Mujaddarah When You Can't Even

Almost a year since my last post? Really? Wow. Time flies when you're.. well, when shit happens. Can we agree 2014 never happened? Cooking-wise, the last fiscal quarter sure didn't happen; from Thanksgiving till New Year's I pretty much lived on cereal and pumpkin pie. My New Year's pseudo-resolution is to get an effing grip and get back to making Food-with-a-capital-F.

But, as my Inner Brat constantly reminds me, it's JANUARY. Getting Inner Brat to agree to expend any mental or physical energy before the Spring Equinox is a lot like dragging a screaming toddler through a grocery store. (That's not even really hyperbole. It really is that exhausting.)

How to break the deadlock of me vs. me? I discovered a great way to force the issue: Hit myself square in the checkbook, because I am cheap. I stopped by Trader Joe's this morning and forced myself to pay money for stuff I swore I'd never buy prepared because it's so easy and inexpensive to make. Yikes, it really stung! But if Inner Brat balks at cooking staples that usually cost me pennies, then I am going to buy them cooked until she recants. Trader Joe's frozen brown rice and ready-to-eat lentils to the rescue.

I took this in 2012, no lie.
I did the onions separately that time.

So, mujarddarah? WTF is that? It's a potential comfort food for us rice 'n' bean lovers; just lentils, brown rice, and a whole mess of super-caramelized onions. Super simple, way greater than the sum of its parts. Sure, it's carb-rich, but it's a better choice than, say, cereal and/or pumpkin pie.

The shopping list is ridiculously short: Onions (I buy frozen chopped now. Yes, I am that lazy), lentils (the little green ones, aka French green lentils, work best), and brown rice. If you're feeling the veggie love, add a couple of carrots and a handful of chopped spinach. Spices are your call, but I like cumin and smoked paprika. If you buy the three main ingredients frozen/pre-cooked, you can have this put together before Inner Brat realizes she ain't gettin' Lucky Charms OR Costco pumpkin pie tonight.

Google mujaddarah (or m'jaddarah) and you'll find a butt-ton of recipes with innumerable variations, but the one point of agreement is the heavily-caramelized onions. The lentils and rice, no matter how exquisitely spiced, ain't nothing without those onions.

Mujaddarah (for When You Can't Even)
Adapted from: everyone, mainly this one
Makes: 2-4 servings
Takes: < 30 mins with precooked rice and lentils

Ingredients
1 to 2 cups sliced or chopped onion (frozen is fine)
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups cooked lentils (preferably French green)
1 Tblsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
Olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
Water
1 cup chopped carrot (optional)
A handful or two of chopped fresh spinach, or even an equivalent amount of frozen chopped spinach (optional)

Method
Heat a non-stick skillet (large enough to hold 4+ cups with room to spare) over med. heat. When hot, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil and the onions, sprinkle with a little salt. Spread them out in a uniform layer and turn the heat down a bit so they can cook slowly without constant attention.  Stir occasionally while you do other things.

Chop the carrots and spinach, if using. If the lentils and/or rice are chilled or frozen, nuke them in the microwave to get them to at least room temperature. If using carrots, add them and a little more salt when the onions are mostly cooked through, stir to combine, then spread out in a uniform layer. Let the onions (and carrots) cook slowly as long as you can. At a minimum, the carrots should be cooked through and the onions should have some good brown edges. If you have the time and patience, let them go until the onions are really soft and caramelized.

When you can no longer stand the suspense, bump the heat back to med., add the spices to the onions (and carrots), and stir to combine. Clear a spot in the center of the pan and add another tablespoon or two of olive oil, add the lentils, rice, 1/2 cup water, some more salt, and spinach (if using). Stir to combine. If the mixture doesn't seem to have enough liquid to allow it to heat through without scorching, add another 1/4-1/2 cup water. If you added spinach, remember that it will release some liquid. Partially cover the skillet, lower the heat to med. low, and heat the mixture through as long as you can, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes. Add ground black pepper and more salt, if needed.

If it's dinner for one, good luck trying to eat no more than half of it in one sitting.

Is it authentic? No. Is it satisfying? Oh hell yes. Most importantly, Inner Brat is eating real food, although she may get Lucky Charms for dessert. Just a little. Small steps.

Müceddere: Rice Pilaf with Onions and Stuff

Can't believe February is halfway over already. I'd best get something posted! I hope two posts per month doesn't turn out to be an overly optimistic goal. That would be embarrassing.

Mmmmm... Müceddere!

This recipe is a newcomer to my bean-and-rice repertoire. I've not cooked much Middle Eastern cuisine, and I've been pleased to discover some very tasty offerings, especially lentil dishes. Lentils are lovely because they (usually) take way less than half an hour to cook.

And that brings up a point I am learning (the hard way, as usual) about beans. If you are cooking dried beans/legumes/whatever, the stated cooking time is a suggestion, a rough guess at best. I think Those Who Write Recipes put a number down because it would be silly to say the cooking time is anywhere from an hour to a day, which, in some cases, isn't far from the truth.

You may be thinking, "But why so variable? It's just a bean. How hard can it be?" Ha! That is exactly the point: How hard (read: old) is your bean?

I am not a bean scholar, but the age of a bean can affect its cooking time, even with as tiny a morsel as a lentil. Unfortunately, there might be no way to know how old that bag of lentils in the store is. Older beans are drier and they take longer to cook. That's one of the reasons bean recipes usually direct you to soak beans overnight, to level the playing field.

Long story short, Know Your Lentils. When uncorking a new bag of lentils, allow plenty of time to cook that first batch. Let them simmer 15 mins. then start checking. Make sure there is no crunchy stuff left in the middle before calling them done. Store the rest of the bag in a sealed container. Lentils are usually exempted from the pre-soaking requirement, but if you find your lentils take much longer to cook than advertised, pre-soak those bad boys next time.

Coincidentally, last night on America's Test Kitchen I happened to catch the last few minutes of some bean-cooking tips, just in time for this post! Brining beans (soaking in salt water) is supposed to be even better than soaking in plain water. I must try that.

Recipe? Oh yes, the recipe. There is a recipe, I promise. Couple of notes: This is relatively simple, seasoning-wise, so the caramelized onions, cumin, and smoked paprika are key. You can't go wrong with more onions or cumin. Be sure to see the note at the end about slicing onions.

Müceddere: Rice Pilaf with Onions, Lentils, Chickpeas, and Orzo
Adapted from this recipe
Makes: 2-4 servings
Takes: 45 mins., depending on how cooperative the lentils and onions are.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked brown rice, warmed

1/4 cup lentils (preferably green)
1/4 cup orzo pasta

2-4 Tblsp oil
1.5 cups sliced onion* (1 med. lrg.)
2 tsp sugar
1 Tblsp lemon juice
Salt & black pepper, to taste

1 - 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 - 15 oz can's worth of tomato products (diced, crushed, sauce, or a combo)
1 Tblsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley (opt.)

Method

Add the lentils to 2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until they are just about done, 15 mins. in a perfect world. Add the orzo and some salt, bring to a boil, and cook for about 8 more mins., or until the orzo is just done. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a med. saucepan (I use a deep 12" skillet) over med. heat. Add the onions, sugar, a 1/4 tsp of salt, and black pepper to taste. Cover the pan and sweat the onions over med. low heat until they're tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the heat to med., and stir in the lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown. Moderate heat for a longer time produces better results. If you need to raise the heat to get them done NOW, just don't let them dry out, scorch, or burn.

When everything is ready, stir the rice, lentils, orzo and chickpeas into the onions. Add the tomatoes, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt to taste. Mix well. Add a couple Tblsp of water, cover the pan, and let warm through over med. low heat for at least 15 mins. Stir occasionally, don't let it scorch.

Top with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.

Copyright 2012 America's Test Kitchen

* Random Food Tip 

This is another trick I just learned from America's Test Kitchen. If you're cutting onions to caramelize for onion soup or a dish such as this, slice them pole-to-pole (end to end) instead of crosswise (around the equator). They will be shorter and prevent the sensation of trying to eat really long, stringy noodles.

It amazes me that after cooking for decades, I can still see or read a tip that is so obvious it really makes me wonder why the hell I didn't already know that. This onion tip was one. At some point I'll show you what I just learned about vegetable peelers. That was a real "D'oh!" moment.

Oh, I almost forgot...
Enjoy!

Red Beans and Rice

This is the one that started it all, the very first beans and rice recipe I ever made.

I didn't grow up eating beans and rice, unless you count the Taco Bell that opened up between my house and the high school in the mid 1970s. I'm sure that was my first encounter with refried beans, since the closest thing we had to Mexican food at home was the Ortega box dinner with the hard taco shells and pouch of 'taco seasoning.' Hey, it was Central Indiana. What can I say, other than I loved the heck out of it (and Taco Bell, too.)

Red beans and rice. Very nice!

The first time I ate anything resembling real beans and rice was probably in the 1990s. Somewhere around that time I picked up this recipe. I've been working off the same index card (in my illegible scrawl) so long that I can't remember where this recipe came from or when I first made it. But it's been a family favorite for at least 20 years. I think that 's a good sign.

When this recipe first went into heavy dinner rotation, there was a shop in town that made divine garlic and fennel sausage. It was perfect in this dish! These days I'm pretty much stuck with the ubiquitous Johnsonville sweet Italian, but if I add some extra garlic and crushed fennel seeds, it comes pretty darned close.

Disclaimer: Just so you know, this is not supposed to be an authentic recipe of any regional or ethnic cuisine. It's a simple recipe that everyone in my house will eat, and I can get it on the table in less than an hour under ideal circumstances.

Red Beans and Rice
Makes: 2 - 4 servings
Time: 45 - 60 mins. depending on how fast you can chop and how long you can let it simmer.

Ingredients:

Cooked brown rice

1 lb Italian-style sausage, removed from casing (see note)
1 Tblsp oil
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup bell peppers*, diced (your choice of colors)
1/2 cup carrot, diced (opt.)
1 Tblsp garlic, minced/crushed
1 Tblsp ground cumin
1.5 cups chicken stock or water
1 - 14.5 oz can red or pink beans, drained (see note)
1 - 14.5 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes (don't drain)
2 Tblsp tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 tsp crushed fennel seeds (opt.)
1+ Tblsp Worcestershire sauce (use more instead of adding salt)
1 tsp garlic powder (opt., if your sausage isn't garlicky enough)

Ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, or Asian chili garlic sauce to taste (see note)

Note: You can tweak the proportions of sausage and beans. When I was in full Flexitarian mode, I cut the sausage as low as 1/4 lb and added another can of beans. As for heat, add crushed red pepper flakes with the rest of the seasonings, but if using hot sauce or chili garlic paste, wait until the mixture has cooked down to preferred thickness, then add to taste.

Method:

Cook sausage in 1 Tblsp oil over medium heat until the pink is gone and it's nice and crumbly. Leave as much of the the grease in the pan as  you want.

Add the onions, celery, peppers, carrots, and garlic; cook until everything is really softened and starts to caramelize. The finer you chop your vegs, the faster this will go. Stir in the cumin and cook for a few seconds until you can really smell it.

Add 1.5 cups chicken stock, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and remaining seasonings; heat to boiling then reduce to a simmer. Add more stock/water if needed so it can gently simmer, uncovered, until the tomatoes are broken down and the "sauce" is about as thick as heavy cream, at least 20-30 mins. Longer is better.

Serve over warm brown rice.

As with most liquidous dishes that require simmering, it is always better the next day. Freezes and defrosts very well.

*Random Food Tip:

I buy the bags of frozen mixed bell pepper strips instead of fresh bell peppers. (I pick out the green ones because I hate them, but don't tell, ok?) I started this behavior some years back when the price of bell peppers was ridiculously high, and I never got around to doing another cost comparison. I love having bell peppers available at all times, though, so I doubt I'll go back to fresh anytime soon.

Enjoy!

A Year of Beans and Rice: Intro

Howdy, y'alls! It's been awhile, I know. If it's any consolation, I think of you often but I have a hard time putting virtual pen to paper. Believe me, it's not you, it's me. But I'm sure you've heard that line before.

ENNY-hooze, I eat a lot of beans and rice. They're cheap, it's easy to keep the main ingredients on hand, and I can usually get the meal on the table in less than 45 minutes if I have frozen cooked (brown) rice on hand (see below.) I have a short attention span and my main motivation to cook is to eat (as quickly as possible) something that qualifies are real food and tastes good, and most anything made with already-cooked rice and canned beans is going to meet that criteria. As a bonus, leftovers can (usually) be frozen, so make a double batch and get two meals for the effort of one.

If this sounds like a good idea, read on, my friend.

Since this a year of anything qualifies as A Project, I have to have A Plan, right? My plan is to post twice a month. Many of my favorite rice/bean recipes are already posted here, but I'm going to revisit them and tweak them if necessary. That will give me a few weeks' grace if the well starts to run dry. Not that that would ever happen... ahem. There may even be photos!

About that rice thing:

I've mentioned before that long-grain brown is my rice style of choice (most of the time.) Brown rice takes significantly longer to cook than white rice, and this is where my rice cooker shines. Every couple of weeks I set up a batch of brown rice in the cooker, wander off and get into all sorts of trouble, and when I remember to check it, it's done. I've also mentioned that I cook my brown rice at a straight 2:1 water to rice ratio so it's just done -- the individual grains aren't blown out. Then I freeze it in two cup portions in quart zip-top bags. Dump it in a bowl with a little bit of water, cover loosely, heat in the microwave for a few minutes, and it comes out quite nicely, thank you.

No rice cooker? Try this oven technique from Alton Brown.

And then there's the Dried Bean Issue. I've struggled over the years with varying degrees of success, but I've recently made some progress in this area, so maybe we'll talk about that, too.

Ready? Let the Year of Beans and Rice begin! I'll be back by the end of the month with a recipe, I promise.
(we all know how good I am at honoring those, don't we?)

Project Weeknight: Kinda-Brazilianish Beans & Rice

Since I stopped posting regularly I've had a devil of a time keeping up with new recipes I've tried, what I've liked, changes I made, and so on. I tried a new dish tonight that worked out so well that my son declared that it's going into the regular dinner rotation. I can't let this one get away!

It came to me via my friend Matt's blog* (where he linked to this recipe.) It's one of those dishes that is many times greater than the sum of its parts. Simple, fast, and delicious, just the way I like it.

Pinto beans, which we know and love, and bacon combine to almost remind one of the classic canned bean & bacon soup, always a favorite. The rice, cooked pilaf-style with onion, is a nice surprise.

I can rarely make a recipe as written, and this was no exception. Since this was our main dish, I used more bacon than called for but drained off half the fat before adding the garlic. You could omit the oil altogether and just rely on the bacon grease. I doubled the beans and added some refried beans (hey, they're pintos too!) instead of the traditional spoon-mashing step. I also used pre-cooked brown rice* I had in the freezer instead of cooking white rice from scratch, and it worked out great.

But be sure to read through the original recipe so you get the idea of how it should be done, ok? Check out Matt's blog, too, because he and his wife Holli are hilarious, adorable, and amazing. And I'm not even related to them, so you know it's true.

Geez, it's already taken me almost as long to write this as it did to make it, so let's get to it already!

Kinda-Brazilianish Beans & Rice, aka Matt Beans
via The {UN}eventful Life, adapted from Authentic Brazilian Cuisine

Serves 2, with some beans leftover.

Brazilianish Rice

1 Tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups pre-cooked brown rice, thawed if frozen
1/4 - 1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until it just starts to brown. Add rice, stir until heated through. Add water, bring to simmer. Reduce heat, partially cover, and cook (stirring occasionally) until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.

Brazilianish Beans

1 Tablespoon oil (opt.)
2 teaspoons (1-2 cloves) minced garlic
2 (thick) or 3 (thin) slices (uncooked) bacon, diced (or even more if you're so inclined)
2 cans pinto beans, rinsed well and drained
1/4 - 1/3 can refried (pinto) beans (opt.)
1/2 - 1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat, add bacon, and cook until almost done. Add garlic, cook another minute, then add pinto beans. You can mash some -- maybe 1/4? -- of the pintos with a spoon to thicken the dish, or you can add the refried beans. Add water, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 15 minutes, longer if you have time, to let the bacon-y essence permeate those beans. Add more water if necessary to keep it from scorching. The "gravy" should be at least as thick as heavy cream. Salt and pepper to taste.

I served it with completely un-traditional grated Monterey jack cheese and diced tomato. I'd have added avocado if I'd had one. We eat a lot of faux-Mexican so I knew these familiar touches would bring the dish squarely into my son's comfort zone. And it did!

* Oh yeah, about the rice: The amount of water you'll need depends on how 'cooked' your rice is. I make large batches of brown rice, portion it in two-cup bags, and stash them in the freezer. I use a straight 2:1 water:rice (brown rice usually calls for more water) so the rice grains are intact and are not clumpy at all, just barely done, I suppose. I used 1/2 cup of water in my pilaf and probably could have used more. If your rice is fully done and the grains are "blown-out" you may have to modify the pilaf-ing of it. Or just follow the original recipe. It's all good. Oh, so good.

Why I >heart< the interwebs

(Like the new banner? That's what happens when I'm stuck at my desk with a paint program on my computer and no real work to do.)

How did I ever manage to cook before the interwebs were invented? I constantly scour my favorite food blogs and websites for recipes. I keep track of them in a blog that I use as a virtual shoebox. I write them up here so I can find them when I lose the scribbled-up printout in the pile that is my hard-copy recipe collection.

BTW, do people even say 'printout' any more?

The interwebs came to my rescue again, when I was trying to figure out what to cook for my first dinner post-freakout, I went into an absolute search frenzy and ended staring at a wonderfully simple veggie chili recipe on Chow.com. Even though I already have many vegetarian recipes, I felt the need for something new, and it fit the bill perfectly.

Of course I had to fuss with it so it's not quite so basic any more. Here's what I got.

Post-Freakout Bean & Veggie Chili
Adapted from The Basics: Veggie Chili on Chow.com

1 Tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled & diced
1 stalk celery, chopped
6-8 oz mushrooms, finely diced (opt.)
1 bell pepper, seeded & diced (I prefer non-green)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1-2 Tablespoons ground cumin (to taste)
1-3 teaspoons chili powder (commercial mix or otherwise, to taste)
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (opt.)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (opt.)
1 med. zucchini, diced
1 - 16 ounce jar salsa, you choice of heat
3/4 cup water (more if needed)
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 - 15 ounce cans of any kind of beans, drained & rinsed
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pot over med. high heat. Add onions, celery, and carrot, season with a little salt & pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions start to brown.

Add garlic, mushrooms, corn, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms start to brown. If the corn starts to brown, that's even better.

Add spices, stir until spices are warmed and fragrant.

Add the zucchini, salsa, water, tomato paste, and beans. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and simmer for 10-15 minutes (minimum) until veggies are all cooked and chili reaches desired consistency. Adjust seasonings.

Serve with avocado, grated cheese, sour cream/yogurt, whatever floats your boat. I often serve chili over rice.

Notes:

• The longer you simmer, it the better it will be.


• I used a can of pintos and a can of black beans, but just about anything will work. Well, I'm not so sure I'd use chickpeas, but that's just me.


• The original recipe calls for canned tomatoes but they are usually too tart for my guys. My new trick is to use salsa + water + tomato paste and seems to do the trick.


• I added diced mushrooms for a fake ground beef feel. You can leave them out if your audience objects.


• I like to add smoked paprika for that smoky flavor without the heat of chipotle, but YMMV.


• I have been known to thicken chili with a little masa harina/water slurry right at the end. Didn't do it this time, but I might next time.

So there. It's a fair amount of chopping, but it did get done in time to qualify as Project Weeknight.

Everyone ate it. And that's why I >heart< the interwebs.

Project Weeknight Update: Faster Santa Fe Rice & Beans

OK, I haven't been real fired up in the cooking department, but I did figure out a way to make a fast, easy dinner even faster. You know the saying about if you want some thing done efficiently you should find a lazy person to do it? Well, that would be me.

Last night I wanted to make my Fast Santa Fe Rice & Beans but I didn't have a can of tomatillos, and I didn't feel like chopping an onion, but I did have a jar of mild salsa in the pantry. I knew from my experience with this quinoa soup recipe that salsa is simply tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, and herbs already chopped up for you. Score!

Even Faster Santa Fe Rice & Beans
(Based on this and this)

Serves 4

3 cups cooked brown rice, reheated
1 bell pepper, red, orange, or yellow, diced (Opt., but I had it on hand)
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
2-3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 - 16 oz jar salsa (I use Pace Mild because it's what we like. Shut up.)
1 - 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 teaspoons lime juice (opt.)

Heat a dry skillet on medium high heat until fairly hot (no oil), then toss in the corn and bell peppers. Toast them, stirring and shaking the pan, until you start to see scorched bits.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the dry spices, stirring to coat. Then add the jar of salsa and the beans. Bring to simmer, reduce heat, and let simmer for a few minutes. Add a little water as needed.

Add the preheated rice, stirring to combine, and heat through. Again, add water as needed, just enough it keep the rice from drying out. Taste, add salt and lime juice as needed.

Serve with some grated cheese and diced avocado if you have it.

Have I told you my favorite way to reheat rice? Stop me if you've heard this one: Place rice in a microwave-safe dish. Add a splash (no more than a tablespoon or so) of water per cup of rice. Cover (but not so tight that the lid will pop off) and nuke on high in two minute increments until the rice is nice and steamy throughout.

I wonder how many nights a week I can get away with making this dish?

Unventing Faux Mexican Rice

Admin note: Since I'm only posting sporadically, it doesn't make sense to stick to the 'day of the week' titles, so I hereby decree that I will, from this day forth, use descriptive titles on all my posts. Yippee! Release the pigeons!

Yeah, I'm still here, and yeah, I'm still struggling. I'm still eating flexitarian, mostly ovo-lacto-vegetarian (not much lacto, tho) with occasional meat. And I have gained back just about all the weight I lost last year.

All together now: Heavy sigh.

A big component of my problem is my activity level. There are a few quasi-valid reasons (read: lame excuses) that I won't bore you with, but overall, even though I am eating pretty well, I am simply taking more in than I'm expending. Yeah, I could stand to tweak a few things, food-wise, and from time to time I actually try to do so, but until I increase my activity level I'm pretty much screwed.

One major disappointment: I still can't break my romaine aversion. I don't seem to be able to eat it more than once a week. I am pretty upset about that. It seemed such an elegant solution!

But enough about my most recent failures, let's talk about food.

I have a new recipe for you! To be precise, the dish is not new but I have found a quick and easy way to approximate it. And I can't even say for sure I'm the first person to think of this, although I haven't seen it anywhere else (that I remember). Let's borrow a term from the online knitting community and just say I 'unvented' it. That's shorthand for 'I discovered this recipe/pattern/technique but can't say definitively that no one else has ever come up with it before, so I'll claim credit only for my incarnation of it.'

Recently I fell in love with that pink rice stuff you often see in Mexican restaurants. I think it's technically called Spanish Rice. I learned Spanish Rice recipes call for white rice to be cooked in broth and stock, which -- white rice issue aside -- just wouldn't to work for me on a weeknight. I usually keep pre-cooked brown rice frozen in 2 cup portions since brown rice takes approximately forever to cook. So what could I do?

In reviewing the ingredients list, I realized I had a lot of the things pre-mixed at my fingertips. Cooked tomatoes, onions, spices... sounds like jarred salsa to me! It only took a few trials to get it just the way I like it. It ain't perfect, but it sure is quick.

Faux Mexican Rice

2 cups pre-cooked brown rice, at room temperature
1/2 cup jarred salsa, your preferred level of spice*
Splash of water

Place rice in a microwave-safe container. Add a splash of water if the rice is a little dry. Add salsa, combine. Add more salsa until it's the color you want. It should be a little saucy; remember the juice will get absorbed by the rice.

Cover and microwave for two minutes. Stir. If it's not piping hot throughout, nuke for another minute or so. Stir and check for piping hot-ness. When it's steaming hot, remove from microwave and let sit, covered, for a few minutes.

The goal is to heat the rice to steaming to, uh, loosen up the starch in the rice, then let it cool down to give the rice a chance to absorb the liquid.

* I like the jarred Pace Picante because, well, I'm a Northerner. Also, it has a nice sauciness to it that works well in this application. And it comes in mild, which my son will eat.

Serve and enjoy!

Now that hot weather is a distant memory (heavy sigh again) I'll probably be posting more often, so come back and see me soon, OK?

Project Weeknight: Black-Bean Burgers

My SO found this recipe one evening when we were completely clueless as to what to make for dinner. They were so quick to put together, and you know what? They weren't bad.

We made it as written (except subbing parsley for the - ptui! - cilantro).We had some problems keeping them from falling apart, and they were a little bland, but acceptable for something that had a prep time of less than ten minutes.

I went back and read the reviews after. Subbing an egg for the mayo as many reviewers mentioned would probably solve the integrity problem. Sauteed garlic and onion would help. One reviewed mentioned adding some corn. I liked that idea a lot, especially some corn that's been pre-roasted in a skillet... maybe with some red peppers... and avocado on top... mmmm!

Didn't get to try these on my son, but I think they will pass that test, especially with the mods. This one is definitely worth a do-over

Wednesday

Discovery of the day: Tamale pie

Finally got around to trying the Polenta Tamale Pie I mentioned a few months back and it was a grand success, even if it wasn't quite Project Weeknight-worthy as written. I made a few mods and was very pleased with the results.

Polenta Tamale Pie
Adapted from Epicurious.com

Filling:
2 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1½ Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 16-oz bottle salsa (I used mild)
1 15-oz can refried beans
1 to 2 cups* liquid (water, veggie stock, chicken stock)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)

2 pounds fresh-cooked polenta or 2 one-pound rolls prepared polenta, sliced into 1/3"-thick rounds (I used quick-cooking polenta)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used monterey jack)

* The more liquid you add, the longer it will take to simmer to the desired thickness. More simmering = deeper flavor. You need at least enough to keep it from scorching.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine first six ingredients (beans, spices, salsa, liquid) in a saucepan over medium-high heat, mix well. Simmer until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Add cilantro/parsley, season with salt and pepper.

Oil 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Spread (or place) half of polenta (slices) in dish. Top with filling and half of the cheese, then spread (place) remaining polenta (slices) and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, until heated through and sauce bubbles, about 35 minutes.

Since there are just three of us, I made a whole batch of filling and used half of it in a 9"x9" pan. I froze the rest of the filling. Next time I'll just make a batch of polenta to use with the thawed filling.

Since the oven time is what knocks it out of Project Weeknight contention, next time I'll try this: Make the polenta, press it into a hot oiled skillet and fry it a little to get some crunch. Plate individual servings of the polenta and top with a scoop of hot filling and cheese.

Acceptability was high -- it got thumbs up from my guys. If you love cornmeal and beans -- and who doesn't? -- I predict it'll be thumbs up for you too.

Project Weeknight: Pasta e Fagioli

Ha! Project Weeknight is back, in a big way. I tackled Pasta e Fagioli last night. I combined elements of two recipes and came up with something I was pretty happy with.

The dish came together very quickly, but I sabotaged myself by pretending I could make yeast buns from scratch in time. I couldn't, and dinner was a good half-hour late because of it. Not that it wasn't worth it, though.

But first, the recipe!

Pasta e Fagioli
Adapted from The Innocent Primate Vegan Blog and Rachael Ray

2 Tablespoons oil/butter (your choice)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
6 cups total stock/water
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 cans (15 oz) cannellini or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 small zucchini, cut in quarters lengthwise then sliced 1/4"
1/2-3/4 cup small pasta (I used small shells)
1/2 cup frozen peas
Salt and black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oil and/or butter in soup pot, then add onions and a dash of salt. Saute until soft, then add garlic, carrots, celery, and red pepper (if using). Saute for another few minutes until celery starts to look translucent.

Add stock/water, tomato paste, beans, herbs, and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Add pasta and zucchini, simmer another five minutes. Add peas and simmer until pasta is done. Adjust salt & pepper.

Serve with grated parmesan.

Sara at The Innocent Primate recommends cooking the pasta separately and adding it to each bowl if you're going to store leftover soup, because the pasta will continue to soak up liquid and grow if left in the soup. I leave the pasta in, but only because I take the leftovers for lunch and I appreciate the more stew-like consistency the next day.

I used all chicken stock, a quart of Evil Corporate stock and two cups of homemade. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it was almost too chicken-y. Next time I'll use a cup or two of water.

As I mentioned above, the 'fazool' cooked up very quickly but we had to wait for the bread. I'll be writing about that next, because it came out pretty well despite the rush job.

How good was it? My son gave it an 'all thumbs up'. I'll take that, even if he did eat around every single piece of zucchini in his bowl. Oh well.
:)

Project Weeknight: Tlayuda With Black Bean Purée

Sounds fancy, no? Believe it or not, it was easy enough to qualify for Project Weeknight.

Yesterday afternoon I was stewing over what to do for dinner. It'd been over a week since we'd had Taco Del Mom, so that was a possibility. Yeah, it's easy and much beloved, but it's getting kind of old.

I'd tried Refried Bean Soup a while back and it was very well received, but we're having freakishly warm weather here (mid-70s! Gasp!) and it just ain't soup weather.

So I delved into my Recipe Purgatory, clicked the Weeknight tag, and found this one from my culinary hero, Mark Bittman.

For some unknown reason, black beans are not one of my go-to beans. They're just not something I grab very often. This seemed like a good excuse to use some of the cans languishing in the back of the cabinet. I didn't have corn tortillas so I used the handmade whole wheat ones from the fancy-pants grocery that I usually have on hand. I even had some cabbage left from a soup experiment last weekend. Add some Monterey Jack cheese and we were good to go.

I did modify his instructions slightly: I sauteed the onion & garlic in the bottom of a small saucepan for a few minutes, then added the spices and heated then through. I drained the beans, reserving some of the liquid. Removed the pan from the heat and added the beans along with enough bean juice to keep them from sticking to the hot pan. Then I hit it with the stick blender, since I hate the thought of dirtying the food processor to puree one lousy can of beans. Presto! Black bean puree.

I'd already had the oven pre-heating. I brushed the bottom of a sheet pan (relatively new & clean) with a little oil and put it in the oven upside down to get hot. I spread the bean paste on the tortillas, sprinkled with the grated cheese, and plopped them on the hot sheet pan. And I only burned my forearm once!

I could have used the pizza stone but it seemed like a lot of time and energy to preheat that huge thing for just a few tortillas. Luckily the pre-heated cookie sheet worked great.

Per the directions, I let them bake for 5 mins., then opened the oven to mound about 1/2 cup of thinly sliced cabbage on each, avoiding a matching forearm burn. Baked for another 5 mins., pulled them out, and slid them onto a cooling rack to keep the bottoms from getting soggy while they cooled enough to slice into quarters.

The wheat tortillas crisped up fine, but next time I'd like to try corn tortillas. Or even making a few big tortillas from scratch, if I can remember to plan ahead for that.

I was a little skeptical about the cabbage, but 5 mins. @ 450 deg was indeed enough to wilt it enough to make it edible. We added a little chopped avocado and tomato and you know what? It was pretty darned tasty. My son gave it a huge thumbs up and insisted I print out the recipe for him to give to his teacher.

Can there be any greater praise than that?

Monday

Discovery of the day: Quick & dirty comfort food

Sunday night was the calm after the storm (figuratively, not literally; no scary weather here!) The weekend (and the few days before) had been crazy busy, bordering on chaos. But Sunday evening, the house was empty except for my son and me, and we were both exhausted and fighting colds that had conveniently picked that weekend to arrive.

But dinnertime rolls around, regardless. Nothing sounded good to him and all I wanted was a big bowl of grains & beans.

I'd re-stocked my freezer inventory last weekend with 2 cup portions of cooked rice and Grandma's Grains, which I've really taken a fancy to. I was imagining heating up some of those with a can of cannellini beans and a big blob of pesto, but I wasn't sure my son would go for it. Then it hit me: Butter! He adores rice and butter. The mixed grains have a more complex flavor than rice, but how could they not be lovely with butter?

So to 2 cups of (thawed) grains, I added a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans and some butter, maybe a tablespoon all told. I threw that back in the microwave for a minute or so to make sure it was all of a temperature. I dished it out, ground some black pepper on mine, and we were good to go.

And he liked it! Although, really, what's not to love about grains and butter? He did say it was pretty filling and couldn't eat a lot of it, but he ate it. Easy, quick, cheap... I think I'm in love.

I had the last cup on my BAS today. I am a happy girl.

I'm now scouring Recipe Purgatory for a potential Project Weeknight dish. That little blog is turning out to be quite handy!

Monday

Discovery of the day: Minestrone Redux

It's weird to be making a big pot of soup in August, but that's the kind of weather we ended up with yesterday. It was cold and rainy. I wanted soup.

This is a recipe from my former life. It was in regular rotation during soup season for years. This time I made a few modifications, tweaked proportions of veggies, etc. I admit, I was kind of worried whether it would 'hit the spot', but it did. Yeah, I could have made it strictly vegetarian if I wanted, but as a flexitarian I don't have to!

Almost Vegetarian Minestrone
Adapted from The New Basics Cookbook

2 Tblsp olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
3 med. carrots, chopped
2 or 3 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/4 cup red wine (opt.)
6+ cups stock (I used chicken)
1 - 28 oz can tomatoes, crushed or diced
2 Tblsp tomato paste
2 or 3 med. zucchini, diced
1 lrg waxy potato, diced (I used some new potatoes, unpeeled and quartered. See notes)
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
2 or 3 - 15 oz cans beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
2 Tblsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
1 to 2 tsp ham soup base (opt.)
Chunk of Parmesan rind (opt.)
Salt & pepper to taste

To garnish:
Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in soup pot over med. heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and a good pinch of salt, stir well. Cover and let vegs soften for 10 mins or so stirring occasionally. Add garlic, stir for a minute until fragrant. Add the red wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Let the wine cook down for a minute or two.

Boost the heat and add the remaining ingredients. The liquid should be just barely covering the vegs, so add more stock or water if needed. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the heck out of it, at least half an hour, longer if you can. Garnish and serve. Goes great with crusty bread or cornbread.

Notes:

• This makes a lot, and I usually freeze the rest in dinner-sized portions. But potatoes don't freeze well -- they usually disintegrate. If that bothers you, pick them out before freezing.


• The original recipe called for kidney beans, which is what I usually use. But cannellini beans, red beans, and even chickpeas would be fun.


• I have a nice ham soup base (think high-quality bouillon cube) from Penzey's that I used instead of the chunk of salt pork called for in the original recipe. It worked out nicely, although I don't know if I would have missed it if I left it out.

Don't think I'm ready to embrace full-on soup season quite yet, but at least I've got my frozen bags of Minestrone just in case.

Project Weeknight: Refried Bean Soup

One of the standard meals I feed my son is 'Taco Del Mom'; refried beans, rice, guacamole, and a cheese quesadilla. I was looking to switch it up a little last night so I tried the Smoky Refried Bean Soup from one of my go-to blogs, FatFree Vegan Kitchen.

(I know, I'm neither fat-free nor vegan, but she does have some nice, quick recipes.)

It was a success all around. I had all the ingredients on hand, it was on the table in time, and my son gave it '99%'. He said it couldn't be 100% because the little bit of spiciness stung his cold sore. But I don't think that's the recipe's fault. :)

I made a few minor mods. I hate green bell pepper so I used a cup of chopped frozen yellow & red pepper strips. I used low-sodium chicken stock instead of veg stock and oil instead of cooking spray. I didn't have a can of black beans so I added a can of regular pintos. I didn't have chipotle powder -- cue the chili powder. And, as is the case with most recipes I find online, I pretty much had to double the seasonings.

We put some chopped avocado on top and it was mighty fine. Next time I may add more corn. Certainly not necessary, but I like corn. And I'll be sure to have black beans on hand.

Another score for Project Weeknight!

Monday

Discovery of the day: Might Be Quinoa Veggie Stew

For yesterday's dinner I took another run at the Quinoa Veggie Stew I wrote about here and here. It definitely is not a Project Weeknight dish -- it requires a lengthy simmer to do it right. I made a few tweaks along the way and ended up with something most satisfactory.

Might Be Quinoa Veggie Stew
(Adapted from this recipe, which cites 'Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home')

1.5 to 2 cups cooked quinoa, brown rice, or other grain/starch of choice
2 med. onions, chopped (~1 cup)
2+ cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 Tblsp oil
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 red/orange/yellow bell pepper, chopped (~1 cup)
2 cups of some combination of diced zucchini, summer squash and/or eggplant
1 - 14.5 oz can tomatoes with liquid
1 - 15 oz can cannellini beans (or your bean of choice)
1/4 c red wine (or water)
1 cup chicken stock (or water/veg stock)
1 Tblsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried (mexican oregano if available)
Cayenne pepper to taste (opt.)
Salt

For the table: grated cheese, Cheddar or Monterey Jack.

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic for a good 5-10 minutes until you see some caramelization on the bottom of the pan.

Add carrots, celery, and about 1/4 tsp salt. Cook an additional 5+ minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegs soften.

Add cumin, chili powder, coriander, and cayenne. Stir for a minute or so until fragrant.

Add wine, stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Let wine cook down for a minute or so.

Add bell pepper, squashes, tomatoes, oregano, stock, and another 1/4 tsp salt if needed. Bring to simmer, reduce heat, and continue to simmer for a good 30+ minutes or until it reaches a thick, stew-like consistency.

Check seasoning, add salt if needed.

Here you can either stir in the quinoa (or cooked grain of your choice) and stir until heated through, or ladle the stew on top of individual servings of grains or potatoes. Top with cheese, if desired.

Yield: 6 or more 1.5 - 2 cup servings, depending on how you manage the starch component.

Notes:

• I used zucchini and summer squash. I wanted to add eggplant but the grocery store didn't have small ones.


• I think this would be smashing on top of (or under) mashed potatoes.

So there you have it. I stirred in the cooked quinoa but may try rice or potatoes next time.

Acceptability was high. My son ate a masterful portion. Now I know lots of vegetarian/vegan food bloggers have kids that enjoy their food, but my son only eats this style of food when he's with me -- he eats a more traditional omnivore menu at his dad's house. So any time he eats one of my flexitarian meals without balking, I'm a happy girl.

Just wanted to clarify that.
:)

Project Weeknight: White Bean Chili

I wanted to make a white chicken chili sans chicken; basically white beans in a white-chili-style sauce. I checked out a bunch of vegetarian, vegan, and traditional recipes. I quickly realized that all I had to do was leave out the chicken and maybe up the bean content. Score!

As you might expect, most of the recipes were very similar. Many called for mass quantities of dairy (cheese, sour cream, half & half) to be stirred in right before service. I really wanted to avoid that. Some called for a lb or two of tomatillos. Although that sounded lovely, I knew the odds of finding them on the way home from work would be low.

When all was said and done, the most promising recipe was a White Turkey Chili from Cooking Light Magazine. The winning features were a reasonable ingredients list (most of which I already had) and simple prep that seemed to fall within Project Weeknight guidelines.

So here's what I ended up with:

White Bean Chili
Adapted from Cooking Light

1 to 2 Tblsp butter and/or oil
1½ cups onion, chopped (~1 good-sized one)
½ cup chopped celery (~3 small ribs, or 2 large)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 Tblsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano (opt.) (Mexican, if available.)
4 cans cannellini beans or other white beans, drained, divided in half.
24-32 oz low-sodium chicken broth (cutting back on the broth will reduce the simmer time.)
1 - 4 oz can chopped green chiles
salt
black pepper

For the table:

Shredded cheese (we like Monterey Jack)

Avocado, chopped or guacamole

Crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or heat source of your choice.

Melt butter/heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, bell peppers, garlic, and corn and sauté 5 minutes or so until you see caramelization on the bottom of the pan. Add cumin and chili powder, sauté a minute or so until fragrant.

Add a cup or two the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Add the oregano, half the beans, remaining broth, chopped chiles, 1/2 t salt, and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes or so.

Mash remaining beans well and add to mixture. Simmer approx. 15 minutes or until mixture is the desired consistency, stirring frequently. Add more salt if desired.

Put 1/4 cup cheese in the bottom of each bowl, ladle chili on top. Stir. Top with avocado/guacamole.

Yield: Approx. ~11 cups, Serving size: 1-2 cups

Notes:

• Stirring some of the hot cooking liquid into the mashed beans before adding to the pot will loosen them up and make them easier to incorporate.


• If you have more time, use the whole 32 oz of broth (or more), partially cover the pot during the first simmer and keep it at a bare simmer for 30 mins or more. The second simmer should be uncovered and will take as long as it takes to reduce down to where you want it.


• I decided adding the cheese to each serving worked better for me since I tend to freeze leftovers. You can add 1 to 1½ cups of shredded cheese to the pot instead.


• I used 2 cans of cannellini beans and 2 cans of great northern. I added the cannellinis whole and mashed the great northerns, since they were mushier anyway. I'm kind of weird about symmetry that way, though.


• Subbing 1 can of pintos might be fun.


• I might add 2 cans of chopped chiles next time. I used mild.


• This recipe is intentionally fairly mild in deference to my son. The adults added a blob of Asian chili garlic sauce at the table. Good stuff!

Once recipe called for canned tomatillos. If I can find those, I might stock some for next time.

It was universally accepted. My son gave it two thumbs, two big toes, and a nose up. But he's in a growth spurt right now so just about anything wins raves from him. Hmmm... maybe I could use that to my advantage next week....

Project Weeknight: Gallo Pinto

Whew! I just checked the archives and it appears this edition of Project Weeknight won't be as much of a cheat as I had feared. See, I thought I had already discussed the recipe for Gallo Pinto in my Surviving Costa Rica post, but I didn't. So I will.

Gallo Pinto is the national dish of Costa Rica. Apparently everyone makes it and you can get it just about everywhere. And of course everyone's recipe is slightly different. I had it a couple of times during my trip and fell in love. I mean, as an almost-vegetarian, what's not to love about black beans & rice? I could probably eat every day, which apparently is not an uncommon practice in Costa Rica.

It took some serious web surfing and a couple of false starts but I finally found a recipe that I really liked. Then, of course, I modified it.

Gallo Pinto
adapted from Gallo Pinto at The Real Costa Rica Blog

1.5-2 cups of cooked rice
1 can of cooked black beans, drained but not rinsed, reserve the bean liquid.
1 med chopped onion
1 chopped red pepper (or orange/yellow)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tblsp oil
¼ cup chopped cilantro (or parsley)
1 Tbs. Salsa Lizano (or Worcestershire sauce)
black pepper to taste
chicken stock or water as needed

Saute onion, red pepper, garlic and cilantro in the vegetable oil for a couple of minutes until the onion looks cooked.

Add beans, Salsa Lizano, and black pepper. Add a little (2T) bean liquid and a little (2T) chicken stock or water. Simmer for a few minutes, but don’t let it dry out.

Add the (cooked) rice. Add a little more stock/bean liquid if needed. Let simmer a few minutes until it looks like the rice is heated through.

Notes:

• The key ingredient is the Salsa Lizano. It's a distinctive flavor, kind of like Worcestershire sauce but less salty and more vinegary and somehow 'greener' tasting. I know it can be bought online, and I recently spied it in a Spanish (as in Spain, not Mexican) market near Pike Place Market in Seattle.


• I have not made this with Worcestershire sauce.


• The classic version uses white rice but I use the brown basmati that I use for everything.


• Why the canned bean liquid? If I remember right, the name (spotted rooster) comes from the flecks of the bean liquid on the white rice. With home-cooked beans, you'd just use the cooking water. You can leave it out and just add more stock/water but I think it adds more bean-y goodness.


• Since bell peppers are outrageously expensive, I've been buying bags of frozen (unseasoned) bell pepper strips. It's a 1 lb bag (I think) of mixed red, yellow, orange, and green pepper strips but I pick out the green ones cause I hates 'em.


• Traditional toppings include sour cream, eggs (fried or scrambled, and friend plantains.

If I have cooked brown rice in the freezer (I portion it in 2 cup bags) then this recipe can be done in half an hour, well within the Project Weeknight guidelines. If not, sometimes I can remember to launch the rice cooker before I leave in the morning. And failing that, if I can get the bare minimum batch (1 c rice: 2 c water) going as soon as I walk in the door, I can just make the 45 minute deadline.

The acceptability factor is way high. My son and boyfriend love it. I usually make a double batch for a rerun dinner later in the week or a couple of lunches. A cup of it is good on a BAS, too.

See? What's not to love?

Project Weeknight: White Beans and...

This isn't a true Project Weeknight entry since I wasn't feeding my son, but it's what you're getting this week so shut up and sit down already.

:)

I needed something to put on our BAS last night. I often like to use something like hummus (say, maybe... hummus?) because it kind of takes the place of salad dressing. And it tastes good. And it's cheap. And it's easy. 'Nough said.

But I didn't want to make hummus last night. I'd recently seen some recipes for what I call white bean dips; basically a paste of cannellini beans with lemon and maybe garlic and herbage. Kind of like hummus, no?

I settled on this recipe from Michael at Herbivoracious. Simple list of ingredients, all of which I had on hand. And it kind of sounded hummus-like. Score!

It didn't go quite as I'd hoped. The taste just wasn't there, you know? To compensate, I oversalted, so I had to add another can of beans. And more of everything else. Stealing a riff from another recipe, I finally added some garlic powder.

I gave up and called it done and we went ahead and ate it. It was OK. It occurred to me that what it needed was to sit a spell for the flavors to 'marry'. I think it's one of those dishes that's better the second day. I will be testing that theory soon, as I'm having it for lunch today.

Also, I lightly mashed the beans as directed and the texture just didn't do it for me, although I can see where the semi-chunky style would work on crostini. Next time I'll puree the crap out of it. Like hummus.

My other candidate was this recipe from Mark Bittman. I may give that a go next time.

Wednesday

Discovery of the day: I >heart< Skillet Gardener's Pie

I am thrilled to report that the Skillet Gardener's Pie last night was great. I followed the recipe as written... almost. I used chicken stock, added some high-quality beef bouillon, used frozen spinach instead of fresh (I drained, squeezed and chopped it a bit first), and sauteed the vegs in a tablespoon or so of olive oil. And I used two cans of kidney beans, drained. I forgot to save some of the potato water which kind of bummed me out. But otherwise, mine looked just like the photo!

Acceptability factor was high. It's rare for my son to buy into a (mostly) vegetarian recipe. The mound of mashed tatties on top didn't hurt. :) Next time I might add a zucchini. I do love me some zucchini.

I get home about 5:45 on weeknights and I try to get dinner on the table by 6:30. It took an hour of fast and furious cooking to put this together; we didn't eat until 6:45. That's a little later for me so this won't go into the quick-and-easy weeknight file. But I would definitely cook up a big batch of the vegs over the weekend to freeze then cook up the mashers fresh as needed.

I have some left for lunch today and I am totally looking forward to it. This is one of the few veg recipes I've found online that I know I will make again.

This eve promises to be dicey, food-wise. I'll be leaving work early to trek over to the hospital to pick up my boyfriend then turn right around for the 1.5 hr trip back home. If we're lucky we'll be home by 8 pm. It'll be catch as catch can for dinner and I know he'll be starving since he's been NPO since midnight.

That'll be fun, huh?