Beans and Sausage

nobody@vox.com(DawnsWatch) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:01:11 -0500

I had an early morning appointment today, with an hour and a half drive to get there, so I am not going to spend a lot of time cooking this evening. Three hours of drive time did give me plenty of opportunity to figure out what to make though. I decided on red beans and rice for dinner. Coconut sorbet, fresh pineapple and papaya for desert. My red beans are not the classic Spanish style. Because my son can be a picky New Englander, I have a more Anglo flavor to mine.

Red Beans and Sausage

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Sweet Onion, Chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1 Bell Pepper, Chopped

1 5oz Can Vienna Sausage, Sliced

1 15oz Can Red Beans

1 Cup Vedgie Broth or V8 Juice

1 Teaspoon Adobo Seasoning

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Summer Savory

Chili Powder, or Hot Paprika, to Taste

Rice

Shredded Cheese (optional)

Corn Bread (optional)

Cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil, until translucent and slightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and let simmer while you make the rice.

Serve over rice. Top with cheese and serve with corn bread as desired.

Momma's Tips. You can use any color bean according to your family's tastes. Red peppers have more vitamins than green. Minced red pepper gets hidden by the sauce if you have a child that objects to vedgies. Summer savory is said to aid in digesting beans, the same goes for the fresh pineapple and papaya I am serving with sorbet for desert. A couple of drops of Beano added after cooking on each individual serving also might be a good idea if your family is unaccustomed to beans. Omit the sausage for a Lenten Meal. Brown rice instead of white adds additional fiber. Dice the pineapple and papaya while the rice is cooking and you have a full meal, all food groups, in about a half and hour to forty five minutes.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Momma Cooks

nobody@vox.com(DawnsWatch) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:18:49 -0500

Today is a great day for Chicken & Avocado Crepes. A lot of supermarkets, ShopRite and Stop & Shop in particular, have sales on boneless chicken breasts. Avocados are in season, and on sale, now too.

Chicken Avocado Crepes

12 Corn Crepes, Soft Tacos, or Other Wraps

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Clove of Garlic, Minced

1 Bunch Green Onions, or Scallions

Chili Powder, or Hot Paprika to Taste

2 Avocados

2 Tablespoons lime, or lemon, juice

1 Cup Salsa

2 Cups Shredded Cheese

Hot Sauce

1 Cup Sour Cream (or 1/2 cup plain yogurt and 1/2 cup light sour cream mixed)

Peal and dice the avocados, sprinkle with the lime juice to keep from browning. Slice the onions, reserve the dark green, top third for garnish. Trim and slice the chicken breasts, saute in the olive oil with the garlic. and sliced onion bottoms. When the chicken is lightly brown, remove from heat and season to taste with the chili powder.

Lay the crepes out on a cookie sheet, (cover it with aluminum foil for easy clean up). Divide the chicken mixture between the 12 crepes, and top with cheese. Leave the crepes flat, do not fold yet. Put them in 350 degree oven for about tem minutes, just until the cheese is melted. Top with avocado and a table spoon of salsa. Fold together and garnish with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onion. Serve with hot sauce.

Corn Crepes

Corn crepes are easy to make, no special pans needed, any omlette or frying pan, around eight inches will do. For the batter, just whisk together:

3 Eggs

1 Cup Corn Flour (or 1/2 cup each corn meal and regular flour)

1 Cup Milk

Cooking Spray, or Olive Oil

You can do this in a bowl with a wire whisk or in a blender. Set the batter aside to settle, (one hour is good if you have the time). To cook the crepes, heat your well oiled pan on a medium heat until a drop of water dances across the surface without immediately evaporating. Swirl a quarter cup of batter around the bottom of the pan. When the batter is set, and the edges lightly brown flip.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

DawnsWatch Blog

Beans and Sausage

Momma Cooks