I'm always looking for different appetizers. I made this the other day and really , really liked it. And, it was so easy because I had made the mini corn cakes and froze them ahead of time. Defrosted them and heated them up a little bit when I wanted them.

Mini Corn Cakes with smoked salmon and dill creme fraiche

1 8.25 oz can cream style corn
1 C. plain white cornmeal
1 C. sour cream
2 T. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp table salt
2 large eggs
1 C. creme fraiche
2 T. finely chopped fresh dill
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 4 oz. pkg. thinly sliced smoked salmon

Preheat oven 350. Whisk together the first 7 ingredients until smooth. Spoon 1 heaping tsp. of corn mix. into well-greased mini muffin pansâ¦.makes about 4 dozen. Bake 350 for 20 minutes. cool 10 minutes. (can be frozen at this point)

Stir together the creme fraiche, chopped dill and lemon juice. Top corn cakes with creme fraiche, and a bit of smoked salmon. Can garnish with small piece of fresh dill.

Loved the fact that this recipe is gluten free for my gluten-free friends.

I have not tried this yet but definitely will.
Pork chops with bacon and cabbage

Ingredients
2 ÃÂ tablespoon(s) olive oil
4 ÃÂ (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops
Coarse salt
Ground pepper
4 ÃÂ strip(s) bacon, coarsely chopped
1 ÃÂ medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 ÃÂ head(s) (2 1/2-pound) green cabbage, cored and cut into 8 wedges
3 ÃÂ tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
3 ÃÂ cup(s) whole milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a large heavy roasting pan across two burners over high heat; add oil and heat. Season pork with salt and pepper; brown on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add bacon; cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add onion; cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add cabbage, cut side down, and cook until light golden, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add flour and stir until coated. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then nestle pork chops in sauce. Transfer pan to oven. Bake until pork is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link

I hate baking in this August heat... so I made some vegan chocolate mousse for my girl friend.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse Recipe
This has got to be one of the easiest - but most rewarding - treats ever made. It's dairy-free, egg-free, and free of animal products. But it tastes rich and satisfying like a chocolate mousse should.
Vegan Chocolate Tofu Mousse Recipe
Serves 6 (unless Ulrike (my vegan daughter) and I eat it... we can almost eat the whole batch in one sitting)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 package soft silken tofu (~12 oz)
10 oz. chocolate chips, about one small package Or use dark bakers chocolate. Many dark chocolate chips are vegan; check the ingredients for dairy products if milk ingredients are a concern.
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup (any syrup that's vegan will work)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Let tofu come to room temperature.
2. Using a food processor, blender, or hand mixer, blend tofu until just smooth.
3. In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips with a tablespoon or two of water over low heat. Stir constantly.
4. Add maple syrup to melted chocolate and combine until smooth.
5. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir.
6. Put chocolate blend into food processor, blender, or a large bowl, and mix with tofu until creamy.
7. Pour into very small serving dishes- chill until set.

Raven, I have that recipe, and pic in one of m Everyday Food magazines. I love those little mags, so handy to tuck one in my purse when I'm waiting somewhere.

I've been tempted to make it and never have. It's a perfect fall meal.

I saw this recipe and had all the ingredients so this is dinner tonight. I will report back to give it a rating, but it should be yummy.

Salsa Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked rice
1 cup frozen corn kernels (thawed)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa
1 cup chicken broth
ý Tbsp chili powder
ý tsp oregano
2 large (1.5 lbs.) chicken breasts
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 whole green onions, sliced
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Drain and briefly rinse the black beans. Add the dry rice, black beans, corn, salsa, chicken broth, chili powder, and oregano to an 8ÃÂ8 inch casserole dish. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
Cut the chicken breasts into three pieces each. Push the chicken pieces down into the rice salsa mixture in the casserole dish. Try to push them down as far into the liquid as theyâÂÂll go. Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil. Bake for one hour.
Take the casserole dish out of the oven, test the rice with a fork to make sure it is tender. If it is not, recover the dish, return it to the oven, and bake for 10-15 minutes more. When the rice is tender, sprinkle the cheese over top and return the casserole to the oven for a few minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Add the sliced green onions on top after baking and serve hot.
http://inspiredreamer.com/salsa-chicken-casserole/

Here is a link that might be useful: Salsa chicken casserole

OK it was very good. I used a very loose salsa that was quite hot. I think a thicker chunky salsa would be better. It was very soupy and took much longer to cook but the rice does need the moisture. Once it was done and all the liquid absorbed it was yummy. I will definitely make it again just use a different salsa. This makes a lot and I would use a bigger casserole dish.
Super easy to make.

Thanks for the review Raven. You and the single reviewer both said that it took a much longer time to cook than the recipe stated.

I have all the ingredients, and black beans in the freezer. I know hubby would love this. And I have Rotel in case the salsa isn't hot enough!

I uncovered it a few times and stirred up the rice them sealed it back up.
I think all in all I cooked it close to 2 hours. It just had so much liquid since I used a very runny salsa. I noticed in the pictures of the recipe on pinterest the Salsa was very thick.
My husband loved it. There's plenty left over. We had a little salad and some sliced cucumbers with vinegar and pepper with it.

That casserole sounds interesting -- definitely something the guys would like. Must remember to try it this winter.

I love bean salads! This is one of my favs -- it came off a Bush beans label, I think. Having exact measurements/ingredients isn't critical, and I've noted some substitutions. I usually just have tortilla chips with it and call it a meal. :)

Black Bean and Mango Salad
-------------------------------------

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained

2 cups mango, diced (any canned mango, papaya, or mixed tropical fruits works great)

1 cup sweet red bell pepper, diced

6 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tbs. olive oil

1 seeded jalapeno, minced (or pickled jalapeno or other hot pepper of choice)

This post was edited by party_music50 on Fri, Aug 29, 14 at 10:11