Monday, October 12, 2009

meatless supper #3

This week, for Enviromom's Meatless Supper Club, I want to share one more "tried and true" recipe that I've made again and again over the years for my family (and starting next week I'll be branching out and trying new recipes from my cookbook collection). This one is a winner for not only for nutrition and yumminess but also for being so entirely quick, easy, and kid friendly too. It comes from an old cookbook I've owned for years: Jane Brody's Good Food Book. I'm pretty sure it's been out of print basically forever, but it's a shame because so many of the recipes are healthy and good. This is the "Company Rice with Beans" recipe (so titled because supposedly it is good enough to serve company). I think kids like it because the kidney beans are slightly sweet and of course for the melted cheese on top.

Company Rice with Beans

rice
oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 t. oregano
1 can of beans (I always use kidney)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
shredded cheese such as cheddar

Prepare the rice in the usual manner. Saute the onion and garlic in a large skillet with the oil. Add the tomatoes, zucchini and oregano. Cover the skillet and simmer the mixture until tender crisp or as you like them. Add the beans and simmer the mixuture until warmed through, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve bean mixture over rice. Top with grated cheese.
I also tried a new cornbread recipe. It's the "Corn-Kernel Cornbread" from issue #1 of Everyday Food. It's not on the website so I can't link to it, but it was good and fun to make. You melt the butter in the oven in the skillet then layer the cornbread batter right onto it.
Served with salad. I'm a woefully unoriginal salad maker, but I did try to liven things up a bit with this one: butter lettuce (from farmer's market, hooray!), red bell peppers, apples, snap peas, and candied walnuts. It was pretty yum. Mostly the boys ate salad (Rainer) and cornbread (Dieter) but I know they will grow to like this dish more and more. Faith loves it and I consider her mostly picky, but she's always eaten the beans and rice.

In other news:
::it rained today!! Hooray!
::and this is my 600th post. Wow.

14 comments:

Lilly said...

WONDERFULL !! Many compliments Mary Beth! XOXOXOXOX Lilly =^_^=

BellaBree said...

this looks really yummy! And the fact it has cheese always helps with the kids! Congrats on the 600th post, that is a feat worth celerating!!xx

Our Green Nest said...

Congrats - wow!!! We love beans and quinoa (instead of rice) around here and make it quite often - YUM!!!

Anonymous said...

The beautiful salad bowl with that child's arm/hand photo is precious!

Joyce

jennifer said...

Looks really good, I love that kind of food. Congrats on your 600th post.

pilgrimama said...

woo-hoo! 600 posts!
I'm a Jane Brody fan also. I see her cookbook while thrifting sometimes.

Denise C. said...

Yum! Every time I see a food post here, I have the sudden urge to eat!

I love the salad bowl and "hands"! :)

600 posts- YAY!

Sarah C. said...

I grew up with Jane Brody, and this recipe was a particular favorite. I always use black beans, though.

HBB said...

600 posts! Thank you - I love reading your blog.

hanna said...

This looks good, the type of thing I like to make. I will definately give it a go. Thanks for sharing.
xx
Hanna

christine ~ ourdayourjourney said...

600... WOW!!! I am very happy to have found your blog. I love your ideas, recipes and craftiness.

Jessica said...

600 posts!!!! I think I've read every single one of them-each so inspiring to me! Congrats!

sUsAn said...

Nice to see this post! I picked up this cookbook at my favorite thrifting haunt awhile ago but haven't made anything from it. Seeing this has motivated me to get busy cooking from it! Thanks and congrats on 600 posts!

Anonymous said...

We had this two nights ago! Even Hubby agreed...BEST recipe for rice & beans! We paired it with Trader Joe's steamed brown rice. Such an easy meal, too!