Holiday Cooking

Tony and I tried out a couple of new recipes for the holiday season and we were asked to pass them on so that must mean they were a success!  We even got to use one of our wedding presents - Duo Crock Pot Cooker - VERY happy Tony did not talk me out of including that item on our registry.

Corn and Bean Salad
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (8.75 ounce) can sweet corn, drained ( or use 10 oz of mexican corn)
• Optional:  1 chopped avocado, used as garnish

Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, cumin, and chili powder.
2.In a medium bowl, stir together black beans and corn. Toss with vinegar and oil dressing, and garnish with cilantro. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving  Calories: 214 | Total Fat: 8.4g | Cholesterol: 0mg

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/corn-and-black-bean-salad/

Beer Meatballs
 Note:  Instead of making the meatballs, Tony and I used home-style frozen meatballs.  Works just as well and much easier!!

What You Need
• 1 can of beer
• 1 6-oz. can spicy V-8 juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1 cup chopped onions
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large bottle ketchup
• 1 teaspoon horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 to 3 pounds ground beef
• 2 to 3 eggs

What To Do
1. Combine ground beef, 1/2 cup onions, Italian bread crumbs and eggs.
2. Make the mixture into small meatballs and bake until browned.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Put meatballs and sauce into crockpot (sauce should cover the meat).
5. Cook on low 6-10 hours, stirring occasionally.

http://www.allcrockpotrecipes.com/appetizers/beermeatballs.shtml