Cuban Black Beans and Rice

The other day some lovely person commented on my blog! Perfect timing to encourage me to start posting again.

We're trying to be much better about our budget as we're currently living on one income. And I know we're certainly not alone. I hate that so many families share the battle with unemployment, and I know we are certainly one of the lucky ones. I'm hoping the recipes I cook can be healthy both for us and for our bank account :)

Today I really wanted to go to the bagel shop, but Mishke reminded me that we really didn't need to spend the extra money. And a pantry meal was born:

Cuban Black Beans and Rice (adapted from this Real Simple recipe)

-2 sweet bell peppers (I used orange and yellow for color - it's a really dreary day here in the Northeast!)

-1/3 onion, finely diced

-Garlic to taste

-2 cans black beans (we used Trader Joe's organic)

-1 cup water

-1 tbsp red wine vinegar

-4 servings of rice

The recipe also calls for cilantro, which we would have used but didn't have on hand. We used minute rice. If using regular rice, you should begin the rice first, as the beans are ready in about 20 minutes.

-Sautee peppers, onion, and garlic until caramelized and softened

-Drain and rinse beans and add to skillet

-Add a cup of water and simmer, covered, for ten minutes.

-During this time we made the instant rice

-Turn off the heat, drizzle with red wine vinegar, and mash some of the beans to thicken

-Serve over rice

Cilantro Succotash Quesadillas

This is one of my favorite dinners I've made in a while. It was super fast and convenient and yet totally fresh and healthy. Tasted like a summer meal, even though it certainly doesn't feel like summer out. Brrrrr!

We make quesadillas a lot and I usually do them in a pan. Baking them really helped to keep the loose filling from falling out.

We served these with guacamole and Mishke had black bean dip also.

Cilantro Succotash Quesadillas (inspired by Big Girls, Small Kitchen)
-One frozen bag Trader Joe's Soycutash (recipe suggests making your own using 5 ozs frozen edamame, 15 ozs can corn, and 1/2 small red onion, chopped)
-One 15 ozs can black eyed peas (recipe uses black beans)
-One lime, freshly squeezed
-1/4 cup chopped cilantro
-Few handfuls shredded cheddar jack
-8 wholewheat tortillas

-Preheat oven to 350
Cook soycutash as directed on package and drain in a colander
-To the colander, add can of beans and rinse thoroughly
-Squeeze lime over and mix in cilantro
-Lay tortillas on two cookie sheets without overlapping
-Divide filling mixture evenly among tortillas, spreading only on half of each tortilla
-Fold over and bake until browned and crispy

One for the Freezer: Kale and Pinto Enchiladas

These were some seriously green enchiladas! They were also a great source of vegetarian protein and iron. Yumm.

We doubled the recipe and froze half.

Kale and Pinto Enchiladas (Source: Found on Cate's World Kitchen, originally sourced from Daily Unadventures in Cooking )
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-Diced green chiles
-1 tsp cumin
-2 small zucchini, grated
-1 bunch curly kale, chopped
-1 rinsed can pinto beans
-1/2 cup fresh cilantro
-1 can enchilada verde sauce (if you prefer red sauce there is a great recipe at the link)
-12 small corn tortillas
-Couple handfuls jack cheese

-Preheat oven to 350
-Saute garlic in a large skillet in a little olive oil
-Add jalapenos, cumin, and zucchini and saute a few minutes
-Add chopped kale and saute until slightly wilted
-Remove from heat and stir in pintos, cilantro, and a little enchilada sauce
-Place a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 pan
-Warm the tortillas in a single layer in the oven for 1 minute
-Fill each tortilla with a little filling before rolling and placing seam-side down in the prepared pan
-Top enchiladas with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese
-Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes

Freezer Meal: Black Bean and Corn Chicken Taco Bake

I made this as a test for a freezer meal. If we like it (I'm posting while it's in the oven instead of loading the dishwasher like I should be - but it smells delicious!), I can easily throw together a couple in foil pans, but I'll do it on the day of the week the rotisserie chickens are on sale!

This wasn't on our menu plan for this week. I am bad at planning more than one week at a time. The first week is fine, but by the time I'm into the second week a) I've found a million more recipes I want to make, and b) we seem to have cannibalized the groceries we need for the second week's worth of food. I think for now I should stick to planning a week at a time.

Black Bean and Corn Chicken Taco Bake (Source: Eat At Home Cooks - this awesome site includes weekly menu plans with grocery lists!)
-1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and cut/shredded into bite-sized pieces
-10 small flour tacos
-2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (I used Mexican Jack blend)
-24 ozs black bean and corn salsa (I used 1 16ozs container medium black bean and corn salsa and 1 16ozs container mild chunky salsa)

-Preheat oven to 350
-Mix all ingredients in a greased 13x9 pan (I mixed the mild salsa with the cheese, tacos, and chicken, and then poured the black bean and corn salsa over the top.)
-Bake 45 minutes until hot

I could use some advice - I never know the best way to freeze things. Can I freeze this before cooking (just mix all the ingredients and freeze?) Or should I cook it first?

Feeding the Workers: Tuscan Lentil Soup

I had planned lentil sloppy joes for tonight, but right around when our bathroom painting and floor-laying turned into ripping out walls and floors, and the temperature plunged below 20 degrees, the universe seemed to be crying out for soup- making.

I Google readered (can that be a verb, please?) a lentil soup recipe and found a slew that sounded delicious. Good thing I have plenty of lentils . . .

We were missing a few ingredients and had to subsititute. It made a vat! Great budget meal.

Tuscan Lentil Soup (Source: The Sisters' Cafe)

-1lb small French green lentils, rinsed

-7 cups vegetable broth

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1 onion, chopped

-1 red pepper, chopped

-1 small cup pasta (we used hoops)

-8 ozs spinach, chopped

-1 14ozs can diced tomatoes

-Salt and pepper

-In a large pot, combine the lentils and broth
-Bring to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer
-Cook, partially covered, for approximately 45 minutes, or until lentils are just tender (and then look in the pot and realize almost all the liquid is gone!!)

-In a small skillet, heat the oil.
-Add the onion and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring often, until vegetables are tender
-Set aside
-Bring a medium pan of water to the boil
-Add pasta and cook until al dente
-Stir in pasta, veggies, and spinach to soup and simmer 15 minutes or until warmed through

Squash and Black Bean Chili

We try to eat three meatless meals a week; one fish and two fully vegetarian/vegan. It's good for our health, our budget, and our tastebuds!

This recipe fits all the above categories, and it's fast to prepare.

Mishke made it while I was stuck at a very late meeting, and it was amazing to come home to in my semi-delirious state. I was drooling as soon as I got out of the car.

He made a couple tiny edits based on what we had in the pantry, which are reflected in the recipe below. For the unedited version, which I'm sure is equally delicious, see the link.

We served it (as suggested) with honey cornbread and Harpoon Octoberfest. It made way more than four servings for us. And we eat a lot.

Squash & Black Bean Chili
Source: Love At First Bite (this blog is beautiful. I wish I could take food pics like that!)
Squash and Black Bean Chili

-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 red pepper
-1 medium onion, chopped
-1 stalk celery, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-Dash Frank's Red Hot Sauce
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1 15ozs can black beans
-1 25ozs can refried black beans with jalapenos
-1.5lbs butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
-1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
14 oz. can vegetable broth

-In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pepper, onion, and celery, and cook 5 to 8 minutes or just until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and hot sauce and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring.
-Stir beans, squash, tomatoes, salt and broth into mixture in Dutch oven; cover and heat to boiling.
-Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until squash is tender

Shake Your Bean-Beans

I have no idea if Ricky Martin has anything to do with these beans. But if I were him I wouldn't complain about having my name associated with them. They're so easy, and it's way too easy to eat too many of them.

Ricky Martin's Beans & Rice
Source: On My Menu (tweaked ever so slightly)

-2 tbsp olive oil
-1 chopped onion
-1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-1/4 cup tomato sauce
-3/4 cup water
-1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
-1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-White rice

-In a large saucepan, saute onion, pepper, and garlic in oil until softened
-Stir in water, tomato sauce, and oregano and bring to a boil
-Stir in beans
-Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
-Serve with rice.