Day 362 Black Rice Stuffing

Black Rice Stuffing

3 Ounces Dried Cherries
2 Cups Port Wine
3 1/2 Cups Veggie Broth
1/2 Cup Black Rice (brown rice or wild rice will work)
1/2 Cup White Rice
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Onion, chopped
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
2 Cups Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs
1/4 Cup Earth Balance
3 Tablespoons Flour
1 Sprig Rosemary, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt

1.  Combine cherries and port; let stand 1 hour. Drain, reserving wine.

2. Bring 2 cups broth, the rices, pepper, onion and celery to a boil in a medium saucepan.   Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes,  until the rice is tender.  Stir in breadcrumbs and cherries.  The mixture will be dry.

3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.   Add the reserved port and 1 1/2 Cups broth.  Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly.  Add the rosemary, garlic and salt.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.

Port Sauce

4.  Pour  the sauce over the rice mixture and mix well.  Bake in a covered dish at 375 F for 45 minutes.

After adding port sauce and ready to bake

Goes well with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts.

Used a Borges Porto Tawny Port

Soundtrack Fantasia - I Believe

Day 289 Spinach and Red Cabbage with Rice

Spinach and Red Cabbage with Rice

1 Container (5 Ounces) or Bunch of Spinach
1 Head of Red Cabbage
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Bok Choy, chopped
2 Parsnips peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon Ginger, chopped
2 Lemon Grass stalks
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/2  Bunch Cilantro chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
2 Cups Veggie Stock
Black Rice, cooked
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat stock in a sauce pan over medium heat.

2.  Add lemon grass, garlic and soy sauce and cook for 15 minutes.

3.  Add the red cabbage, bok choy, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Cook for 15 minutes.

4. Add spinach and cilantro.  Stir and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the cooked rice. Stir and cook until heated through.  Remove lemon grass before serving.

Pairs well with Pazo de Valei Albarino

Soundtrack Trans Siberian Orchestra - Letters from the  Labyrinth

Day 107 Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed with Rice and Kale

Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed with Rice and Kale

Peppers
3 Red Bell Peppers, halved and seeds removed
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Filling
8 Ounces Kale, stems trimmed
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Red Pepper, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
3/4 Cup Cooked Brown Rice
1/2 Cup Nutritional Yeast
1/4 Cup Pine Nuts, toasted
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Roasted Peppers

1.  To prepare peppers, preheat oven to 400F.  Lightly brush the peppers on both sides with olive oil; sprinkle the insides with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking pan.  Bake 15 minutes, let cool slightly.  Turn cut side up.

2.  To prepare filling:  Bring salted water to a boil in a large pan. Stir in kale, cover and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.  Drain, rinse under cold water; squeeze dry.  Finely chop.

3.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and chopped bell pepper, cook, stirring often until onion is translucent.  Add garlic and kale, cook for a minute.  Add the rice, nutritional yeast, pine nuts and lemon juice.  Removed from heat.  If the mixture is too dry, add some stock.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Divide the filling among the pepper halves.

4.  Bake for 20 -25 minutes until well heated.

Goes well with House Salad.

Soundtrack Texas Hippie Coalition - Peacemaker

Day 95 The Easiest Beans and Rice

The Easiest Beans and Rice

1 Cup Brown Rice, cooked
1/2 Cup Pinto Beans
1/4 Salsa Verde
1 Sweet Pepper, sliced
1 Carrot, sliced
Creamy Herb Dressing, to taste

This is just a matter of layering everything.  Start with the rice, then add the beans.  Top with the remaining vegetables and finish with the dressing, Microwave till warm.  Makes a easy and filling lunch.

Soundtrack Anthrax - Live The Island Years

Day 41 Black Beans and Rice

Black Beans and Rice

Similar to the earlier Beans and Rice recipe.  There is nothing quite like cooking a fresh batch of beans on a snowy day.

1 Cup Dry Black Beans
2 Cups White Rice
2 Cups Vegetable Stock
1 Red Onion, chopped
3 Small Carrots, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/3 Cup Cilantro, chopped
8 Ounces Tomato Sauce
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1/2 Salsa Verde
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cooked black beans

1.  Cook the black beans in a large pot of water for several hours, until soft.

Cooked rice

2.  Cook rice in the stock until fluffy.

3.  Saute onion until soft, add garlic and carrots.  Cook until carrots are soft.  Mix tomato sauce and paste, salsa, cilantro, salt. and pepper.  Add to onion mix.  Cook until heated through.  Add the black beans to the sauce.  Serve over rice.

Goes well with Spinach Salad

Black bean mixture

Pairs well with 2014 Macon

Soundtrack Randy Heddon and Fat Tuesday - Blue Moon on the Bayou

Day 6 Beans and Rice

Tracey's Beans and Rice

1 1/4 cup Pinto Beans
2 1/4 cup Vegetable Stock
1 1/2 cup White Rice
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
Onion, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
28 oz can chopped Tomatoes
1 cup Red Wine
1 Tablespoon dried Rosemary
1 Teaspoon dried Basil
1/4 fresh Dill
1 Tablespoon Salt
Whole Wheat Croutons.

1.  Cook the beans in a large pot.  You do not need to soak overnight.  Start on boiling, then reduce heat and cook until beans are soft.

2.  Cook the rice in the vegetable stock.  Start on boiling, reduce heat and cover for 20 minutes.

3.  Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan.  Add the onion and garlic.  Cook until the onion is translucent.  Add the can tomatoes and cook until warm.  Add the wine and dried herbs.  Cook on medium heat until the sauce thickens.  Add the dill and salt.

4.  Drain the beans.  Return to the large pot.  Add the rice and mix well.  Add the tomato sauce.  Mix well. Top individaul dish with croutons. You are ready to eat.

Soundtrack  Cashmere Cat - Wedding Bells
Paired with Sancerree.