sauce over beef, and serve.

Ricotta-Filled Zucchini Blossoms

I couldn't resist the zucchini blossoms at Jean-Talon this weekend. I'd never cooked with them before, but this recipe exceeded all of my expectations. As luck would have it, I also came home from my shopping expedition with some high quality ricotta. The two paired together beautifully. The batter on this produces an incredibly light taste and the ricotta filling is simply wonderful. This may seem like a lot of work, but it's well worth the effort.

Ricotta-Filled Zucchini Blossoms (from Around My French Table)

Ingredients
Batter
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
1 cup very cold club soda
Fritters
12 zucchini blossoms
3/4 cup ricotta
1 large egg yolk
1 shallot, finely minced
2 tbsp minced fresh herbs (basil, mint, and/or parsley)
salt and pepper
dash of cayenne
peanut oil, for frying
mayonnaise or other sauce for serving, optional (not really needed)

1. To make batter, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and a grind or two of pepper. Whisk in club soda. Keep in fridge if not using immediately.
2. In a bowl, whisk together ricotta, egg yolk, shallot, herbs, salt and pepper to taste, and a dash of cayenne.
3. Wipe blossoms with lightly dampened paper towel. Don't wash them! Pry blossoms open and remove pistils and stamens.
4. Fill blossoms with ricotta mixture and twist the top to gently seal.
5. Pour about 1/2" of peanut oil in small skillet and heat until very hot but not smoking. Line a plate with double layer of paper towels.
6. One by one, without crowding the pan, run blossoms through batter and drop in hot oil. Fry for a minute or two on first side and a minute on the other until coating is golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with fleur de sel if desired.
7. Serve immediately with mayonnaise if desired.

Chorizo-Stuffed Jalapenos or Peppers

The filling in this is excellent (and any leftovers go great with eggs in breakfast tacos the next morning!). These needs to be served still warm as the flavour isn't nearly as good once they've cooled. I think the filling would work well in more mild chiles or peppers such as poblano or bell peppers as well if you're not into such a spicy bite.

Chorizo-Stuffed Jalapenos or Peppers (from The Homesick Texan Cookbook)

Ingredients
12 medium jalapeno chiles (see header notes)
110g chorizo, cooked and drained of excess fat
225g cream cheese, room temperature
55g goat cheese, room temperature
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp dried oregano (I used Mexican)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp lime zest

1. Preheat broiler and line baking sheet with foil.
2. Cut each jalapeno in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and white pith.
3. Mix together chorizo, cheeses, cilantro, oregano, cumin, garlic, cayenne, and zest.
4. Fill jalapeno halves with cheese filling.
5. Place on sheet and broil 8 - 10 minutes or until nicely browned.

Chorizo Empanadas

I've been wanting to make empanadas for a while now, but unfortunately my cast put a bit of a kink in my empanada making plans. Fortunately, the upgrade to a splint has made empanada making a possibility. Even better, this dish was worth the wait and the effort. With a bit of patience and generous flour-dusting, the dough rolls out very nicely. If you have a variety of mixing bowl sizes, check yours to see if one will work as an empanada cutter.

Chorizo Empanadas (from The Homesick Texan Cookbook)

Ingredients
Crust
225g cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Filling
1 tsp vegetable oil
450g Mexican chorizo (removed from casing if bought)
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (~55g)
1/4 cup pitted black olives, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno chile, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Empanada
1 large egg
2 tbsp milk
sesame seeds (optional)
salsa for dipping (optional)

1. Mix together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Stir in flour and salt until a smooth dough is formed.
3. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in large skillet on medium-low heat and cook chorizo until done, 7 - 10 minutes.
5. In bowl, mix together chorizo, MJ cheese, olives, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, and cumin.
6. Preheat oven to 375F and grease a large baking sheet.
7. Roll dough out on a floured surface until 1/8" thick (I found this easier to do in batches). Cut into 5" rounds, gather scraps, and repeat until you have about 16 empanadas.
8. Place 2 tsp of filling in center of each dough circle and fold dough so it forms a half-moon. Crimp edges with a fork to seal.
9. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and milk.
10. Brush egg wash on empanadas. If using (I didn't), sprinkle with sesame seeds.
11. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned. Serve with salsa if desired.

Chicken Satay with Sweet Soy Sauce and Lime Dipping Sauce

I was pleasantly surprised by how much flavour these little chunks of chicken had. I served it as an appetizer, but you could easily turn it into a main dish. You could also serve the chicken with a peanut sauce instead of the sweet soy sauce, but I suggest you give this one a try first!

One year ago: Doughnut Muffins
Two years ago: Oscars baking!

Chicken Satay with Sweet Soy Sauce and Lime Dipping Sauce (from Cradle of Flavor)

Ingredients
marinade
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 lemongrass stalks, thinly sliced, tough outer layers discarded
110g shallots, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp galangal (optional)
2 tbsp sliced ginger
1 tbsp ground turmeric
4 tbsp palm sugar (or dark brown)
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Satay
1.5kg bone-in chicken thighs (or less boneless)
1 lemongrass stalk
4 tbsp peanut oil
30 sharp bamboo skewers, soaked in water
Sweet Soy Sauce and Lime Dipping Sauce
3 fresh red Holland chiles (or other long or short), stemmed and thinly sliced
4 tbsp kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
1 tbsp lime juice

1. To make marinade, grind coriander and fennel until a dusty powder. Add lemongrass, shallots, ginger, garlic, galangal, turmeric, sugar, peanut oil, and salt and process until smooth.
2. Remove skin from chicken and cut into pieces 1" wide, 1/4" thick, and 2 - 3" long. Combine chicken with marinade in bowl and marinate 1 - 2 hours.
3. Prepare lemongrass stalk to be a basting brush by cutting off the bottom end and top, discarding the outer layers, and bruising the thick end until it is bristly. Place in small bowl with the peanut oil for at least 10 minutes.
4. Thread chicken onto skewers.
5. To cook on grill, preheat grill, baste chicken with lemongrass oil and grill until cooked through and has crispy brown-black spots, 3 - 7 minutes each side.
6. To cook in broiler, preheat broiler. Line a pan with aluminum foil. Place skewers on pan, baste chicken with lemongrass oil, and broil 5 - 7 minutes per side.
7. To make dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Brie with Ligurian Olive Paste

I can't think of a better combination than this olive paste and brie. This recipe makes extra paste, but it will keep for weeks in the fridge.

One year ago: Bolognese Risotto
Two years ago: Savoury French Toast

Brie with Ligurian Olive Paste (from The Cheesemonger's Kitchen)

Ingredients
225g Brie
Paste
225g taggiasca, nicoise or other black olives, pitted
2 tbsp capers, drained
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
zest of 1 lemon

1. In small frying pan, cook garlic with olive oil over medium heat, turning until garlic is golden.
2. Combine all paste ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth.
3. Cut brie in half lengthwise. Spread 2 tbsp of olive paste evenly on bottom piece of brie and replace top piece. Serve.

Torta di Gorgonzola

This recipe can be scaled up or down easily. Any leftovers can make a pasta sauce!

One year ago: Whole Wheat Jam Muffins
Two years ago: Cauliflower and Camembert Soup

Torta di Gorgonzola (from The Cheesemonger's Kitchen)

Ingredients
455g mascarpone
1 kg Gorgonzola dolce latte cheese
115g pine nuts, toasted
focaccia

1. Mix mascarpone with spoon until creamy.
2. Cut Gorgonzola into four equal slices horizontally.
3. Spread a quarter of the mascarpone over the first slice. Place second layer on top and repeat ending with mascarpone on top.
4. Top with pine nuts and serve with focaccia.

Goat Cheese and Roasted Garlic Beehive

A late impulse purchase right before the holidays resulted in a book focused on cheese. Although the entire book intrigues me, what most amazes me is the entire chapter devoted to cheese plates. I was hosting a baby shower and decided it would be an excellent time to test the cheese plate recipe. I was not disappointed ... except for the fact that there were barely any recipes.

This recipe scales easily, so feel free to reduce the amounts. If you mess up (like me) and decide to purchase another goat cheese other than Bucheron (or the super crumbly one whose name I can't remember), don't worry. This dish works even with the creamier version of goat cheese, although you lose a bit from not incorporating the rind.

One year ago: Beer Cheese Soup (how appropriate!)
Two years ago: Black Bean Soup

Goat Cheese and Roasted Garlic Beehive (from The Cheesemonger's Kitchen)

Ingredients
2.3 kg whole garlic heads, unpeeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 kg fresh goat cheese
honey
bread

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Spread out garlic on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until deep golden brown.
3. Let cool and cut heads in half horizontally.
4. Squeeze out roasted garlic pulp into bowl. Mix with a whisk until smooth.
5. Line a 1 qt bowl with cheesecloth or plastic wrap. Bring goat cheese to room temperature.
6. Press small amount of cheese into cloth-lined bowl, forming a 1" layer. Add enough garlic puree to make a 1"layer. Repeat until beehive is built. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
7. An hour or so before serving, place upside down on bowl and remove from bowl, peeling off the cover. Drizzle with honey and serve with bread.

Spiced Pumpkin Cream Cheese

I had a dilemma. I had promised not to bake, but the plans for a bakery pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving had fallen through (it was out of season here). Rather than break the baking rule, I went in search of a good pumpkin appetizer and found this recipe. I accidentally doubled the amount of pumpkin puree, but I believe the batch of pumpkin puree we had was less flavourful than the canned stuff, so use your judgement (or taste as you go) about how much pumpkin to put in. This dip is excellent with apple slices and I can't wait to try it on my bagel in the morning.

Spiced Pumpkin Cream Cheese (from Ezra Pound Cake, originally Better Homes and Gardens)

Ingredients
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 - 1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, pumpkin and sugar until smooth. (You could also use an immersion blender or wooden spoon.)
2. Add the pumpkin pie spice and vanilla.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro and Chiles

For some reason, I have an aversion to the idea of making cranberry sauce, so when I saw a recipe for cranberry salsa, I thought it would be a perfect alternative. I was a bit anxious about how it would turn out, but it was perfect. Tart cranberries with just a little bit of heat. I thought it was a little too much work to shell all the pumpkin seeds (I had some from when we roasted pumpkins), so I left the shell on and no one seemed to complain. I also didn't have pumpkin oil to toast the seeds and simply used canola.

Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro and Chiles (from epicurious, originally Bon Appetit)

Ingredients
4 teaspoons pumpkin seed oil (or neutral oil)
1/2 cup natural unsalted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds or unshelled)
Sea salt
2 cups fresh cranberries or frozen, thawed
1 1/3 cups chopped green onions (dark green parts only; about 2 bunches)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced seeded serrano chiles (I left the seeds in)
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add pepitas; stir until golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to plate; sprinkle with sea salt.
2. Place cranberries in processor. Using on/off turns, process until finely chopped. Transfer to bowl.
3. Add onions, cilantro, and chiles.
4. Stir sugar and lime juice in another bowl until sugar dissolves. (DO AHEAD: Cranberry and lime juice mixtures can be made 4 hours ahead.) Cover separately; chill.
5. Add cranberry mixture and pepitas to lime juice mixture; stir to combine.

Welsh Rarebit (or Rabbit)

I had a rabbit-themed dinner party and couldn't resist a vegetarian rabbit-themed dish. I scaled this recipe in half and had plenty of cheese sauce. I also substituted cheddar in places of the cheeses listed. I got a little anxious about the lack of milk or cream, so I threw in just a tiny bit after the beer to try to make it more sauce-like. I think it would've been okay without. Is this recipe authentic? I don't know. I failed to make the Welsh guy at the party taste it. Is it tasty? Most definitely.

One year ago: Pear, Proscuitto, and Goat Cheese Pizza

Welsh Rarebit (adapted from grouprecipes.com, submitted by bonzaichef)

Ingredients
200g Cheddar cheese
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 whisked egg yolk
1/2 tsp English mustard powder
3/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch of chili powder or cayenne pepper
75ml Guinness
sliced baguette

1. In a saucepan melt the butter over a medium heat & add the flour, cook for 1 min stirring constantly, add the egg & stir for another 30 secs.
2. Slowly whisk in the beer but do not let the mixture boil.
3. Add the cheese in handfuls, stirring until it is melted in.
4. Stir in the worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, paprika, chili or cayenne pepper, pinch of salt a ground pepper & mix well.
5. Toast the french bread lightly & place on a plate, spoon over the creamy mixture(if you wish you can then place under a hot grill just to crisp the top lightly).

Ninfa's Green Sauce

I have a slightly obsession with green sauce.  Chuy's bean burrito with tomatillo sauce is one of my biggest cravings.  This sauce is amazing.  Great for dipping chips or tortillas, it can be poured over burritos, or pair it with the carnitas recipe I'll be posting shortly.

I couldn't find fresh tomatillos or jalapenos here, so I had to use canned.  For the tomatillos, I could find canned whole tomatillos, so that was easy, but for the jalapenos, I could only find canned diced jalapenos, so I used 2 heaping tbsp of the canned diced stuff.  The result is a sauce that isn't super spicy, but does have a tiny bit of warmth.  I was able to find green tomatoes at Jean Talon (for $1 a bushel!), but they were super tiny, so I doubled the green tomatoes.  Original recipe instructions are included below for people more likely to find the proper veggies.  Oh, and if you're looking for cilantro in Montreal, it's coriandre.


Ninfa's Green Sauce (from Homesick Texan)

Ingredients

3 medium-sized green tomatoes, coarsely chopped (you can substitute yellow if you can’t find green ones, but never use red)
4 tomatillos, cleaned and chopped
1 to 2 jalapenos, stemmed and coarsely chopped
3 small garlic cloves
3 medium-sized ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
4 sprigs cilantro
1 tsp. of salt
1 1/2 cups of sour cream


1. Combine chopped tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapenos and garlic in a saucepan. Bring to a boil (tomatoes provide the liquid), reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Place tomato mixture with the avocados, cilantro and salt in food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
4. Pour into a bowl and stir in sour cream.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

These are great finger foods to take to a party.  The original recipe contains chicken, but I've made it vegetarian.  It's also been scaled up to feed more people.  To save time the day of the event, you can make the wraps the day before and cook them the day of.  You can also add jalapeno peppers if you think your guests can handle the heat.


Southwestern Egg Rolls (adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 minced green onion
1 minced red bell pepper
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh spinach, rinsed
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
20 (6 inch) flour tortillas

1. Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in green onion and red pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until tender.
2. Mix in corn, black beans, spinach, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until well blended and tender. 
3. Remove from heat and stir in Monterey Jack cheese so that it melts.
4. Wrap tortillas with a clean, lightly moist cloth. Microwave on high approximately 30 seconds, or until hot and pliable.
5. Spoon even amounts of the mixture into each tortilla. Fold ends of tortillas, then roll tightly around mixture. (I ended up folding these like mini-burritos and placing them in a baking dish fold side down.)


6. Store in baking dish in refrigerator until needed.  Preheat oven to 450F.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly crispy and heated through.  To help with crispiness, you can brush with melted butter.