Three Things Thursday; vol. two

Two random things on my mind and one tempting recipe. Here goes round 2 of Three Things Thursday:

1)    Vanilla Almond Tea from Republic of Teas. If you see me at subbing at school in the morning with my steaming green travel mug, this is most likely what I am sipping. If I have a chance to run the couple of blocks home during the day, I will probably brew another mug to get me through the remainder of my classes. This is my mojo.

2)    Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik Bagless Stick Vacuum. We live with 3 lovable dogs. 3 lovable, long-haired dogs. 3 loveable, shedding, long-haired dogs. If I fail to clean just one day, we have Texas-sized dust bunnies of dog hair in every corner of every room. This simple stick vacuum has been my savior. It isn’t much more than a dust buster on wheels, but it is lightweight and compact enough to store just steps away from my kitchen on our back stairs. It has reasonably good suction to corral those wads of floating dog hair and whatever leaves, dirt, and small twigs are pulled in through the puppy door. The attachments allow me to clean tight corners. When it gets full, I just dump the bagless canister and start over. I do wish it had a brush for rugs or upholstery, but the majority of our home is hardwood. This gem makes dog hair suck just a little less.

3)    Seared Scallops with White Beans and Spinach. In our house, we big puffy heart love perfectly seared scallops. The trick is to make sure the seafood is really patted dry and the pan is very hot. I always use my cast iron for the best sear.

Seared Scallops with White Beans and Spinach

(adapted from Cooking Light)

olive oil

1 1/2 pounds sea scallops, patted dry

kosher salt

1 cup onion, chopped

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine (I use Savignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.)

1 cup chicken broth

1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups fresh baby spinach

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Season scallops with salt.
When pan is sizzling hot, add scallops.
Cook 2 minutes on each side.
Remove scallops from pan and keep warm.
Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté onion. 
Add pepper flakes and garlic and cook just until garlic is fragrant.
Immediately stir in wine; cook for 1 minute or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in broth and beans; cook until heated through.
Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
Serve beans and spinach topped with seared scallops and with crusty bread on the side to dip into the brothy beans. (Serves 4)

Cowboy Up

During the summer, we host several cookouts and attend even more. One of my go-to no-real-recipe dishes for sharing at these events is Cowboy Beans. Inevitably, someone asks for the recipe. But, there isn't a real recipe. I make it up as I go along, adjusting the ingredients to fit what I have on hand and the tastes of whoever will end up ladling them onto their plates.

However, last time I threw together a pot of these delicious beans, I did snap some step-by-step pics with my phone. I didn't record amounts; it will vary based on the quantity of beans that are prepared. But, hopefully, No Recipe Cowboy Beans gives you an idea of how to create your own summer side dish.

 First, start with some bacon, some ground beef or pork (this time, I used pork), some onion, and some garlic.

Dice the bacon and fry it until crispy.

Remove the bacon from the pan, and to the bacon grease, add the ground beef or pork. Crumble the ground meat, add diced onion, and fry until the meat is cooked through and the onion is translucent.

When the onion is translucent, add minced garlic. Saute only a minute or so. Garlic burns easily and can be bitter.

After the garlic is cooked, you must decide if you will drain the grease from the pan. If there isn't a lot, leaving it gives the finished beans a great deal of flavor. However, if the added calories/fat are a concern, drain.

It is time to add the beans. I use 1 or 2 cans of Bush's prepared baked beans (Bold & Spicy) and several other cans of beans. Usually, I add black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and or butter beans, but there is no hard and fast rule. Whatever I have on hand works. Drain and rinse all but one can of the plain beans.

I must stress that I believe Bold & Spicy are the only prepared beans to use for the best Cowboy Beans. Others work, but these have a great, not too sweet flavor and firm texture. In general, canned baked beans are often a can of mush, but not Bold & Spicy.

Stir the beans into the browned meat, onions, and garlic.

Now, it's time to start seasoning. I always add a little brown sugar (just a little, we don't like sweet beans), some molasses, and a good dose of cumin (for smoky depth of flavor).

Determine your favorite chili powder and add some. I throw in a few shakes of Ancho Chili Powder and a little Cayenne, but Chipotle Chili Powder is good, too (and even just plain old chili powder, if that is what you have).

Season with some freshly ground pepper, kosher salt, and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce. 

Sometimes, I ease up with the kosher salt and add some celery salt or smoked salt.

At this point, I let everything simmer for a bit.

If after tasting, I think the beans are too sweet, I splash in some Apple Cider Vinegar to add a little sharpness and counter that excess sugar.

Adjustments for those who prefer truly spicy baked beans are to saute diced or sliced jalapeno with the onion and to shake in a few splashes of your favorite hot sauce.

And, that is, more or less, how I make No Recipe Cowboy Beans.
Cowboy up and fill up your plate.

A Fresh Start

So...Happy New Year?

2015 had a rough start here. Hubs brought home some ugly bug, and before long, we both wanted to be down for the count. But, life doesn't work that way. There are always commitments and obligations and responsibilities. We tried to keep up as best we could while supplementing with cold meds and naps, but a lot of things lost priority and fell by the wayside.

3 weeks later, and we are finally shaking whatever virus attacked and getting back in the groove. I am still occasionally hacking up a lung, but overall am much better. I feel ready for the new year and a fresh start.

Let's start with breakfast. Do you like bacon? eggs? quesadillas? Bacon and Egg Quesadillas? Crispy tortillas filled with smokey bacon, fried eggs, black beans, pepper jack cheese, and served with guacamole and salsa? Any reason to have guacamole for breakfast sounds like a great start to me.

Bacon and Egg Quesadillas

(adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray)

4 medium flour tortillas

1/2 pound of bacon

4 large eggs

salt and pepper

4 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

guacamole

salsa

In a medium skillet, work in batches to cook bacon in batches until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the skillet.
Fry the eggs over easy (or hard, if that is your thing) in the hot bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Place a tortilla in the (dry) skillet and sprinkle some cheese over half. Spread 1/4 cup black beans over cheese. Top with bacon and an egg. Add a bit more cheese and fold the other (bare) half of the tortilla over the fillings. Heat in skillet until tortilla become crispy and golden on the bottom. Flip and crisp the other side.
Repeat with each remaining tortilla to create 4 quesadillas.
Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve with guacamole and salsa. (Serves 4)

South Dakota Magazine Recap

It is that time of year when things start to get a little cray-cray. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and then there is no stopping Christmas and all of the many holiday events. Throw in a little year-end business and a few bouts of bad weather, and before we know it 2014 will be done.

Before I get caught up in that whirlwind, maybe I should do another South Dakota Magazine Recap. I have shared several recipes (and a few stories) online with South Dakota Magazine since my last update in early April.

For Easter, I considered a new tradition of layering asparagus, ham, and pasta with cheese and a creamy sauce. Ham and Asparagus Lasagna is a perfectly elegant comfort food worthy of a Spring holiday table.

Cinco de Mayo was observed with simple Sausage and Feta Tacos. The day is a celebration of a Mexican military victory and more than just party with "2 for 1" margarita deals.

My husband was fearful that I would give up his prime asparagus hunting ground when I shared some of his wild asparagus secrets. If you are lucky enough to receive a bouquet of freshly cut wild asparagus, I recommend trying Asparagus Ravioli in Parmesan Broth.

I am happy to report that as summer dawned, the snakes in my backyard seemed to move on. Harvest of strawberries and rhubarb for Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars was uneventful...and the bars were delicious.

Nilla is still living in town with us, and before the snow, I noticed a new hole in my cleared-for-fall garden. She must still be digging for worms. I should have taken her fishing for some walleye to make Lemon Butter Fish.

Avocado Toast with Radish Salad pulls from produce both local, and not. Sourcing my food from whatever origins are available for the tastiest options is my "diet" plan.

I didn't get a great spinach harvest from the garden this year, but did manage enough for a few Spinach and Garlic Vinaigrette Salads.

Keeping cool was easy this summer with the Asian influenced Peanut and Cucumber Salad.

If I want to kiss my husband, I need keep my toothbrush handy whenever Bleu Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad is on the menu.

Scrambled Eggs with Pesto and White Beans is a powerhouse for breakfast and an excellent place to start while working toward those big dreams for the day.

In September, I guided Laura from the South Dakota Magazine offices through a south-central South Dakota adventure and made time for some Pho-ish Soup.

Homecoming revealed a little background of a long ago spontaneous pancake party in Colome, and I shared the story with the puffed pancake of a Dutch Baby with Caramel Sauce and Bananas.

As the winter allows Hubs more time at home in the evenings, I can't wait for movie night and Pomegranate and Popcorn.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup is a perfect fall bowl of comfort. Topping this rich, savory soup with crumbled queso and sliced green onions enhance the earthy flavors.

And, finally, I have the tart jewel of your Thanksgiving table: Homemade Cranberry Sauce, even though I kinda miss the nostalgia of those perfect rings on the log of sauce from the can.

Whew. What a list of amazing recipes! I hope you have had the opportunity to enjoy a few, and I can't wait to share more On My Plate and with South Dakota Magazine.

Not Quite the Same

Last week, Hubs and I celebrated out 25th anniversary. (Yes, I was 4 years old when we married. Why do you ask?) 

This week, I stretched way back and blew the dust off of a recipe that I used to make as a newlywed. I seriously don't believe I have prepared it in over 15 years, but a bag of Doritos in somebody else's cart at the grocery store brought it to mind.

The Taco Bake Casserole wasn't quite what I remembered, but then, I am not the same as I was back then, either. Has Pillsbury changed the formula for their crescent rolls? or are the sheets less buttery than the actual triangular-cut rolls I used to use? Doritos seem more salty and less cheesy, but that could just be my own taste buds. Back in the day, I used Ortega taco seasoning, but these days, it was the homemade dry mix I keep on hand. I grated my sharp cheddar cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded, and my tomato sauce and green chiles were from my garden. These minor changes might have made the slight difference when revisiting the casserole, but Taco Bake Casserole was still pure comfort food on a chilly autumn evening. Nothing fancy, just a hearty dinner On My Plate.

Taco Bake Casserole

(adapted from Taste of Home)

1 tube crescent rolls (or 1 tube crescent roll dough sheet)

2 cups crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 cup diced onion

1 pound lean ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

1 small can (4.5 ounces) diced green chiles

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained

3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread the crescent roll dough in the pan and up the sides slightly. If using rolls instead of sheets, press the seams together.

Top with 1 cup crushed Doritos and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Pre-bake 5 minutes while prepping the beef mixture. (Don't fully bake the crust, but allow the top to set slightly.)

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and crumble. 

Add the onion and cook until tender.

Drain any excess fat from the pan.

Add the taco seasoning, green chiles, and tomato sauce to the beef.

Simmer until most of the liquid had absorbed.

Stir in the black beans and heat through.

Spread this beef and bean mixture over the par-baked crust.

Top with dollups of sour cream and spread to cover.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.

Finish with the remaining crushed Doritos.

Bake 20-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.

Serve with taco sauce or salsa and additional sour cream, if desired. (Serves 8.)

A tossed salad on the side is our tradition.

Crushing on Tortas

I had the good fortune of spending some time last weekend in Chicago. As a lover of Mexican food, I *HAD TO* visit one of Rick Bayless' restaurants. Had. To. I have stalked him on Facebook and Twitter, drooled over his cookbooks, and unearthed his PBS contributions from the archives. I am a fan, to say the least.

The casual atmosphere of XOCO fit our schedule for the trip, and we popped in for dinner on Friday night. The Xoco Michelada was refreshing, and guacamole topped with roasted chiles and pepitas served with both tomatillo salsa and a 3-chile salsa whet our appetite for the main course. We chose a torta (Spanish for sandwich) to complete our meal. The option of suckling pig danced toward me on the menu. There was no resisting that Cochinita Pibil. I can only lamely describe the pork as the best wood-smoked pulled pig you have ever eaten kicked up twenty-thousand notches with black beans, pickled onions and a VERY flavorful and spicy habanero dipping sauce. Bite after incredible bite of the crusty, toasted bread left me licking my fingers and forcing myself to slow and savor it. It was that good. Really.

The torta that I made here at home a few months ago is not even comparable to Rick Bayless' masterpiece. The pork is nicely seasoned with the smokiness of cumin; pinto beans are mashed with my favorite homemade salsa; and the addition of avocado layered with other veggies is a creamy bonus. It is good--don't get me wrong--but, Rick Bayless won't be beating on my door for the recipe. In hindsight, I didn't toast my bread enough. The crispness of the crusty baguette was a great texture balance with the tender pork in the XOCO sandwich.

While I would love to rush back to XOCO (or one of Rick's other restaurants) for another sampling of his tortas, a trip to Chicago when the craving hits me just isn't really that feasible. I believe I will be making this version of a Seared Pork Torta at home with more attention given to toasting the bread...maybe I will even smoke the pork someday instead of sear...and those pickled onions were delicious...oh man...there might have to be another blog post with my version of THAT recipe.

Seared Pork Torta

(adapted from Cooking Light)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 (1/4 inch thick) boneless center-cut pork loin chops

1 baguette, cut in half horizontally

1/2 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons salsa (I used my home canned garden salsa.)

1/2 cup Monterrey Jack cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 large tomato, sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced thinly

1/2 avocado, sliced

Preheat broiler.
Heat oil in a large skillet. 
Season pork with cumin and salt.
Add pork to pan and cook 2 minutes on each side, or until done. 
Let stand 5 minutes; slice thinly.
Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 3/4-inch shell.
Place bread halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet and broil until golden brown...don't skimp on this.
Combine beans and salsa in a small bowl; mash together with a fork.
Spread bean mixture on bottom of baguette.
Top with pork, cheese, onion, tomato, jalapeno, avocado, and crown with top half of baguette.
Cut into 4 pieces. (Serves 4)

What Is It?

Bountiful Baskets have made their way to our area. Yesterday was the first delivery of the fruit and vegetable co-op. Due to a hectic schedule this month, I didn't participate, but did follow along with the group's Facebook page and know several people who received the boxes of fresh, healthy produce.

All seemed please with the quality and variety of the goods, but a question echoed for a couple items.

"What is it?"

One of the images I saw appeared to be red kale, and while I have only cooked with curly kale, I have found it to be very delicious. Kale has taken the food world by storm in recent years. Bloggers have shared countless recipes, and I heard that every notable restaurant in NewYork City has included this nutritious, leafy green in their menus. Kale has come a long way from just being a hearty garnish on the plate beside your steak.

Kale chips have been a popular snack for some time. Tossed with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, the leaves of the kale are roasted to a crisp and replace high fat potato chips as a snack. We have served the sturdier chips with dip and crumbled some as a salty seasoning over popcorn.

The other night, I adapted a Cooking Light recipe to include kale. I made Sausage and White Bean Soup with Kale using spicy chorizo sausage, but more mild kielbasa or even crumbled Italian or breakfast sausage would work. Chose a meat with seasonings that appeal to you, as it is what flavors the broth with the beans and greens. The soup comes together quickly and makes a simple, healthy weeknight supper paired with dinner rolls or a crusty multi-grain bread.

Sausage and White Bean Soup with Kale

(adapted from Cooking Light)

2-4 ounces Spanish chorizo or kielbasa sausage, sliced (alternatively, Italian or breakfast sausage, crumbled)

1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

1 cup onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken stock

2 cans white beans (Cannellini, Northern, butter beans, or a combination of your choice), rinsed and drained

4 cups kale, chopped (remove the leaves from the tougher stems)

freshly ground black pepper

kosher salt

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.
Add sausage to the pan and saute until starting to brown and cooked through.
Add olive oil, if needed, and the onion and garlic; cook until tender.
Add the broth to the pan.
Add the rinsed and drained beans to the soup and bring to a simmer.
Stir in kale; simmer a few more minutes until greens are tender.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. (Serves 4.)

I am David Copperfield.

I am a magician. Truly. I have found one recipe that can only be described as magic.

Wave the magic wand. Take some shrimp; toss them with some spices; saute them; cook up some corn, beans, and salsa together, and abracadabra! It's magic.

OK. You don't get it. I am sorry. The magic is that this simple, spicy, satisfying dish can be anything you want it to be.

Need a snack or appetizer? Chop up the shrimp and serve it all as a dip with crispy corn chips.

Feel like a roll up your shirt sleeves and dig in casual meal? Toast some corn or flour tortillas; slice an avocado; squeeze a lime; and devour some really delicious tacos.

Want a salad? Forget all those limp lettuces. Hot, cold, or room temperature, this.is.good. Really. (And, could be served on a bed of romaine.)

Need to feed a bigger group? Whip up some rice and guacamole as sides, and nobody will be able to keep their knife and fork away.

Magic Spicy Shrimp and Corn Salad answers every need you ever had...except maybe for cake...or chocolate...BUT, it is light enough that you should still have room for dessert.

I told you. Magic.

Magic Spicy Shrimp and Corn Salad

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon chili powder (I used Ancho Chile Powder)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

juice of a lime (divided)

2 ears sweet corn, kernels cut from cob

1 pint bottled salsa (I used my Basic Canned Salsa. This is where you will really adjust the spice of the dish to your taste. Use a mild salsa or heat it up, if you like.)

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
Add shrimp and toss to coat.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add shrimp and saute until cooked through.
Add juice of half of the lime.
Remove the shrimp from the pan.
Add the corn; saute briefly.
Stir in salsa and beans and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat and add the juice of the other half of the lime and the cilantro.
Depending on final dish desired, stir shrimp into corn and bean mixture or serve shrimp on top. (Serves 4.)

The Price of Gas

These days, you can't seem to go a single day without hearing someone cry about the price of gas. Arm and leg photos appear on Facebook with regularity. Political agendas are all about pointing fingers and blaming each other (what else is new?). And, all across the nation there are gasps of shock as the numbers on the pump roll higher and higher when we fill our gas tanks.

I have something that might help you out. Bean and Bacon Soup only requires two cans of beans. I know that prices vary from store to store, but at about $1.50 per can, you should be able to fill up without breaking the bank. It might be the only gas you can afford.

Bean and Bacon Soup

(adapted from Real Simple Magazine)

6 strips bacon, chopped (choose a flavorful brand/cut; this is the smokiness of the soup)

1 large carrot, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 15.5-ounce cans white beans, drained (Great Northern or Navy Beans are a good choice for a creamier soup. I used Cannellini beans because that is what I had on hand; they are firmer.)

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup water

1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large Dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp.

Remove and drain on paper towels.

Over medium heat, add the carrot to the bacon drippings and saute for until tender.

Add the celery, onion, and garlic, stirring and cooking until the tender, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the (drained) beans, chicken stock, and water.

Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low.

Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Uncover, and with a potato masher, partially mash the beans until the soup thickens slightly.

Stir in the salt, pepper, and bacon. (Serves 6)

Humming

Let me go on record as stating that the Crazy Target Lady in the commercials is highly annoying. HIGHLY ANNOYING. However, the chorus from her recordable Christmas greeting card commercial has wormed its way into my head. I find myself humming it as I decorate the tree, as I wind garland on the stairs, as I hang the stockings. Occasionally, the notes of "Away in a Manger" or "Little Drummer Boy" surround me, but that darn Target commercial has got me this year.

Another thing that has got me is hummus. I am snacking on it more and more. Although I once was not a fan of the chickpea, garbanzo bean, or whatever you may call it, I have warmed to it pureed into a beautiful, protein-rich dip. Maybe more that just warmed to it. You might call me the Crazy Hummus Lady. I have been enjoying it a lot as an alternative to creamy dips with my veggies and loving it with warm flat bread. I spoon it onto mushrooms, top with a tomato and broil for the yummiest (and simplest) stuffed fungi ever. I even make hummus pizzas with flour tortillas spread with the creamy stuff and topped with black olives and a little feta.

Hummus is here. Fa La La La.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

1 head garlic
1 15-20 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) with liquid
juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (Traditionally, you would use tahini, but I often don't have that on hand. By all means, use it if you have it.)
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil 

Preheat oven to 375F. 
Cut the crown from the top of a head of garlic, place in a small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.
Cover baking dish with foil and roast for 45 minutes. (Do 2 heads. Trust me. It will be so sweet and wonderful, you will eat one before it can become part of the hummus.)
Meanwhile, drain chickpea liquid into a small saucepan.
Skin the chickpeas by pinching off and discarding the shells. (Again, trust me. This is time consuming, but produces a much smoother hummus.)
Add skinned chickpeas to the saucepan and simmer on low heat.
When garlic is done roasting, squeeze the cloves into the bowl of a food processor and discard skin.
Add chickpeas and liquid and process until smooth.
Add remaining ingredients and process until combined. 
Season to taste.
Best served at room temperature.
Garnish with cayenne pepper and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

And, just because I can be as highly annoying as the Crazy Target Lady: 

Fridge Friday: Episode 19

Is anyone else freezing to death? Seriously. It is May 13th (Friday the 13th for those superstitious ones), and the temp is hovering in the mid-40s? Brrrr. I guess, looking on the bright side, these gray, cool, rainy days make great soup weather. I do love me some soup. 

The other day, Hubs and I grabbed some sweet corn at an area SuperCenter even though it just seems too early for good fresh corn. (Bottom right crisper drawer.) Honestly, maybe it it is just my winter palate craving something fresh, but it wasn't bad...not fresh from the field Peaches & Cream Sweet Corn, but it was reasonably good. It is perfect in a supposedly "summer recipe" pulled from Cooking Light. The sweet crispness of the corn balances well with the warm heat of the green chiles (I used some roasted from last year's garden which also had a few red chiles in the mix.) and the smokiness of diced ham. The original recipe called for navy beans, but I had a couple of cans of purple hull peas lurking in the pantry and used those instead. Toast up a cheese quesadilla on the side, and Corn and Bean Soup is a great way to warm up On My Plate.

Corn and Bean Soup

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
3/4 cup dice cooked ham 

3 cups fresh corn kernels 

2 (15-ounce) cans purple hull peas, rinsed and drained
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, undrained (I used 2 frozen cubes of my the green chiles from my garden that had been roasted and diced.)

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add onions and cook until translucent, stirring frequently.
Add ham, corn and remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (Serves 6)

¡Ay, caramba!

"Hay Grinder on fire. Got it out." That was the text message that Hubs sent to me this afternoon. ¡Ay, caramba! We have had a few awful hay fires in the past, and my mind immediately raced to the memories of those blazes. Tons and tons of hay were lost then. Thankfully, today's sparks caused minimal damage and hay loss. Hubs' quick action and the help of the fire department prevented a huge catastrophe. 

Tonight, as my exhausted Hubs naps in his chair in front of the TV, the only heat is my laptop charring my legs as I menu plan for the rest of the week. ¡Ay, caramba! Lately, I have gotten so lazy about planning our meals. Usually, I just open the fridge or freezer and hope that something jumps out at me. It is a hit or miss way to get a meal On My Plate, and I just hope that whatever jumps hasn't been in the fridge long enough to actually (and not pretend) be coming to life again and really jumping.

One recipe that a friend recently shared with me easily fits heated last minute planning. Taco Soup uses basic pantry items and can even be heated in the crockpot, if time is short. I adjusted the original recipe to suit what I have on hand most of the time, and you could alter it to suit your own tastes. Add a can of black beans to stretch the servings further; change out the diced tomatoes to plain or those with jalapenos; brown diced green peppers with the onions and ground beef. (My friend makes a veg version by using meat substitutes instead of the ground beef. She also recommended ground turkey as an alternative.) Serve it up as a soup, or use it as a topping for baked potatoes. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, black olives, even shredded lettuce, diced onion, and tomato. My choice was with Deluxe Corn Muffins (with a can of green chiles added to the mix) on the side and crushed corn chips, shredded cheese, and freshly chopped cilantro on top. It's not On My Plate, but rather, in my bowl, and nobody will be shouting "¡Ay, caramba!" when you ladle up Taco Soup.

Taco Soup 

1 pound ground beef 

1 cup chopped onion 

1  15 oz. can kidney beans, undrained

1  15 oz. can chili beans, undrained

1  15 oz. can fat-free refried beans

2 cups frozen corn

1  15 oz. can tomato sauce

1  15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 1/2 cup water (If you want it more like a chili consistency, reduce or leave out the water.)

1 package taco seasoning

1 package Hidden Valley dressing mix(not buttermilk)

Brown the ground beef with the onion in a soup pot.

Combine the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. (Serves 6-8)

Fridge Friday, episode 3

I have found that while Fridge Friday has so far accomplished its intended duty of prompting me to blog more regularly, it has also made me infinitely more aware of a few other things.

1. I clean my fridge more often. I have to. You are looking at it every week. Yikes. Maybe I should start posting regular photos of my bed so that I will make it more often than just when someone is coming over? Umm...Not.
2. I plan my menus a bit more, if only for Friday. It might surprise you, but I don't often menu plan. I go to the store, buy what looks good and come home and find something to do with it. 
3. And, I have learned that snapping photos inside a refrigerator is tough. The lighting sucks. That little bulb glares like an interrogation room spotlight.  Unscrew it, and you have coarse, grainy light through my camera lens. Of course, that is pretty much the norm for my food pics, so what am I worried about?

 So...anyway...I have been away a lot of this week, but did a big grocery purchase yesterday. Here is my fridge today:

What catches your eye? The English cucumber on the bottom shelf? The pearls of fresh mozzarella in the bottom left deli drawer? That HUGE bunch of asparagus cut fresh from my backyard? Silk soy milk? I know, there is still a lot of butter in the bottom right corner. That is what we use. Olive oil and real (unsalted) butter are my fats of choice. (I keep canola oil and a can of Pam on hand for baking, but they stay in the cupboard a lot.) Oh! Did you notice the bowl of fresh cherries on the middle shelf? It might be a little early for good fresh cherries, but I couldn't resist throwing them in my cart while shopping.

What catches my eye are the poblano peppers on the second shelf. I was giddy to find these mild chile peppers at the store. One of my favorite meatless meals is Grilled Chiles Rellenos served up with Spanish Rice and Grilled Zucchini.  Of course, you wouldn't have to go meatless. The recipe that I pulled from an issue of Real Simple magazine is a great side with chicken or steaks, too. It is healthier than traditional battered and fried chile rellenos and gives a slight nod to Latin flavors with the addition of raisins for a bit of sweetness with the spicy filling. How spicy your Grilled Chiles Rellenos will be depends on your choice of chili powder and salsa. I like using Chipotle Chile Powder and my home canned salsa. Those options provide some awesome heat. However, more mild versions with regular McCormick's Chili Powder and some store-bought salsa have been just as quickly devoured. The beauty of all recipes is that they are just ideas. Mix it up. Do your own thing; even add some ground beef or turkey to the filling, if you so desire. I just want you to enjoy your own version of Grilled Chiles Rellenos On Your Plate.

Grilled Chiles Rellenos

4 poblano chiles

1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8 ounce) package monterey jack cheese, shredded (for a more mild flavor use a Mexican blend cheese)

1/4 cup raisins (more or less, or not at all if this doesn't interest you)

1/4 cup salsa (I like a chunky salsa for this.)

2 teaspoons chili powder

Heat the grill to medium. (We like a charcoal grill for more flavor.)
Cut a slit lengthwise in each chile and carefully scoop out the seeds and ribs.
In a medium bowl, combine the beans, cheese, raisins, salsa, and chili powder. (This is the point where you would add cooked, seasoned, and crumbled ground beef or turkey, if you want to try a non-meatless version.)
Stuff the peppers with the filling.
Place peppers on grill and cook, turning frequently, until they are soft and the cheese has melted. (Serves 4)

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Hubby has been talking about building his own smoker for some time. He is enamored with the scads of establishments featured on the Food Network that offer smoked meats crafted in their quaint backroom smokers. He watches and drools. The combination of his do-it-yourself character and welding background push him into dreams of a big drum of smoking wood permeating tender hunks of meat in our own backyard.

However, time is always limited and just like my home improvement projects, his smoker dreams have always been put on hold. Therefore, it seemed a no brainer to buy him a smoker for Christmas. I didn't invest in the huge, feed-the-entire-neighborhood version that he has been dreaming of building. It was a more modest model that could easily be tucked away in the corner of the patio or maneuvered into storage when not in use that I brought home. My thoughts were that he could get his feet wet on a smaller scale and build his mammoth smoker later, if the process still held his interest.

The maiden voyage was to smoke a couple pork butts. We tested a purchased rub and a homemade version with both producing excellent results. A friend proclaimed it to be the best pulled pork sandwich he had ever eaten...after he ate 3 of them, just to make sure. This past weekend, Hubby plucked a couple chickens for smoking. (Well, he didn't actually pluck them, but isn't that an awesome visual?) Anyway, again, we created a homemade concoction for the rub which included garlic, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. Hubs slapped them into the preheated smoker and a few hours later, we enjoyed an amazing meal of perfectly smoked, moist and juicy chicken, a vegetable parmesan dish (layers of grilled zucchini, red peppers, and fennel with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce), and garlic bread. OMGoodness! Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner.

Of course, the leftovers of that amazing smoked bird couldn't go to waste. I pulled out a quick soup recipe this week in which I usually use roasted or rotisserie chicken. If Chicken and White Bean Soup was good with simple, roasted chicken, it would be 10 times better with smoked chicken, right? You are darn right. Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner. Times ten. On a blowy and snowy night, the bacon, onions, garlic, potatoes, white beans, and chicken simmering together smelled so comforting and cozy and were made even better with spinach added just at the end to wilt into the soup. (Although the next day, while eating the leftovers for lunch at school, one of the students did wrinkle her nose and ask why my food always had "green stuff" in it...can't please them all. *shrug*)

In my opinion, no matter how you slice it or serve it up, it seems that smoked chicken is always a Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner On My Plate...especially when tossed into Chicken and White Bean Soup.

Chicken and White Bean Soup

5 slices bacon, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound red potatoes, cubed
32 ounces chicken broth (may need a bit more, or additional water)
1 rotisserie chicken (or leftover roasted chicken or smoked chicken), boned and cut into cubes
2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans, drained & rinsed (navy beans or great northern beans work well)
5 ounces baby spinach, chopped
kosher salt fresh ground black pepper

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp.
Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened.
Add the potatoes and chicken broth; simmer until the potatoes are just tender.
Add the chicken and white beans to the stew; cook until heated through.
May need to add additional broth or water at this point, depending on your preferences.
Just before serving, stir in the spinach and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Serves 6)

Waffling

March 25 was International Waffle Day. Yep. That was yesterday. A good food blogger would have had a submission ready to post early in the day. A good food blogger might have tempted you with perfectly crispy or decadent fruit-topped waffles for breakfast, chocolate waffles for dessert, or savory waffles for dinner. The blogger might even have gotten creative and thrown in some Waffle Fries just to stir things up.

Obviously, I am not a good food blogger. There are many AMAZING food bloggers out there, and I can while away an entire day reading their recipes, soaking in their tips, knowledge, and humor, and drooling over their food porn photos. Their skills (in the kitchen, with words, and behind the camera) entrance me. What I do here is just share what's On My Plate. As the heading says, this is just my menu with a little life thrown in.

As for my life and my menu on March 25...friends can tell you that I love a good holiday celebration. So of course, waffles had to be the main attraction on International Waffle Day. The evening before, I had mentioned the possibility of banana waffles to Hubby, and while he didn't verbally protest, I did get "the look." I wasn't willing to give up, though. Hitting my online recipe sources, I was actually searching for a bacon waffle recipe (because everything is better with pork fat, right?) when I stumbled upon a Mexican Cornmeal Waffle recipe that had caught my eye some time ago.

What better way to celebrate Waffle Day than with dense, cornmeal waffles as a base for a cumin and green chile spiced ground beef and kidney bean mixture, shredded lettuce and cheese, dollops of sour cream, and a drizzle of hot sauce? I gave my nod to International Waffle Day with a taco salad on a cornbread waffle On My Plate.

Mexican Cornmeal Waffles

1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups canned tomatoes with green chiles
1 can red kidney bean
shredded lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
taco sauce

Mix flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Beat the egg yolks, add the milk, and combine well with the cornmeal mixture.
Beat the cornmeal mixture until smooth.
Add the melted butter to batter and mix well.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.
Bake in a hot waffle iron until golden brown.
Meanwhile, brown the ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic.
Add all other seasonings (may adjust to taste), tomatoes and beans; simmer uncovered at least 20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and flavors have blended.
To serve, layer waffle topped with meat mixture, shredded lettuce and cheese, sour cream, and drizzle with taco sauce.(Serves 6)

Close Your Eyes and Eat

A White Bean and Artichoke Soup recipe has been floating back and forth from my desk to the kitchen, in and out of my "to try" folder, tempting and taunting me. It is the kind of simple recipe that I make for myself for lunch and savor small bowls full each day until it's gone. Given that my recent lunches have consisted of toast and honey, I decided that today was a good time to whip up a pot of soup for some real nourishment.

Onions sauteing in olive oil create a heavenly aroma, adding flavorful ingredients such as artichokes, roasted red peppers, and garlic make it even better when simmered in broth with simple white beans. I didn't use the Cannellini beans that seem to be scarce on my grocer's shelves. Since it is a blended soup, I thought that the softer texture of Great Northern beans would be fine; and, they were.

But, blending the soup is when I wondered at the wisdom of choosing this recipe today. I am just recently recovered from the flu, and when I first placed the immersion blender into the pot and created a swirl of foamy, creamy soup, I had to look away. The appearance wasn't that appetizing. It reminded me too much of somethings that I probably shouldn't mention in a food blog. Still, the aroma of the mingled ingredients won me over, and a tentative spoonful made me reach for my bowl and the soup ladle. It is fragrant, and flavorful, and filling, and...I just won't look at it right now.

I will just close my eyes and eat White Bean and Artichoke Soup On My Plate.

White Bean and Artichoke Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 (13 ounce) jar artichoke hearts, chopped
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 sage leaves, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups small white beans (canned or cooked)
juice of a small lemon
salt and black pepper

In a stockpot, saute onion in the olive oil until translucent (approx. 3-5 minutes).
Add the artichoke hearts, garlic, roasted red pepper, and sage. Stir for 1 minute.
Add the vegetable broth and beans. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes or until the beans are heated through. In batches, transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth, or use an immersion blender right in the pot.
Add soup back to stockpot and stir in lemon juice. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. (Serves 6)