Friday, March 21, 2008

Cowboy Hash

Tried this once before with potato slices, then grated potato, but this is the best version yet. I love the corn with the beans and the spuds.
I prefer fresh potatoes in this, but if you don't want to go through the trouble of slicing up potatoes, simply cook this up without the spuds and pop some GF frozen french fries into the oven before you begin. Spoon baked, crispy french fries into a bowl and top with the hamburger and beans. Yummy.



Serves 2
35 minutes
-large saucepan with tall sides
-mandolin slicer
Easy

INGREDIENTS
3 medium red potatoes [-or- OMIT fresh potatoes and bake up a handful of frozen french fries* separately in the oven]
1/2 of a red bell pepper
1 medium yellow onion
10 green onions
handful of fresh cilantro
1/2 lbf. hamburger meat
2 + 2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 tsp. chili powder*
2 tsp. ground cumin*
sea salt and garlic powder*
1 (15 oz.) can sweet corn* (not creamed corn) [-or- 2 ears fresh corn]
1 (15 oz.) can black beans*, drained

*Most all varieties of Ore-Ida french fries are GF!! Cook till golden and crispy (~20 min at 500F, if you place them in the oven while preheating). I suggest 'golden crinkles' for this.
McCormick spices are GF.
All DelMonte canned veggie are GF.
S&W and Bush's beans are GF.

DIRECTIONS
Cut up all veggies:
1. If using fresh potatoes, use a mandolin slicer with to cut potato into semi-thin strips (like you would for french fries). Soak in cold water for 3-5 minutes, then place into large saucepan.
[If using frozen potatoes, turn your oven up to 500 F and spread frozen spuds out on an Aluminum foil-covered pan (single layer). Place into oven while it's preheating. Cook till golden and sizzling (check often near the end of 20 minutes).]
2. Wash, de-seed and chop up the red bell pepper into squares. Wash and peel the yellow onion; also chop up (not too small). Set bell pepper and yellow onion aside.
3. Wash and dice up the green onion. Use both the green stalks and white bottoms, removing the little roots at the end. Wash and dice up the fresh cilantro leaves, removing any excess stem.
4. Turn back to the saucepan. Crumble the half pound of ground beef into the saucepan with the potatoes. Add a splash of water (not too much, just moisten the bottom). Begin cooking on medium-high. Stirring occasionally for about 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Once the meat is thouroughly browned (and water nearly evaporated), add in the chopped bell pepper and yellow onion. Stir. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until onion becomes translucent. If you are using lean hamburger, you might need to add in 2 Tbsp. olive oil.
6. Add in the diced green onion and cilantro. Season generously with chili powder and ground cumin. Also throw in a little sea salt and garlic powder. Stir and let saute for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Open and thoroughly drain both the canned corn and black beans.
8. Once the potatoes are tender and browned (if you're using fresh potatoes) gently stir in the corn and beans and another Tbsp. of olive oil. Turn head down to medium and cook until heated through -- another 3-5 minutes. Serve warm in a bowl, perhaps topped with cheddar cheese or ketchup.
[9. If baking up the frozen fries, remove from oven. Serve topped with bean mixture.]

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Fusilli with Kidney Beans

Don't be fooled by the fancy name. This is just one above plain old Mac & Cheese.
I thought spirals were my favorite Tinkyada pasta until I discovered their Fusilli. Undercook it slightly and you will retain the hollow center of the long, loopy 'curls'. For some reason I think the Kidney beans go best with this type of pasta.
Super super quick. I whip this up all the time on 'crunch' days right before problem sets are due.


I'm trying to post more often, despite not having time to cook up anything better than rice or potatoes with _(insert random vegetable)_.





Serves 1
15 minutes
-medium pot
-can opener
Quick and simple

INGREDIENTS
8 oz. Tinkyada brown rice Fusilli pasta (1/2 of a regular bag)
1 (8 oz.) can Kidney beans (S&W and Bush are GF)-- could use full 15 oz can if you want tons o protein
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese (or good dairy substitute; I use Galaxy Nutritional Foods Rice shreds)
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (Galaxy N.F. also has good Parmesan substitutes)

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring Fusilli pasta to a rolling boil in 2 cups water. Cook until Al dente (tender, but not mushy; around 8 to 10 minutes).
2. Pour out most of the excess water, reserving about 2 Tbsp (roughly) in the bottom of the pot. Turn heat down to medium low.
3. Open and thoroughly rinse kidney beans. Add to the pasta and gently mix. Heat through (just place back on the burner for an additional 1 to 2 minutes)
4. Once heated, add in the cheddar and Parmesean cheese. Stir well to mix and melt the cheese, fully coating the Fusilli. (Don't break up the pasta!) Eat warm right out of the pot.