1 jalape̱o, halved (seeds and ribs removed if desired Рuse gloves or scrape out with a knife)
Dressing: 1 T fresh chives, chopped
pinch cayenne
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 smoked paprika
1/2 t sweet paprika
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 T lemon juice
1/2 T dijon mustard
1/4 C mayo
3/4 C Greek yogurt
2 T olive oil
6 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
Instructions
Cut the top off a head of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap with tinfoil. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Let cool. Squeeze pulp from skin. Mash.
Toss potatoes with 3/4 t salt and 1 1/2 T olive oil. On two baking sheets, roast at 350F for 45-60 minutes, or until potatoes are crispy outside and tender inside (different types of potatoes may vary the amount of cooking time needed). Rotate the baking sheets halfway through to ensure that both pans are ready around the same time.
Place jalapeño cut side down on a baking sheet. Toss beans with remaining olive oil and 1/4 t salt and sprinkle around jalapeño. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Let beans, potatoes, and jalapeños cool completely in the fridge. Chop jalapeño into small pieces.
Whisk dressing ingredients together.
Toss potatoes, beans, jalapeño, and dressing together.
1-2 t coarse red Hawaiian sea salt (or regular sea salt)
1/8 t pepper
pinch cayenne
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
pinch cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t parsley
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T lemon juice
1 T maple syrup
2 C vegetable stock
1-2 C dried black beans (soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed)
8-10 C water
1 large shallot, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 T tomato paste
1/2 C brown rice
2 C spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 T cilantro
salsa, for topping
Greek yogurt (or sour cream), for topping
tortilla chips, for topping
cilantro, for topping
cheddar cheese, grated, for topping
Instructions
Cook beans in Crock Pot with water for 6-8 hours on high.
To beans and liquid add all remaining ingredients except for cilantro, spinach, and toppings. Cook for 1-2 hours on high (or until beans are tender and rice is cooked).
Add spinach and 1/2 T cilantro and cook for 30 minutes more.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve topped with cheese, chips, salsa, yogurt, and a little more cilantro.
This week, I had the‚ privilege‚ of making dinner for a sick friend and his wife. When someone’s ill, there isn’t much one can do to help (doctors and nurses are excluded from this statement). So being able to provide food is a blessing to those of us who want to do something, but other than praying for healing, can’t make it better.
It’s also the case when a new baby arrives. You can’t fix the sleepless nights, but you can bring dinner over so the exhausted parents can have a break. (Hint hint, Andy and Laura, Geoff and Angie, Sean and Paige… If you’re reading this, please can I make you dinner?! I freely admit that it is mostly just an excuse for me to get to hold your wee child. Oh wait, you’re not reading this, because you’re hanging out with your new small person… Right.)
On Tuesday, after making the Roasted Broccoli and Fried Egg Sandwiches for my show, I made this Minestrone Soup for dinner. It was a kinda last minute idea. I had most of the ingredients, and Husband picked up a few extras on the way home from work. It was a chilly day and soup just seemed essential, plus it seemed like a good meal to bring to friends.
I’ve made Minestrone so many times. I’ve written it down twice. Tim loved this particular version so much that, even though it’s probably not too different from some of the others, I wanted to record what I’d done. When he yells that “it’s so freaking good”, it’s hard not to. 🙂
I had it for lunch again the next day. It was just as good, and maybe even a little better.
1 head broccoli diCicco, chopped (including leaves and stems)
3 carrots, chopped
1 shallot or onion, chopped
1/4 C water
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 C peas
1 C kale (or spinach), chopped
3 T balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 to 2 t salt
1 1/2 to 2 C diced tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
1 1/2 to 2 C garbanzo beans, cooked
1 1/2 to 2 C cannellini beans, cooked
3 C vegetable stock
3 C water
1 T Italian herb mix (or a bit of each: oregano, thyme, and basil)
1 t fresh rosemary
1 T lemon juice
lemon wedges, for serving
parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
Heat soup pot, add olive oil; add broccoli, carrot, shallot, and 1 t salt. Cook covered over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/4 C water, cook covered for 5 minutes more. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add vinegar, tomato paste, kale/spinach, broccoli greens, and peas; cook 2 minutes.
Add stock, water, and herbs; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10-20 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Add 1 T lemon juice.
Cook pasta, but do not add to soup. Drain and keep warm.
Add beans to soup, cook 3 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Place a scoop of pasta in a bowl, add soup, and top with parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon.
Notes
This could be made in the Crock Pot too. Add the lemon juice and spinach in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Just cook the pasta separately. Leftovers can be frozen, without pasta.
