Mexican Bean and Corn Salad

I still get mail at my parents house: every piece of junk mail you can imagine and my mom collects these mailings in a bin she calls "Lisa's Mailbox." I normally would shred everything, but my mom must think it's funny to sneak in a recipe or two she thinks are good. So, I have to go through each piece of mail and pick out the recipes. My mom must find some entertainment in this because she keeps doing it regardless of how many times I ask her to please stop collecting the junk mailings. I don't need any more credit cards or a share in a retirement community, but I do want those recipes! Here's one from Lisa's Mailbox that I just love! I will make two, sometimes three, batches of it in one week and eat it for lunch all week long. Enjoy!

Spinach Pesto

When Ryan and I started dating, I found a recipe that looked great for dinner. The recipe called for arugula pesto and I had never eaten, seen, or heard of pesto before. Imagine my surprise when I got home with all the ingredients and the recipe said to blend it all together. I couldn't possibly blend the beautiful green bunch of arugula! What a waste! I also didn't think I really needed Pine nuts so I didn't buy them. I had to call Ryan and ask him about Pine nuts. Being the cultured man that he is, he had a jar at home he could bring over.
I have since learned a bit about pesto- mostly when Ryan had a huge basil crop and we made enough pesto to share with friends, family, and still freeze some to use over the next year. You can make pesto with basil, arugula, spinach, tarragon, even sun-dried tomatoes (I believe that's the French version and it's called Pistou), and use any nut you like or have available. There are many ways to make pesto and just as many ways to enjoy it!

Roasted Seasoned Cauliflower

Ryan and I sometimes get a cauliflower in our produce delivery and... honestly... we don't really like cauliflower. The stuff stinks and it looks boring, but I also don't like to throw out food. So, I searched the cookbooks and the internet for a cauliflower recipe that was simple, did not involve lots of cream and cheese, and would make this boring veggie POP! This recipe did just that with only a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!