Table of Contents
Rice Dishes
How to Cook Rice
College Kid Fried Rice>
Stu’s Favorite Rice Pilaf>
Stu’s Favorite Easy Paella>
Aromatic Rice>
Rice with Broiled Shrimp, Lemon, and Garlic Butter>
Bean Dishes
Wendy’s Quesadillas with Black Beans/or Not>
Microwave Nachos>
Home Made Baked Tortilla Chips>
Bean and Spicy Sausage Soup>
Aunt Lynn's Black Bean Soup>
Stu's Pasta e Fagioli--pasta and bean soup (pasta “fisool”) with Carrots>
Minestrone with Shell Beans and Almond Pistou>
Wendy’s Spaghetti Sauce Chili>
Cuban Black Beans>
Terry's Seven Layer Mexican Dip>
_____________________________________________
Rice Dishes
How to Cook Rice>
Please don¹t use minute rice or any rice that takes five minutes or less to cook. The twenty minute variety is my preference. The most nutritious rice, brown rice takes 45 minutes, and is terrific and I like it, but fawgeddaboudit, that’s too long for busy people. Feel free to try brown rice sometime. It’s great when cooked correctly. So, step one is to find the twenty minute variety.
One cup of twenty minute (get the hint?) rice
two cups water
Stove: Bring water to a boil in a sauce pan, add the rice, stir briefly. Return to the boil and cover tightly. Reduce heat to low and cook for, you guessed it, twenty minutes. Do not open the lid and let out that terrific steam until the twenty minutes are over or I can¹t guarantee results. No peeking. Consider making extra for another day.
Microwave: (this includes all twenty minute varieties, including the Mexican/Spanish box rices). Put rice and water in a microwavable casserole dish with a tight lid. Stir in spice packet if it comes with the rice. Incidentally, if the lid is not tight, the water will rise like lava from Vesuvius and the rice won¹t cook right. Ignore package directions in the Spanish rice which call for butter and more water and follow this.
Microwave on high for five minutes, then microwave for an additional 15 minutes on half (50%) power. That’s it.
College Kid Fried Rice>
As you may recall, this cook book was originally written while David and Sarah were in college so as to forestall any anxiety the momster may have had regarding their being in an apartment and starving. Not that there was any expectation that they would cook any of these dishes, at that time. However, over a decade has passed and now both David and Sarah are “out in the world” and doing some cooking. But, the name college kid fried rice is staying because I’m a sentimental person.
Take a look at the recipe in the chicken section, calling for a basic sauté
of chicken boobs with rice, under the Oriental variation. That is what this recipe is based on. You can make a simple rice and vegetable dish as a nice alternative to eating meat, meat, meat, or rather, peanut butter, peanut butter, peanut butter.
enough cooked rice
two or three cloves of garlic peeled and chopped
one medium onion chopped
one green pepper chopped(or any other color)
two cups of another vegetable, preferably broccoli cut into florettes (also cut up tender parts of the stems) or zucchini
one cup chopped clean mushrooms (optional)
Asian vegetables such as bean sprouts, baby corns, water chestnuts, bok choy,
sunflower seeds, cashews etc (optional).
one lightly beaten egg
tamari or soy sauce to taste
1.In a few tablespoons of cooking oil (preferably peanut but any oil is
fine) sauté the onion and garlic for a short time (until slightly softened).
Add the broccoli and sauté a few minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and sauté briefly.
2. Hollow out the middle and pour in the egg. Scramble briefly until
cooked, then mix into the rest of the mixture.
3. Add spices to taste including, black pepper, tamari or soy sauce, a dash of ginger then take off heat and eat immediately along with some lovely rice. You can also dump the rice into the pan and sauté it briefly with the vegetables.
Make this different each time by adding different combinations of
vegetables, nuts, etc. You can also add meat such as sautéed chicken, bits of precooked pork sausage, chunks of beef, kitchen sink etc.
College Kid Fried Rice
Stu’s Favorite Rice Pilaf
I usually call this soup rice, but Stu feels this should have a loftier
name because it is so good. So here goes, soup rice pilaf!
2 tablespoons butter (or oil)
1 cup chopped onion (one large onion)
one and one half cups long-grain rice (20 minute)
salt and pepper to taste
two and one half cups chicken stock ( hence soup rice)
1. melt the butter in a large deep skillet or the sauce pan you are using to cook the rice. Add the onion and cook on medium high heat until the soft about five to eight minutes. Do not brown the onion.
2. While the butter is melting, heat the chicken broth almost to a boil.
3. Dump in the rice and turn the heat to medium. Cook two or three minutes and the rice is covered with butter. Season and turn the heat down to low, add the soup and cover the pan.
4. Keep the lid on the rice for fifteen minutes. Don¹t peak and let the steam out because this reduces the cooking temperature and could burn your nose. When the liquid is absorbed, the rice is done. Check at fifteen minutes and cook a little longer if needed to absorb the water. Two or three minutes more should be sufficient.
Eat.
Stu’s Favorite Easy Paella
This freezes pretty well, so don¹t worry about left-overs (it¹s so good, there probably won’t be any anyway). This version uses shrimp and sausage, but you could also add chicken pieces, other shell fish, etc. in addition to or instead of the shrimp. But, according to Stu, the sausage is required.
four cups chicken stock
1 tsp turmeric or a pinch of saffron (saffron is preferred but expensive)
three tablespoons olive oil
one medium onion, minced
two cups short or medium grain rice (not the long grained)
two cups raw peeled shrimp, cut into bite sized pieces
1 lb hot Italian or other sausage
one cup peas (optional)
one cup chopped red or green pepper(optional)
minced parsley
1. Heat your oven to 500 degrees. Warm the stock in a saucepan with the turmeric. Place a Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. One minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is see through, about 5 minutes. Brown the sausage separately and cut into bite sized pieces.
2. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy, just a
minute or two. Season with salt and pepper, and add the warmed stock, taking care to avoid burning your nose on the rising steam. Stir in the shrimp, the sausage, and red pepper (if using) and transfer the Dutch oven to the oven. If you are using a skillet, make sure it can actually go in the oven. Cast iron works well.
3. Bake about 25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is dry on top. Before serving, stir in the peas, and allow the dish to sit for five minutes before serving. If you cook it long enough, there will be a fabulous cookty crust on the bottom and sides of the pan, which is delicious and tough to get off. Garnish with the parsley and serve. Scoop left-overs out of the skillet and fill it with soapy water to soak off the remaining crust.
Aromatic Rice
This is a nice alternative to the usual plain ‘ole rice we usually have. It goes nicely with chicken that has been flavored with curry powder or other Indian dishes. You¹ll need to look around for some of the spices (read the list carefully) but it¹s worth it and then you’ll have a lifetime supply of them.
one and one fourth cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained well
two tablespoons vegetable oil
one onion peeled and chopped
three cardamom pods, crushed
three black peppercorns
three whole cloves
one teaspoon cumin seeds
one half cinnamon stick (don¹t substitute regular cinnamon)
one half teaspoon ground turmeric
one third cup raisins
one half cup or more frozen peas
one fourth cup toasted, slivered almonds
1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan. Add the onion and all the spices. Fry gently for about one minute. Stir in the rice and mix well so that it is covered with the spicy oil.
2. Add two and one half cups boiling water. Cover, bring again to the boil, turn down the heat to low and cook for fifteen minutes.
3. Add the raisins and frozen peas and let sit another 15 minutes. Add the slivered almonds and toss with a fork.
Serve
Rice with Broiled Shrimp, Lemon, and Garlic Butter
This recipe not only tastes great, but you get to cut the shrimp in an
interesting way (called butterfly fashion) which will really impress your friends.
24 medium/large shrimp (about one and one half pounds for four people)
two tablespoons olive oil
two tablespoons lemon juice
two tablespoons water
one tablespoon finely minced garlic
eight tablespoons cold butter (one stick)
two tablespoons finely chopped chives (optional--can use scallions)
1. Heat the broiler on high.
2. Shell the shrimp. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the shrimp open from the top (the end opposite the tail you pulled off) about half way down. This lets you open the shrimp butterfly fashion.
3. Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste and brush with oil. Turn the shrimp cut side down and arrange in one layer in the broiler pan.
4. In a small pot, combine the lemon juice, water, and garlic. Cut the butter into twelve pieces. Bring the liquid to a boil and gradually add the butter pieces stirring with a wire whisk. When all the butter is added and melted, remove from the heat.
5. Place the shrimp four inches from the broiler and cook one and one half minutes. Then, turn them cut side up and cook another one and one half minutes. Add the chives or scallions to the butter sauce and spoon over the shrimp. Serve with the rice, being sure to overlap things so the sauce gets into the rice too. OOOOOH. This would be good served with peas or other green vegetable.
Bean Dishes
Wendy's Quesadillas with Black Beans/or Not
One whole quesadilla is usually enough for each person when accompanying a meal.
soft flour tortillas (two for each quesadilla).
grated Monterey jack cheese (about half cup for each)
jalapeno pepper cut into circles
minced cilantro to sprinkle on each quesadilla
for each quesadilla:
one tablespoon minced fresh tomatoes
two tablespoons cooked black beans
one tablespoon minced onion
avocado slices
Heat oven to 450 or so
1. Place tortillas on a cookie sheet. Edges can overlap a little.
2. Cover each tortilla with a nice layer of grated cheese. Dot with
jalapeno pepper slices and sprinkle with cilantro. Add the tomatoes, beans, avocado and onion in quantities to taste. Cover with another tortilla.
3. Bake in oven briefly until cheese is melted and tortilla warm through. Don¹t over cook. Cut into fours and eat eat eat. Use to scoop up chili or whatever.
Wendy had something like this in a restaurant in NYC and it was good. She¹s guessing about the quantities.
Good Luck!
Microwave Nachos
The more ingredients you use from scratch, the better this will be. On the other hand, it will taste great no matter what you do!
1 sixteen ounce can refried beans
one half cup sour cream
three quarters cup salsa
one cup shredded cheddar or Jack cheese (divided)
two tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (divided)
Several big handfuls of tortilla chips (see recipe below for home made)
1. Spread the beans in a large microwaveable plate. Smear on the sour cream and the salsa (you could also do this in several, thin, repeating layers). Sprinkle about half the cheese and the cilantro on top.
2. Microwave for two minutes.
3. Pile the chips on top of everything and sprinkle the remaining cilantro and cheese over them. Microwave one minute and serve hot.
Home Made Baked Tortilla Chips
12 thin corn tortillas
kosher salt
vegetable oil cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with the oil spray.
2. Cut the tortillas into the size chip desired. Lightly spray the tortillas after arranging them on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
3. Bake for ten to twelve minutes until crisp. Cool for a short time, sprinkle on more salt (if desired), and eat.
Bean and Spicy Sausage Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
one 15 to 16 ounce can chickpeas
one 15 to 16 ounce can cannelloni beans (white kidney)
one half pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed (or use bulk sausage)
one or two carrots, cut into quarter inch rounds
one zucchini squash cut into quarter inch rounds
one or two stalks celery, cut into quarter inch sections
one large onion, chopped small
one teaspoon rosemary
three large garlic cloves chopped
one quarter teaspoon crushed red pepper
one quarter cup tomato paste
five cups no or low fat low salt chicken broth
eight ounces small pasta, any shape, cooked al dente
one quarter cup Romano or Parmesan cheese
1. Puree strained liquid from canned chick peas and one cup chick peas. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and ad the spices, carrots, zucchini celery, and onion and sauté for a few minutes to soften.
3. In another pan, sauté the sausage for about eight minutes or so, until it is cooked through and no longer pink. Pour off the grease.
4. Combine the vegetable mixture, sausage, bean puree, remaining beans, tomato paste, and chicken broth. Simmer, stirring occasionally, about thirty minutes, until thick. Season with salt and pepper and serve with pasta and cheese.
Aunt Lynn’s Black Bean Soup
OOOOOh so hot!! But easy and delicious.
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, chopped
four cloves garlic, minced
one tablespoon ground cumin
one half teaspoon crushed re pepper flakes
two tablespoons vegetable oil
three cans (16oz each) black beans, undrained
one and one half cups chicken broth
three cups of your favorite chunky medium hot salsa
two tablespoons lime juice
1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, cumin, and pepper flakes in oil until onion is tender (about three minutes).
2. Add beans and their liquid, chicken broth, salsa and lime juice.
3. Heat mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Top with plain yogurt (or, if you want to be particularly evil, sour cream and a handful of cilantro).
Stu's Pasta e Fagioli -- pasta and bean soup (pasta “fisool”) with Carrots
If this is the only soup you make in your life, that’s ok!
five tablespoons Olive Oil
one large onion, chopped
two teaspoons minced garlic
one teaspoon dried rosemary (optional, but worth it)
three cups drained cooked kidney beans (the little pink ones are the best)
two cups canned tomatoes, including their juice, dice the tomatoes
six to eight cups chicken stock warmed up
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
two large carrots cut into one quarter or so inch slices
one half pound little pasta such as ditalini (which looks right, but you can use any small pasta if that isn’t available)
one half cup minced fresh parsley
one half cup fresh or not grated Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
1. Place the olive oil in a large deep soup pan and turn the heat to medium. One minute later add the onion and half the garlic; cook until the onion softens, about five minutes (do not brown).
2. Add the rosemary, beans, and tomatoes, and cook, stirring and mashing the tomatoes with the spoon, until the mixture is warm and the tomatoes begin to break down, about ten minutes.
3. Add six cups of stock and salt and pepper (lots of pepper). Raise the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low, add the carrots, and simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook the pasta separately, and drain. Add to the soup along with the parsley and the remaining garlic. Heat for a few minutes and serve. Pass the Parmesan cheese at the table.
Minestrone with Shell Beans and Almond Pistou
Ok, so I admit what first attracted me to this recipe was the word “Pistou.” So we should repeat it many times and impress our friends! Pistou is like pesto, only it also has some tomato in it. But the soup is hearty, delicious, and easy to make. What more could you ask?
To make the soup:
Three tablespoons olive oil
One sprig rosemary (as in, fresh- put the leftover rosemary in the freezer where it will last for years and still be potent)
Three large sprigs thyme (ditto for thyme)
Two leeks, white and light parts only, carefully rinsed and chopped
Four cloves garlic, minced
One zucchini or yellow squash or a combination, quartered and sliced (not too thin, about a quarter to half an inch)
One nicely sliced carrot (or two)
Four cups vegetable or chicken broth
One pound or so canned beans such as cannelloni or cranberry or those little pink ones… whatever, just get the beans
Four plum tomatoes chopped small
One half-cup fresh green beans chopped
1. Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven and then add the rosemary, thyme, parsley, garlic zucchini, carrot, and some salt and pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, about ten minutes (or less).
2. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, and green beans. Cook until the green beans are ready and the tomatoes are soft. Add water or more broth if the soup is too thick at this point. Take out the herbs, including the icky parsley sprigs.
It’s ready to serve now, but first you definitely want to make the Pistou because it’s fabulous. You might also want to make some pasta to put into the soup, something small like orzo. If you use orzo, you can just throw some into the soup and let the broth make it.
To make the Pistou:
Four cups fresh basil
One-third cup chopped almonds
One-fourth cup chopped plum tomato
Two-thirds cup grated parmesan (use the kind you grate yourself)
Two or three large cloves of garlic
One-teaspoon salt
One half-cup olive oil
1. Put all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Pour in the olive oil with the processor on until all is combined.
3. This makes a ton of Pistou, but you will want to add it in liberal dollops to each soup bowl when it is served. Then refrigerate for future use.
Wendy’s Spaghetti Sauce Chili
Basically, the purpose of this chili is to use up left-over spaghetti sauce in a creative and delicious way. You could try substituting a mediocre (there is no other kind) jar sauce for the home made tomato sauce, but it just won’t be as good. The more sauce you have, the more chili you can make.
one tablespoon olive oil
one very large onion, chopped
cloves of garlic (to taste, use at least two, peeled and chopped)
one pound ground beef
at least three cups leftover spaghetti sauce
one 16 ounce can red or pink kidney beans, drained
one green pepper, chopped (optional)
two tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional but really necessary)
red pepper flakes, to taste (use at least a teaspoon)
chili powder, one tablespoon, or to taste
cumin, one to two tablespoons (you guessed it, to taste)
salt and pepper
1. Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add half the onion, the green pepper, if using, and all of the garlic and cook gently a few minutes. Add the ground beef and cook it until it is entirely brown (not crusty). Drain the fat (don¹t skip this step or you¹ll be sorry).
2. After draining the fat (you get the hint), add the rest of the onion, the spices, and cover with the left-over spaghetti sauce. Add some of the beans, stir in, and decide whether you really want the whole can in or not. Allow to simmer about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is bubbly and the beans are hot. Adjust your seasonings (e.g. add a ton more spices).
Cuban Black Beans
Cuban Black Beans are a must with Ropa Vieja. This dish is easy to make If for some weird reason you decide to have this as a main dish (it can be done), be sure to serve it with rice (you gotta have something else to eat dahling). And, by the way, it will taste terrific.
one twelve ounce can black beans (more than enough beans for four people)
one large onion, chopped
four stalks of celery, chopped
one teaspoon or less red pepper flakes (hot)
salt and pepper to taste
One quarter cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional, but you¹ll be sorry if you don¹t put this in--you could substitute a wonderful cilantro based sauce made by Goya called Recaito, at the rate of four tablespoons for 12 ounces of canned beans. All I can say is, good luck finding this stuff!)
two bay leaves
dash or so Tabasco (optional--remember, the red pepper flakes are going to clear your sinuses as it is)
Put all the ingredients together in a pot and simmer for one hour. Now, is that easy or what?
This dish goes great with Latin American music.
Terry’s Seven Layer Mexican Dip
Ok. If you make this dip and bring it to a party, nobody else needs to bring anything. This dip is breakfast, lunch, and dinner!!! The instructions are simple: put the ingredients by layer, starting, of course, from the bottom, in a large (such as a 9” x 13” pan) pan.
Layer One
One nice sized can of black beans (I suggest they be drained and warmed up)
Layer Two
Eight ounces sour cream mixed with one packet of Mc Cormick chile mix
Layer Three
Three to four mashed avocados mashed with
One tablespoon salsa mashed with
Juice of one half lemon mashed with
Two cloves garlic mashed
Layer Four
One small can black olives drained
Layer Five
Two bunches of scallions, sliced including part of the green
Layer Six
Four to five chopped tomatoes
Layer Seven
Sixteen ounces of grated pepper jack cheese
There you have it. Serve with Tostitos or your favorite chips and watch it disappear!
Rice Dishes
How to Cook Rice
College Kid Fried Rice>
Stu’s Favorite Rice Pilaf>
Stu’s Favorite Easy Paella>
Aromatic Rice>
Rice with Broiled Shrimp, Lemon, and Garlic Butter>
Bean Dishes
Wendy’s Quesadillas with Black Beans/or Not>
Microwave Nachos>
Home Made Baked Tortilla Chips>
Bean and Spicy Sausage Soup>
Aunt Lynn's Black Bean Soup>
Stu's Pasta e Fagioli--pasta and bean soup (pasta “fisool”) with Carrots>
Minestrone with Shell Beans and Almond Pistou>
Wendy’s Spaghetti Sauce Chili>
Cuban Black Beans>
Terry's Seven Layer Mexican Dip>
_____________________________________________
Rice Dishes
How to Cook Rice>
Please don¹t use minute rice or any rice that takes five minutes or less to cook. The twenty minute variety is my preference. The most nutritious rice, brown rice takes 45 minutes, and is terrific and I like it, but fawgeddaboudit, that’s too long for busy people. Feel free to try brown rice sometime. It’s great when cooked correctly. So, step one is to find the twenty minute variety.
One cup of twenty minute (get the hint?) rice
two cups water
Stove: Bring water to a boil in a sauce pan, add the rice, stir briefly. Return to the boil and cover tightly. Reduce heat to low and cook for, you guessed it, twenty minutes. Do not open the lid and let out that terrific steam until the twenty minutes are over or I can¹t guarantee results. No peeking. Consider making extra for another day.
Microwave: (this includes all twenty minute varieties, including the Mexican/Spanish box rices). Put rice and water in a microwavable casserole dish with a tight lid. Stir in spice packet if it comes with the rice. Incidentally, if the lid is not tight, the water will rise like lava from Vesuvius and the rice won¹t cook right. Ignore package directions in the Spanish rice which call for butter and more water and follow this.
Microwave on high for five minutes, then microwave for an additional 15 minutes on half (50%) power. That’s it.
College Kid Fried Rice>
As you may recall, this cook book was originally written while David and Sarah were in college so as to forestall any anxiety the momster may have had regarding their being in an apartment and starving. Not that there was any expectation that they would cook any of these dishes, at that time. However, over a decade has passed and now both David and Sarah are “out in the world” and doing some cooking. But, the name college kid fried rice is staying because I’m a sentimental person.
Take a look at the recipe in the chicken section, calling for a basic sauté
of chicken boobs with rice, under the Oriental variation. That is what this recipe is based on. You can make a simple rice and vegetable dish as a nice alternative to eating meat, meat, meat, or rather, peanut butter, peanut butter, peanut butter.
enough cooked rice
two or three cloves of garlic peeled and chopped
one medium onion chopped
one green pepper chopped(or any other color)
two cups of another vegetable, preferably broccoli cut into florettes (also cut up tender parts of the stems) or zucchini
one cup chopped clean mushrooms (optional)
Asian vegetables such as bean sprouts, baby corns, water chestnuts, bok choy,
sunflower seeds, cashews etc (optional).
one lightly beaten egg
tamari or soy sauce to taste
1.In a few tablespoons of cooking oil (preferably peanut but any oil is
fine) sauté the onion and garlic for a short time (until slightly softened).
Add the broccoli and sauté a few minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and sauté briefly.
2. Hollow out the middle and pour in the egg. Scramble briefly until
cooked, then mix into the rest of the mixture.
3. Add spices to taste including, black pepper, tamari or soy sauce, a dash of ginger then take off heat and eat immediately along with some lovely rice. You can also dump the rice into the pan and sauté it briefly with the vegetables.
Make this different each time by adding different combinations of
vegetables, nuts, etc. You can also add meat such as sautéed chicken, bits of precooked pork sausage, chunks of beef, kitchen sink etc.
College Kid Fried Rice
Stu’s Favorite Rice Pilaf
I usually call this soup rice, but Stu feels this should have a loftier
name because it is so good. So here goes, soup rice pilaf!
2 tablespoons butter (or oil)
1 cup chopped onion (one large onion)
one and one half cups long-grain rice (20 minute)
salt and pepper to taste
two and one half cups chicken stock ( hence soup rice)
1. melt the butter in a large deep skillet or the sauce pan you are using to cook the rice. Add the onion and cook on medium high heat until the soft about five to eight minutes. Do not brown the onion.
2. While the butter is melting, heat the chicken broth almost to a boil.
3. Dump in the rice and turn the heat to medium. Cook two or three minutes and the rice is covered with butter. Season and turn the heat down to low, add the soup and cover the pan.
4. Keep the lid on the rice for fifteen minutes. Don¹t peak and let the steam out because this reduces the cooking temperature and could burn your nose. When the liquid is absorbed, the rice is done. Check at fifteen minutes and cook a little longer if needed to absorb the water. Two or three minutes more should be sufficient.
Eat.
Stu’s Favorite Easy Paella
This freezes pretty well, so don¹t worry about left-overs (it¹s so good, there probably won’t be any anyway). This version uses shrimp and sausage, but you could also add chicken pieces, other shell fish, etc. in addition to or instead of the shrimp. But, according to Stu, the sausage is required.
four cups chicken stock
1 tsp turmeric or a pinch of saffron (saffron is preferred but expensive)
three tablespoons olive oil
one medium onion, minced
two cups short or medium grain rice (not the long grained)
two cups raw peeled shrimp, cut into bite sized pieces
1 lb hot Italian or other sausage
one cup peas (optional)
one cup chopped red or green pepper(optional)
minced parsley
1. Heat your oven to 500 degrees. Warm the stock in a saucepan with the turmeric. Place a Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. One minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is see through, about 5 minutes. Brown the sausage separately and cut into bite sized pieces.
2. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy, just a
minute or two. Season with salt and pepper, and add the warmed stock, taking care to avoid burning your nose on the rising steam. Stir in the shrimp, the sausage, and red pepper (if using) and transfer the Dutch oven to the oven. If you are using a skillet, make sure it can actually go in the oven. Cast iron works well.
3. Bake about 25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is dry on top. Before serving, stir in the peas, and allow the dish to sit for five minutes before serving. If you cook it long enough, there will be a fabulous cookty crust on the bottom and sides of the pan, which is delicious and tough to get off. Garnish with the parsley and serve. Scoop left-overs out of the skillet and fill it with soapy water to soak off the remaining crust.
Aromatic Rice
This is a nice alternative to the usual plain ‘ole rice we usually have. It goes nicely with chicken that has been flavored with curry powder or other Indian dishes. You¹ll need to look around for some of the spices (read the list carefully) but it¹s worth it and then you’ll have a lifetime supply of them.
one and one fourth cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained well
two tablespoons vegetable oil
one onion peeled and chopped
three cardamom pods, crushed
three black peppercorns
three whole cloves
one teaspoon cumin seeds
one half cinnamon stick (don¹t substitute regular cinnamon)
one half teaspoon ground turmeric
one third cup raisins
one half cup or more frozen peas
one fourth cup toasted, slivered almonds
1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan. Add the onion and all the spices. Fry gently for about one minute. Stir in the rice and mix well so that it is covered with the spicy oil.
2. Add two and one half cups boiling water. Cover, bring again to the boil, turn down the heat to low and cook for fifteen minutes.
3. Add the raisins and frozen peas and let sit another 15 minutes. Add the slivered almonds and toss with a fork.
Serve
Rice with Broiled Shrimp, Lemon, and Garlic Butter
This recipe not only tastes great, but you get to cut the shrimp in an
interesting way (called butterfly fashion) which will really impress your friends.
24 medium/large shrimp (about one and one half pounds for four people)
two tablespoons olive oil
two tablespoons lemon juice
two tablespoons water
one tablespoon finely minced garlic
eight tablespoons cold butter (one stick)
two tablespoons finely chopped chives (optional--can use scallions)
1. Heat the broiler on high.
2. Shell the shrimp. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the shrimp open from the top (the end opposite the tail you pulled off) about half way down. This lets you open the shrimp butterfly fashion.
3. Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste and brush with oil. Turn the shrimp cut side down and arrange in one layer in the broiler pan.
4. In a small pot, combine the lemon juice, water, and garlic. Cut the butter into twelve pieces. Bring the liquid to a boil and gradually add the butter pieces stirring with a wire whisk. When all the butter is added and melted, remove from the heat.
5. Place the shrimp four inches from the broiler and cook one and one half minutes. Then, turn them cut side up and cook another one and one half minutes. Add the chives or scallions to the butter sauce and spoon over the shrimp. Serve with the rice, being sure to overlap things so the sauce gets into the rice too. OOOOOH. This would be good served with peas or other green vegetable.
Bean Dishes
Wendy's Quesadillas with Black Beans/or Not
One whole quesadilla is usually enough for each person when accompanying a meal.
soft flour tortillas (two for each quesadilla).
grated Monterey jack cheese (about half cup for each)
jalapeno pepper cut into circles
minced cilantro to sprinkle on each quesadilla
for each quesadilla:
one tablespoon minced fresh tomatoes
two tablespoons cooked black beans
one tablespoon minced onion
avocado slices
Heat oven to 450 or so
1. Place tortillas on a cookie sheet. Edges can overlap a little.
2. Cover each tortilla with a nice layer of grated cheese. Dot with
jalapeno pepper slices and sprinkle with cilantro. Add the tomatoes, beans, avocado and onion in quantities to taste. Cover with another tortilla.
3. Bake in oven briefly until cheese is melted and tortilla warm through. Don¹t over cook. Cut into fours and eat eat eat. Use to scoop up chili or whatever.
Wendy had something like this in a restaurant in NYC and it was good. She¹s guessing about the quantities.
Good Luck!
Microwave Nachos
The more ingredients you use from scratch, the better this will be. On the other hand, it will taste great no matter what you do!
1 sixteen ounce can refried beans
one half cup sour cream
three quarters cup salsa
one cup shredded cheddar or Jack cheese (divided)
two tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (divided)
Several big handfuls of tortilla chips (see recipe below for home made)
1. Spread the beans in a large microwaveable plate. Smear on the sour cream and the salsa (you could also do this in several, thin, repeating layers). Sprinkle about half the cheese and the cilantro on top.
2. Microwave for two minutes.
3. Pile the chips on top of everything and sprinkle the remaining cilantro and cheese over them. Microwave one minute and serve hot.
Home Made Baked Tortilla Chips
12 thin corn tortillas
kosher salt
vegetable oil cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with the oil spray.
2. Cut the tortillas into the size chip desired. Lightly spray the tortillas after arranging them on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
3. Bake for ten to twelve minutes until crisp. Cool for a short time, sprinkle on more salt (if desired), and eat.
Bean and Spicy Sausage Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
one 15 to 16 ounce can chickpeas
one 15 to 16 ounce can cannelloni beans (white kidney)
one half pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed (or use bulk sausage)
one or two carrots, cut into quarter inch rounds
one zucchini squash cut into quarter inch rounds
one or two stalks celery, cut into quarter inch sections
one large onion, chopped small
one teaspoon rosemary
three large garlic cloves chopped
one quarter teaspoon crushed red pepper
one quarter cup tomato paste
five cups no or low fat low salt chicken broth
eight ounces small pasta, any shape, cooked al dente
one quarter cup Romano or Parmesan cheese
1. Puree strained liquid from canned chick peas and one cup chick peas. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and ad the spices, carrots, zucchini celery, and onion and sauté for a few minutes to soften.
3. In another pan, sauté the sausage for about eight minutes or so, until it is cooked through and no longer pink. Pour off the grease.
4. Combine the vegetable mixture, sausage, bean puree, remaining beans, tomato paste, and chicken broth. Simmer, stirring occasionally, about thirty minutes, until thick. Season with salt and pepper and serve with pasta and cheese.
Aunt Lynn’s Black Bean Soup
OOOOOh so hot!! But easy and delicious.
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, chopped
four cloves garlic, minced
one tablespoon ground cumin
one half teaspoon crushed re pepper flakes
two tablespoons vegetable oil
three cans (16oz each) black beans, undrained
one and one half cups chicken broth
three cups of your favorite chunky medium hot salsa
two tablespoons lime juice
1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, cumin, and pepper flakes in oil until onion is tender (about three minutes).
2. Add beans and their liquid, chicken broth, salsa and lime juice.
3. Heat mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Top with plain yogurt (or, if you want to be particularly evil, sour cream and a handful of cilantro).
Stu's Pasta e Fagioli -- pasta and bean soup (pasta “fisool”) with Carrots
If this is the only soup you make in your life, that’s ok!
five tablespoons Olive Oil
one large onion, chopped
two teaspoons minced garlic
one teaspoon dried rosemary (optional, but worth it)
three cups drained cooked kidney beans (the little pink ones are the best)
two cups canned tomatoes, including their juice, dice the tomatoes
six to eight cups chicken stock warmed up
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
two large carrots cut into one quarter or so inch slices
one half pound little pasta such as ditalini (which looks right, but you can use any small pasta if that isn’t available)
one half cup minced fresh parsley
one half cup fresh or not grated Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
1. Place the olive oil in a large deep soup pan and turn the heat to medium. One minute later add the onion and half the garlic; cook until the onion softens, about five minutes (do not brown).
2. Add the rosemary, beans, and tomatoes, and cook, stirring and mashing the tomatoes with the spoon, until the mixture is warm and the tomatoes begin to break down, about ten minutes.
3. Add six cups of stock and salt and pepper (lots of pepper). Raise the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low, add the carrots, and simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook the pasta separately, and drain. Add to the soup along with the parsley and the remaining garlic. Heat for a few minutes and serve. Pass the Parmesan cheese at the table.
Minestrone with Shell Beans and Almond Pistou
Ok, so I admit what first attracted me to this recipe was the word “Pistou.” So we should repeat it many times and impress our friends! Pistou is like pesto, only it also has some tomato in it. But the soup is hearty, delicious, and easy to make. What more could you ask?
To make the soup:
Three tablespoons olive oil
One sprig rosemary (as in, fresh- put the leftover rosemary in the freezer where it will last for years and still be potent)
Three large sprigs thyme (ditto for thyme)
Two leeks, white and light parts only, carefully rinsed and chopped
Four cloves garlic, minced
One zucchini or yellow squash or a combination, quartered and sliced (not too thin, about a quarter to half an inch)
One nicely sliced carrot (or two)
Four cups vegetable or chicken broth
One pound or so canned beans such as cannelloni or cranberry or those little pink ones… whatever, just get the beans
Four plum tomatoes chopped small
One half-cup fresh green beans chopped
1. Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven and then add the rosemary, thyme, parsley, garlic zucchini, carrot, and some salt and pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, about ten minutes (or less).
2. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, and green beans. Cook until the green beans are ready and the tomatoes are soft. Add water or more broth if the soup is too thick at this point. Take out the herbs, including the icky parsley sprigs.
It’s ready to serve now, but first you definitely want to make the Pistou because it’s fabulous. You might also want to make some pasta to put into the soup, something small like orzo. If you use orzo, you can just throw some into the soup and let the broth make it.
To make the Pistou:
Four cups fresh basil
One-third cup chopped almonds
One-fourth cup chopped plum tomato
Two-thirds cup grated parmesan (use the kind you grate yourself)
Two or three large cloves of garlic
One-teaspoon salt
One half-cup olive oil
1. Put all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Pour in the olive oil with the processor on until all is combined.
3. This makes a ton of Pistou, but you will want to add it in liberal dollops to each soup bowl when it is served. Then refrigerate for future use.
Wendy’s Spaghetti Sauce Chili
Basically, the purpose of this chili is to use up left-over spaghetti sauce in a creative and delicious way. You could try substituting a mediocre (there is no other kind) jar sauce for the home made tomato sauce, but it just won’t be as good. The more sauce you have, the more chili you can make.
one tablespoon olive oil
one very large onion, chopped
cloves of garlic (to taste, use at least two, peeled and chopped)
one pound ground beef
at least three cups leftover spaghetti sauce
one 16 ounce can red or pink kidney beans, drained
one green pepper, chopped (optional)
two tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional but really necessary)
red pepper flakes, to taste (use at least a teaspoon)
chili powder, one tablespoon, or to taste
cumin, one to two tablespoons (you guessed it, to taste)
salt and pepper
1. Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add half the onion, the green pepper, if using, and all of the garlic and cook gently a few minutes. Add the ground beef and cook it until it is entirely brown (not crusty). Drain the fat (don¹t skip this step or you¹ll be sorry).
2. After draining the fat (you get the hint), add the rest of the onion, the spices, and cover with the left-over spaghetti sauce. Add some of the beans, stir in, and decide whether you really want the whole can in or not. Allow to simmer about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is bubbly and the beans are hot. Adjust your seasonings (e.g. add a ton more spices).
Cuban Black Beans
Cuban Black Beans are a must with Ropa Vieja. This dish is easy to make If for some weird reason you decide to have this as a main dish (it can be done), be sure to serve it with rice (you gotta have something else to eat dahling). And, by the way, it will taste terrific.
one twelve ounce can black beans (more than enough beans for four people)
one large onion, chopped
four stalks of celery, chopped
one teaspoon or less red pepper flakes (hot)
salt and pepper to taste
One quarter cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional, but you¹ll be sorry if you don¹t put this in--you could substitute a wonderful cilantro based sauce made by Goya called Recaito, at the rate of four tablespoons for 12 ounces of canned beans. All I can say is, good luck finding this stuff!)
two bay leaves
dash or so Tabasco (optional--remember, the red pepper flakes are going to clear your sinuses as it is)
Put all the ingredients together in a pot and simmer for one hour. Now, is that easy or what?
This dish goes great with Latin American music.
Terry’s Seven Layer Mexican Dip
Ok. If you make this dip and bring it to a party, nobody else needs to bring anything. This dip is breakfast, lunch, and dinner!!! The instructions are simple: put the ingredients by layer, starting, of course, from the bottom, in a large (such as a 9” x 13” pan) pan.
Layer One
One nice sized can of black beans (I suggest they be drained and warmed up)
Layer Two
Eight ounces sour cream mixed with one packet of Mc Cormick chile mix
Layer Three
Three to four mashed avocados mashed with
One tablespoon salsa mashed with
Juice of one half lemon mashed with
Two cloves garlic mashed
Layer Four
One small can black olives drained
Layer Five
Two bunches of scallions, sliced including part of the green
Layer Six
Four to five chopped tomatoes
Layer Seven
Sixteen ounces of grated pepper jack cheese
There you have it. Serve with Tostitos or your favorite chips and watch it disappear!
