Recipe #3: Sweet Balsamic Bean Dip

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
8 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 - 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup plus two tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight. Serve with tortilla chips.

Materials Photoshop (Adobe) • "GraphX" by Thao Cosgrove (scrapgirls.com) • flourish brush by Michelle Coleman (scrapartist.com) + Aldine 401BT and Sandra fonts, Sweet Balsamic Bean Dip, Cory Richardson-Lauve | creative board member

Recipe #4: Roasted Beet, Fennel and Walnut Salad  

salad
6 beets
1-1/2 tsp canola oil
2 (1-1/4 pound) fennel bulbs with stalks
2 cups Belgian endive (about 2 small heads)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
6 ounce package fresh spinach (about 8 cups)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

dressing
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut beets into 1 inch thick wedges. Place on a pan, drizzle with canola oil, toss well to coat. Bake for 45 minutes or until beets are tender, stirring every 20 minutes. Trim the tough outer leaves from fennel; mince feathery fronds to measure 2 tablespoons. Remove and discard stalks. Cut fennel bulbs in half lengthwise; discard cores. Cut the bulbs into º inch slices. Combine fennel slices, endive, walnuts, spinach, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss gently.

Combine vinegar and remaining dressing ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle mixture over fennel mixture. Add beets to bowl; toss to combine. Sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds. Serve immediately. Makes 12 one-cup servings. Calories: 87 Fat 3.7 g Fiber 3.4 g; 1 cup = 1 WW point

Materials Photoshop (Adobe) • patterned paper from "Cooking Collection," tab from "Cooking Mini" both by Mandy Steward; dotted paper from "Lime Truffle Collection," red distressed paper, ric rac, tag, alphas from "Poppy Love Collection," other alphas from "727 Collection," "Passports Collection," doodles from "City Camo Doodle Transparencies" all by design butcher (scrapgirls.com) • Misproject, Underground and Suzanne Quill fonts, Roasted Beet, Fennel and Walnut Salad, Ann Hetzel Gunkel | Editorial Board Member