Bean and Tomato Casserole

This recipe my dears is everything a dinner main course should be--convenient, delicious, fast, easy, healthy, versatile, and cheap. I put it in the oven on delay start and time bake while Pippi and Bardo and I played in the pool. When we arrived home the kitchen smelled like chili and the kids were READY to eat. I popped Jiffy muffins to go along with it to cook while I showered, and "voila!" dinner was ready the moment I was ready. This time, I used black beans and white beans. Next time I think I'll chop some greens into it. I found this Recipe on pg 512 of How to Cook Everything by Mark Bitman.

1 Tablespoon chili powder (I halved the reciped and still used a whole tablespoon)
6 cups drained cooked or canned beans, any type or a mixture
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced frash savory, marjoram, or oregano leaves or about 20 fresh basil leaves, torn (I used the basil.)
4 medium-large tomatoes, sliced
2 large onions, sliced
1 cup grated Jack or Cheddar cheese

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahreinheit. Stir the chili powder into the beans; taste and add more if you like.

Step 2 : In a baking dish or casserole, place a layer of beans; Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with a little of the herb. Add a layer of tomatoes, one of onions, and a sprinkling of cheese. Repeat until all the ingredients are used up, finishing with a fairly thick layer of cheese.

Step 3: Bake until the casserole is hot and the cheese melted and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Tropical Rice Pudding Parfaits

This was yummy. I going through a sweet tooth stage right now. As I'm typing the baby is climbing up to the table and eating the left overs. Turkey Legs liked it better without the fruit, I liked it with the fruit. I also didn't use light coconut milk. My neighbor searched all over the city today for a red onion. She couldn't find one anywhere. Isn't that weird. If you can't find a red onion here there is no way you will find light coconut milk! The commissary was also out of bananas yesterday. I think we have reached an all time low . . . !


Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup short grain brown rice (preferably brown sweet rice*)
2 cups water
2 cups unsweetened soy milk, divided
1/2 cup canned unsweetened light coconut milk*
1 cup date sugar*
4 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted, reserving 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fruit Layer:
2 cups chopped fresh pineapple, drained
2 cups chopped fresh organic strawberries
1 tablespoon date sugar

Instructions:
Cook rice in water according to package directions. Bring 1 cup soy milk, coconut milk, and 1 cup date sugar to boil in medium saucepan and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Whisk arrowroot powder into remaining soy milk and add to boiling mixture. Simmer and whisk until thickened. Remove from heat.

Toast coconut over medium heat until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Fold in cooked rice, coconut, and vanilla. Pour into bowl, cover and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours.

Mix chopped pineapple and strawberries with 1 tablespoon date sugar.

Assemble: Spoon a layer of rice pudding into each of 6 clear parfait glasses. Top each with a layer of the fruit mixture. Repeat layers with remaining pudding and fruit mixture. Sprinkle reserved lightly toasted coconut on top.

*May be found in health food stores.

Summer Fruit Pie

This was so good my husband and I put the left over in the freezer and ate the rest when the kids were in bed. Yum! One tip: If you freeze it longer than 2 hours your will need it to thaw a little before eating. It was way too hard to get a knife through.

Serves: 8
Preparation Time:

Ingredients:

PIE SHELL

1 cup almonds

1 cup dates, pitted (medjool are preferred)

PIE FILLING

3 bananas, sliced

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 kiwis, sliced

1 quart organic strawberries

1 pint blueberries

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

1/2 bag frozen strawberries or 1 pint fresh organic strawberries

2 dates (I added a few more!)

Instructions:
Make pie shell by placing almonds in a food processor and processing until very fine. Add dates and process until chopped and mixed well. Press mixture in a pie plate to form shell. (This might be a little crumbling, but just keep pressing it down hard to get the dates to stick to the almonds.

To make the filling spread bananas on the crust, pressing down slightly. Sprinkle lemon juice over the bananas. Place kiwis, strawberries and blueberries over the bananas. Place the soy milk, frozen strawberries and dates in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour blended mixture over the fruit. Decorate with fruit as desired. Cover and freeze for at least two hours before serving.