Sweet + Sour = Yum!

In England the term "hotpot" means a casserole topped with sliced potatoes.  I found this recipe for sweet and sour mixed bean hotpot in one of my vegetarian cookbooks.  The name did not entice me but, as often is the case, the picture most definitely did.  It looked delectable, warm and hearty.  It also looked relatively easy!  Always a plus on a work night!  So, I set about recreating the recipe to meet our families likes and specifications.  This made a terrific main dish for us, paired with some fresh fruit.  If you are a must have meat person, this dish would be a fantastic side.  It is FULL of flavor and texture!  Either way, it's a nice change of pace from the norm!  It does take a bit to bake, but the good news is that the prep is minimal and you can do other things while this takes its sweet time in the oven.

Sweet & Sour Vegetable Bean Hotpot
Ingredients:
2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. Butter
1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/4 cups tomato sauce
2/3 cup of pear juice (apple would work too, but I had pear on hand)
4 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup Vodka (optional - the original recipe called for Sherry, but I only had Vodka on hand)
1 can navy beans
1 can butter beans
1 can chick-peas
2 cups green beans
1 cup shallots, sliced
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. fresh marjoram
salt and ground pepper

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Thinly slice the potatoes and boil them for 4 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and toss them with the olive oil, making sure they are coated all over.  Set them aside.

 

• Melt the butter and add the flour, tomato sauce, pear juice, sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and vodka in a large saucepan.  Heat gently while whisking until sauce begins to boil and thickens.  Simmer for 3 more minutes, stirring continuously.

 

• Rinse and drain the beans and chick-peas and add to the sauce, along with all remaining ingredients.  Stir together, mixing well.

 

• Spoon the bean mixture into baking dish.

 

• Arrange the potato slices over the top of the bean mixture, overlapping them slightly, until the entire bean mixture is covered.

 

• Cover with foil and back for 50 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are golden.

Click here for printable recipe

Tasty, healthy & EASY!

I have a Rachael Ray cookbook that I love, it's called Express Lane Meals.  It's got three different sections; "Meals for the exhausted", "Meals for the not too tired" and "Bring it on! (but, be gentle).  This recipe comes from the "meals for the exhausted" section, so that should clue you in to the difficulty level.  She calls it "Cacio e Pepe (Cheese & Pepper Pasta) and Spinach with White Beans.  I call it just plain GREAT!!  The ingredients are simple and the method is easy.  On top of simple and easy, it tastes fantastic.  I have a picky eater in my house.  He'd be happy if I made him nachos or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every night.  This pains me, to say the least.  He is not usually very excited about the new dishes I make.  He has to take his "no thank you" bite though.  (You must take a bite and try it before you can say "No thank you" to it.)  Last night he was excited about the "noodles" and his excitement turned to joy, his and mine, when he returned for 2 extra helpings of this meal!  My other boy loves just about anything and eats heartily.  He went for 3 rounds as well.  This meal will now be in the weekly rotation.  It's tasty, healthy and above all, EASY!!

Enjoy some of this simple goodness tonight with your family!

Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta) and Spinach  with White Beans 
*From Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals cookbook
Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound thin spaghetti noodles
3 Tbsp. butter
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. coarse black pepper
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 10-ounce box of chopped frozen spinach
4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced
1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Method:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Salt the water and add pasta to boil (according to package directions - about 6 minutes).
• ***You'll want to save 2 ladles-ful of the pasta water before you drain it!!!  Don't forget
• While pasta is boiling, place a large skillet over low heat and place butter and 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and pepper into it.  Let this slowly melt until the pasta is done.

Yummy!!

• Also while pasta is boiling, defrost the spinach in the microwave for 6 minutes on high. 
• Heat a small skillet over medium heat.
• Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil, then the garlic, cook garlic for 2 minutes.
• Now add the beans to garlic. 
• Next add the spinach to the beans, breaking it up as you drop it into the pan.

• Season the spinach and beans with nutmeg, salt and pepper
• When the pasta is done remember to reserve 2 ladles-ful of the pasta water and add 1 ladle to your melted butter-pepper mixture.
• Drain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the butter, pepper, pasta water sauce.
• Turn off the heat and add the cheese in small handfuls, tossing with tongs until all the cheese in incorporated.  It will form a creamy sauce to coat the pasta.

 

• Add another ladle of cooking water if needed (I add the 2nd ladle every time).
• Now season the pasta to taste with salt and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.
• Serve the pasta and spinach-bean mixture side by side (although, mixing them also tastes great!!)       

Enjoy!


Click here for printable recipe.

I love Rachael Ray

Rachael Ray officially made me feel like I could cook again after having children.  There was a time that I felt like I'd never be able to get into the kitchen and actually make a meal, let alone enjoy my baking again.  I started watching the Food Network while I nursed my oldest and found her 30 minute meals and loved them.  I loved them so much that I received several of her cookbooks the next Christmas.  One of them is called "Express Lane Meals".  I fell particularly in love with the "meals for the exhausted" section of the book.  That is where this particular recipe comes from and it's about as easy as you can get, she calls it a "chop, drop and open" recipe.  It doesn't taste like a quick and easy recipe - big flavor and very satisfying.  I stumbled on the greatest accompaniment to it as well, lime flavored tortilla chips.  Talk about a match made in heaven!

Enjoy a hearty bowl of this soup tonight!

Rachael Ray's Smoky Black Bean & Rice Stoup 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 bacon slices, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 cup frozen corn kernels

2 15 ounce cans of black beans

1 Tbsp ground coriander

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1 15 ounce can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 quart chicken stock

1 cup rice

Method:

1.)  Heat oil in a medium sized soup pot.

2.)  Add bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes

3.)  Add the bay leaf, celery, onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften them

4.)  Add corn and 1 can of black beans.  Drain the other can and add half of that can, mash the remaining beans with a fork to make a paste out of them, then scrape them into the soup pot (makes for thicker soup).  I don't always do this and it tastes just fine and is plenty thick for us.

5.)  Season the veggies and beans with coriander, chili, group cumin, Worcestershire and hot sauce.

6.)  Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

7.)  Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock, then cover pot and raise heat to bring to a boil.

8.)  Add the rice and cook over a rolling simmer until rice is tender (about 15 minutes)

9.)  Serve with lime tortilla chips and garnish with sour cream & chives!

Click here for printable recipe