Refried Tequila Black Beans

A bowl of black beans is difficult to photograph, but these were just too good to keep to myself. For reals.

I was making tacos for dinner tonight after spending an hour at the dog park with the pups (you didn't think I could go a whole post without mentioning them, did you?), so it had to be quick. So here's the down and dirty for my awesome, stumbled-upon...

Kinda Refried Tequila Black Beans

1 tbsp. Olive oil

1/3 onion, chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup tequila

2 tbsp. Smart Balance (or butter)

1 tsp. taco seasoning

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, a few minutes. Add the black beans and tequila, reduce the heat to medium low. Cook until the beans are soft, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Add the Smart Balance and taco seasoning and mash with a potato mashed or fork. Enjoy!

These are really, really simple and tasty. They're also a great base to create from; add jalapenos, sriracha, cheese, or whatever else tickles your pickle. I'm sure it will taste just as good, better even. I wish I had made a double batch!

Tartlette's Quinoa, Roasted Pepper, and Avocado Cream Verrines

I like layers: in my hair, in what I wear (it is the Bay Area after all), and especially in my food. One of these days I'm going to make a 14-Layer Cake.

But layered food isn't just for dessert. I love lasagna, especially with well-defined layers. And I really liked Tartlette's Quinoa Verrines. I pretty much followed her recipe, though I used Greek yogurt and an entire avocado. So whip some up for dinner; life's all about layers.

Quinoa, Roasted Pepper, and Avocado Cream Verrines

1 cup quinoa
1-1/2 cups water
Salt
1 pepper, or a mix of baby peppers
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 avocado
Juice of half a lime
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon red onion, chopped
1/4 cup Greek yogurt

Combine the quinoa, water, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil; simmer until the quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes, and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss the whole pepper(s) with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and peppere, and roast until it starts to blister, about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then cut in half, remove seeds, and cut into smaller pieces as desired.

Mash the avocado with the lime juice, cilantro, onion, and yogurt in a non-reactive bowl until smooth.

Layer the quinoa, peppers, and avocado cream in glasses. Feel good about eating something healthy and pretty.

Related recipes:
Quinoa with Black Beans and Sweet Potato
Tempeh Provencal
Acorn Squash Tacos

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

This is what I had for breakfast - banana blueberry pancakes. And now I have a bag full of pancakes in the fridge, since I'm the only one here who usually eats breakfast, ready to be reheated and re-crisped in the oven for a few more days. They are great too, even for cheater pancakes. Yup, I used Bisquick. And I used the recipe on the back of the box for melt-in-your-mouth pancakes (to the regular recipe add 1 tablespoon each of sugar and lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon each of baking powder and vanilla). I also added my last handful of fresh blueberries and a chopped banana.

But you're not here for the pancakes... because I ate them. No, you're here for the creamy macaroni and cheese.

I used to make macaroni and cheese where I baked it after combining the pasta and cheese sauce, but I've found that to make it too dry. Although cutting a cold hunk of macaroni and cheese out of the dish from the fridge the next day and being able to eat it out of hand is always fun. I had a macaroni epiphany last winter while visiting with family and making dinner. The back of the cornstarch box had a recipe for cheese sauce that yielded something silky smooth and cheesy. Then I realized if I wanted a creamier mac and cheese, I should just skip the baking step, which is what I've done since.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

1 package of cooked pasta (I used bowties this time)

2 Tbsp. butter

1 cup milk

1 Tbsp. cornstarch (or 2 Tbsp. flour)

Seasonings as desired

2 c. or more of shredded cheddar cheese

Get your pasta cooking in salted water. 

While the pasta is bubbling away, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. If you're using flour, add it to the melted butter and stir with a wooden spoon or whisk constantly until golden, then add the milk. If you're using cornstarch, mix it with about 1/4 cup of the milk and add the cornstarch mixture and the rest of the milk. Stir until thickened, then add whatever seasonings you wish. I used salt, pepper, garlic, dry mustard, and crushed red chili flakes this time. Then add the cheese and stir until melted.

When the pasta is cooked, drain and toss with the cheese sauce. I like BBQ sauce and Sriracha sauce with my mac and cheese, as well as topping it with a little shredded Parmesan and sliced basil.

Related Recipes:

Boozy Mushrooms and Fresh Pasta

Zucchini "Pasta"

More Squash

I wanted spaghetti squash, Chris wanted cheesy (as usual), and combined you get Nicole of Pinch My Salt's Spaghetti Squash Gratin. I usually eat spaghetti squash topped with marinara, when I want to feel more virtuous and forgo pasta. This recipe may not be virtuous, but it is good!

Spaghetti Squash Gratin

adapted from Pinch My Salt

1 spaghetti squash, baked until tender

1/2 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, sliced
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. plain yogurt

1/2 c. shredded sharp white cheddar
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper

* To cook spaghetti squash, pierce all over with a fork and then microwave about 5-10 minutes, until the skin is soft. Let rest  5 minutes, then cut in half, remove seeds, and pull strands out with a fork. *

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place spaghetti squash strands in a large bowl, and discard shell.
2. Cook onion in butter over medium-low heat until softened.  Stir in garlic, cook for a minute longer.  Add onions and garlic to bowl with squash.  Add basil, heavy cream, yogurt, and cheddar.  Toss together well until ingredients are evenly distributed.  Pour into a greased casserole and top with Parmesan.
3. Bake uncovered in a preheated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Roasted Broccoli

I recently had a big bag of broccoli from Costco in the fridge, slowly losing its color. I needed a way to use a lot of it, and I could have gone with soup, but then I came across this post by honey & jam, literally beseeching me to make it. She asked so ardently, how could I say no?

It is very simple, and so very, very tasty. In fact, Chris told me to never make broccoli any other way again. Try it, you'll like it!

Oven Roasted Broccoli
from Epicurious

1 1/4 pounds broccoli crowns, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss broccoli and 3 tablespoons oil in large bowl to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and roast 15 minutes. Stir remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil, garlic, and red pepper in small bowl. Drizzle garlic mixture over broccoli and toss to coat. Roast until broccoli is beginning to brown, about 8 minutes more. Season and serve!

 

Related Recipes:

Parsnip Fries

Wine Sauteed Mushrooms

Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Saffron Orzo Salad

I was wondering what to make for dinner the other night, when I saw 101 Cookbooks' saffron pasta salad. I think it was serendipity, since I had what I needed on hand to make an approximation. The vinaigrette has a different taste to it than I am used to thanks to the saffron - an earthy, spicy undertone. And I love the color this spice adds to dishes. Here's my version; definitely go check out how Heidi made hers too. On another note, my food photography has been rather craptastic lately...

Saffron Orzo Salad

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Serves 3-4

1/4 c. cooking sherry

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 garlic clove, smashed

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. Dijon mustard (I misread and used 2 Tbsp., and it was good)

1/2 c. olive oil

1 tsp. honey

12 oz. dried orzo

1 lb. brocolli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces

Gorgonzola cheese and chopped chives to serve

Dressing: Combine the sherry and saffron to a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer. Remove from heat immediately and let cool. Sprinkle the garlic clove with the salt and mash it into a paste. In a mixing bowl combine the garlic paste with the cooled sherry/saffton, lemon juice, and mustard. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Taste, and add the honey if you want it a bit sweeter.

Cook the orzo per directions, adding the broccoli a few minutes before it is done. Drain well. Toss the pasta with the saffron vinaigrette, and let rest for least 30 minutes. Toss again, and serve topped with chives and gorgonzola.

Related recipes:
Cheater's Risotto
Butternut Squash Risotto
Lemony Spinach and Orzo Soup  

Parsnip Fries

 

Ah, the lowly parsnip, that anemic cousin of the carrot. The parsnip is richer in vitamins and minerals than the carrot, especially potassium. And its a good source of dietary fiber. They are slightly sweet, with a little tang, and roast up wonderfully, like many other root vegetables. Parsnips are a great addition to soups and stews as well, since they become creamy after cooking. Make sure to buy parsnips that feel heavy and solid.

I came across Sprouted Kitchen's recipe for Roasted Parmesan Parsnips in my Google Reader the other day and just had to make them. Roasted parsnips coated in Parmesan? What could be better? These are similar to how I make oven fries, so I'm calling them Parsnip Fries. Mine are very close to Sprouted Kitchen's, but without the fresh herbs and on a smaller scale.

Parsnip Fries

Slightly adapted from Sprouted Kitchen 

Serves 2 to 4, depending on how hungry you are.

2 parsnips, peeled and cut into sticks of roughly the same size

1 egg white

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Marinara sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil, sprayed with cooking spray. Beat the egg white until frothy and add the dried oregano. Dip the parsnip sticks in the egg white (do this in batches as necessary), and gently roll in the Parmesan cheese to coat. Arrange parsnip sticks on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I threw the leftover Parmesan over them too. Bake for about 20 minutes, until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Now go check out Sprouted Kitchen's site - wonderful recipes and pictures!

Cheater's Risotto

I'm a big fan of risotto. Its so adaptable to whatever you want to put in it, and is so creamy, warming, and comforting. However, risotto can be daunting for beginners, what with all of the stirring and having to balance between too much liquid and not enough. And sometimes when I'm in the mood for comfort food I'm also feeling lazy.

Here's my recipe for Cheater's Risotto, which is made in the microwave. Its quicker and easier than traditional risotto, is just as tasty and comforting, and still lends itself to whatever additions you want to include. Here I sauteed some frozen butternut squash cubes I had leftover in the freezer from this recipe, and added it to the cooked risotto.

Cheater's Risotto with Butternut Squash
Serves 3-4

1 cup Arborio rice

3 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 cup cubed butternut squash
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Put the Arborio rice and vegetable stock in a large microwave-safe bowl (I used a 9-cup Tupperware container). Microwave on high for 18-20 minutes, stirring every 6 minutes or so. When done the rice will have absorbed the liquid and be creamy and tender to the bite.

While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for a few minutes until fragrant and soft. Make sure the garlic doesn't burn or your dish will taste bitter. Add the butternut squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper (and whatever else tickles your pickle - peppery fresh basil would be a good addition here).

Add the butternut squash to the cooked rice and give it a stir. Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese for extra creaminess.

There you have it - tasty risotto in 20 minutes!

Related recipes:
Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash and Garlic
Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Butternut Squash Risotto with Saffron
Red Beet Risotto
Risotto Cakes

On the Side

Here are a few side dishes I've made recently:

I've had the sauteed mushrooms from our Thanksgiving dinner at The Mogul on my mind ever since. I whipped these up to go with Chris' steak one night, and they did not disappoint.

Wine Sauteed Mushrooms
based on this recipe at Easy-Wine.net

1 lb. sliced mushrooms
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 c. dry white wine
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper

In a pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until browned and soft. Add garlic and wine and continue to stir for 5 minutes. Sprinkle lemon juice and parsley over mushrooms and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

* * * * *

I made this quinoa salad the other night. I really like quinoa, but only ever make my Quinoa with Black Beans and Sweet Potato, so it was time to branch out. I saw this recipe at Vegetarian Times, and immediately wanted to make it. It makes a lot of salad!

The soup here is potato-leek from "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"

Spinach-Quinoa Salad with Cherries and Almonds
from Vegetarian Times

1/4 c. sliced almonds
1 1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 c. spinach leaves
1 c. dried cherries, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 1 1/2 c.)
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 c.)
1/4 c. plain low-fat yogurt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread almonds on baking sheet, and toast 7 to 10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, or until golden brown. Cool.

Bring 3 cups salted water to a boil in pot over medium-high heat. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and cool, covered, in pot.

Lay 5 or 6 spinach leaves flat on top of one another on cutting board. Roll tightly into cylinder, then slice into slivers. Repeat with remaining spinach. (I forgot to buy spinach, so I used about a cup of chopped frozen spinach, which I defrosted and squeezed the excess water out of.)

Toss together quinoa, almonds, spinach, cherries, cucumber, chickpeas and red onion in large serving bowl. Whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in small bowl. Pour over salad, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop, then serve.

Bring on the Fall Foods!

Fall seems to be officially here - last week we had the largest rain storm out here apparently since the '60s, with winds gusting to 60mph. I think I hydroplaned most of my way home from work that evening. Then it got hot and muggy, and then it rained some more. Gotta love that weather!

Now that it is autumn I find myself spending more time in the kitchen (its warm!), cooking warm appetizers, winter squashes, baked goods, and hearty tasting foods. I went to a party Friday night with lots of wine, chocolate martinis, and tasty food, and might have woken up still drunk the next morning. A delicious dinner Saturday night sounded like a wonderful way to rest.

First up... Stuffed Mushrooms


I saw this recipe for mushrooms stuffed with mini-meatloaves, and with my love of miniature foods, I made it my own. The stuffing is based on the bean burgers from Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian."

Ingredients

1 can (14 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup oat (not quick-cooking)
Fresh rosemary and sage
Salt and pepper
1 egg

Combined all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chunky but not pureed. Let mixture rest in the fridge for a while (I left mine for about thirty minutes).

Assembly

Preheat over to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Clean and remove the stems from however many mushrooms you want to make. I used baby portabellos, but I've seen mushrooms labelled "stuffing mushrooms" in the store. Put a cube of cheese (I used marinated mozzarella balls) in the mushroom cup. Wet hands, since the bean mixture is very sticky, and top the mushroom with a patty. Bake for 20 minutes.

* * * * *

Main course... Tri-Tip with Rosemary Red Wine Reduction (from the Raley's "Something Extra" magazine, but I can't find it on their website)

Ingredients

1 tri-tip, prepared according to your favorite recipe
2 cups red wine
1/2 pan drippings or stock (I used no-chicken stock)
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper

Bring wine, pan drippings/stock, shallots, and rosemary to a boil in a saucepan. Cook for 20 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove rosemary and whisk in butter until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over prepared tri-tip, which in this case I marinated in a garlic herb mixture all day long and then barbecued. I used a Naked Chick'n cutlet for me to make it vegetarian.

* * * * *

Side dish... Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette (from Whole Foods "The Whole Deal" magazine)

Ingredients

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 5-oz package baby spinach
4 cups roasted 1" cubes butternut squash

To roast butternut squash, peel and chop into 1" cubes. Toss on a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400° until tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Use a fork to mash together blue cheese and lemon juice in a large bowl to make a thick, smooth dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook, tossing often, until slightly wilted and warm, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to the bowl with the dressing, add the warm squash, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

* * * * *

The squash was great, the red wine reduction was great (it reminded Chris of pot roast though, he likes a sharper red wine). And more importantly, it was hearty and gourmet-y and warming on a chilly fall evening. Even better was topping it off with my favorite chocolate cookies and coffee!

Food & Fun

Its been a while since I posted about what I've been up to in the kitchen. Saturday I had a concert with the Pleasanton Community Concert Band at the local farmers market. Between sets I wandered around and picked up a big handful of fava beans:


Known in the UK as broadbeans, these puppies are huge! Each bean is as long as or longer than my hand.

Aren't they cute? Kind of like little caterpillars.

Fave beans are more labor intensive than other types of beans, but their buttery, slightly nutty, just a tad bitter taste is worth the effort. Plus the repetitive work of shucking them is relaxing.
The first shucking reveals the woody, cottony inside of the pod within which each bean in nestled.

The beans need to be blanched in very salty boiling water for about a minute, then put in ice water to stop the cooking (no mushy beans). When they are cool enough to handle you peel off the outer shells, leaving you with tender, bright green beans to eat alone or in another dish.

I recently came across this recipe for Red Beet Risotto over at Not Without Salt and have been thinking about it since. I just can't get over the color, so I also picked up these two homely beets and set forth. The recipe was actually quite easy to boot.


When slicing beets keep in mind the the color can stain. My cutting board looked like a massacre had taken place on it, and my hands were red. I washed up right away and had no problems.



I topped the finished risotto with a yogurt-dill sauce I had prepared a day or two prior, quickly sauteed the fava beans with butter and plenty of garlic, and baked a chicken breast with a lemon herb crust for Chris. This was a fresh and very delicious meal.

* * * * *

After all of the work over the weekend we were able to really enjoy our patio last Wednesday, my birthday. We grilled veggie/hot dogs, had baked beans and macaroni salad - its a bit of a tradition for my birthday. It was gorgeous weather and very enjoyable. A few weeks prior I had picked up a dog/kiddie pool at the pet store since the dogs like water and I figured it would be a good way to cool Mac down in the warm weather. We filled it up and Mac had a blast playing in it, trying to get the giant tennis ball out (too big for his mouth), splashing around and making us laugh. Even Ayla put her front feet in the pool and daintily plucked the toys out.

Its gearing up to be a nice summer!

Risotto Cakes and Roasted Onions

I made two Barefoot Bloggers recipes this week. Let's start with the Chive Risotto Cakes, chosen by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen. Here's the ingredients:

The line-up

The chives are from my garden, and I had to go out and grab another handful when I decided to make the whole recipe, not halve it. While the risotto is cooking you whisk together the other ingredients minus the panko flakes. After the risotto is cooked and cooled you incorporate it into the wet mixture. Then you chill it. I put mine together Tuesday evening and finished cooking them Wednesday evening.

Gooey

After the mixture is thoroughly cooled you form patties. I used an ice cream scoop as suggested in the recipe to get the right amount, then flattened the patties in my hands. Here's where I had problems though. The patties weren't staying together very well at all. The first few were okay, but after that they really wanted to fall apart. Maybe I should have put the mixture back in the fridge between batches? Anyway, you coat the patties in panko flakes...

Patties on a bed of panko

... and fry them in oil. Mine took longer than the given three minutes per side to become golden.

In the oil

And here they are after frying:

Golden, like hush puppies

I wasn't terribly impressed by this recipe. The cakes are fine, but to me they just taste fried. I think adding more chives and a stronger cheese might help. I do really like using panko for breading since its makes a very crispy crust. Overall, I don't think I'll be making these again. I still have about half the mixture in the fridge. I think I'll make bite-size patties and freeze them before the frying to have appetizers at the ready for the future. I think they'd benefit from a dipping sauce, but I'm not sure what...

I also made the Herb Roasted Onions, chosen by Kelly from Baking with the Boys. I can forsee using this recipe with other roasted vegetables as well. You whip together a quick dressing of Dijon, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Then you toss the onions in it and roast them in the oven. The onions are served with leftover dressing poured on top. Holy moly, these were good! We had these along with the risotto cakes:

Dinner's served!

Together they were a tasty meal. But I think I went to my band rehearsal that night smelling of onions and fried food!

A Little of This, A Little of That

Here's another little slideshow I made with some pictures of the pets. The first few pictures are older, with some from a trip or two to the dog park. Mac has a great time there, and would much rather run up and say hi to the people than play with the other dogs, though he will wrestle if there's someone of a matched size to him. Ayla likes to chase a ball and try to entice us to get it from her and could really care less about the other dogs or people.

The next set of pictures is from today. Chris took a half day off from work to use up some vacation time before the new job starts since he doesn't foresee being able to take any vacation for quite a while after that, and its use it or lose it. He took the dogs to Shadow Cliffs and tells me Mac was a trooper, despite the half-mile or so hike in and back. He followed Ayla right in to the water, and he might even have swam!

Following that are a couple pictures of the two on the couch. We don't have snuggling dogs yet, but Ayla's really starting to tolerate Mac when she's lying down and feels more vulnerable. She still doesn't like him jumping into bed with her in the mornings though. (Hover your mouse over the slideshow and you can pause it to have a better look at a picture if you'd like)

Tonight we had one of our favorite dinners: Burgers and Fries. I love that Costco sells Gardenburgers by the huge boxful. I made regular and sweet potato fries, using the classic double-fry recipe (from Bittman). Basically, slice your potatoes and fry them in oil (I used vegetable oil, about 1.5" in a wide pan) for 8-10 minutes until they start getting a little golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Heat the oil again, hotter this time, and fry the potatoes in small batches for a minute or two each batch, until golden. Then I seasoned them with a dash of sea salt and some chopped cilantro. The sweet potato fries ended up looking a bit charred, but they tasted great. This is definitely not a healthy recipe, but all things in moderation!