And now for even more culinary merry-making: tomorrow is Fat Tuesday, the last hurrah of the Mardi Gras season.  Down in New Orleans they’ll be celebrating with parades, over-the-top parties, and all kinds of naughty foods and libations.  The following day the party’s over, and Ash Wednesday will mark the beginning of Lent.

What are you going to give up?  I haven’t decided yet.  Maybe I’ll give up playing hooky from spin class.  (*rolls eyes*.)

Anyway, here are two great recipes to help you celebrate Fat Tuesday tomorrow.  I think they’re both terrific!  Red Beans and Rice are traditional Cajun / Creole fair – so down to earth and homey.  This short-cut version won’t win any beauty contests, but if you can get past that it is yuuuummy! I used andouille sausage (on sale through tomorrow) in mine, but you could tone down the spiciness by using regular kielbasa.  The list of ingredients is short and the dish will come together in no time, you’ll just need to allow about an hour for it to simmer away on the stove.

Along with simple roasted asparagus on the side, I’m also going to serve these delicious spicy baked shrimp.  These are more of an appetizer, but I thought they’d be a fun addition to a Fat Tuesday table…what the heck, the shrimp are on sale!  These are so outstanding – and you’ll want to serve a hunk of crusty French bread alongside them to soak up the sweet and spicy sauce.  Heavenly!

Oh, and by the way – if you’re looking for a nice wine pairing – my friend Kevin at the Mequon store suggested either the Cline Red Zinfandel (around $11.00), or the Michel Picard Vouvray (also $11.00).  I can’t wait for 5:00!  J

Enjoy!

SHORT CUT RED BEANS & RICE
Serves:  6

Source:  epicurious.com

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 pound fully cooked smoked sausage, sliced into ½” thick rounds (Usinger’s Andouille is on sale)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 14 ½ oz. cans kidney beans (undrained)
• 1 c. low-salt chicken broth (Imagine Organic Broth is on sale)
• 1 t. Creole or Cajun seasoning (I used Emeril’s Bayou Blast)

• 3 c. hot cooked rice

Heat olive oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add sausage, onion, and garlic and sauté until onion is brown, about 15 minutes.  Mix in kidney beans with their juices, broth, and Creole seasoning.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until flavors are blended and mixture is very thick, stirring occasionally, about one hour.  (I took the lid off toward the end to let mine reduce a little more).

Divide cooked rice among large shallow soup bowls.  Spoon bean mixture over rice and serve.

SPICY BAKED SHRIMP

Serves: 4

Source:  epicurious.com

• ½ c. olive oil
• 2 T. Cajun or Creole seasoning
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 T. honey
• 1 T. soy sauce
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 lb. raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined

• Lemon wedges
• Warm French bread

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a 9×13” baking dish.  Add shrimp and toss to coat.  Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450.  Bake shrimp until they’re cooked through, stirring occasionally, 10-12 minutes.  Garnish with lemon wedges and serve shrimp with French bread.

One major food issue for me was that No-Thank-You-Boy turned 14 yesterday.  FOURTEEN.  I can’t even go there, it pains me so.  For surely I am not old enough to have a fourteen year old?  I don’t feel old enough, anyway.  *Le sigh.* Needless to say, I drowned my middle-age sorrows in ham fried rice, egg rolls, and fried wontons (the menu of Birthday Boy’s choosing), followed by a slice of homemade chocolate cake and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream – it was deeeee-lish.  And I’m gonna pay for it all quite dearly at the gym this morning.

After I do my caloric penance at the hands of a ruthless Spin instructor, I’m going to behave myself for the rest of the week.  I pinky swear.  This evening the DamFam will dine on this yummy low fat, but fabulous pork tenderloin dish.  Neither the husband,  or any of the punks can tell one iota that this is a lean and healthy dish.  Come to think of it – neither can I!

ENJOY!!  Have a great week.

Recipe Note:  I had my flame a weee bit high when I seared the pork, and I ended up blackening it instead of searing it – what a total loser move!  Don’t be like me, please.  I really don’t recommend it.  Just follow the directions, you’ll have a lovely sear, and all will be well with the world…and with your dinner.

ADOBO RUBBED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH BLACK BEAN PICO DE GALLO

Serves:  4-5

Source:  epicurious.com

Spice Rub & Pork:

• 1 t. paprika
• 1 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 t. coarse salt
• ½ t.  chili powder
• 1 t. brown sugar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 3- to 4-oz pieces (Value Packs are on sale)
• Neutral cooking oil

Black Bean Pico de Gallo:

• 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 T. red onion, finely diced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro, additional sprigs for garnish
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and deveined, minced
• 1 avocado, diced (optional)
• ½ t. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• 1 t. olive oil

• Flour tortillas for serving (optional)

For pork: Preheat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix paprika, black pepper, salt, chili powder, sugar, and cayenne. Rub both sides of each tenderloin piece with spice mixture. Allow to sit, covered, for 30 minutes or so.  Preheat 1-2 teaspoons of oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.  Pan-sear pieces until golden brown on both sides (about 3 minutes). Transfer to oven until done (6 to 7 minutes for each inch of thickness).

To make pico: mix all ingredients; taste and correct seasonings.  To serve:  place a scoop of pico de gallo on plate, top with pork.  Garnish with cilantro sprigs.  Serve with warm flour tortillas if desired.

I’d never made this recipe before the other day, so it’s a new one for me.  The whole DamFam really, really liked it though — except for you-know-who, but of course we’ve come to expect that from him.  Anything these kiddos can top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and chips seems to go over pretty well; hopefully your punks will dig it too!

I put it over hot basmati rice for something a little different – you could skip this if you want, but I liked it this way.  I recommend using a BIG ol’ pot, because this recipe makes a TON!  Even after we had it for dinner and I had a bowl for lunch, there was still enough to freeze for another meal.  Like most soups and stews, the flavors improved (and it got much thicker) as the chili sat in the fridge overnight.

Don’t be afraid of the chocolate; it doesn’t make the chili sweet – it just give it more of a Mexican mole flavor.  I added about half of the amount the recipe calls for.  Have fun with all of the toppings – I loved mine with a hefty dose of hot sauce (my favorite is Frontera brand, yum!).

Enjoy!

TURKEY & PINTO BEAN CHILI

Serves:  6-8

Source:  adapted from epicurious.com

• 1 T. vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 lbs. ground turkey (on sale)
• 3 T. chili powder
• 1 ½ t. cumin
• 1 ½ t. dried oregano
• 3 – 15 oz. cans pinto beans, drained
• 2 – 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes (try the sale fire-roasted Hunts tomatoes)
• 3 c. chicken broth (Imagine Organic broth is on sale)
• Chopped fresh cilantro to taste (I probably used 2 T.)
• 1 oz. semisweet chocolate, grated with a microplane or regular grater

• Hot cooked basmati rice
• Tortilla Chips and Shredded Cheese
• Sour Cream and Hot Sauce
• Sliced scallions and cilantro sprigs for garnish if desired

Place a very large stock pot over medium high heat.  Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.  Add the onions, peppers, and garlic and sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes.  Add turkey and sauté until no longer pink, breaking up large pieces with the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 minutes (I drained off all of the grease at this point).  Mix in chili powder, cumin, and oregano and stir one minute.  Add beans, tomatoes with their juices, broth, and grated chocolate.  Bring chili to a boil (it will not look pretty at this point).  Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until chili thickens, about an hour.  Add chopped fresh cilantro; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place hot cooked rice in the bottom of individual serving bowls.  Top with chili and serve with assorted toppings.

I ate too much this weekend.  And if you want the truth, I went overboard on the  cocktails, too – we went to a really fun (LATE) dinner party on Friday, then out to the lake on Saturday, and had company on Sunday.  The weather was gorgeous, and I just felt like livin’ it up and indulged just a teensy bit too much.

It’s time to get back on track, and I’m going to be really, really good today.  I just ate an apple (a Jazz apple, I’m totally hooked – you must try them!);  I’m munching a bunch of grapes and pounding ice water by the quart to re-hydrate and flush all the junk out of my system.  I might even go a little crazy and EXERCISE later.  I know, right?  Look out.

I like to go ‘veggie’ for a few days when I’ve abused my body like this, and a perfect way to get back on track is with this delicious black bean soup.  If you didn’t know this already, black beans are virtually fat free, they’re a great source of fiber and antioxidants, and … they’re on SALE through today, yippee!  This soup feels filling, and if you go easy on the shredded cheese and sour cream, it’s very healthy too.   My kids totally dig it and have absolutely no earthly idea that it’s good for them — cheap, healthy, and a total nutritional fake out,  I love it!

Alongside I like to serve these crispy roasted vegetable quesadillas; again, these can be made quite healthy if you go light on the cheese and don’t oil your griddle with too heavy a hand.  I’m making mine with the sale LaBanderita tortillas (which I have leftover from the burritos last week), the sale red onions, and the Colby Jack that’s on sale in the cheese department (you’ll have to shred this yourself).  Choose from one of the three brands of salsas that are on sale (Frontera, Manny’s, or Newmans!) to dunk the quesadillas.

I’m off to the gym.  Hope I remember how to get there.

If you have the luxury of time, make the soup earlier in the day.  It gets better the longer it sits!

Serves:  6-8 for dinner

Source:  Adapted from epicurious.com

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 very large yellow onion (on sale!), diced
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 ½ t. dried thyme
• 5 – 15 oz. cans black beans, drained (LaPreferida brand, on sale)
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 1 – 28 oz. can and 1 – 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes with their juice
• 3 t. ground cumin
• 1 t. ground chipotle powder (or regular chili powder)
• Generous pinch of chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, cut in to wedges
• 2 – 3 scallions, chopped
• Shredded cheese and sour cream for serving, if desired

Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and thyme; sauté until onion is tender, about 8 minutes.  Add beans, broth, tomatoes with juices, cumin, and chili powder.  Bring soup to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until flavors blend and soup thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree half of the soup in blender until smooth (see note).  Mix puree back in to soup in pot. Stir in cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice to taste, and season with salt and pepper.  Ladle soup in to bowls and top with sliced scallions, shredded cheese and sour cream if desired.

NOTE * BLENDING  HOT LIQUIDS 101: If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ve heard it before.  Unless you enjoy cleaning soup off of yourself, your cabinets, and your ceiling, please, please, please do not 1). Fill your blender to the top with hot soup, and then 2). Put the lid on tightly, and then 3).  Turn it on full blast.  (I’m telling you these things because 1). I like you, and 2). I don’t want your scalded self and your messed up kitchen on my conscience!)

To call this a ‘recipe’ is kind of silly – it’s really more of a guideline, because if you can make a grilled cheese sandwich, you can make a quesadilla.  Swap in most any vegetable that you like; sometimes I throw baby bella mushrooms or zucchini in the mix too!  Have fun!

ROASTED VEGETABLE QUESADILLAS

Serves:  4-6 for dinner

Source:  Adapted from epicurious.com

• ½ – 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut in to 1” pieces
• 1 large red onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 1 – 2 T. olive oil
• 6 large flour tortillas (I’m using the LaBanderita 10” sale tortillas)
• ½ – ¾ lb shredded cheese (I’m using the sale Colby-Jack, but feel free to swap in shredded Pepper Jack, which is also terrific in these)
• Chopped fresh cilantro to taste
• Cooking spray
• Salsa or Pico de Gallo for serving
• Sour cream for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 500.

Line a large cookie sheet with foil for easier cleanup.  Place the vegetables on the pan and toss with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast vegetables until tender and lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally, about 10-12 minutes.  Cool vegetables.

Preheat the broiler.

Place three tortillas on a work surface.  Sprinkle each lightly with some of the cheese, then divide vegetables evenly among the tortillas.  Top with more shredded cheese and chopped cilantro.  Cover with the remaining three tortillas.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place the quesadillas on the baking sheet, spray the top tortilla with cooking spray.  Broil the quesadillas until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Carefully turn the quesadillas and broil the second side until golden brown, an additional 2 minutes.

Alternately, make the quesadillas on your cooktop, like a grilled cheese.  This is what I always do, because I don’t trust my broiler!

I made my very first attempt at beef brisket last night, and it was a smashing success with the DamFam!  Wooo hooo!  You must be thinking that if beef brisket is enough to get me this fired up, I probably need to either meet some new people or find a different hobby (both could be true).  But really, this recipe is quite good, worth getting excited about, and definitely worth sharing with you.

I’d never had brisket before yesterday, but it’s on sale ($3.79/lb!) so I decided to give it a go.    I don’t think brisket is a cut my mom ever made when we were kids, although we ate a lot of Sunday chuck roasts, which are similar in texture to brisket.  These cuts are also similar in that they need to be cooked low and slooooowwwww.  I’m not gonna lie, you can’t pull this recipe together in 30 minutes or less.  But if you have the luxury of time, you’re gonna love it!  Plus, you won’t believe how incredible your house will smell while it’s in the oven.

We used the brisket as a filling for burritos last night, although that’s not how the original recipe was intended.  But the LaBanderita 10” flour tortillas are on sale so I thought, why not?  We stuffed them full of shredded lettuce (iceberg again, if you must know) and cheese, rolled them up, and called it dinner.  I will definitely do this recipe again this winter — maybe over poblano mashed potatoes?  Mmm.   Now there’s a thought.  Help me remember, will you?

Alongside, we had the DamFam’s favorite black beans (look for the LaPreferida brand, on sale).  The recipe is by chef Rick Bayless, (love him!) and is one of my stand-bys – I always have the ingredients on hand in my pantry.  They’re so much better than plain-old canned refried beans, and not really that much work.

As I mentioned, I braised the brisket in the oven because (and here’s a confession) I’m plum terrified of putting a tough cut of meat like this on the grill for an extended period of time.  I knew I would wreck it, so I felt that the oven was a safer route.  I really need to overcome my fear of the fire sometime – does anyone want to take a grilling class? Call me.

Here are both recipes.  I’m giving you the brisket recipe as it was originally intended.  If you’d like to use it as a filling for burritos, just pick up some tortillas, lettuce, and cheese, and allow your diners to assemble their own at the table.  ENJOY!

BEER BRAISED BRISKET WITH BARBECUE SAUCE

Serves: 5-6

Source:  Adapted from The Best American Recipes 2004-05, Edited by F. McCullough & Molly Stevens, pp. 136-138

Dry Rub & Brisket:

• 2 t. sea salt
• 2 T. firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 T. paprika
• 2 t. chili powder
• 1 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 t. onion powder
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 – 3 lb. piece beef brisket (on sale, $3.79/lb), blotted dry with paper towels
• 1 bottle of mild beer

BBQ Sauce:

• 1 c. purchased barbecue sauce (I always use KC Masterpiece Original)
• ½ c. purchased salsa (speaking of Rick Bayless, choose one of his Frontera salsas, also on sale for $3.19)
• Hefty splash of cider vinegar (adjust this to your taste)
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix the dry rub ingredients together and pat about 3 tablespoons per side into the brisket, rubbing it in with your fingers.  Allow the brisket to sit for a couple of hours (covered) or over night in the fridge.

When ready to cook the brisket, preheat the oven to 325.  Place the brisket into a roasting pan large enough for it to fit flat on the bottom.  Pour the beer around the brisket, cover the pan tightly with foil, and place it in the oven.  Cook for 2 hours at 325, then reduce the oven temperature to 300 and continue cooking for an additional 2 ½ hours (this time is based on 1 ½ hours / pound; if you decide to go with a bigger brisket, then adjust your cook time accordingly).  Remove from the oven.  Transfer meat to a cutting board, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer; cook and stir until thickened and flavorful, 5 to 8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Thinly slice meat across the grain.  Transfer meat to a platter and spoon some of the barbecue sauce over the meat, serving the rest on the side.

COWBOY BEANS

Serves: 5-6

Source:  Mexican Everyday, by Rick Bayless with Deanna Groen Bayless

• 4 slices of thick-cut bacon, chopped (I used two slices, it was fine)
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• ½ can fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles (save the other half and freeze it for next time), OR ½ can fire-roasted tomatoes and 1 small can of diced chiles
• 2 – 15 oz. cans of black beans or pinto beans, undrained
• Chopped fresh cilantro, minced – hefty pinch, plus an additional sprig for garnish if desired

In a medium sauce pan, sauté the bacon over medium high heat until browned and crispy.  Add the garlic, sauté for 10 seconds or so.  Immediately add the tomatoes and chiles; cook and stir for 3 minutes.  Add the beans (with their liquid).  Bring to a simmer.  Continue to simmer until beans begin to thicken, about 25 minutes.  (I like to crush mine slightly with a potato masher at this point to achieve a smoother texture, but this is entirely up to you.)  Stir in the chopped cilantro, transfer to a serving dish.  Garnish with cilantro sprigs if desired.