One of my favorite meals from childhood was "Brown" beans and cornbread. Funny, I never realized until I started blogging how we never called beans by their real names but by colors: Brown beans = Pintos, White beans = navy, Black beans = Cuban. Still a favorite meal, I like them just as well meatless as with ham or sausage added and my favorite way to cook them is in the crockpot. Interestingly, I did a small experiment a few years ago and found that, in the crockpot, soaking the beans overnight doesn't make more than a 15-30 minute cooking time difference. So I don't bother anymore. I work nights so usually when I make them, I come in from work in the morning, throw them together in the slow cooker (takes about 5 minutes!) and wake up to the lovely smell of beans and cumin. Tasty, not to mention so very good for me!
Has anyone else seen this photo on Pinterest and been intrigued? It kept coming up and every time I would think "I love avocados...need to do this someday." Someday became a couple of days ago and here's the shocker: even my husband who hates avocados loved this on his BLT! Seriously, it's sooooooooooo good.
If you go to the blog web site http://www.neringa-blogas.com/ you'll find it's not in English but the Pin itself had these directions: "Avocado with black pepper 1 avocado at maturity 1 v. tablespoon of soy sauce 1 v. tablespoon lemon juice 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil freshly ground black pepper pinch of spicy smoked Paprika combine soy sauce, lemon juice, oil and chilli powder. Pour over avocado, sprinkle with black pepper."
I saw a different version that said to refrigerate for two hours to overnight.
I was also intrigued by the overnight directions. Avocados are hard to keep at my house because, like I said, my husband doesn't like them and I'd prefer to only eat half at a time but I hate wasting the browned edge from the second half I store. I've tried the plastic wrap, leaving the pit in, and lemon tricks but none work perfectly well, in my experience. But I've never tried oil to stop the oxidation. I think this recipe will work. Our avocado "salad" got finished off the night I made it with both of us eating it but I think either the oil trick might work or the fact that the balsamic vinegar I used browns the avocado a bit anyway the oxidation wouldn't be noticeable. It's not like the oxidation changes the flavor of the avocado anyway, it's just a head thing I can't get around even knowing it doesn't mean anything.
This is delicious! The combination of tart vinegar (or soy sauce/lemon juice in the original) with the spices and creamy avocado was spectacular, alone, and as a condiment/salad on our BLT's. I also tossed the last spoonful of it later onto a salad and skipped the dressing.
My version was a bit different but still in keeping with the original intent:
Glenna's Avocado "Salad"
Recipe by Glenna Anderson Muse
Adapted from Pinterest
Ingredients:
1 ripe Avocado, chunked
1 Tbsp good Olive oil
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
Cavender's Greek Seasoning to taste (or simply salt and pepper works well too)
Optional: Sriracha sauce to taste
Directions:
1) Toss avocado chunks gently in olive oil, covering all sides of each. (Use a bit more oil if needed).
2) Add rest of ingredients and lightly toss as well.
Eat as is or add as a condiment or compliment to sandwiches, salads, or grilled meat.
For my cousin James's birthday, we usually have a small get together of the Dexter Dinner crowd. The hallmark of this get together is James's annual game of "Stump the Cooks" where he challenges Auntie Miranda and I on his choice of meal. So far we have ALWAYS risen to the challenge, I'm proud to say!
This year he challenged me to a dinner menu of "European peasant food" and since our family is primarily Scandinavian, that's the direction I went. His challenge to Auntie was "cherry and vanilla checkerboard". Yup, nailed it on both! Today, I present Swedish Meatballs (not made with the cream of mushroom soup man of us grew up on) with cranberry sauce. Later this week I'll have recipes for Jannsson's Temptation, Cucumber Salad, and Auntie's Cherry and Vanilla Checkerboard Cake.
I know that in some circles "ranch" dressing or dip is considered passe' but, to me, it ranks up there will all my favorite comfort foods like mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, chicken pot pie, and all the rest of the delicious, non-pretensious things that are so lovely and comforting to eat. I do admit, though, that ranch dressing out a bottle from a grocer's shelf doesn't thrill me but making it home-made with fresh herbs is definitely the ticket!
It's also much better for you. Think about it. Sure, it's a little more work to put the ingredients together but when you make it from scratch, including the mayo, you're talking about eating eggs, cold-pressed oil, buttermilk, dill, parsley, garlic, etc., all whole foods not tons of chemicals and preservatives. That, and the fresh creamy herby taste make it worth every one of those 15 minute spent preparing it.
I'm not a huge fan of black-eyed peas but this is one recipe I love and make every year: Cowboy Caviar. With its mix of black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, celery and other vegetables, it's a wonderful cold side dish, you get your New Year's Day good luck black-eyed peas, and it's a great do ahead recipe for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day parties!
While black-eyed peas are grown in many countries, they are particularly eaten here in the southern United States. There are two southern traditions that explain the superstition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for luck, both grew out of the Civil War. The first is the legend that whenever Sherman's Union troops sacked cities or plantations and raided the food supplies, the northeners considered black-eyed peas and field corn to be food for slaves and stock, and left it, so all the starving southeners felt "lucky" to have any food left to celebrate New Year's Day with at all.
The second is a much more pleasant legend. Again placed during Civil War times, legend has it that many slaves celebrated the New Year's day that the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect by eating Hoppin' John, a common, hearty dish, made of a combination of black-eyed peas, rice, pork, and greens (also yummy).
Other legends place black-eyed pea eating as far back as the Talmud and the Egyptians but having grown up eating very southern-ish, my favorite is the thought of celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation and the hope of great strides in civil rights of all men and women of all everything in our country's future.
I've been making Sweet and Sour Mushrooms for years but I added one "secret" ingredient this time that made Gene say "Oh YEAH! THAT'S the stuff!" The secret ingredient? Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce. We eat it on everything: steak, pork chops, chicken, meatloaf, and even toasted walnuts, but the Sweet and Sour Mushrooms are truly out of this world: tangy, sweet, spicy, the taste trifecta.
After such a long hot summer, fall is a welcome relief! With fall, come the cravings for great fall foods: pumpkin and apple dishes, warm chewy breads, and thick soups. Two of my favorites are leftover from grade school: beef vegetable soup with peanut butter sandwiches and creamy tomato soup with grilled American cheese sandwiches.
Campbell's or Progresso? I could do that but for just a little bit more time I can have creamy tomato soup from my pantry that still has tomato-y goodness but with a much more complex herby fresh taste I yearn for as an adult.
My friend, Lisa, of The Cardboard Schoolhouse sent a pic of the Potato, Onion, and Thyme Tart she made from a post I did a little while back. How cool does that lool? So pretty! Makes me want to make it again. Soon. So yummy!
Just like a kid, I love having dinner at Japanese steakhouses like Benihana but sometimes I want the rice and/or veggies without the 1 1/2 hour program and all that food in the different courses. When I have the desire but not the patience, I make my own at home. Chicken Fried Rice is a great one-pot meal in the style of Jambalaya or other stove-top one-potters.
Easier and faster than it looks, just think about how quickly those Japanese chefs whip up the fried rice before moving on to the steak/chicken/shrimp entree. And the leftovers are great for lunch the next day or my work lunchbox.
I woke up this morning to a chilly house with open windows and a definite fall breeze wafting through the air and guess what I said? "Yipeeeeee! It's finally fall!", which just happens to be my very very favorite season of the year. I love the crispness, the colors of the "dead or dying leaves" as a friend calls them for the tourists who travel to see the fall colors, the smell of wood fires, wearing hoodies, and even the slight decay in the air. Spring, Summer, and Winter are all great, but Fall is, by far, the best time of the year.
This Pumpkin & Roasted Red Pepper Soup is one I found on Jackie Mills' blog: Delcious Diabetes Cooking. Great soup recipe and fabulous blog. Stop by when you get a chance. Diuabetic or not, you'll find lots of Good & Good For You recipes to make throughout the year.
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