Oh, hello....oh no!

I don't really have a guest du jor for this post because I ended up using things I already had on hand. I also don't feel like any one ingredient is highlighted here.  I had purchased a package of Italian sausage (meaning it's pre-seasoned) over the weekend and wasn't sure what I was going to make with it.  So today, I visited my trusty Pinterest to look for inspiration.  I had pinned this recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen a while back and have really wanted to try it.  Since this recipe calls for unseasoned beef and follows more of an Indian flavor profile, I figured this wasn't really going to work with the Italian sausage I had purchased.  Then I began to think about what I already had in my kitchen to see if I could make this work.  The following is what I came up with.

1 package of Italian sausage (without the casing if possible, otherwise remove and crumble)

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 can of garbanzo beans

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 white onion, diced

2 cups of spinach, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cup water

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Cumin

Paprika

• Drain your garbanzo beans and rinse until you no longer see bubbles forming.  
• Heat the olive oil, in a deep skillet.  Add the sausage, break it up, and let it cook for a 3 minutes.
• Mix your seasonings with your water.  (I just sprinkled a little of each, mixed, then tasted and adjusted to taste.  Remember, it's easier to add more, than to take away when you've added too much).
• Toss in the beans and cook for another 7 minutes or so.
• Add your onions, garlic, and spinach and saute for a 3-5 minutes.
• Add your seasoned water and simmer on low until the liquid is almost evaporated. (I placed a lid over it so the liquid could evaporate a little more rapidly and be done near the time my rice was to be done).

This is before I added the water.

I served this over rice, but I think any starch will do. It was a home run and Biz loved it!

This was one of the few times where I truly improvised and I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself.  However, it wasn't smooth sailing.  I want to share with any amateur cooks out there my experience with this experiment because great things can come from our mistakes and/or when we're forced to think quick on are feet. 

Kalyn's recipe calls for you to reserve the liquid from the garbanzo beans and add chicken broth.  I did not have chicken broth, but noticed I had an open carton of vegetable broth in the refrigerator.  

I checked the expiration date, still good. 

I opened it up and smelled it, still good.  

I proceeded to pour it into my measuring cup that contained my bean juice, and then a big clump of coagulated vegetable broth plopped out! I stood there for a second, throughly annoyed that my attempt to be creative was backfiring.  Then I thought, what about dissolving some chicken bouillon in some water and voila! 

Not exactly.  

I opened my pantry and zilch.  I stood there staring at what I did have and decided to pull a few things I thought would taste good.  I came up with the combination you saw listed above and it all worked out!

I welcome any of you to share some of your mishaps that turned into miracles.  Let's inspire and learn from each other!

Peace, Love, & Yummy Stuff

Oh, hello Comfort!

I decided to devote this post to comfort food.  Most people instantly think of Southern food as synonymous with comfort, but I feel like comfort food can be classified as anything that makes you feel good.  Sometimes when you're down in the dumps, the right kind of dish can make you feel as though everything is going to be okay.  For me, comfort lies in family and my sense of home.  When I eat certain dishes, they take me back to my childhood and the great memories I have built with my family. I only hope I am able to provide a similar experience for my children once my husband and I begin our family.

Tagxedo created with a blog post from gilttaste.com

The one dish on the top of my comfort food list makes me feel warm, cozy, safe, and loved; my mom's menudo, not to be confused with Menudo.  It is a traditional Mexican soup, also known to some as great hangover food.  Making this dish is a time consuming process, which is why my mom only makes it a few times a year, mostly for Christmas and New Year's.  Traditionally, menudo is  made with hominy and beef stomach, pigs feet are an optional addition and are considered to be the best part.

The preparation alone is so labor intensive because the stomach requires a lot of attention before you can even begin the long cooking process.  The stomach must be trimmed of fat, rinsed very well, then boiled for several hours.  Sometimes my mom will do a slow cook over night with the heat low, or she'll clean it in the evening to start cooking in the morning so we can eat it for the rest of the day.  The basic seasonings are chili pepper or paste and salt, but there are many variations and everyone adds something different. I can't share my mom's recipe, or I'd have to kill you.  Haha, just kidding! (No really, I would). There are also regions of Mexico that don't include the chili pepper/paste so the broth remains clear.  After it is prepared you can add extras like onion, cilantro, radish, salsa, and lemon juice to enhance the flavor.  I myself can't really stomach the stomach (hehe), but the flavor it adds to the broth cannot be replaced by anything else.  I'm not usually one to eat seconds and definitely not thirds.  I'm the one who eats the slowest and is the last to leave the table.  However, when I get the call for menudo, I just can't seem to get enough!  I have to admit, when it comes to menudo, I am a bit of a snob.  My mom's is the best and I'm usually not adventurous enough to order it off a menu at a restaurant when I see it listed, because it will inevitably be compared to my mom's and won't measure up.  I myself have not attempted to make this dish on my own, but once my family starts to grow, I will definitely add it to my recipe book so that I can carry on the comfort.

How many of you have tried menudo? What types of comfort food are on your list?  Why do they make the cut? 

Do Share!

Peace, Love, & Yummy Stuff

Oh, hello Bell Pepper!

Lately I have been craving more veggies and so today I decided to share with you one of my favorite salads.  It combines a variety of my most favorite foods: beans, cheese, and bell peppers!  I started to do some research and was surprised to learn that bell peppers come in more colors than just green, red, orange, and yellow.  They can be black, brown, or purple too!  Which kind of makes sense since they're a part of the "nightshade family" that includes potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant.

Red bell peppers are my personal favorite because they're sweet and taste good raw and cooked. Below is my recipe for what I call a Fiesta Salad, it's colorful, spicy, and tasty!  I didn't include many pictures because it's not very complicated.

Red Bell Peppers

Fiesta Salad
Ingredients
Your choice of greens
Black beans, drained
Red bell pepper, diced
Shredded cheese (I prefer the "Mexican" blend)
Tortilla strips
Brianna's Chipotle Cheddar dressing (this is important!) 

Directions
Add as much of each ingredient as your heart desires and dig in!! But of course, be mindful of how much dressing you add...that's where the healthy can easily slip into unhealthy if you're not careful!

These are the tortilla strips I use - found at your neighborhood Savemart

This is the most awesomest dressing and is what gives the salad a little kick! I had trouble finding it at Savemart even though they carry the brand, but WinCo seems to always have it on hand.

This is before the strips and dressing. I'm sharing this pick because I knew once I put it in my lunch bag it wasn't going to look as pretty.  I wait to add those two final ingredients if I'm not going to eat it until later.  Who wants a soggy salad?

Sometimes our best stuff comes out of desperation.  This was born out of stuff I had on hand.  I would love to hear some of your salad creations!

Do Share!

Peace, Love, & Yummy Stuff 

P.S.  I know the cheese in the picture is not the "Mexican" blend I love, but I was out, so I shredded some pepper jack.  I can never have enough spice :)  But after I did so, I wish I had used feta.  I think the tangy flavor of feta would have complimented the dressing nicely.