Weekly Menu #12 - Darla

COWBOY CAVIAR
1 15 ox can black beans drained and rinsed.
1 15 oz can mexican corn (i used frozen corn and used 1/2 package
cooked for couple minutes and cooled I like the taste better
1 avocado diced
2/3 cup cilantro chopped
3 green onions sliced thin
3-4 roma tomatoes chopped I used grape tomatoes cut i fourths
1 bell pepper chopped I used red
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 t pepper
1 Tablespoon cumin

GERMAN STYLE WARM POTATO SALAD
This green bean-laced potato salad is hearty enough to serve as an entree, but you could pair it with grilled vegetarian sausages for a bigger meal.If you don't have any white balsamic vinegar in you pantry, use any mild variety such as white wine or rice vinegar.(From vegetarian times)

8 oz baby red potatoes
4 oz green beans cut ino 2 inch pieces
3 T olive oil
3 green onions chopped
2 T white balsamic vinegar
2 T chopped parsley
1 T chopped fresh tarragon or dill
4 cups loosely packed spinach leaves.

1. Cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until tender. Add green beans during last minute of cooking.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over med heat. Add green onions.
Cook 3 - 4 min or until tender but not browned. Remove from heat and add vinegar
3. Drain potatoes and green beans toss with olive oil mixture, parsley and tarragon or dill. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm on a bed of spinach

A new variation on roasted red bell pepper soup I found in vegetarian times looks good

RED PEPPER AND CARROT SOUP
This soup boasts a smooth texture and deep, rich flavor that comes fromslow roasting bell peppers. It's allso high in beta-carotene and lycopene,2 antioxidants that may help prevent cardiovascular disease

2 large red bell peppers (1 lb)
2 T olive oil
1/2 t curry powder
1 bay leaf
1 large onion
large carrots (1/2 lb)
4 cloves garlic
1 t salt
2 T lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 F Place bell peppers on baking sheet and roast 1 hour or until skin is wrinkled and blackened all over, turning peppers occasionally with tongs. Transfer to bowl and cover with plastic wrap 10 minutes to steam. When peppers are cool enough to handle, rub off blackened peel and remove seeds.
2. Heat oil in 2 qt. saucepan over medium heat Add curry powder and bay leaf and stir 10 seconds. Add onion, carrots, garlic, and salt. Cover cook 10 minutes or until onion is translucent.
3. Add 4 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer, covered 25 minutes.
4. Transfer carrot mixture to blender, add bell peppers and puree until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, Garnish servings with thin bell pepper slices 1 cup serving
101calories

CORNISH PASTIES
when we were in Wells, England we had pasties which were so delicious. Bill and I were recently in Nevada City, CA and went to a place where they had pasties. They weren't that good so I went looking for a recipe. This looks good havn't tried it yet.

1 pound Stew meat cut into 1/2 in pieces (could use that morning star vegie beef strips)
3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 in cubes
1 cup carrot chopped
1/2 cup onion chopped
2 T parsely finely chopped
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 cup butter melted

PASTRY
3 cups all purpose flour
1 t salt
1 cup shortening
8 T water iced
1 whole egg beaten
1. In a bowl, combine meat, poptatoes, carrots, onion, parsley, salt and pepper; mix well. Add butter and toss to coat
2. For pastry, combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl Cut shortening until mixture forms pea size crumbs. Sprinkle with cold water 1 T at a time. Toss lightly with a fork until dough forms a ball. Do not over mix.
3. divide dough in fourths Roll out one portion iot a 9 inch circle; transfer to a greased baking sheet. Mound about1 1/4 cups of meat filling on half circle.
4. Moisten edges with water; fold dough over mixture and press edges with fork to seal Repeat with remaining pastry and filling
5. cut slits in top of each pastry. Brush with beaten egg if desired. Bake at 375 degress F for 50 - 60 minutes. or until golden brown.

Recommend making smaller pasties.

GLORIA'S CUBAN BLACK BEANS
I was listening to splendid talbe podcast and heard one guest talk about cuban Christmas and how he loved his mother's black beans.I have attempted to make cuban black beans and eat them over rice before and it was good but this looks more authentic.
1 lb dried black beans
3 qts water
2 bay leaves
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large red bell peppers seeded and chopped
2 shallots minced
1 T ground cumin
2 T ground oregano
2 T chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 1/2 T sugar
2 T salt
1 red onion diced for garnish
8 oz sour cream for garnish (optional)
1. place beans in nonreactive pan. Cover with 3 qts water, add bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer the beans for 2 1/2 - 3 hours,stirring frequently and adding more water if necessary to keep them covered.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saute pan or skillet. Saute the bell peppers, shallots and onions over med heat until onions are translucent about 15 min
3. Add garlic, cumin, dried and fresh oregano and saute for an additioal 2 minutes. Remove from heat ad cool slightly Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
4. When beans are almost tender, add the pureed misture, sugar, ad salt to beans and cook until tender, 20 - 30 min. Adjust the seasonings, garnish with the red onionand sour cream and serve.

i serve them over brown rice, Quinoa would be a good complement also.

AVOCADO SALAD (Yield 4 servings)
3 ripe but firm haas avocadoes, pitted and peeled
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1 large red bell pepper seeded and cut into 1/2 in slices
1 red onion cut into 1/2 in dice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cucumber peeled, seeded and halved lengthwise and cut into half-moons
1 small tomato seed and finely chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

cut avacado into bite size chunks and place in large bowl. Add the scallions, bell pepper, onions, cilantro, cucumber, tomatoe, and lime juice toss gently.add olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently stir and serve.