This chili has three kinds of beans in it.
Need I say more?
Okay, fine, I’ll say a little bit more. I’m admittedly obsessed with beans. From black beans in Pico de Gallo Salad to the pinto beans I always add to my burrito bowl at Chipotle to the kidney beans that cover my everyday salads, I just plain love beans. So when I saw this recipe over on The Little Things, I pretty much died and went to Heaven.
This dish sure puts a smile on my face. Not only was it delicious the day it was made/subsequently inhaled, I also spent half of the following day eagerly anticipating eating the leftovers for lunch. It’s filling, flavorful, and frighteningly addictive.
I can tell that you’re itching to make it for yourself, so I’ll stop blabbering and get to cooking…
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and this recipe is living proof. The instant I saw it gracing the web pages over at Brown-Eyed Baker I had to make it. No question, these cinnamon-sugar goodies were paying a visit to my kitchen faster than you can say “Brit-Lit homework can wait!”
Thanks to the weeks of cookies, bars, and other sweet things that have been featured on this blog recently, I’m now on a little bit of a health kick. That, and the subtle tightening of one’s blue jeans is a very sobering experience.
The good news is that beautifully healthy food and beautifully delicious food is something that can go hand-in hand, Quinoa-Stuffed Bell Peppers being one such example. In fact, not only does this dish go for 250 calories a serving, but it’s also filled with colorful veggies and exotic flavor. Thanks to the quinoa, it’s also great for those of you who want to avoid rice and pasta, seeing as quinoa is actually a relative of beets and spinach. All these ingredients combined create a savory, filling meal that’s good for your body and your taste buds.
Before we begin, there is something I need to get out of the way. Please indulge me in my geekiness and pronounce “ceviche” correctly.
“seh-vee-chay”
Not “suh-vee-chee”
I think it’s important to document kitchen failures along with successes for two reasons. One, to show that culinary disasters are pretty much an everyday occurrence and that everybody experiences them. Two, because I’m not ready to go to the grocery store just yet, so any other cooking has been put on hold for a day or two.
What I’m saying is that it’s important to remember that mistakes and mishaps are an essential part of cooking. That’s how you improve a recipe, discover a better one, or simply learn that you have a new least-favorite food. It’s all part of the journey.
Many times while I was making these pancakes I wondered what I was doing. Things get a bit iffy when a recipe contains mashed bananas, not to mention the addition of mushy oatmeal. Too much mush for me, or so I thought. As far as food texture goes, mushy is not one that particularly calls to me. Crunchy? Creamy? Yes and yes. Mushy? Eh, not so much. However, it could be worse than mushy. Don’t even get me started about my feelings towards the adjective “toothsome”.
I know it’s not particularly gourmet, being instant noodles, but this Mi Goreng Satay is fast becoming my new obsession. Being an instant ramen fanatic for many years, it’s really no surprise that my love for this culinary delight has blossomed so quickly.
Speaking of instant ramen reminds me of my days back in elementary school, when the kids would bring packages of it for snack time, first munching on the dry, crunchy noodles and then downing the MSG-laden spice packet afterwards.
Sometimes I worry about my generation.
Where was I?
Dearest readers, I thought I’d give you a little break from cooking and allow you to digest all the yummy food you’ve doubtlessly been eating. So, instead of a post about a recipe, I’m going to tell you a little story. You may want to grab the nearest plushy stuffed animal to hold on to, because it is a bit scary.
Got your teddy bear? Good. Let us begin.
Today, I present the harrowing tale of…Too Much Wasabi!!!!
This is probably the most unusual lasagna I’ve ever had. Based on a Provençal-style recipe, this dish is just Portobello mushrooms, white sauce, noodles, and Parmesan cheese, with a few spices thrown in for good measure. The flavor is completely different from your regular tomato-based lasagna. I wouldn’t say that it’s better, it’s just different. Your really can’t compare the two. That’s alright, though, as there is plenty of room in my heart for lasagna in all its forms.
The process is a bit complicated, but well worth the effort. Your family/guests/neighbors-that-wander-over-because-it-smells-so-good will be amazed at your culinary prowess.
This is seriously one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever tried. Consisting of six ingredients, this berry cobbler can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. Toss it in the oven for an hour, and you’ve got a great, summery dessert, literally bursting with berry flavor.
These will be my downfall.
I should seriously stop making cookies, bars, brownies and anything of the sort.
It’s just that these sugar cookie bars are so rich and dense and colorful and delicious and…and…
