OC Living: Family Dinner Style

So, over at the Slanty Shanty, we have decided to make every night before the start of the  new school week (typically Sunday nights) Family Dinner night. Because of Fall Break, we actually had our past Family Dinner on Tuesday night. We invited some friends over, fired up the oven, and cooked up a delicious family dinner.

There wasn’t a particular theme to the night, although in the future we’ve decided to have one.. This particular night was all about making something quick, easy, and plenty of it. We started the night off with a fiery salsa, moved onto vegetable quesadillas, Lentil soup, steamed cauliflower and finished the night with crumb cake and a homemade apple pie! Below are some photos from our family dining event. I have featured 3 of the items because I have a sneaking suspicion that the apple pie will be featured in future meals (delicious and low on sugar and super easy to make) so look for it in another OC Living: Family Dinner post in the future! 
 

What a happy family!

Delicious Lentil Soup

What was left of the cauliflower concoction

Apple Pie Delight!

JOHN JOHN'S SCRUMPTIOUS SALSA
Ingredients:

• About a pint of cherry tomatoes
• 14 oz. can of reduced sodium/unseasoned black beans
• One bunch of cilantro
• Two jalapeno peppers
• Four green onions
• Juice of two limes
• Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Open, drain, and rinse can of black beans. Repeat rinsing process two or three times.  
2. Pour beans into a large mixing bowl.  
3. Chop cherry tomatoes into fourths or halves, depending on preference, and add into bowl.  
4. Rinse the bunch of cilantro and chop off the leafy top portion. Dice very well. Add to mixture.  
5. Wash and slice green onions finely. Add to mixture.  
6. De-seed and remove ribs from jalapenos. Dice finely and add to mixture.  
7. Add the juice of two limes.  
8. Combine ingredients until mixed.  
9. Add salt to taste. 
10. Serve with low salt tortilla chips and enjoy!

ETHAN'S CAULIFLOWER CONCOCTION
Ingredients:

• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• basil

Cooking Instructions:

1. Wash cauliflower thoroughly
2. Place in pan and brush lightly with olive oil 
3. Season to taste; approximately 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper
4. Broil in oven for about 20 minutes
5. Top with basil and enjoy

Top Secret Lentil Soup
(I had to pull some strings to get this recipe.. enjoy!)
Ingredients:

• 1 lb lentils
• 1 large yellow onion
• A little olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• Small handful of parsley
• 1 TBS smoked paprika
• 2-3 bay leaves
• Salt to taste
• 3 eggs

Cooking Instructions:

1. Boil water add onion and cook for 5 minutes
2. Add all other ingredients
3. Cook until lentils are finished (lentils will be tender)
4. Beat 3 eggs and add while stirring. Add chorizo halfway through and cook until tender. 

Stay tuned for our next adventures in cooking over at the Slanty Shanty! And as always, if you have any questions at all about the recipes, please let me know!