Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage

I am a fan of food with some kick, some spice, some heat. This one packs a punch and is so simple. It can easily be thrown together on a weeknight since I call for canned beans. If you're one of those bean purists and want to soak yours overnight and save some coins, have at it. Me? The last time I did the whole "soak overnight" thing, I forgot about them, left the house for the day, and came home to what amounted to the odor of a skunk rotting in August - only it was sitting in my favorite big pot.

Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1lb Andouille sausage
1 red/yellow/OR orange bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (approximately 16oz)
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Heat 1tsp oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Slice the sausage into small rounds and saute for five minutes. You want to heat it through and get a bit of color on the meat. Remove from the pan and cover lightly to keep warm.
2. In the same pan add 1 tsp oil and add the bell pepper and onion. Saute until softened. You do not need to caramelize these.
   
3. Add the garlic and tomatoes with their juice to the bell pepper and onions. Lower the heat to medium to avoid scorching the garlic.
   
4. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the vegetable mixture. Allow to heat through for five (5) minutes, stirring gently so that the beans don't get crushed.
5. Return the sausage to the pan and heat through.

Serving:
While cooking this dish make a pot of your favorite rice. I had jasmine on hand the other night. Even though jasmine rice evokes memories of Thai or Indian food, it paired well with the beans and Andouille.

Serve the dish in bowls with rice on the bottom and the bean mixture spooned on top. The addition of a bit of sour cream or Greek yogurt and freshly-chopped scallions adds freshness to the dish.

Notes

Sausage:
Don't know what Andouille sausage is all about? Take a gander.
You can use the easy-to-find Johnsonville brand in almost any grocery store. I've always had great luck speaking with managers when a brand I like isn't on the shelves. Never once has any manager told me he/she wouldn't be able to order what I requested. Well-stocked meat departments in grocery stores are beginning to carry Andouille in their meat cases. A mail-order company that offers high-quality Andouille is Jacob's out of Louisiana.

Spice:
The sausage packs quite a wallop for some people. If your taste buds can handle the heat, see the variations below.

Seasonings:
I didn't use additional seasonings in this quick recipe. Purists might blanch at the thought of omitting salt and pepper, among other items. The Andouille I use truly has enough seasonings in it to support the taste of the entire dish. Also, the use of canned tomatoes and beans adds some sodium. I liked how the bell pepper and onion provided just the right amount of aromatics to complement the deepness of the Andouille.

Variations:
Replace the Andouille with a mild smoked sausage, shrimp, or chicken. If you do not use the Andouille, I'm suggesting the addition of the following spices/herbs to beef up the flavor of your dish:
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 tsp chili powder

Zucchini-Onion Frittata

I found this one on Cooking Light's website. I'm a Cooking Light whore and am proud of it! Frittatas are so very easy and naturally lend themselves to the whims of the cook's palate because so many ingredients can be substituted depending on what's in the fridge, the garden, the season, in general. Enjoy!

I'd suggest using a spring mix with a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper to round out a meal.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

8 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Garnish: chopped seeded plum tomatoes

Preparation

Melt butter with oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; add zucchini and onion, and sauté 12 to 14 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients at least 1 minute or until well blended. Pour over vegetable mixture.
Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until set; increase oven temperature to broil, and broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and basil. Garnish, if desired.

Lightened Zucchini-Onion Frittata:

Reduce butter to 1 tablespoon, and omit oil.

Sauté zucchini and onion as directed; remove from heat. Reduce grated Parmesan cheese to 1/4 cup, stirring 2 tablespoons into vegetable mixture.

Substitute 1 (15-ounce) carton garden vegetable egg substitute for 8 eggs and 1/4 cup low-fat milk for 1/4 cup milk, and whisk together with salt and pepper. Pour over vegetable mixture.

Bake as directed; do not broil. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese and basil. Garnish, if desired.
Yield
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Balsamic Peppers and Onions

Very simple stuff here. I'm trying to make more homemade veggies to compliment proteins and starches. The kid may not be adventurous with veggies just yet, but I know the Pack Mule will eat anything I put in front of him for fear that he will have an empty plate one evening.

I stumbled on a beautiful bottle of balsamic vinegar yesterday when the kid and I were perusing things at Fresh Market. I couldn't resist it. Here's what I threw together with the thick, dark, pungent goodness.

Balsamic Peppers and Onions

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced in half-moons

1 red bell pepper, sliced in strips

1 orange bell pepper, sliced in strips

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

2-3 Tbl balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet to medium to medium-high heat, add the olive oil, and toss with onions and peppers.


2. Stir quickly. You don't want the veggies to burn. A slight carmelization is the only kind of color you're looking for here.


3. After cooking for 7-10 minutes, throw in the salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.


4. Turn the heat down to a slow simmer allowing the vinegar to become glossy and thick.


5. Serve hot.

Notes:

Balsamic
I'm a snob. I'm ok with paying $20-$30 a bottle for a good balsamic vinegar. If you're not used to the dark loveliness that is balsamic, you can buy whatever you like. The good stuff sometimes overwhelms the palates of people who are unfamiliar with it.

Time-saver
Stop by the almighty produce department and pick up a bowl of the pre-sliced peppers and onions.

Variations
Use mushrooms (cremini, anyone?), zucchini, or eggplant to beef up the veggie content. Be sure to increase the amount of balsamic you use so the veggies don't become plain Janes.

Serving:

Grilled or sauteed fish such as sea bass, swordfish, and cod pair nicely with the veggies served on top. Grilled shrimp with this as a side is also great. The thickened vinegar will add a delicious undertone to the entire dish.

Grilled chicken. It's a no-brainer here, kids. Use some coriander and fennel as a rub on the chicken and see how it pairs with the peppers. Divine simplicity.

Atop polenta, quinoa, brown rice, or pasta. If you choose to use pasta, double the recipe so you're pasta becomes coated with the reduced sauce. Try tossing on some crumbled feta or ricotta salata to add some protein.

Feedback:

This worked exceptionally well as a reheated dish as well. I have made this early in the morning and heated it through for lunch or dinner later in the day as well as the next night as a leftover. And? It's CHEAP.

Potato-Cheese Casserole

A casserole, at least in my world, needs to have some cheese. Please don't talk to me about gut-clogging fat. Just eat in moderation, ok, folks? In addition, this particular bit of goodness is EASY. I'm talking stupid easy. Simplicity at its best.

You can throw this sucker together when you get home from work and are debating whether or not to sell your children to the highest bidder because they won't do their homework but WILL argue with each other incessantly. Or. Just for kicks, throw it together in 10 minutes or less before leaving for work and let it sit in the fridge while you're at work - knowing that you're halfway to dinner before even leaving work.

Good. Now take a look at this.

The finished product is cheesy goodness.


Potato-Cheese Casserole
Ingredients

1 20oz package of pre-shredded fresh potatoes
1 1/2 C shredded cheese, divided
3/4 C low-fat sour cream
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 c green onions, thinly sliced


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8X8 or similar size pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Combine potatoes, 1C cheese, sour cream, seasonings, and green onions in a bowl.

3. Spread the potato mixture in the pan and top with the remaining 1/2 C cheese

4. Bake for 45 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top. Be sure to keep an eye on the dish the first time you make it because oven times vary. If yours browns the cheese too quickly, cover the pan with foil and uncover for the last 15 minutes.


Notes:

Potatoes: This recipe is based on using the PLAIN potatoes. The freshly-shredded potatoes can also be purchased with "Southwestern spices." I used these in the original recipe and omitted the salt and pepper. The spices were JUST RIGHT without having to adjust anything.

Cheese: I used Monterey Jack because I adore how it melts and becomes ultra-creamy. Cheddar fan? Go ahead. Cheese is cheese. Use what you like!

Additions: Chop 1/4 C each of onion and green or red pepper and add to the mixture. Finely chop fresh mushrooms to add a different texture to the casserole.


Feedback:

The Pack Mule was digging on the casserole. He is a potato whore and will eat them any way I fix them. I made this casserole on a day when my house was under attack from a bunch of neighborhood boys who would pop into the kitchen every five minutes asking for lemonade or a snack. I served the potatoes with grilled sirloin steaks for the Pack Mule and crab legs for me. We loved the spicy nature of the dish since I used the preseasoned Southwestern potatoes, but Butter wouldn't touch it because of the aroma of the hot peppers.

Could I have shredded my own and added my own spices? Sure. But this is simple stuff. I'm approaching D-Day with my work schedule and am willing to take a bullet from the "I Cannot Believe You Bought Prepared Stuff!" people.

Soyrizo and Beans

Batten down the hatches.I have "invented" a new recipe with SOY. No meat here, kids. Nope. You can always throw in something from a cloven hoof if you feel the need, but I don't think it's necessary here.

Ingredients:

29oz can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 package of Soyrizo (look for it in the produce section with the tofu, egg roll wrappers, etc.)
1 cup salsa - I used Newman's own.
1 cup Sofrito (made by Goya - a mixture of tomatoes, onions, green peppers, garlic, and cilantro)

Tortillas and/or rice
Fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and chopped onion
Shredded cheese of your choice

Directions:

1. Remove the Soyrizo from the plastic casing and saute until heated through, browned, and slightly crispy.
2. Add the Sofrito and salsa and mix thoroughly.
3. Add the humongous amount of beans.
4. Allow to heat through completely.

Notes:

You'll notice the shortage of "fresh" vegetables here. There are plenty of tomatoes, onions, and garlic in the salsa and sofrito. If you want to beef up the veggies. Go for it. I didn't feel the need. Obviously.

"What ARE these things she's talking about?" Here. Take a gander at the pics. You can easily find these items in your everyday grocery store.

Variations:

Serve over rice (white, brown, or some made with Sazon!) or in warmed flour tortillas with shredded sharp cheddar or monterey jack, low-fat sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
I know there are some of you out there who can't stomach the "soapy" taste you get when eating cilantro. If that's you, chop up some fresh parsley. Nothing says loving like fresh herbs. I ate this in the tortilla and folded it up burrito style.

You NEED meat? Add some meat. Real chorizo, ground beef, tips, whatever. My only caution is that if you're going to use anything other than chorizo or another kind of sausage is to SEASON the meat before searing and cooking. I'd say salt, pepper, ground ancho chiles or plain old chile.

Feedback:

I fed this to my husband who states that a meal is not a meal unless there is something that's come from a cloven hoof. He had NO IDEA the chorizo was actually soy and will NEVER find out!

Zucchini Fritters

I found this recipe on a night when I knew I wanted to use some zucchini I'd picked up at the farmer's market. I'd purposely chosen some of the larger ones because they were cheaper and could be easily used in a recipe calling for shredded zucchini. I have this "thing" about cooked zucchini: I can only eat it in small chunks, shredded, or grilled. The high water content makes it feel gross in my mouth if it's in large pieces.

Needless to say, I went in to the afternoon planning for the evening meal with "shredded zucchini on my mind. This lovely and so very simple dish is adapted from the Skinny Chef. I've seen other adaptations and ideas on blogs and other sites over the years but viewing a recipe that I was certain I'd like on a site that has "skinny" in its title made me try it.

Zucchini Fritters (adapted from http://www.skinnychef.com/ )

Ingredients
3 C zucchini, shredded

1 egg lightly beaten

1/2 cup grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8-1/4 tsp nutmeg

scant 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the zucchini in a large bowl.
2. Whisk to form a batter, removing large lumps, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the grated zucchini it to the bowl. The moisture from the zucchini will produce a batter. Use your HANDS in this one. Stirring with a spoon is just not something I normally do. I’m a hands-on chick. Try it. You’ll like it. And the consistency once you add that zucchini? Goopy goodness. If you have kids who won’t fling this stuff around your kitchen, let ‘em get down and dirty with this stuff. They’ll love you as much as my kid does!
4. Use the batter immediately.
5. Heat olive or canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using a 1/4-cup measure, pour out 3-4 cakes. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Drain on paper towel

Serves 2-4.

Notes:

Moisture: Please believe me when I say you should NOT add any extra moisture to this recipe. When you see how dry and crumbly the batter will be before adding the shredded zucchini, you’ll be hard-pressed to not dump in some water or milk. DO NOT do this.

Mixing: Use your hands. But for all that’s holy, will you PLEASE remember to take off your rings before you do this? I never remember to take off my wedding rings and always get chunks of zucchini and soupy batter stuck under the diamonds. Learn from the error of my ways. Someone should.

Variations:

I’ve doubled the recipe and used ½ Parm and ½ mozzarella with good results. I don’t recommend using a cheese with a high moisture content (fresh mozzarella) because the batter and resulting fritters will likely be very soupy. You want crunch with these babies.Serve hot or at room temperature. These will be great on a buffet because they retain their quality really well. If serving them as an appetizer, I’d recommend using a tablespoon measure for each fritter.

Feedback:

The husband LOVED these things. Loved them. The kid? Not so much. He knew they were “fried” and heard daddy raving about them but wouldn’t touch them. His loss is my gain.

Tuna Melts

As a general rule, I am not a fan or tuna or mayo. However, once or twice a year, I get a craving for tuna fish sandwiches – and especially like a tuna melt. The OCD weirdo in me will NOT eat tuna salad of any sort unless it’s been prepared in my own kitchen. I don’t care where you take me – high-class, low-class – I’m not eating it unless I’ve prepared it. This shocks a lot of people who’ve seen me eating in plenty a greasy spoon.

This fear of the unknown tuna likely goes back to my experience in the third grade when I ate tuna that wasn’t so fresh and ended up heaving my guts out next to my school bus while all of the kids watched in horror and fascination. So. I’m now 38 years old in the grand year of 2009 and eat tuna. Like I said, maybe once or twice year. (Don’t let my nasty gut heaver story stop you from making this one! Please.)

Tuna Melts

Ingredients
2 6-ounce cans of white albacore tuna packed in water
2 Tbs of non-fat plain yogurt
2 Tbs mayonnaise
¼ C onion – finely diced or shredded using a box grater
½ C shredded carrot
½ tsp salt
4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
1 C part-skim mozzarella, cheddar, or the cheese of your choice

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400º F.
2. Drain tuna, dump into a bowl, and “shred” with a fork to break up the large chunks
3. In a small bowl combine the yogurt, mayo, onion, carrot, and salt until well combined and add to the tuna. Mix gently. You don't want to pulverize the poor tuna. It's already been put through the ringer in the ocean, ok kids?
4. Spread the tuna over the 4 slices of bread and top with the cheese.
5. Bake 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.
6. Serve immediately. You don’t want some nasty mush-like mess, do you?
7. Serves 2 (generously)

Notes:
Carrots: I always self-shred. The stuff that’s pre-bagged is just too chunky for my tastes.
Onion: I tend to veer toward grating the onion on a box grater because it turns the onion into a “juice” of sorts. I don’t like chunks of onion in my tuna. (I now see from where my son's gotten his whole texture issue. More mother guilt. Bring it on.)
Yogurt: Using the yogurt obviously cuts down on the fat calories in this recipe. I am not a fan of mayo and tend to like tuna salad that’s much drier than most people.
Mayo: Low-fat, full-fat, no-fat? The debate lives on. Use what you like. You’re the person eating the food. If you deny what you truly want, you’ll end up overdosing on the very taste and/or texture you were craving in the first place. My favorite mayo (if there is such a thing!) is Hellman’s. I grew up on Hellman's and won’t touch the “salad dressing” mayo stuff that’s on the market.
Bake time: Some people would disagree with the short bake time. I don’t like my tuna “warm.” I like the cheese melted and the tuna tepid. Do what you like best! You’re the one eating!

Variations:
Add celery, hot sauce, and/or chopped pickles.Don’t toast the bread if you like things less “crunchy.”

Feedback:
The husband and kid didn’t want to try this. The husband thought there were too many “of those vegetables in there!” If he had his way, tuna would be ½ tuna and ½ mayo. Literally. I can’t stomach that sorta thing. He’s the kind of person who will order tuna in a deli and ask for “extra mayo.” Gah. The kid? He loathes mixing his food and doesn’t have a taste for tuna yet. Time will tell on that one.

Foccacia

I've finally made a true foray into baking with yeast. Until today, I'd consciously avoided recipes requiring me to create that perfect chemistry of yeast, a food source for that persnickety yeast, and a liquid at some sort of "perfect" temperature I never could seem to obtain.

Until TODAY. I made some simple foccacia following directions from Kittencal's Kitchen. http://kittencalskitchen.com/2009/05/10/kittens-olive-foccacia/

I was able to knead the dough easily. It came together so simply, and I actually had my four year old help me knead. He was a happy chip chappy.

The dough only needs to rise ONCE and does so in an hour. I threw mine into the oven when I left to pick up some fresh veggies for a salad. I have a gas stove-top, and the pilot light provided just the right conditions for the required rise. I baked it according to Kittencal's directions.

I chose to use sea salt, olive oil, dried oregano and basil, and freshly grated Parmesan for toppings.

If you live in fear of yeast - try this one. It'll give you confidence!

Variations:
Kittencal's original recipe calls for olives and suggests using onions as well.
I see feta, thinly-sliced onions, and roasted red peppers as a natural grouping.
I also love provolone and pine nuts as a pairing.
I'm going to use the dough to make TWO thin foccacia loaves and will mound a salad of mixed greens that have been dressed with lemon juice and olive oil on top of the hot bread. I love salad and bread together.

Feedback:
My husband and son almost fell over with joy when I placed the finished product on the table. They were both pleased and munched with glee.