Just Like My Mom

I'd like to be like my mom (the incomplete list):

• because she stood up and said racism isn't funny;
• because she is practical and efficient;
• because she never really blinked about having a lesbian for a daughter and has always been my (and our) biggest supporter (not easy considering the conservative, homophobic, did I say racist? tendencies of many of her fellow Texans);
• because she has a curious and questioning mind and is a lifelong learner;
• because she loves to read (and there was no limit on books when I was growing up!);
• because she loves to travel;
• because she cares about making a difference, for example with volunteer work with abused women and the education of girls;
• because she is a feminist and raised us to do or be anything;
• because she's not obsessed with shopping or fashion or style or decorating;
• because she's a great cook;
• because she took me to Broadway musicals and historic houses a lot when I was little;
• because she took me out of school on the opening day of Return of the Jedi;
• because she never once said she was disappointed in me;
• because all my friends like her (especially my lesbian friend in high school, who needed a caring adult); 
• because she protected and promoted the fun and innocence of childhood (and still does);
• because she's trying to keep track of Star Wars and Harry Potter for her grandkids;
• because she'll try almost anything once;
• because grades were never a big deal to her, even if she was proud;
• because she's a great listener;
• because she "fights fair" and uses "I-messages" and "active listening";
• because she dropped everything, more than once, to take care of us;
• because she can drive a boat and fix a toilet and mow a lawn, which none of the other moms did;
• because she's not embarrassed to cry;
• because she's open-minded and accepting;
• because when I was a new mom (and even still) she followed our rules, even when she thought they were silly (though she never said so!);
• because her sex talk to me was fantastic (who else's mom told them that masturbation was okay??);
• because she really does forgive and forget; 
• because she's (usually) pretty relaxed;
• because she can appreciate "the nicest time of the day";
• because she has "creative" hearing;
• because her jokes are most funny when she gets them mixed up;
• because she can laugh at herself;
• because she's a great person and I'm lucky she's my mom!

Breakfast with Champions

 We had a little playgroup reunion yesterday in the form of morning coffee with a few of the friends I don't see often. It was delightful to hang out chatting and eating--just like old times!--as if no time had passed.  I wouldn't even say much has changed, beyond kids growing up, a few more experiences under our belts--we don't even look older!  Not bad after six years of motherhood together (and four years of blogging about it!)

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Paula Deen's Zucchini Bread

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

Paula Deen

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Ina Garten's Banana Crunch Muffins
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Ina Garten

Breakthrough

Contemplating the whole "when does an injury become a disability," we are continuing to make adaptions to our world.  And one is really exciting:  I now have a daytime driver!  She's a friend of mine, a LCSW who has been looking for work as a home health aide, and now I'll pay her to take me to doctor's appointments, school functions, and whatever else I need.  I'm thrilled about the possibility of increased activity and freedom.  I think she's looking forward to it to.  (And I write a killer reference letter!)  I still have to find someone to transport the kids a few times a month (she has a child in school and so isn't available then), but we're making progress.

Of course, I do and will always be grateful for the others who have ferried me around, particularly Mrs. S.  Thanks for taking me to the tag sale today; it was good to get out.  We'll save our future outings for fun things like coffee!

Autumn's Calling Card

A cool, northerly breeze, overcast, going down to 49F tonight, the first red leaf ...

What's in a Name?

And apparently my pet's name is Herman.

The Day of Three Breakfasts

The kids thought yesterday was wild:  they had breakfast three times!

First, breakfast for breakfast.  Scrambled eggs, this time.

Secondly, breakfast for lunch.  They get to choose two times a month to eat the school's hot lunch and yesterday they both chose to eat the pancakes.  Which apparently were good, just not as good as Mama's.  But maple syrup makes everything better.

Thirdly, breakfast for dinner.  We made Dutch Baby Pancakes in our new convection microwave, my first solo baking (i.e. without another adult) in a year or so.  Sis and I had a fabulous time cooking together.  We both missed it.

We might repeat it later this month . . . because they want to try school's French toast sticks too.

Quidditch, Anyone?

Last night, two red-lined, velvet Gryffindor robes, two pairs of glasses, and two striped maroon and gold ties arrived at the house.

Yep, Harry Potter is in the house.

So with reminders not to take the costumes outside or eat in them, the kids ran around the house on their broomsticks and cast spells at each other and us.

Yep, they're riding the Hogwarts Express to Halloween.

My New Friend

Baking Dutch Baby Pancakes....

My New Pet

New Arrival!

I'm so excited:  I finally have an oven I can use!  It's a convection microwave oven that sits on the counter and can be either a regular oven or a regular microwave or a combination of both.  No bending or stooping to pull things in and out.  I can bake again on my own.  And I think Sis is even more thrilled than I am!

Now we just have to choose what's first!

Almost Chowdah Weather

The temperatures are getting cooler later this week, with the first day of fall ten days away.  So I'm practicing....that, and the kids asked for corn chowder, surprisingly.  I've never made it ...and so I faked it (without a recipe I knew they'd eat or any fresh corn at the store). Kinda sweet but a good start.  Spying the potatoes yet hoping they were apples (??), Bud grew wary.  He picked around them and Sis was delighted; they each had a bowl and a half.

Mommy Hungry's Quick Corn Chowder

3 small red potatoes, diced
Boil in salted water.
Drain and reserve.
Add 2 cans cream corn, 1 1/2 cup frozen corn, 1 1/2 water, 1 cup half and half, salt and pepper.  Heat through.

Mommy Hungry

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Farewell But Not Goodbye

It is the end of the 30 Day Vegan workshop (hosted by Beauty That Moves) a bittersweet ending to an enriching personal retreat.  While I was not completely vegan, I have continued as a vegetarian and whole foods advocate.  But with what I have learned and experienced during this month, I can continue on the journey, more informed and more inspired, with more insight.  At the end of the month,

• My kitchen, or "food studio," is more organized and peaceful.  We have purged and rearranged and adapted to my inability to bend.  I can do so much more in the kitchen than I've been able to do in almost a year.  This new aesthetic of useful and beautiful (I would add meaningful) is expanding beyond the kitchen to the whole house.
• My day is more planned.  As I focused on the personal care aspect of the workshop, I realized that a little advanced planning (and here)--meal charts for lunch and dinner (like this), to-do list, a home management notebook, even chore charts--would make things smoother,  not just for me but for everyone.  So, using resources referenced by the workshop leader, Heather Bruggeman, and the other participants, I am adapting materials to fit us.  And I can already see the benefits.  (Though, I'm not a printed-grocery list girl but a Grocery IQ devotee.)
• I know more about food, health, and nutrition.  I learned about pressure cookers.  I read about phytic acid in foods.  I read about the dangers of too much soy.  I learned how to make my own almond milk and natural soda.  I learned about other sweeteners like brown rice syrup and succanat.  I know more about vitamins, especially B12.  I have dozens of new recipes to try when I'm cooking more.  I've experienced "crowding out" of less healthy foods. 
•  I found inspiration and community.  In my so-called "real life," I  know only one other vegetarian (and now, one vegan!  You go!  Interestingly, I know several ex-vegetarians.).  Some friends are interested in local and organic and unprocessed.  But for the most part, it's SAD (Standard American Diet.)  Online and in links, I communicated with others who valued whole foods, who were learning and experimenting with me.  To paraphrase Julia Child (and Julie Powell), it was just us meatless home cooks here.  And it was good.
• Mama and I have reconfigured how we think of meals at home.  We realized we'd pretty much been running Mothers' Restaurant.  Not so much because we'd act as short order cooks, but because we'd let the kids vote in advance from a few options; healthy options, often, with vegetables, but still, not a sustainable approach, especially with fickle kids who change their minds or want their favorites everyday.  Not feasible.  And so we're becoming more traditional (not this traditional, but inspired nonetheless) in our approach:  one meal, no substitutes, have a "no thank you" bite.  Mind you, I don't go out of my way to make beans!  There has been resistance but we're making progress.  And I'm working on lunches too, as I've mentioned here and here.
• Books, links, and more.  From the movie Forks Over Knives to the book Simplicity Parenting, from Pinterest to Simple Mom, from Feeding the Whole Family to Simply Natural Cooking,  I am finding more resources for me to do my day job.  Really, there were too many to list here.

So, that's my month in a nutshell.  Thanks so much, Heather, guest blogger Renee Tougas, and all the other participants!

(And I'll be back for the spring workshop!)

My Today

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...it's hazy and humid.

I am thinking...about grandparents, having just read this on the grandparents of September 11.  My kids have the best grandparents in the world!  (Except of course, your kids' grandparents.)

I am thankful...for the grandparents, my parents!  The kiddos who made them grandparents.  The Mama who mothers them with me.

From the learning rooms... isn't everywhere a learning room?

In the kitchen...a new convection-microwave oven arrives today so that I can bake again!!! (since I can't currently bend to reach my current oven, much less pull things in and out.  When does an injury become a disability?  I haven't used my oven myself in more than a year.)

I am wearing...my denim-skirt with super-handy pockets and my Chicago cat rescue t-shirt.

I am creating...an invitation to our upcoming apple festival!

I am going...on my treadmill walk when I'm done posting.

I am wondering...what the kids are doing in school right now.

I am reading...nothing seriously, though I'm dabbling in Karen Armstrong's Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life and Dianna Hales's La Bella Lingua.  I had started Nancy Cott's  Bonds of Womanhood, a history of women in the early 19th-century, but it wasn't quite what I wanted right now.

I am hoping...that there are no surprises in the next 48 hours plus.

I am looking forward to...the weekend, when our "family" friends from Philly whom we haven't seen in years are dropping by for a visit.

I am hearing...the window fan working hard to make the room comfortable in this humidity.

Around the house...the rainbows from my various prisms are dancing.

I am pondering...how my exploration of Buddhism has helped me to weather recent ups and downs in a more even keel way than I might have before.

One of my favorite things...is this laptop, my main company from 8-3:45.

A few plans for the rest of the week:  friends are coming for morning coffee on Thursday; I'm going to the church moving sale on Friday; and then our Philly friends on Saturday.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...of the star jasmine that has just appeared in our yard this year, an unexpected gift . . . 

(Thanks to the simple woman's daybook!)

Check This Out

Kids home.  Check.
Bags unpacked.  Check.
Lunch things washed.  Check.
Play clothes changed into.  Check.
Snack eaten.  Check.
Folders emptied.  Check.
Library books put away.  Check.
Forms filled out.  Check.
Homework done.  Hallelujah!

Church Beginnings and Endings

The last few weeks (or months, or even year . . . which makes it a constant, not a new thing) have been a bit chaotic.  From hurricane to delayed school, from school to September 11, we've been riding the usual rollercoaster of life's offerings.  Trying to do so with togetherness, patience, compassion, good cheer, and practicality.

But lurking behind all of this is something I haven't discussed in awhile:  the enormous changes at my church.  After losing our full-time minister in February or so, and then losing our interim minister to a permanent job, our church has continued to struggle financially (and by extension politically and spiritually).

And so a few weeks ago, not at all unexpectedly, we learned that the church building was being sold.  Our last service there will be in a few weeks.  Our beloved church family will continue, in rented spaces, somewhere, as we all try to remember that the building was just a shell and that the important thing is the congregation.  But even without a home, our church must continue to put its house in order, so to speak:  to heal from the deep wounds of a divisive ministry, the strains of financial duress, the loss of members.  It's been a difficult journey.

I'm conflicted about the sale of the building.  I've been attending services there for almost 8 years.  We were "civilized" there and then married; our children were dedicated there.  We've celebrated, mourned, learned, taught, and eaten (a lot) there in that time.  It's my first church.  Architecturally, I never liked the building, even the sanctuary.  It was unattractive and inadequate.  And it was never in really great shape.  But I overlooked its flaws like you would that of a loved one.  Because I loved the people and the principles.

I fully understand the need to sell. (Though I'm shocked there was a buyer.  Denial?)  Otherwise, we'd go bankrupt and have to sell anyway.  Better to get out ahead.  But then I'm angry that the congregation, now and for decades previous, has squandered its inheritance, having opened this space in the 1950s (the congregation itself dates to the first decades of the 19th century). Of course, we're culpable too, supporting church financially in some years less generously than others, never being at the forefront of (the endless) fundraising attempts (though we always supported them!).  

I guess I'm experiencing the traditional stages of grief.  Maybe acceptance will come after the last service, when I see the same faces in our new place.  Because really, there is nothing in my church's covenant about the building . . . . 

Love is the spirit of this church
And service its law.
This is our great covenant:
To dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love,
and to help one another.
--James Vila Blake

Peace

For Today, Forever

"The Names"

by Billy Collins, Poet Laureate of the United States, Sept. 2002

Yesterday, I lay awake in the palm of the night.

A soft rain stole in, unhelped by any breeze,

And when I saw the silver glaze on the windows,

I started with A, with Ackerman, as it happened,

Then Baxter and Calabro,

Davis and Eberling, names falling into place

As droplets fell through the dark.

Names printed on the ceiling of the night.

Names slipping around a watery bend.

Twenty-six willows on the banks of a stream.

In the morning, I walked out barefoot

Among thousands of flowers

Heavy with dew like the eyes of tears,

And each had a name --

Fiori inscribed on a yellow petal

Then Gonzalez and Han, Ishikawa and Jenkins.

Names written in the air

And stitched into the cloth of the day.

A name under a photograph taped to a mailbox.

Monogram on a torn shirt,

I see you spelled out on storefront windows

And on the bright unfurled awnings of this city.

I say the syllables as I turn a corner --

Kelly and Lee,

Medina, Nardella, and O'Connor.

When I peer into the woods,

I see a thick tangle where letters are hidden

As in a puzzle concocted for children.

Parker and Quigley in the twigs of an ash,

Rizzo, Schubert, Torres, and Upton,

Secrets in the boughs of an ancient maple.

Names written in the pale sky.

Names rising in the updraft amid buildings.

Names silent in stone

Or cried out behind a door.

Names blown over the earth and out to sea.

In the evening -- weakening light, the last swallows.

A boy on a lake lifts his oars.

A woman by a window puts a match to a candle,

And the names are outlined on the rose clouds --

Vanacore and Wallace,

(let X stand, if it can, for the ones unfound)

Then Young and Ziminsky, the final jolt of Z.

Names etched on the head of a pin.

One name spanning a bridge, another undergoing a tunnel.

A blue name needled into the skin.

Names of citizens, workers, mothers and fathers,

The bright-eyed daughter, the quick son.

Alphabet of names in a green field.

Names in the small tracks of birds.

Names lifted from a hat

Or balanced on the tip of the tongue.

Names wheeled into the dim warehouse of memory.

So many names, there is barely room on the walls of the heart.

The Swarm

Apparently, it takes 2-3 weeks for mosquitos to go from egg to larva to full adult.

And Hurricane Irene was just about two weeks ago.

Which explains why there are tornadic swarms of bugs in our area, so thick they almost look like snow or confetti in the late afternoon sun.  Pretty.  Miserable.

And apparently, while males live 10-20 days, the female can live up to about 150 days (laying 250 eggs every 15 days.  250 x 10 = ARGH!).

At least the first frost will be here by then!

(Though, any eggs in water will just hatch when it warms up, which is why there are still mosquitoes every year.)

Reading Up on September 11

A lot has been published for the 10th anniversary of that tragic day.  Here are just some of the ones that touched, informed, inspired, or otherwise, interested me (I'm sure there will be even more tomorrow):

• a child's letter to her dad lost on September 11
• a widow writes about lessons learned
• poetry of September 11 and also why there has been no September 11 novel
• Dan Rather on history lessons
• Marlo Thomas on listening to America's daughters of September 11
• Muslim-American writers reflect on the anniversary
• relics of that day
• "Why Schools Need to Teach 9/11"
• Teaching September 11 in Connecticut
• "Witnesses to Apocalypse"
• NYTimes special section
• Life's most memorable photos of September 11

My Ultimate Guide To Beans

A Quick Intro

In four years of blogging, most of it as a vegetarian, I can't believe I've actually never written a post totally devoted to beans.  I love beans!  I eat them 4-5 times a week easy, probably everyday.  Soups, salads, pastas, with Mexican, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Indian accents.  They're easy to cook, hard to mess up, versatile, and extremely healthy.  So, perhaps because the topic is too big to post about, or because it's been written about exhaustively in many other places (and I have the bean cookbooks to prove it!), but I'm going to try.

Let's Make a Pot O'Beans

• While you can buy your beans from great heirloom or organic seed purveyors like Rancho Gordo or Seed Savers (I'm like a kid in a candy bean store!), if you're just starting, I recommend picking up a bag of Goya beans at the supermarket (NOT the store brand, as the quality of these aren't usually as good and old beans don't cook up as well).  Black or red beans are the easiest place to start.  Lentils are a totally different area (more on them later).
• Rinse and sort half the bag of beans (approximately 1 1/2 cups dried), saving the other half for another day (or make them all, just double the water . . .but that's a lot of beans!).  Throw away any funny or misshapen ones.  Look for rocks, especially in bags of smaller beans.  
• Dump the beans into a pot or bowl and cover with approximately 5-8 cups (preferably filtered) water (depending on if you're just making basic beans or bean soup).  
• Salt the beans!  Yes, salt the beans.  Sprinkle some table or kosher salt in the pot to help beans absorb water.  Trust me.  I know it's against popular belief, but Christopher Kimball of Cook's Illustrated says so.  And it works.
• Leave overnight, or about 8-12 hours. Some people say you have to refrigerate or keep them cool so they don't ferment.  I've never had a problem with that.  
• In the morning, before you cook, look at the beans and toss the floaters.  They aren't good.
• Cook. (I even cook them in the soaking water, but you can get fresh.  Some say changing the water reduces gas; I say eating more beans reduces gas). Okay, there are a few ways to do this, mainly stovetop or slow cooker (I'm not a pressure-cooker girl so can't help you there).  For stovetop, bring to gentle boil and then simmer until beans are cooked.   In the crockpot, cook beans for 8-10 hours on Low or 6-8 on high.  
• That's the basic beans.  You can then drain and then use them in other recipes.  Or, if you like bean soup, which is my favorite, I start adding ingredients midway through cooking, once beans are almost tender.  If you add acids, like tomatoes, too early, the beans will toughen.  When I'm first trying a new bean, I simply saute carrots, onions, celery, and garlic in olive oil and then add it to the pot halfway through cooking so the flavor of the bean really comes out.  Once you know the beans, you can add lots of things.  Sometimes to thicken a bean soup, I'll puree up to half with my immersion blender, great for vegan "cream" soups.
• Oops, I forgot to soak!  No worries, just put the rinsed and sorted beans in a big pot of water, boil and simmer until done; it'll just take longer.  And don't bother with the "boil for 5 minutes, turn off for an hour, and then simmer."  It's just not necessary to turn them off.  
• Storage of Cooked Beans:  some people drain beans to store; since I usually make soup, I leave them in the liquid.  Beans stay good in the fridge for a few days--just reboil and serve.  They freeze well, too (though sometimes they are a bit mealy, depending on the type).
• Storage of Dried Beans:  so you have 1 1/2 cups of beans left in that bag?  Remove them from the bag and store in a labeled jar; keep in cabinet or another shaded place.  Sometimes I combine all of my bean remnants into one soup, called beanbag soup.
• A note about canned beans:  they'll do in a pinch, of course, just be sure to rinse really well.  But once you become accustomed to your own cooked beans, you won't go back (especially for chickpeas/garbanzos!)

I Love Lentils!

• The rules for lentils are different because they never need to be soaked.  
• There are lots of different kinds of lentils, from the standard brown to the French green and black beluga (which are firmer) to the yellow and orange ones (which are much softer).  I'm talking here about brown.
• Rinse and sort 3/4 cup to 1 cup of lentils.  And definitely watch for those little rocks.
• Boil then simmer in approximately 5 cups of water, either to al dente (about 12-15 minutes, for salads) or until tender (20 minutes plus).
• Make soup, make salads, make pasta, use as meat substitute.  There are as many options as there are lentils in that pot.

My Other Bean Posts

• "Beans, Glorious Beans", about a bean-cooking class I took at Bloodroot
• "Pot O' Gold", about my olla clay bean-cooking pot

About a Baker's Dozen of My Favorite Bean Recipes

(for others, search my blog for "beans")

Pasta e Lenticchie

This is my all-time favorite go-to recipe (without the hot pepper flakes).  I sometimes use pasta (even spaghetti) but other times couscous or bulgur.  I've used curry or masala instead of parsley or Italian seasonings.  Any tomatoes, from sauce to crushed to diced to chopped, work.  I've added kale, spinach, a variety of other greens, raw or previously cooked. You really just do your own thing, starting with lentils, water, and garlic.  

5 cups water

3/4 cups lentils

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes, with some juice

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1/2 pound vermicelli, or small tubular pasta, or pasta mista

2 rounded tablespoons finely cut or snipped parsley

Optional: extra-virgin olive oil and hot red pepper flakes or hot pepper oil, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a rolling boil, add the lentils, and cook, covered over medium-high heat, until nearly but not entirely tender, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic, the olive oil, the tomatoes, the salt and the pepper. Reduce the heat, cover and continue to simmer briskly for another 10 minutes, stirring a few times, or until the lentils are fully tender.

If using capellini, break it into 2 to 4-inch pieces and add them to the lentils. Cook, covered, at a steady simmer, stirring several times and scraping the bottom of the pot when you do. Cook until the pasta is just done, stirring more frequently as it gets closer to the point of being cooked. If using a small tubular pasta or pasta mista, cook the pasta at least halfway in plenty of salted boiling water. Drain the pasta, add it to the lentils and simmer to finish cooking the pasta.

When pasta is cooked to taste, remove the pot from the heat, stir in the parsley cover the pot, and let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot, passing hot pepper oil or the best-quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling on top.

“Molto Mario”

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J D's Black Bean Soup

1/2 lb dried black beans, rinsed and sorted

olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

4 cups water

1-2 bay leaves (depending on size)

salt, pepper to taste

Prep black beans in your favorite way (either overnight soak, or 5 minute boil and then 1 hour soak). Drain.

Saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil. Add beans, bay leaves, water, salt and pepper. Cook until tender. Adjust seasonings.

DO NOT DRAIN. Puree using immersion or regular blender.

Serve.

My note: I think you could probably drain the beans and then puree them to make a good black bean dip. Also, this would probably be good with a chopped green pepper, too.

J.D.

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Frijoles Borrachos, or Pinto Beans Stewed in Beer

1 cup chopped tomatoes or lightly drained canned diced tomatoes

2-16 oz cans pinto or pink beans drained and rinsed, or 4 cups cooked pinto or pink beans (about 1 1/2 cups raw. I just used 16 oz).

1/2 cup beer

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (NOT in my beans!)

4 oz can mild green chilies

3 tablespoons pinto bean seasoning (I picked this up in Texas; not sure what goes in it but will look)

Combine all ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

adapted from Nava Atlas's The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet

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Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice

1 onion, chopped

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

1 lb red kidney beans (Camellia band recommended), rinsed and sorted

8-10 cups water

1-2 bay leaves

1-3 tablespoons Creole Seasoning (I use Tony's)

1/2-1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

Saute onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil until softened. Add beans, water, and bay leaves. Note: I do not pre-soak or quick soak the beans, just simmer all day--you can pre-soak or quick soak, drain, and then start this recipe if you choose. Boil for 5 minutes and reduce to a simmer for 3-4 hours, or until beans are tender.

When beans are almost at desired consistency, add creole seasoning. Before serving, add liquid smoke. Serve with steamed rice (brown or white, your preference).

Mommy Hungry

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Curried Apple Lentil Soup

Update: I added 2 cups of water and probably 1+ teaspoon more salt. I thought it was delicious.

5 cups water

1 cup brown lentils

1 cup red lentils

1 apple, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon sweet curry powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

Combine in 3-4 quart slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

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Greek Big Beans

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups slow cooked beans or two 15.5 oz cans lima or butter beans, drained and rinsed (or actual Greek gigante beans. I wonder if you could use fava?)

28 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices

salt and pepper

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Heat oil and cook onion, covered, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook another minute or so.

Transfer the onion and garlic to a 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker. Add beans, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. Just before serving, stir in parsley.

Robin Robertson, Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

Or, an alternate "fabulous faux fassolia":   I sauteed onions in olive oil, added some garlic when the onions were translucent, then poured in half a can (or less) of tomato sauce, and added the other half of my cooked limas. This was incredible. Both hot and then later in the weekend cold, just like it had been in DC. Mmmmmmm

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Red, White, and Greens with Beans Soup

1/2 lb cranberry beans, soaked in salted water overnight

14.5 oz diced tomatoes

1 head garlic, peeled

half bunch of kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Place beans and their brine in slow cooker. Set on HIGH and cook for 2-3 hours.

Add diced tomatoes, garlic, and kale. Season as necessary. Continue to cook on LOW for 4-6+ more hours.

Mommy Hungry

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Risotto e Fagioli

Mama made this for a change of taste. Really yummy, with the surprise pumpkin seeds. This was, I believe, one of our first risottos and soon one of our standbys.

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup white wine

4 ½ cups chicken broth

1 cup cooked, drained, small white beans (can use canned but heat in chicken stock)

½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds (roast at 350 for 5-10 minutes)

½ tablespoon sesame oil

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

 Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add 1 cup rice and toss with oil. Add wine, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, cooking over moderate heat until wine has been absorbed. Add 4 ¼ cups broth to the rice, ½ cup at a time. Wait for each addition to be absorbed before adding the next, until the rice is al dente and a creamy sauce develops. Stir in beans, seeds, sesame oil, and cheese.

Fifty Ways to Cook Most Everything

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Winter Vegetable Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

3/4 cup finely chopped carrot (about 2 carrots)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2-14.5 oz cans Great Northern beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with liquid

2 cups cubed Yukon Gold potato (about 10 oz)

2 1/2 cups water

2-14.5 oz cans vegetable broth

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1-10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry (she left this out--the right decision, I think)

Heat oil in Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes and next 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add spinach; cover and cook 5 minutes.

Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success 2003 (3 pts a cup)

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Lentil and Red Pepper Soup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

4-6 cloves garlic, to your taste, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sweet paprika or pimenton (smoked paprika)

1 large or 2 medium-size red bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1 cup dried brown lentils, picked over and rinsed

5 cups water

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red or white wine vinegar, to your taste

In a medium-sized skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring a few times, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat if they begin to brown. Stir in the paprika and allow it to cook for about a minute more. Add the bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times, until it jus tbegins to soften. Use a heat-resistant rubber spatula to scrape the vegetables and oil into the slow cooker. Add the lentils and water and stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW until the lentils are completely soft, 7-9 hours.

Season the soup with salt and pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, ading more if needed. Serve hot ladled into soup bowls.

Beth Hensperger, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

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What a Dal

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, cut into pieces

2 garlic coves, peeled

1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger (I used my zester)

1 teaspoon ground coriander (nope)

1 teaspoon ground cumin (probably 1/2 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (nope)

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (nope)

[2 1/2 teaspoons Penzey's sweet curry spice, to make up for missing spices]

1 1/2 cups dried brown lentils, picked over and rinsed (I had 1 cup brown lentils and 1/2 cup red)

1 1/2 cups kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups water

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pour the oil into a 4-quart slow cookier and set it on High.

In a food processor, puree the onion, garlic, and ginger and add it to the cooker (I just used my Pampered Chef chopper to mince it all). Cover and cook to mellow the flavor and remove the raw taste while you assemble the other ingredients. Stir in spices and cook, stirring for 30 seconds.

Turn the setting to Low. Add the lentils, kidney beans, and water; cover, and cook for 8 hours. Before serving, season with salt and pper and adjust the other seasonings if necessary.

Robin Robertson, Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

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No Hurry Vegetable Curry

1 tablespoon peanut oil (I used canola)

2 large carrots, sliced on a diagonal

1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander (see above)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (nope, I never add the spicy stuff)

2 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

8 oz green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups homecooked)

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (I had crushed)

2 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

salt

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and onion, cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder, coriander, and cayenne, stirring to coat.

Transfer to 3 1/2-4 quart slow cooked. Add potatoes, green bearns, chickpeas, tomatoes, and stock; cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

Just before serving, stir in peas and coconut milk and season with salt.

from Robin Robertson's Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

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Ethiopian-Inspired Yellow Split Pea Stew

3 cups water plus 2 tablespoons (divided)

1 cup dried yellow split peas

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1 inch-long piece fresh ginger, peeled,

finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

Place 3 cups of the water and the peas in large saucepan. Heat over high heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cook until almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat; cook onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and turmeric; cook 1 minute.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons water; cover. Cook on low heat 3 minutes. Add mixture to cooked peas; stir in salt. Simmer until peas are very soft, about 30 minutes. Taste; adjust seasonings.

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Lentil-Brown Rice Salad

1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over

2 cups brown rice, cooked

1/2 cup feta

8 oz can black olives

salt, pepper to taste

Cook lentils in boiling water (unsalted) for approximately 10 minutes or until al dente (or to your liking. I like mine with just a little resistance). Drain and rinse. Add rice, feta, and olives while still warm so that feta partially melts. Season with salt and pepper.

Suggestions have been made for a squeeze of lemon and some fresh herbs like parsley but I haven't tried that yet. I had also considered a splash of balsamic vinegar, next time.

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My Adaptation of Seed Savers's Heritage Bean Salad

(for original recipe, see here. I would've used the red onion if I'd had one. I think barley would be good in it, too)

1 1/2 cups dried beans (I used a mixture of heirloom beans from Laurel Hill; Seed Savers calls for Lena Cisco's Birds Egg)

Vinaigrette -
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 t. Dijon mustard (I used spicy brown)
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Cook dried beans (I soaked them overnight in salt water) by bringing to a boil for five minutes and then simmering for about 1 1/2 hours. Prepare vinaigrette. Add dressing ingredients while beans are still warm. Chill for several hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Mommy Hungry via Seed Savers

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Mommy Hungry's Rice-Cooker Mujdara


2 cups white rice
2 cups cooked lentils (brown or whatever)
1/4 teaspoons cumin
1 cinnamon stick
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt, divided
pepper
2-4 onions
1-2 tablespoon oil (grapeseed, olive, whatever)

Place rice, lentils, cumin, cinnamon stick, garlic, pepper, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt in rice cooker.  Add water according to machine temperament (my takes about 2 cups for this; Ar-Ma Hungry's hint is to add enough water to cover the rice plus the thickness of one finger horizontal on top of the rice--it works!).  Set to cook white rice.

Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet.  Add onions, sprinkling 1 teaspoon of salt on top, and cook on medium-low to medium heat.  Watch onions and only stir occasionally in order to let them brown.  If they get to dry, add water.  Cook til brown and sweet, about 45-60 minutes. 

When lentil-rice and onions are done, stir together and season to taste.

Mommy Hungry

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Jamie’s Beanbag Soup Recipe

2 cups mixed dried beans

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

Soak dried beans in 6 cups lightly salted water overnight OR boil beans in 6 cups water for 2 minutes and simmer on low for an hour. DO NOT DRAIN.  In olive oil, sauté onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.  Add beans with their liquid to pot with sauteed vegetables and also bay leaf.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 ½-2 hours. 

Optional:  To bulk up the bean soup, you can: 

•                    add spinach or kale (or other greens), fresh or frozen, along with carrots, celery, and onions

•                    add ¾ cup dried macaroni (or orzo) when beans are almost done

•                    make the soup with ½ the beans (1 cup or so) and add a variety of vegetables like green beans, corn, and potatoes for a vegetable soup

Italian version:  Add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning with the salt and pepper.  Later, when beans are almost done, add 1 can diced tomatoes.   

French version:  Use Herbes de Provence with salt and pepper.

Slow Cooker directions:  Place presoaked beans and soaking liquid in 6-quart slow cooker.  Sauté  onions, carrots, celery, seasonings, and garlic in olive oil.  Add these, plus bay leaf and optional vegetables except tomatoes, to slow cooker.  Cook on LOW 6-8 hours, adding tomatoes or other acids and/or pasta in last hour.