Allie O’s Black Beans & Rice

My grandparents lived in Miami, so I grew up soaked in latin food culture.  My favorite restaurant down there remains Versailles Restaurant- I dream of their thinly sliced green plantains dipped in the garlic oil that accompanied them.  And I loved eating a bite of ripe plantain {maduras} along with a bite of black beans… that’s how we eat them today.

Teresa needs the recipe, so I’m posting this w/o a picture… I’ll try to remember to add a photo next time I make them.  They are delish, feel free to tweak and have fun making it your own.

Delicious Black Beans & Rice with Maduras (Ripe Plantains)

Ingredientes:
1 bag dried Black Beans
Bay Leaves
Kombu- Seaweed (from the HFS, not the beach!) optional to make it more digestable
onions
garlic
carrots
s & p, thyme, dried mustard, cumin, balsamic vinegar

First, soak your beans overnight in a lot of water.  In the morning, drain.

Add water to cover + a bit and put in 2 bay leaves & a piece of seaweed (Kombu) to make the beans more digestible & add some naturally salty flavor.  (Can omit)  I also add a bay leaf or two.  Bring the beans to a boil, let them cook for a bit (5 min or whenever you notice…) put on the lid and then turn them off.  They can sit for several hours.  We eat around 6, so I would turn them on again at 4:00.  If the water is low from them soaking in the hot water, add a bit more water or (my preference) veggie broth.  Bring to a boil again and simmer till as tender as you like.

In a frying pan, heat EV Olive Oil.  Toss in a lot of diced onion & minced garlic.  I also like diced carrots, which I add once the onions are softened.  You may add celery, bell pepper, etc if you like- make it to your taste.    Anyways, I then but a bit of veggie broth or water in the pan and then put a lid on to steam/cook it.  Once the carrots are al dente (slightly soft), I add a lot of cumin, dry mustard powder, thyme, salt & pepper, a dash of ground red pepper and whatever other spices I feel like tossing in.  Maybe more garlic powder or onion powder if it needs it… Then when the mixture tastes how I like it, I put in a nice splash (3 or 6 Tbsp?) of balsamic vinegar and pour it all into the black bean pot.

Stir it all together… taste… add more balsamic and cumin probably.    Serve over rice with a wedge of lime and some plantains.

Top it w/salsa or sour cream or chives and, of course, CILANTRO.  *grin*  I do love cilantro.  Either way, though, they’ll be Yummy!

Maduras {ripe plantains}
Buy plantains.  Let rot.  When they’re really spotted, almost black all over (it’s ok if they are black all over & squishy), peel & slice into 1/2″ slices.

Fry in hot oil, flip, fry till tender & lightly brown.  Drain on paper towels and eat w/the beans.

My Famous (Seriously! It’s that good!) Potato Leek Soup

gracefullmom’s famous (Seriously! It’s that good!) Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:
½ cup butter (can do some butter & some olive oil)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 leeks (white part), sliced in half lengthwise and then crosswise (wash thoroughly!)
3 large baking potatoes, peeled & cut to ¼” thick slices
1 carton (or 3 x14 ½ oz cans) vegetable broth
salt & pepper to taste
optional toppings: chopped fresh chives or finely shredded cheddar cheese

Method:
Melt butter in a big pot over low heat.  Stir in the onions & leeks.  Cover & cook 20 min.  Stir in potato; cover and cook 15 min.  Stir in broth, s&p; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until the potato is tender (20 minutes-ish).
Puree (in batches in a blender or using an immersion blender) until desired smoothness.  Taste & adjust seasonings.
Serve hot w/desired toppings and a crusty piece of bread, but not to a crusty hubby or with a crusty attitude.  Yum.

Lima Succotash Wraps

I cut this recipe from Cooking Light years ago.  I know, I know… Lima Beans don’t exactly make you swoon.  Mom used to tease me, “Try it!  You’ll like it!  Mikey likes it!”  All I have to say is this tastes WAY better than Life cereal!!

Try it!  You’ll like it!

Lima Succotash Wraps
2 c cubed baking potato (about 1/2 #)
2 c frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1/4 c water
1 tsp olive oil
2 c fresh corn kernels (4 ears – I use frozen)
1/2 c chopped green bell pepper (I just use a whole)
1/2 c chopped mushrooms (again, I throw some in- baby bellas)
3 garlic cloves, minced (or pressed)
1/2 c milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c (2 oz) shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 c (2 oz) monterey jack w/jalapenos
6 (8″) tortillas
3/4 c sliced green onions
3/4 c salsa

For those with a microwave: 1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl.  Cover; microwave at HIGH 3 min or until tender.  Stir after 1 1/2 min.  Drain.  (For those without- you know how to improvise!  Email me w/questions.)

2. Heat oil in a lg nonstick skillet coated w/cooking spray over med-high heat.  Add corn, shrooms, pepper, garlic; saute 5 min or til tender.  Stir in tater mixture, milk, salt.  Add cheeses, stir until cheeses melt.

3. Warm tortillas (or not- but they tear easier when cold!) Divide corn mixture evenly down center of tortillas.  Roll up.  Top w/2 Tbsp onions & 2 Tbsp salsa.  Eat *right away*.

YUM!  We made these vegan back in the day & now eat w/the cheese- it’s so creamy & tasty.  Enjoy!  Oh, I double the batch & they’re great after the flavors mingle. 

A Tribute to Sitto {a Lebanese Dinner}

S

Giddo, my grandpa, would take me to George’s bakery to pick up zataar (a well-seasoned pita bread we’d eat with dinner or with eggs for breakfast), freshly baked pitas and jordan almonds- he knew I loved those pastel colored treats!

For dinner, Sitto would make kibbe from freshly ground lamb or meshe- stuffed grape leaves or squash or cabbage with variations of rice, lamb, pine nuts & onions.  Other nights, rishta (a lentil soup with spinach, lemon and noodles), tabbouli, baba ghannouj, or grilled chicken and vegetables would fill the table.  And there was always a plate of sliced carrots, celery and broccoli… but who’d want to eat those with all the other amazing offerings!?!  I still don’t like veggie trays.  {wink}

I’m getting hungry just thinking about all these childhood favorites!!

I don’t prepare these comfort foods too often… but every time I do, we all wonder why it’s been so long!!  Healthful, flavorful and simple, this arabic food is a win on every level.

Here are the recipes for three of my favorite salads for a vegatarian arabic dinner.

Leban
1/2 container plain greek yogurt
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced into half-moons
2 handfulls of mint, finely chopped
1 lg clove of garlic, minced or finely pressed through a garlic press
a dash of salt

* Combine all ingredients.  Taste & feel free to adjust seasonings.  Chill.  It gets better the longer it sits, so feel free to make this early in the day!

Hummus
2 cans garbanzo beans, one drained
4 lg cloves of garlic, peeled
2 heaping Tbsp tahine
2 lemons
dash of salt, paprika, ev olive oil

1) Put garlic cloves in the food processor & turn on till chopped.  Add both cans of beans, juice of 1 lemon to start, tahine & a dash of salt.  Puree.
2) Taste.  You may need more lemon.  Once it tastes yummy, spoon it into a dish.
3) Sprinkle paprika on top & a taddle of olive oil and serve with pita, baby carrots, celery or whatever you’d like to dip!

Fattoush
2 pitas, toasted crispy & broken into small-ish pieces
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1 or 2 cucumbers, peeled & chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
juice of a lemon or two
1/2 c ev olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped mint
salt, pepper, 1 or 2 dashes of allspice to taste

1) Combine all ingredients.
2) Toss well & taste.  Adjust lemon/oil/allspice to taste.
3) Enjoy!

Vegetarian Green Chili

The Mossfire Grill is a great restaurant in 5 Points (Riverside area of Jacksonville).  Jacksonville Magazine posted this recipe- and I’m so glad they did!!

I made a large pot and we enjoyed it with quesadillas & some cans of South American fruit juices on day one and then ate the leftovers as a tortilla chip dip with sour cream & cheddar cheese.  Delish both ways!!

The Mossfire Grill’s Vegetarian Green Chili
Ingredients:
4 oz. butter
1 T. garlic
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 T. chile powder
1 T. cumin
1 T. dry oregano
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup masa
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chipotle purée
1 lb. roasted chopped tomatoes
3 c. vegetable broth
2 T. lime juice
11/2 cup diced green chiles
1/2 cup frozen corn

Procedure:
1) Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and add the garlic and onions and simmer until translucent.
2) Add the chile powder, cumin and oregano and simmer with the garlic and onion mixture for 1 minute.
3) Add the masa and flour and stir on low heat to form a roux, cook for about five minutes.
4) Slowly stir in vegetable broth and make a smooth soup then add the remaining ingredients and simmer
for 20 minutes.
5) Serve in bowl and garnish with grated pepper jack or cheddar cheese, top with fresh diced red onions.

Rasperry Fizz

Summertime in Florida is hot, Hot, HOT!

We need to drink lots of water to stay hydrated around here.  I know I should drink half my weight in ounces!  Most days, I keep my large glass Voss bottle full and chug my way through with no problem.  But every now and again, I long for something a little sweet… a little bubbly… a little classy.

Elizabeth (my sweet, classy cousin) introduced me to the perfect summer solution, created on a visit to Bok Tower Gardens’ Cafe.  I’m calling it Raspberry Fizz for now but could you suggest a better name?

Step 1: Pour your favorite bubbly, chilled, into a pretty glass.  By bubbly, I mean Perrier,

San Pellegrino, Voss Sparkling, Club Soda… you know, sparkling water.  Not champagne- though it’d probably be tasty!  Note to self: try champagne

Step 2: Add a splash of raspberry syrup.  I found a bottle with a clean lable at Claude’s Chocolates in St. Augustine.  (Le Sirop de Monin Ingredients: Pure Cane Sugar, Water, Natural Raspberry Flavor, Citric Acid)  That’s way better than the bottle I picked up, then returned, at World Market.

Step 3: Make it fancy with a swirl of orange rind, a few fresh raspberries skewered on a pik, some mint leaves, or fancy ice cubes.  Or don’t.

Step 4: Sit down, take a sip, and feel refreshed!

This is a great last-minute-company drink.  Serve with a smile and enjoy.

Meal Planning Made Harder

Busy days teaching 3 different grades and training 3 littles how not to interrupt school + busy nights nursing my adorable little pirranah = 1 mamma who, though I still LOVE well prepared, nutritious food… well, I’ve just been a little tired.  We’ve had more stir-fry, pizza with garden-fresh tomatoes & goat cheese and grilled veggie nights than usual.  Tough life, huh?!

I’m not getting extra sleep yet but my passion for new recipes has again been awakened!  Chris bought me Cook’s Illustrated for my Birthday and, now that I’ve now received 3 issues, I have a new problem.  Trying to decide which amazing reipces to try each week!

This week, I’m going to find out just how much of a difference it makes to bake potatoes in a bed of salt.  If it’s tasty enough, I’ll add the recipe here.    Sometimes, it’s the simple things executed perfectly that put the biggest smile on my face!  Cranberry Orange Muffins are on my “when I have extra time to bake some yummy goodies” list.  So many choices, so little time.

Thank you, Cook’s Illustrated, for wonderfully complicating my weekly meal planning!!!

Meal Planning Monday

Cook’s Illustrated magazine is supplying 2 new recipes for us this week.  Chris gave me a subscription for my birthday and I’m enjoying learning the science behind the recipes I love.

M- Spring Vegetable Pasta (Cooks)
T- Greens & Cannellini Beans over Polenta (garden fresh collards!)
W- Tuscan Bean Stew (Cooks)
R- Smoked Salmon & Whipped Potatoes (I’m trying Cooks Illustrated’s mashed potatoes- can we really improve on our family’s favorite garlic mashed taters?)
F- Baked Rigatoni Primavera (a super easy casesrole so we can enjoy family night together!)

If something looks yummy to you, come join us for dinner!  Or you can ask for the recipe. 

Meal Planning Monday

Today is Chris’ first day at the new job!  We’re also back to school today, so there’s a lot going on here today!

My goal for the week (to bless my hubby) is to have dinner ready at 5:30.  To that end, I’m using the crock pot tonight.

M- Barley & Black Bean Burritos (Southern Living Crock Pot Cookery recipe)
T- Elegant Eggplant (an eggplant & venison casserole)

W- Risotto (Cooks Illustrated Recipe), Popeye Salad (a raw recipe from Rejuvenate Your Life by Serene Allison) and (because the others just seem so healthy…) Homemade Apple Dumplings with vanilla ice cream!
R- Collard Rolls (raw) with Cream of Mushroom soup
F- Mema is taking over because Chris & I are celebrating 13 years of wonderful marriage!!!  Happy Anniversary, Babe!

Watermelon Lemonade

It’s hot outside.  That makes it the perfect time to enjoy:

Watermelon Lemonade!!
6 c  cubed seedless watermelon
1 c apple juice (or not, it helps the blender make quick work of the watermelon)
1 lemon, juiced (to taste! pineapple or lime work, too!)
4 Tbsp honey or agave nectar (optional)
a few leaves of mint + sprigs to garnish
ice

1) Layer watermelon, apple juice, lemon juice, honey, a few pieces of ice & some mint in the blender carafe.  Blend until smooth.

2) Serve over ice & garnish with a sprig of mint!  YUM!