As I type this, my slow cooker has been on for 36 hours straight. Is that allowed? I am officially obsessed and I completely understand why you all have been too while I was under a little rock. Wow! I made this awesome sweet potato chili the other night, then washed out the insert and put in ...
How to cook beans from scratch
This is the time of year when I start to make more bean-based soups and chilis. And as soon as it stops being 80 degrees around here, I'll get right on that. Actually, regardless of the season, we are a bunch of bean eaters in this house. Besides chili, I use beans in Mexican dishes, salads, ...
Potato and bean soup (patate e fagioli)
Who invented the idea of "Meatless Monday?" The U.S. Food Administration did during World War I and urged families to conserve key staples to aid the war effort, but the idea was revived in 2003 by an ad exec-turned health advocate for dietary and environmental reasons. Ironically, the Food ...
White bean salad with celery and mint (and sometimes tuna)
Happy summer! I really can't believe it's here, but I am just thrilled to bits. Even though I still teach during the summer, I find that my schedule with the kids is a little easier and frees me up to spend a bit more time cooking. The ironic thing is that during the summer, we don't need to ...
Mexican black beans from scratch recipe
When I am coming up with a menu for entertaining mixed company, e.g. kids and adults or carnivores and vegans, I steer most often towards Mexican food. It is always a crowd pleaser, easy to prepare and I can very often employ a topping bar of sorts. It is no surprise to me that my Mexican-themed ...
Vegetable chili recipe
We are a football-watching family. On any given Sunday during the season, we are hunkered down for a good part of the day at home with the likely chance of random family and friends dropping by. I like to prepare hearty, comfort food that can be left on the stove for everyone to help ...