My husband served his mission in Brazil, so he loves Brazilian beans and rice. I have been trying to find a good recipe since we got married 7 years ago, but to no avail. At Thanksgiving we visited my sister-in-law and met her friend that is from Brazil and she told us about how she makes it and promised to get us the recipe. We finally got it yesterday. And lucky enough for me, it included peppers! Here is the recipe:
Brazilian Beans and Rice
from Luciane
For a traditional lunch, serve rice and beans with a green salad with tomatoes and Italian vinaigrette dressing (not ranch) and meat, as below.
The beans (crockpot style):
1 lb bag dry beans, pinto or black (or canned--but watch the salt--none my be needed)
2 bay leaves
copious amounts of water
2-3 T olive oil
smoked sausage or 1/2 package bacon (optional)
1/2 of an onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
salt and pepper, to taste
2 beef bullion cubes
Mrs Dash, to taste (optional, no pepper needed if using Mrs Dash)
Seasoning salt (optional, without lemon)
Whatever you like to season with as long as it has no lemon
bell pepper, 1 1/2 inch wide strip chopped finely (optional)
a little cilantro, to taste (optional)
Look through your beans before rinsing them to make sure to remove small pebbles or other debris. Rinse well. Soak for 1/2 hour in plenty of water. Rinse again and pour the beans into a crockpot. Add the bay leaves. Cover with about 5 inches of water (at least double the amount of beans) and cook on high, overnight.
Remove the bay leaves. If using meat, saute until cooked and use 2-3 T of its oil (instead of olive oil) to saute the onion, until clear. Add pressed garlic and stir until fragrant. Pour some of the beans/water into the saute pan to dislodge all the yummy bits and pour it all back into the crockpot with the meat. Add bouillon cubes and salt and pepper to taste (or other seasonings, as mentioned above).
Cook until the beans are done, checking every once in a while. When cooked, you can stir in the bell pepper and/or cilantro, if using. Experiment and taste, adjusting the recipe to your liking.
The rice:
2 cups jasmine rice (old crop, not new crop--from Asian store if possible and definitely not storehouse rice)
4 cups water
2 shallow teaspoons salt
1 T olive oil
1/4 of a small onion
1 clove garlic, pressed
Cook the onion and garlic the same way as above, adding to the rice. Put the rice, salt, and water into a pan and heat to boiling, then simmer, uncovered, until almost all the water is soaked up. Then cover with a lid and finish cooking.
The salad:
You can make your own vinaigrette with 1 part lemon juice, 3 parts olive oil, cilantro, tomato, green bell pepper (if desired, all cut finely), salt and pepper and Italian seasoning.
The meat:
At a Mexican store, purchase thinly sliced beef. Pound it out more thinly still. Marinate for an our in olive oil, pressed garlic, and a little salt. Sear meat quickly on each side in a pan on high heat, using a little olive oil in the pan (if using nonstick, no oil needed). Remove meat. Add a few onion ring slices and a little more oil to the hot pan. Saute them quickly, then return the meat to the pan with the onion rings and cook until meat is finished cooking. This can be done with chicken or fish, too.
****I pretty much followed the recipe. I added the bell peppers, but not the cilantro. I didn't have any Mrs Dash, so I used Tony Chachere's spices n' herbs seasoning, but not very much. I used bacon, and after I cooked it I crumbled it into the beans in the crockpot, then used some of the bacon grease to cook the onions. According to my husband the Brazilians never put bell peppers in their beans, so I don't know if I will next time I make it. I think it would be good either way. I got some salad, but we didn't end up eating it. And I didn't get any meat, so we just had the beans and rice. Next time I will probably make 1 1/2 times the rice recipe because we had lots more beans left over than rice. I will have to make more rice to finish the beans.
We had friends over for dinner (the husband also served a mission in Brazil) and our friend and my husband both thought this was the most authentic tasting beans and rice they have had since their missions. We all loved it.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Italian Lentil Soup
I got this recipe from my friend Lauren. We love it. And lentils are really good for you. We have tried it both with and without the cabbage and it was great both ways.
Italian Lentil Soup
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (1/2 cup)
1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups water
1/2 head cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups)
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and drained
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 cubes chicken bullion (depends on your taste)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 30-45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Can top with Parmesan cheese.
Italian Lentil Soup
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (1/2 cup)
1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups water
1/2 head cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups)
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and drained
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 cubes chicken bullion (depends on your taste)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 30-45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Can top with Parmesan cheese.
Swedish Meatballs
We had Swedish meatballs at the home of a friend who is from Finland a couple of years ago. I remembered that experience last week and decided I wanted to make her meatballs, but she was in the process of moving to Finland and had already packed her cookbooks, so I found a recipe online. The recipe I found comes from the Food Network website, courtesy of Alton Brown. I have to say that I just had Swedish Meatballs at IKEA last month and I think these ones are better.
Swedish Meatballs
from FoodNetwork.com
2 slices fresh white bread (I used 1/2 cup bread crumbs)
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided (I used normal butter)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I used bottled)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth (I used 3 cups of water and 3 beef bullion cubes)
1/4 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk (or mix bread crumbs and milk). Set aside.
In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds. (I don't have a scale, so I just made meatballs the size I like them.)
Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in a warmed oven.
Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. (I had to add a little more flour than it calls for to get my gravy to thicken.) Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.
The recipe says it makes about 30 meatballs, but I made around 60. I guess I like my meatballs smaller than Alton Brown.
Swedish Meatballs
from FoodNetwork.com
2 slices fresh white bread (I used 1/2 cup bread crumbs)
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided (I used normal butter)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I used bottled)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth (I used 3 cups of water and 3 beef bullion cubes)
1/4 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk (or mix bread crumbs and milk). Set aside.
In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds. (I don't have a scale, so I just made meatballs the size I like them.)
Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in a warmed oven.
Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. (I had to add a little more flour than it calls for to get my gravy to thicken.) Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.
The recipe says it makes about 30 meatballs, but I made around 60. I guess I like my meatballs smaller than Alton Brown.
100% Whole Wheat Bread
You are probably wondering why I am posting another bread recipe. This one is better than the last one I posted, so I thought I would share. It comes from the blog of a long-time friend, Mrs. Mordecai. This recipe is really easy and super yummy. It is definitely worth a try!
100% Whole Wheat Bread
from Be It Ever So Humble
1 2/3 cups very warm water
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup instant potato flakes
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/3 - 2 cups additional whole wheat flour
Combine first 3 ingredients, then slowly add oil, honey, salt, potato flakes, and lemon juice, mixing as you go. Add remaining flour a little at a time until the texture is right. Knead about 10 minutes (I use my KitchenAid). Shape into two loaves and place in two greased 8" loaf pan. Let rise until double, about 30 minutes. (I put them on top of the stove and preheated the oven at the same time.) In another blog post Mrs. M suggested letting the dough rise for about 30 minutes prior to the loaf shaping and rising step. I tried this (I put the dough in a greased bowl and covered it with a towel) and think it made the bread even softer, although I haven't tried it without the extra rising time so I can't say for sure. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Cool on rack. For a softer crust, cover the loaves with a towel as they cool.
100% Whole Wheat Bread
from Be It Ever So Humble
1 2/3 cups very warm water
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup instant potato flakes
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/3 - 2 cups additional whole wheat flour
Combine first 3 ingredients, then slowly add oil, honey, salt, potato flakes, and lemon juice, mixing as you go. Add remaining flour a little at a time until the texture is right. Knead about 10 minutes (I use my KitchenAid). Shape into two loaves and place in two greased 8" loaf pan. Let rise until double, about 30 minutes. (I put them on top of the stove and preheated the oven at the same time.) In another blog post Mrs. M suggested letting the dough rise for about 30 minutes prior to the loaf shaping and rising step. I tried this (I put the dough in a greased bowl and covered it with a towel) and think it made the bread even softer, although I haven't tried it without the extra rising time so I can't say for sure. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Cool on rack. For a softer crust, cover the loaves with a towel as they cool.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Garlic Herb Pizza Dough
I love herb pizza dough. Every time I go to Trader Joe's I get at least one. TJ's pizza dough is so yummy! But since I don't get to TJ's very often I decided it was time to find a recipe to make my own herb dough. After looking at lots of websites that had the same recipe I found this one. It was so easy to make and turned out delicious. I used it for both pepperoni pizza and chicken Alfredo pizza for dinner tonight. We had a friend over for dinner and he seemed to like it, too. Wes couldn't get enough (which doesn't happen very often).
I changed this recipe a little bit because some of it was kind of confusing or didn't make sense, or just sounded weird.
Garlic Herb Pizza Dough
from Homemade Pizza Made Easy
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil (I used canola)
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast (I used SAF instant yeast)
1 Tablespoon fresh garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tablespoon Oregano, fresh, chopped (if using dried herbs, cut amounts in half)
1 Tablespoon Parsley, fresh, chopped
1 Tablespoon Basil, fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
2 cups bread flour (I used wheat flour)
Dissolve yeast in water. Place flour in bowl of electric mixer. Add dissolved yeast, oil, water, salt, garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, onion powder and black pepper. Using dough hook, mix well at medium-low speed (or follow mixer instructions) until all ingredients are incorporated. Knead for a few more minutes. Dust or oil dough ball and place in a large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft free area for 1 to 3 hours.
This is where the recipe stops. I spread my dough onto large cookie sheets and covered with my desired toppings. The recipe didn't give cooking directions, so I cooked each of my pizzas at 400 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes. The pizzas turned out great, so I think this temperature was a good choice.
Note: If you are using instant yeast you do not need to dissolve the yeast in the water first. You can add it straight to the flour, mix, and then add the other ingredients as directed.
I doubled the batch and was able to make two nice-sized pizzas that almost filled my large cookie sheets.
I changed this recipe a little bit because some of it was kind of confusing or didn't make sense, or just sounded weird.
Garlic Herb Pizza Dough
from Homemade Pizza Made Easy
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil (I used canola)
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast (I used SAF instant yeast)
1 Tablespoon fresh garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tablespoon Oregano, fresh, chopped (if using dried herbs, cut amounts in half)
1 Tablespoon Parsley, fresh, chopped
1 Tablespoon Basil, fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
2 cups bread flour (I used wheat flour)
Dissolve yeast in water. Place flour in bowl of electric mixer. Add dissolved yeast, oil, water, salt, garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, onion powder and black pepper. Using dough hook, mix well at medium-low speed (or follow mixer instructions) until all ingredients are incorporated. Knead for a few more minutes. Dust or oil dough ball and place in a large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft free area for 1 to 3 hours.
This is where the recipe stops. I spread my dough onto large cookie sheets and covered with my desired toppings. The recipe didn't give cooking directions, so I cooked each of my pizzas at 400 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes. The pizzas turned out great, so I think this temperature was a good choice.
Note: If you are using instant yeast you do not need to dissolve the yeast in the water first. You can add it straight to the flour, mix, and then add the other ingredients as directed.
I doubled the batch and was able to make two nice-sized pizzas that almost filled my large cookie sheets.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Ham 'n Cheese Calzones
I found this recipe in the Kraft Food & Family Magazine. I love calzones and was really excited to find such an easy way to make them. I look forward to being creative and putting in my own fillings.
Ham 'n Cheese Calzones
Prep time: 10 minutes Total: 28 minutes
Serves 4
1 can (13.8 ounce) refrigerated pizza crust
16 slices shaved honey ham
1 cup shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese
1/4 cup Ranch Dressing
1 tomato, cut into 8 thin slices
Heat oven to 4oo F. Unroll pizza dough on lightly floured surface. Pat out dough to form 16x12-inch rectangle. Cut into quarters.
Top dough with ham to within 1/2 inch of sides. Mix cheese and dressing; spread on ham. Top with tomatoes. Fold each rectangle in half; seal edges with a fork. Put on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until golden brown
Make ahead: Prepare calzones up to 8 hours in advance. Wrap baking sheet with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator. When ready to eat, unwrap and bake one or more as directed.
***I made it twice, the first time using the store-bought dough, the second time using homemade dough. The homemade dough didn't brown but it was still good and definitely cheaper. The ranch dressing was an awesome filling.
Easy Shepherd's Pie
Shepherd's Pie is a family favourite and so I was excited to find a new and improved recipe to mix it up. I think I have found a new favourite way to eat Shepherd's Pie. And it's sooo fast and easy. I found this recipe in the Kraft Food & Family Magazine.
Easy Shepherd's Pie
Prep time: 10 minutes Total: 30 minutes
Serves 6
1 pound ground beef
2 cups hot mashed potatoes
4 ounces (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg) cream cheese, cubed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup beef gravy
Preheat oven to 375 F. Brown meat in large skillet. Drain.
Mix potatoes, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and the garlic until well blended.
Stir vegetables and gravy into meat.
Spoon into 9-inch square baking dish.
Cover with potato mixture. Don't worry about it being perfectly even; the more rustic it looks the better.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Shortcut: Use instant mashed potatoes. Prepare potatoes as directed on package, omitting the milk. This way when you add the cream cheese, the potatoes stay fluffy.
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