Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in South Florida Family Events and Recipes

It’s the first official weekend of fall! Get cozy at home with our recipe line-up which commemorates National Quesadilla Day, National Dumpling Day and National Pancake Day all celebrated this weekend.

• Avocado Black Bean Quesadillas (courtesy of gimmedelicious.com)

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion sliced

• 1/2 bell pepper sliced

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 cup black beans drained

• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning

• 4 medium soft flour tortillas

• 2 avocados peeled, halved, seeded and sliced

• 1/4 cup minced cilantro

• 1 lime cut in half

• 1 cup light Mexican Cheddar or mozzarella cheese

• oil or cooking spray for grilling

Directions

1. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, saute onion and bell pepper in 1 tablespoon oil for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add the black beans and taco seasoning. Cook for another minute. Transfer mixture into a small bowl and set aside.

2. Rinse and wipe down pan and return to heat. Drizzle with a light layer of oil or spray with cooking spray.

3. In a small bowl, lightly mash the avocados with a fork. Stir in cilantro and juice of 1/2 lime, season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread a quarter of mashed avocado onto half of a tortilla. Top with bean mixture and 1/4th cup of cheese. Fold the tortilla closed over the veggies. Repeat until all tortillas are filled and all fillings are used.

4. Cook on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side or until the outside is crispy and cheese has fully melted. Serve with your favorite salsa or sour-cream, Enjoy!

• Sweet and Spicy Sesame Dumplings (courtesy of food52.com)

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons white sesame seeds

• 1/2 dried red chile, deseeded and lightly toasted

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 2 to 3 tablespoons crumbled jaggery (gud) or muscovado sugar

• 15 to 16 round dumpling wrappers

• Oil for deep frying

Directions

1. Using a mortar and pestle, crush the toasted red chilli into a coarse powder. Set aside.

2. Toast the sesame seeds until they turn lightly brown and begin emitting a nutty aroma. While still warm, pulse the seeds using a coffee grinder until they resemble bread crumbs.

3. Add the ground red chile and salt to the coarsely powdered sesame. Mix to combine.

4. Add the crumbled jaggery (gud). Using your fingertips, gently incorporate into the sesame mixture until the jaggery has softened and is dispersed evenly. The mixture should be grainy and barely sticky to the touch. (Sample the mix at this point. The nutty sesame should be the dominating flavor and seem slightly under-sweetened. Resist the temptation to add more jaggery, since the deep-frying process will melt the jaggery and accentuate the sweetness).

5. Place 2 teaspoons of the mix in the center of a dumpling wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrapper and seal eliminating any air pockets. Press and seal with the tines of a fork along the semicircular circumference.

6. Heat oil in a wok (or deep-sided pan) and deep-fry the stuffed dumplings in batches until golden brown (about a minute on each side). Remove and place on paper towels to absorb extra oil.

• Coconut Cream Pancakes (courtesy of thespruceeats.com)

Ingredients

• 1 egg

• 1 1/2 cups milk

• 2 tablespoons butter (melted)

• 1 1/3 cups flour

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

• 1/4 cup coconut (shredded)

  For the Topping:

• 1/4 cup coconut (toasted)

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk

• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Heat a cast iron griddle or pan on medium heat before you begin. Make sure it is nice and hot and then lower the temperature before you begin cooking the pancakes. 

3. Beat together the egg, milk, and melted butter.

4. Whisk in the vanilla and coconut extracts and shredded coconut. 

5. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a separate bowl.

6. Slowly whisk in the egg and milk mixture. It's okay for the batter to be a little lumpy; be careful not to over mix. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. The batter will puff up. If it is too thick, add a little more milk.

7. Grease the griddle. Spoon the batter in about a 1/4 cup portions on the griddle and let it cook for a few minutes per side. 

8. Keep the pancakes warm in a 200 F oven.

9. Whisk together the whole milk, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and coconut extract together.

10. Drizzle the glaze over the pancakes and top them with the toasted coconut. 

Enjoy!