Recipe: Black Bean Burger featuring our new Cilantro Lime Aioli

When summer hits, we tend to find ourselves eating hamburgers often - at cookouts, events and even at our own house.   Although they are delicious, we love to change it up a bit and have a vegetarian option instead.  We love this new recipe for Black Bean Burgers.  These are an incredibly easy and a tasty alternative to your typical cookout fare!

Black Bean Burgers – 4 burgers or 8 sliders

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (approximately 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa cooked in 1/2 cup water)
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained and mashed with a fork
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup onion, minced
• 2 tablespoons red bell pepper, minced
• 2 teaspoons Stonewall Kitchen Cilantro Lime Aioli, plus more to top each burger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Pepper to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
• 4 large or 8 small buns
• 4-8 lettuce leaves
• 4-8 slices of tomato
• 1 avocado sliced

Directions:

1. Combine cooked quinoa, beans, egg, bread crumbs, onion, bell pepper, 2 teaspoons aioli, garlic, salt, cumin, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Form into patties. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before frying.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook burgers approximately 6 minutes per side. Gently turn burgers and continue to cook until golden brown on both sides.
3. Place burgers on the bottom of each bun. Top with aioli, lettuce, tomato and avocado. Serve immediately.

Quick & Easy Indian Inspired Meals

Winter is finally working its way out and we often find ourselves "in between seasons" when it comes to dinner ideas during this time of year.  We have spent the winter nights warming our bellies with soups, stews and comfort foods and are starting to crave the fresh foods that spring and summer bring.  Since we haven't quite turned the corner into spring and are getting tired of our typical winter meals, we like to use this time of year to get a little creative in the kitchen with meals that will still warm you from the inside out, but won't leave you feeling weighted down like comfort foods can sometimes do.

The aromatic spices used in Indian cooking are unique compared to those we typically find in American cuisine and they always intrigue us.  Garam Masala, cumin, curry and turmeric are a few staples in Indian cuisine and they help to create a robust, flavorful meal.  With busy schedules and limited time to cook meals during the weeknights we often look for quick, easy, flavorful shortcuts - such as these new Indian inspired simmering sauces.

Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves 4-6
Creamy in consistency, light in color but uniquely bold in flavor, Tikka Masala takes taste buds in new directions by delivering layers of interesting spice combinations that open worlds of flavorful possibilities. Aromatic and delicious. Tikka Masala is a wonderfully robust recipe that is enjoyed worldwide.

Ingredients

• 1 jar Stonewall Kitchen Tikka Masala Simmering Sauce
• 1 cup whole milk plain yogurt (low-fat yogurt can be substituted)
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1/4-1/2 cup Chicken or Vegetable stock if needed
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Combine 2 tablespoons Tikka Masala Sauce and yogurt in a medium-size bowl.  Add chicken and stir to coat.  Cover and refrigerate.  Allow to marinate 1-2 hours.
2. Place chicken on a greased foil lined rimmed baking sheet.  Position oven rack 6 inches away from the heating element, heat broiler.  Broil chicken until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F.  There will be some charred spots on the chicken.  Flip chicken breasts halfway through cooking.  Cut cooked chicken into 1-inch cubes.
3. Pour Tikka Masala Sauce into a saute pan.  Add chicken and juices and simmer over medium-low heat for 15-30 minutes.  Add chicken or vegetable stock to thin sauce if needed.
4. Serve over rice garnished with cilantro

Butter Chicken
Serves 4-6
Sometimes known as Murgh Makhani in Indian restaurants, our Butter Chicken recipe features a rich, creamy sauce made with tomatoes, ethnic spices and simple ingredients like onion, butter and peppers.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 jar Stonewall Kitchen Butter Chicken Simmering Sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and butter in a large heavy straight sided saute pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers, but does not smoke.  Add chicken in small batches and saute until they are a rich golden brown on all sides.  Set chicken aside and continue with remaining chicken.  When all batches are done, drain any remaining fat.
3. Return chicken to pan and add Butter Chicken Sauce.  Simmer 10-15 minutes until hot.  Serve over jasmine rice and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Also try our Coconut Curry Simmering Sauce!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's almost time for the sweetest day of the year... Valentine's Day! Here are some great treat ideas for all the sweeties in your life. They also package well for school (or work!) parties. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies 

 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Stonewall Kitchen Creamy Peanut Butter or Stonewall Kitchen Chunky Peanut Butter
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 jar of Stonewall Kitchen Strawberry Jam (or your favorite!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat together the butter and Stonewall Kitchen Creamy Peanut Butter or Chunky Peanut Butter until fluffy.
3. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar until smooth.
4. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
5. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt and sift into the peanut butter mixture. Mix until uniform and smooth.
6. Pull pieces of dough and roll between your hands to form 1-inch balls.
7. Place cookie balls on a greased cookie sheet two inches apart. Make an indentation on each ball with your thumb or spoon, fill the indentation with approximately 1/4 tsp. Stonewall Kitchen Strawberry Jam. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on edges. Cool on wire rack.

Raspberry Jam Brownies

 

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup Stonewall Kitchen Raspberry Peach Champagne Jam
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Melt chocolate and butter.
3. Whisk in sugar, eggs and vanilla.
4. Stir flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture.
5. Pour 3/4 of the batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Spread with Raspberry Peach Champagne Jam. Swirl remaining batter over the top.
6. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and chocolate chips.
7. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

Cherry Berry Tarts

 

Ingredients:

24 mini premade phyllo tart shells
4 ounces Mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons milk or cream
4 tablespoons Stonewall Kitchen Cherry Berry Jam (or your favorite!)
1/4 cup sweetened whipped cream, garnish
Mint leaves, garnish
Orange zest, garnish

Directions:

1. Remove mini phyllo tarts from freezer.
2. In the bowl of a free stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer and bowl) mix the Mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract, sugar and milk or cream on medium speed several minutes until combined and light and fluffy.
3. Spoon or pipe using a pastry bag fitted with a star attachment, the cheese mixture into each tart filling each 2/3's full.
4. Top each tart with about 1/2 teaspoon Cherry Berry Jam.
5. Garnish each tart with a small dollop of sweetened whipped cream topped with a mint leaf or orange zest.

Dulce de Leche Chocolate Bars

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups quick oats
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 11 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup Stonewall Kitchen Dulce de Leche Sauce
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chunks
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8x8-inch pan.
2. Combine the oats, 3/4 cup flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and melted butter. Mix until uniform. Reserve 1 cup of this mix and press the remainder into the prepared pan.
3. Combine the Stonewall Kitchen Dulce de Leche and 1 tbsp. of flour. Spread mixture over the oatmeal crust.
4. Combine the reserved oat mixture, pecans, white chocolate chunks, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Spread over layer of Dulce de Leche.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into 2-inch squares.

Happy New Year!

A new year is right around the corner and if you’re looking for any last minute appetizer ideas, we’ve got you covered. These simple bites are some of our favorites, an easy enough to make at the last minute.

Artichoke Spinach Stuffed Mushroom Caps

 

Ingredients: 

 

• 1 .5-ounce packet Stonewall Kitchen Artichoke Spinach Dip Mix
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 24-30 mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
• 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the Stonewall Kitchen Artichoke Spinach Dip Mix, cream cheese, and sour cream. Mix until uniform. Chill 20-30 minutes. Stuff each mushroom cap with mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet.
3. Make seasoned crumb topping by combining the breadcrumbs, melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Toss until uniformly mixed. Top each mushroom cap with crumb topping. Bake for 15-30 minutes until filling has melted, the crumb topping is golden brown and the mushrooms are soft. If mushrooms are done before the crumbs are golden, place mushrooms under the broiler until crumbs brown. Serve immediately. 

Mini Caprese Skewers 

 

Ingredients: 

 

• 8 ounces 1/2 inch round Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 pint grape or small cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Fresh basil leaves, 48 1/2-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Stonewall Kitchen Sweet Basil Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar, optional

Directions: 

1. Place a cheese ball, tomato, and piece of basil on a 3-inch skewer or toothpick, repeat. Continue this process for the remaining skewers.
2. Place skewers on a serving dish and drizzle with the Stonewall Kitchen Sweet Basil Oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired.

Goat Cheese and Pesto Torta

 

Ingredients:

 

• 2 - 5.3 oz. Soft goats milk cheese
• 1 - 8 oz. jar of Stonewall Kitchen Basil Pesto
• 1/2 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a 24 ounce baking dish spread the goat cheese. Then layer the Stonewall Kitchen Basil Pesto, chopped sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, ending with Parmesan cheese.
3. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the dip bubbles.
4. Serve with French bread toasts or crackers.

Appetizer Meatballs

 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound 1-inch Swedish meatballs (store bought or your favorite recipe cooked)
• 1 jar Stonewall Kitchen Apple Jalapeno Jelly, Hot Pepper Jelly, Roasted Garlic Onion Jam or Red Pepper Jelly

Directions:

 

1. Thaw meatballs, if frozen. Place in a sauce pan.
2. Add the Stonewall Kitchen Jelly/Jam of your choice.
3. Heat. Serve immediately.

Pizza Spirals for a great Back to School Lunch

It's always difficult to trade in those beach chairs and coolers for backpacks and lunch bags, but somehow September is upon us again and the kids are heading back to school.  As days get busier and time more valuable planning ahead is key.  Although we all love a good PB and J sandwich, surprise your children with a fun lunch in their lunch box such as these Pizza Spirals!

Pizza Spirals
Makes approximately 3 dozen spirals

Ingredients

• 1 box Stonewall Kitchen Pizza Crust Mix
• 1 jar Stonewall Kitchen Classic Pizza Sauce
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella, grated
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
• Olive Oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Make pizza dough according to box instructions.  Split evenly into two balls of dough.
3. Roll one ball of dough out on a generously floured surface into an 8x12-inch rectangle
4. Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over dough.  Top with one half of the cheese and one half of the basil.  Roll dough into a spiraled log starting at the longest side.  Press and seal firmly.  Cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds.

5. Lightly grease a 12-well muffin tin with olive oil.  Place one spiral in each well. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the pizza dough is golden brown.

6. Repeat procedure with other pizza dough ball.
7. Pizza spirals can be served warm or room temperature.


Tips:

• If the cheese is too soft to grate place it in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes.  The partially frozen cheese will be easier to grate.
• Stack the basil leaves on top of each other and roll them up starting with the longer side of the leaf.  Chop along the roll forming thin strips of basil leaves.

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For more of our favorite Back to School recipes and products, visit our Back to School Pinterest Board!

Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

When most people think of salsa, they think of a chunky, red tomato based dip filled with various vegetables, spices and often times fruit.  One tasty salsa that often gets forgotten about is the Salsa Verde.  Salsa Verde is a green salsa made from a tomatillo (pronounced toe-ma-tea-o) base rather than your standard red tomato base.  The tomatillo originated in Mexico and is a small, round, green fruit often found in Mexican cuisine.  Although they can be consumed raw, they are often cooked to enhance the flavor and soften the tough skin and seeds, which results in a sauce like consistency.  Our Salsa Verde combines the tart tomatillos with various peppers (chili, serrano and jalapeno), cilantro, garlic and lime to create a tasty salsa that is great as a dip or mixed into a recipe.

This Cinco De Mayo, add a little green to your Mexican Fiesta with this great recipe for Chicken Enchiladas using one of our favorite salsas, Salsa Verde.


Chicken Enchiladas - Serves 8

Ingredients:

3/4 lbs. boneless chicken breasts grilled or baked and sliced

3 cups cooked rice

15 oz. (1 can) black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 cups Stonewall Kitchen Salsa Verde

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup sour cream

8 8-inch flour tortillas

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (such as Monterey Jack, Colby, Cheddar or a combination)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Combine the rice, beans, cumin, 1/2 cup Salsa Verde, and salt and pepper to taste, mix well.
3. Place 1/2 cup rice mixture down the center of each tortilla.
4. Top rice with 2 tablespoons sour cream. Divide chicken evenly and place over sour cream. Roll tortilla to enclose filling and place in the baking dish side by side.
5. Top enchiladas with remaining 1 cup Salsa Verde. Sprinkle shredded cheese over sauce.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until enchiladas are heated through and the cheese is melted. Serve hot with extra salsa, sour cream, and guacamole if desired.

And don't forget a Margarita to wash them down with!

Adorable Mini Pancake Stacks

In honor of National Pancake Day, we have created these adorable mini pancake stacks using some of our favorite products.  These are easily created using our pancake & waffle mixes.  Simply prepare the pancake mix according to the directions and spoon 3/4 tsp of batter onto the griddle, resulting in mini pancakes about the size of a quarter.  Stack them four high, top with a topping of your choice, add a little garnish, insert a toothpick through the middle and serve!

Buttermilk Pancake Mini Stacks

These adorable brunch-style stacks use our new Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix, Lemon Curd, fresh berries, a mint leaf and a quick dusting of powdered sugar.  These would be great served at a wedding or baby shower or any weekend brunch.

Double Chocolate Raspberry Mini Stacks

Pancakes for dessert?  You bet! We used our Double Chocolate Pancake & Waffle Mix topped with a dollop of our Chocolate Raspberry Jam, fresh raspberries and a little powdered sugar for an easy bite-sized dessert.


Here are some other great combinations to try;

• Maple Pancakes topped with a small piece of bacon and a drizzle of Maine Maple Syrup
• Blueberry Pancakes topped with fresh blueberries and a little Wild Maine Blueberry Syrup
• Strawberry Pancakes topped with Chocolate Strawberry Jam and fresh strawberries
• Gluten Free Pancakes topped with your favorite flavored jam and/or syrup

What would your favorite combination be?

Firing up the grill at our Evergreen Walk Company Store

“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.”  Popeye’s friend Wimpy sealed the hamburger’s place in America’s heart with a never-ending plea for his favorite meal.  The sentiment was the same at Stonewall Kitchen’s cooking class at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor, CT when Corey Wry dished out his famous burgers recently.  His restaurant, Corey’s Catsup and Mustard, was recently featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives which made the already popular hamburger joint’s business explode.  On this particular Tuesday, Corey shared two of his burger recipes with a very grateful crowd.


Corey prepares the salad as guests finish their appetizer: Coconut Curry Mussels with Lobster Broth, made with Stonewall Kitchen Coconut Curry Simmering Sauce

A little bit of everything went into CW's Italian Chopped Salad, which was tossed with Stonewall Kitchen Italian Dressing and lemon juice and then topped with grilled chicken.

Jenna and Stephanie are loving the salad! Will there be room for those burgers? You bet!



Now we're starting to get serious as the fixings for the hamburgers are revealed!  Guests Jen and Stacy are looking over the recipe while Christine and Andrea wait patiently for their next course.

A little wine to help make room for burgers!

 There were two burgers on the menu for this class - a Portobello, Bacon and Swiss burger and a Turkey S.F. Connect Burger for those who are health conscious.  Here is the recipe to try out the SF Connect Burger at home.  Enjoy!



Turkey S.F. Connect Burger

Ingredients:

• 20 oz ground turkey
• 4 slices Swiss cheese, cut in half
• 8 slices sourdough bread, buttered
• 2 0z butter, softened
• 8 slices turkey bacon, cooked
• 8 oz Stonewall Kitchen Thousand Island Dressing
• 4 leaves green lettuce, washed
• 8 slices tomato
• 8 slices half-sour pickle
• 1 oz vegetable oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium heat
2. Season ground turkey with salt, pepper and oil and form into patties
3. Fully cook turkey burgers on grill
4. In a separate large saute pan, over medium heat, toast bread until golden brown.  With the bread in the pan, add Thousand Island Dressing and 1/2 slice of Swiss cheese to each slice of bread.
5. Melt the cheese being careful not to burn the bread.  Take bread out of the pan and top with two slices of pickle, turkey burger, lettuce, two tomato slices, two pieces of bacon and the other slice of bread.
6. Cut in half, serve and enjoy!

For more information on Cooking Classes in our Company Stores, please visit our store locator page.  We currently offer classes in York, Maine at our Cooking School as well as in our Portland, ME and South Windsor, CT company stores.

Celebrating the first day of summer with a Lobster Salad

What better way to celebrate the first official day of summer than with a refreshing summer salad?  Add lobster!  We asked our facebook friends on National Lobster Day (June 15th) what their favorite way to enjoy a lobster is.  The most popular response was straight from the shell, dipped in a little butter.  Other popular ways included lobster rolls, lobster pot pie and even the Lobster BLT from our Cafe here in York.

Some people seem to get a little intimidated eating a lobster straight out of the shell, which is understandable.  There are so many other ways that you can enjoy lobster without breaking out the lobster bib!  One of my favorites is on top of a fresh salad.  Here is a great recipe if you are looking to celebrate the start of summer with nice light, refreshing salad.  Of course, you could always substitute the lobster for another protein, but here in Maine, lobster is our number one choice!

Lobster, Avocado and Mango Salad

ingredients

- 4-6 tablespoons Stonewall Kitchen Champagne Shallot Mustard
- 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons bottled clam broth
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced tarragon leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 4 to 8 red leaf or bibb lettuce leaves, washed and blotted dry
- 1 pound lobster meat
- 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
- 1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste

directions
1.Whisk Champagne Shallot Mustard, mayonnaise and clam broth together in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in shallots and tarragon. Cover and refrigerate while preparing salad.

2.Line 4 chilled plates with lettuce leaves. Divide lobster among plates, mounding meat in the center. Add avocado and mango slices in an attractive pattern surrounding the lobster. Grind black pepper over the salads; drizzle with dressing and serve

Salad Ideas

Did overindulge a bit in the last week? I know I did. All of the candy, cookies, and other baked goods have me craving some good healthy food. At times like this salad seems like a good idea; but tomatoes that aren't mushy are hard to come by during New England winters. Luckily our recipes page has a large selection of salad recipes. Here are two that I'm thinking of trying this week. Which one looks & sounds better you?

Beet Salad with Balsamic Fig Salad Dressing

ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh beets
• 3 tablespoons Stonewall Kitchen Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large red onion, cut into thin rings
• Stonewall Kitchen Balsamic Fig Salad Dressing
• 3 ounces stilton cheese, crumbled
• 1 head Boston Bib Lettuce, washed and dried
• toasted walnuts, chopped (optional)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash beets thoroughly, then coat in 3 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and wrap each in aluminum foil.
3. Put aluminum wrapped beets on a baking sheet. Roast until they are fork-tender (approximately 45-60 minutes).
4. Unwrap beets. When cool enough to handle, remove their skin. Cut into quarters.
5. Place lettuce on serving dishes. Top with roasted beets, crumbled blue cheese, and toasted walnuts. Drizzle Stonewall Kitchen Balsamic Fig Dress over each salad.

Apple Cranberry Salad with Balsamic Fig Dressing

ingredients

• 8 cups gently torn red leaf lettuce
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• ¾ cup Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
• 1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• ½ cup Stonewall Kitchen Balsamic Fig Dressing
• 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

directions

1. Combine all ingredients, toss and serve immediately.
2. Hint: Sprinkle a small amount of orange juice over apple slices to prevent browning.
3. Optional: Marinate 1 ½ pound skinless boneless chicken breasts in ½ cup Stonewall Kitchen Balsamic Fig Salad Dressing 2-4 hours. Grill chicken breasts, cool and slice. Serve chicken over salad greens.