Those Who Can Help

I am back!

Long time, no see, everyone! It has been awhile - understatement, I know - but I am back and back to cooking as well.

Hope some of you stuck around for more veg*n cooking adventures!

Lentil Balls! (Vegetarian)

So this is a recipe I came up with "on the fly" and Brett has fallen in love with it. Though I am not usually one to try to emulate meat, I have found pasta with marinara to be rather lacking since becoming a vegetarian. This recipe has now become a staple in my kitchen and is something that my meat-loving hubby asks for regularly.

The lentil balls are super easy to make and can be used in a number of applications. You can use 'em with pasta and marinara for spaghetti and "meat"balls, or on a hoagie with cheese, mushrooms, or whatever else you want. You can also mash up the balls and use 'em as a filling for lasagne and other pasta dishes.

Baked Lentil Balls!

Lentil Balls

Makes about 10 lentil balls

2-2 1/2 cups lentils, cooked (brown or green work fine)

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

8 whole wheat saltine crackers, crushed 

garlic powder (to taste)

onion powder (to taste)

paprika (to taste)

basil (to taste)
oregano (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 egg

Preheat oven to 450.

Spray a cookie sheet with canola oil.

In a bowl, mash the lentil with a fork, leaving some whole lentils. Season to taste (easy on the salt, the crackers are salted). Add the parmesan and crackers. Mix until well combined.

Crack the egg into the mixture and combine thoroughly.

Using your hands, form mixture into golf ball sized balls.

Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes, flip balls and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

We Take Requests #1: Black Bean and Veggie Burritos with Sour Cream "Salad" for Selina

So, guess what? Wait for it...

This post includes a recipe! It has been far too long and I am stoked to be back in the kitchen and cooking like mad.

The inspiration for this recipe came from my best buddy Selina (who is also the author of the awesome blog Selindiana). I love creating recipes based off random ingredients, it sparks my creativity and sometimes ends up being a really good meal. So I mentioned that I was more than willing to take requests and she gave me a list of things she had on hand. I narrowed it down to things that I had on hand and this super tasty burrito and sour cream salad was the end result.

Have I mentioned I take requests? If you have something you want made veggie, or just have a bunch of ingredients lying around and you want me to try my hand at making a meal out of it, leave me a comment and I'll see what I can do. :-)

Anyways, onto the good stuff!

The tasty filling.

Sour cream salad.

The finished product.

Black Bean and Veggie Burritos

Makes enough filling for 3 large burritos.

2 tbsp. canola oil

1 medium potato, washed and cubed

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced (you can use a milder chile like an Anaheim too)

1/2 cup sweet corn (fresh or frozen)

1 1/2 cups black beans, cooked

salt, to taste

Heat oil in a medium sized skillet on medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, onion, and zucchini. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the jalapeno, corn, and black beans and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until everything is cooked and heated through.

Sour Cream Salad

Makes enough to top 3 burritos.

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 cup lettuce, shredded

1-2 tbsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano

a pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and chill until needed.

Putting it all together

cheese (optional)

salsa (when I don't use homemade, I LOVE Mrs. Renfro's ghost pepper salsa)

3 tortillas, warmed

Layer cheese and bean/veggie mixture in warmed tortillas and top with salsa, roll up. Top the finished burritos with sour cream salad and enjoy!

Yummy, yummy, yummy! 

 

Alive and Cooking!

After a flurry of activity, the hubby, kitties and I are finally settled in. We are back at home in Columbia, Missouri, the place we love. There really is no place like home.

Even better news is that I have more free time and spend more time in the kitchen, as well as pursuing other activities I enjoy. That means RECIPES COMING SOON. I've busted out my camera and am going to get back to blogging about FOOD.

AND BOOKS! I started a book review blog so I don't bore those out there looking for vegetarian recipes with my musings on the latest cozy mystery. If you are a fellow book fan, do check out The Eclectic Bookworm.

Over a Year? WTF?!

Howdy y'all! It has been a long time since I have blogged, and that makes me sad. Things in the Land 'o J&B have been quite hectic, but this veg*n is still cooking up yummy goodness whenever possible. For regular readers, there are a lot of things to catch up on. We are back in (and loving) Missouri, but during our brief stay in Illinois, we managed to add another kitty to our brood (or crowder as it is technically called).

He was a little stray whose Momma we called Gninja and were feeding. One blustery cold Illinois evening, there was this pathetic howling and outside was a little gray cat that we thought, at first, was Gninja. After a bit of coaxing, this little kitty came right up to us. We brought him inside to keep him out of the cold and he attached himself to me. We named him Mr. Lee (pronounced "Missaree") and he is a force to be reckoned with. He is part Russian Blue and part Siamese, so he has a really Asian look, hence the name. Upon moving back to Missouri, my parents cat Stanley (who's name has been changed to Stan Lee) adopted us as well. He's part Maine Coon and "mutt". So we are now kitty parents to five fuzzy little critters. I think we have met our critter limit, but I wouldn't trade one of them for the world. I will post pictures of Mr. Lee and Stan soon.

I just wanted to do a quick post, as I have an Asian-inspired tofu marinade going at this moment. I am hoping to improve upon my original Kung Pao Tofu recipe. It needs a bit more something. I decided to marinate the tofu to add flavor, I'm going to play around with the sauce, and I'm going to serve the mess over soba noodles instead of traditional rice. I have missed blogging and am ready to get back in the proverbial saddle. I'll be updating the "Books J's Read - 2011" section soon, and whittling the recipe index down to just the good stuff.

I hope any of those who are still reading this blog are doing well. I hope to begin to do more regular posting (have you heard that before?) but I am not going to make any promises I cannot keep. When I cook something worth talking about, I'll certainly share it. And I will post pictures of our adorable four-legged fur babies. In time, I hope to revamp my "blogroll" as I'm not even sure how many of my old blogger buddies are still at it. Drop a word if you are, I'm curious to see who is still rockin' the blogosphere.

Fruity Deliciousness!

I have been on a bit of a smoothie kick lately. A few years back, my mom bought Brett and I a juicer for Christmas, but for some reason, we didn't really take to it until recently. It's a small Black & Decker and we like it well enough, it does the job and we give the pulp to our worms to make compost.

I think the real reason we didn't use it much is because it takes a lot of fruit/veg to juice and I assumed it would be too expensive. What I've found since I've "revived" the juicer is that by using a "base" of carrot and pear juice or carrot and apple juice, the smoothies weren't too expensive at all and the base lends itself to pretty much any fruit additions I have tried as of yet.

I really enjoy having smoothies for breakfast. Not only are they a good way to get in the fruit and veg you need, but I find that I feel all around better after drinking one. Another odd thing I noticed was that when I have a smoothie for breakfast, I don't end up snacking a bunch throughout the day. I don't quite understand this, but it how they effect me, so I'm not going to complain!

I don't exactly know that these would technically be "smoothies" - I don't know the nomenclature of the juicing/puréeing world. I first juice my base ingredients, then I blend in solids using a blender - things like banana, frozen fruit, or ice.

Anyway, I don't think the Juice Nomenclature Police are going to come after me if I use the wrong terminology so let's get to the food! Well, um, drink!


Carrot-Pear-Banana-Peach Smoothie
Makes 3 large drinks.

8 carrots, peeled and juiced
3 d'anjou pears, juiced
2 bananas
1/2 bag of frozen peaches

Pour the prepared juice into a blender and slowly add the remaining ingredients. Blend until very smooth.


Carrot-Pear-Banana-Mixed Berry-Extra Strawberry Smoothie
Makes 3 large drinks

10 carrots, peeled and juiced
3 d'anjou pears, juiced
1 banana
1/2 bag frozen mixed berries
1/2 bag frozen whole strawberries

Pour the prepared juice into a blender and slowly add the remaining ingredients. Blend until very smooth.



I used some of my homegrown wheatgrass for this booger.

Carrot-Apple-Wheatgrass-Banana-Mango Smoothie
Makes about 3 drinks

8 carrots, peeled and juiced
3 pink lady apples, juiced
1 bunch of wheatgrass, juiced
2 bananas
1 bag frozen mangoes

Pour the prepared juice into a blender and slowly add the remaining ingredients. Blend until very smooth.


Carrot-Pear-Banana-Strawberry Smoothie
Makes 3 large drinks

10 carrots, peeled and juiced
3 d'anjou pears (or fuji apples), juiced
1 banana
1 bag frozen whole strawberries

Pour the prepared juice into a blender and slowly add the remaining ingredients. Blend until very smooth.

I know it doesn't seem like too much variation, but I don't need much variety so it works for me. And how else would I ever get Brett to eat that many carrots raw any other way? :-)

Anywho, that's all for now. Enjoy the spring like weather that is hopefully gracing you wherever you are!

'Til next time.

Cranberry Bean and Veggie Burgers

Howdy, howdy, howdy.



















Cranberry Bean and Veggie Burgers
Makes about 4 large patties

3 tbsp canola oil
1 small potato, scrubbed, and diced small
1 onion, diced small
1 carrot, peeled and diced small
1/2 zucchini, diced small
2 anaheim chiles, seeded and diced
1/4 cup sweet corn
6 cloves of garlic, minced
salt, to taste
2 cups cranberry beans, cooked
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup regular rolled oats
1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the onion, carrot, zucchini, chiles, and corn. Fry for an additional 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Add the garlic and fry for about 2-3 minutes until the garlic gets fragrant. Remove veggies from heat.

In a large bowl, using your hands, mash up the beans and veggie mixture. Then slowly add the dry ingredients.

Form into four equal parts and roll into balls.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Place the balls on the paper and flatten.

Bake for ten minutes, then flip the burgers. Bake for an additional ten minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.

Top burger buns with your desired fixin's and enjoy!

Well, that's all for now.

'Til next time.

Lots of Tasty Goodness

Wow, so there has been a lot going on around here lately. I won't bore you all with the details, but I will say it has been work-related - though not my being busy with work. Other than that, Brett and I have been doing just dandy. I have been cooking up a storm as I haven't been working so have had plenty of time to make more involved meals.

I have been having a lot of fun in the kitchen, though I admit, it looks like a disaster area much of the time. :-) It seems that just as I finish one pile of dishes, it is time to eat again. And, while cooking at home is certainly more nourishing and even cost-effective, and well, damn better tasting, it does mean that there will be yet more dishes. I think that dishes and aphids in my garden are going to be my lifelong "Newman" to use a Seinfeld colloquialism.

Anywho, enough of my complaining and onto the goods!


My mom bought us a juicer for Christmas a few years ago, and for whatever reason, we used it once or twice and then it was relegated to the top of the cabinet that I like to refer to as the "Land of Misfit Appliances". Well, I have been wanting to incorporate more raw fruit and veg into my diet, because, well, I like them, and I decided to bust it out again. It has been making up for lost time! We use it all the time now.

One of my favorite juices is nothing special and something I'm sure most of you are already familiar with: Carrot Apple Juice. It is so simple. I just juice 6 apples (my favorite to use are Pink Lady or Honeycrisp, they are tart but also still plenty sweet) and about 8-10 peeled carrots. Stir it up and you are set. Brett even likes these and I got to tell you, there is no way in hell I would get Brett to eat 8-10 raw carrots, but I learned he will drink them. :-)


Wanting something a little different, I came up with this lovely algae looking concoction. I made the Carrot Apple Juice as described above. I them transferred the juice to a blender where I added two bananas, 1 tbsp. spirulina powder, and about 12 ice cubes. Then I just whirred it up! It makes enough for three meal-sized glasses. I know it doesn't look that good, but it certainly doesn't taste how it looks.


There is a blog I really enjoy called Herbivoracious. The author provides mostly authentic Latin/Mexican recipes that have been "vegetarianized". I find that I go there and not only want to try some of his recipes, but I get ideas for my own. You should seriously check out his blog, it is really cool.


I saw a recipe on his blog awhile back for Bocoles. Bocoles are bean and corn masa patties that are then fried. They are a popular Latin street food and don't they look damn tasty? Well they are. I adapted his recipe a little bit using refried pinto beans instead of black and using carrots instead of sweet potatoes for the spicy topping.

I also made a nice spicy table chile sauce to go with it. It is really spicy so use sparingly.

de Arbol-New Mexico Table Sauce
6 de arbol chiles, wiped clean
4 New Mexico chiles, wiped clean
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
salt (to taste)

Heat up a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the chiles on both sides being careful not to burn them. This should take less than 20-30 seconds on each side. You can often see the color being intensified and this is a good sign that they are ready to be flipped.

Once the chiles are toasted, let cool for a few minutes. Then remove stem, seeds and ribs. Transfer to a blender or bowl and pour the boiling water over the chiles and cover. Let the chiles reconstitute for about 15-20 minutes.

Then add the garlic, citrus juice, and salt and blend.

Now you have yourself a basic table chile sauce. You can use whatever dried chiles you want for this recipe. Making a basic table sauce is also a good way to get to know the different flavors and subtleties of each chile.


I had lots of refried beans left over from the Bocoles, so I decided to turn the remaining beans into a nice soup. And it sure was tasty!

Refried Bean Bisque
2-4 tbsp safflower oil
2 red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
2 pimento sweet peppers, seeded and chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 cup refried pinto beans
4-6 cups water
salt to taste

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat, as though you were stir-frying veggies.

Add the potatoes, chiles, and onion, and fry for about 10 minutes until they start to get a little color. By caramelizing the veg, we will get a much deeper array of flavors than if you simply boiled them.

Add the garlic and fry for about 5 minutes, until the garlic begins to get fragrant.

Add the refried beans and water and simmer, covered, for about an hour or until all the veggies are nice and soft.

Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Transfer to a food processor and blend until very smooth.

Using a wire mesh strainer, begin to strain the soup over the soup pot in batches.

Once done, heat thoroughly and add salt to taste.

Side Note: If you have a vermicomposting system as we do (a worm farm), the left over veggie pulp from both soup making and juice making is the perfect food for a hungry worm. This also means that there is absolutely no waste. That I dig. Pun intended. ;-)


I don't know how everyone else feels about this, but I think that soup on it's own is just not going to cut it. I needs bread to make it a complete and satisfying meal.

Now, I will be the first to admit that breadmaking is not my forte. I am more of a punk in the kitchen, I like to let things happen organically and with breadmaking, you can't really do that. Let's just say I have had a lot of messy failures in my attempts at breadmaking.

This was one of my more successful attempts and I even managed to "punk it up" a little.

I used this recipe for Whole Wheat Rolls, but instead of the herbs used in the recipe, I kneaded in ten jalapenos, ten cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbsp cumin, and 1 tbsp Mexican oregano. Instead of making small rolls, I made six large-ish loaves. After they were baked, I brushed the tops with butter and sliced them into breadsticks, which we dipped in that tasty soup.


And finally, though it doesn't look like much, this is the gem of this post. This is the best soup I have ever made/had. It was an idea I had when I wanted to be lazy, but still have something tasty and healthy and I never imagined it to be as amazing as it really is.

This is like the Mexican equivalent to Chicken Noodle Soup, except without the icky meat. It is comforting like you wouldn't believe and it has perhaps the most amazing smell I have ever had the pleasure of smelling. And it is EASY TO MAKE.

I am not one to toot my own horn but this really is an amazing soup. I encourage you all to try this and let me know what you think. Maybe I'm just crazy, but it seems like the perfect comfort food to me.

Black Bean-Tomatillo Soup
1 onion, chopped
4 jalapenos, seeded and minced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can tomatillos, chopped
2 cups black beans, cooked
4-6 cups water
a couple dashes of cumin
salt to taste
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine

In a large soup pot, combine all the ingredients except the cilantro. Simmer, covered for 2-3 hours or until the veggies are soft.

Right before serving, stir in cilantro.

Serve with saltine crackers and enjoy!

That really is all you do. It is such a clear soup, it tastes and smells so clean. The cilantro added at the end gives it the crisp brightness and the tomatillos add an almost lime like flavor.

Brett and I were talking and thought that if you removed the beans, added cucumber, and pureed the whole mess that it would also make a nice cold soup for summer. Very refreshing.

Well, that's all for now.

'Til next time!

Things To Stuff In A Tortilla (and some other random things)

Check out the new blog layout! I was doing some other "administrative" tasks and decided I wanted to make a little change. I hope it is still easy to read and navigate - comments are welcome.

I also re-did the recipe index. It was quite hard to navigate and required lots of scrolling. Some funky things also happened with the HTML and it would have been a pain in the ass to try to fix manually, so I just started fresh and created a new index. I hope this one is easier to manage.

And finally, I also updated the J's Recommended Reads post, it was out-of-date and also needed a bit of editing.

Needless to say, lots of work has been going on behind the scenes here at Veg*n Cooking.

It has been quite a week or so too with the arrival of Butters. Things are slowly moving along, but the "peace" between the cats is tentative. And Butters is a kitten - all he wants to do is play and whenever the other cats come to try to sniff him, he bats at them and changes the whole mood entirely. He is kind of a punk though - he has a tendency to bite, which we are hoping we can discourage him from doing (it hurts, the little shit!) and he bothers the other kitties when they try to go to the bathroom and that is frustrating too. But he's also really sweet. He likes t have his belly and chin rubbed, he lets you hold him and get in his face, and he is really soft.

Admittedly, he has been far more interested in Gabby and Nermal than Brett or I and I am just having to deal with that at the moment and try not to smother him in love like I want to. :-)

When Butters was found, he was starving in a dumpster - on his vet forms they called him "Orange Dumpster Kitty" at first. When I read that on the papers the first day we had him, it made me tear up a little bit - it is pretty sad, BUT he was lucky. In the little over a week he has been here, he has put on weight, his coat looks shiner and thicker, his coloring is brighter, and he is active and playing. Hopefully things stay on the up and up and the little guy is okay. He was found during an unreasonably cold time here in Missouri - it is hard to believe her survived. But he made friends at the vets office, they sent him with food, bowls, a bed, toys, medicine, all sorts of stuff. It is amazing what a cute kitten can do to a person. :-) He is gaining weight incredibly quickly. I had taken to calling him "Butter Bean", but I might have to start calling him "Butter Ball". :-)

Check out some recent pictures.


I love the tongue!


Brett did buy this giant stuffed elephant (we call him Packie) for me, but both Nermal and Butters have claimed him and I don't have the heart to take him from them. I mean, see?


So cute when he isn't biting you...


Gabby doesn't realize that Butters is sleeping with her. :-)



Though this picture is blurry, it is my favorite we have of Gabby - it captures her essence - curious and super sweet.

Alright, enough with the kitties and onto the food!

What follows are three simple meals - 30 minutes or less, that are tasty when stuffed into a tortilla or taco shell. We really like our tortillas and taco shells...


Option #1
2 tbsp safflower oil
2 red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 red New Mexican chiles, chopped
1/4 cup sweet corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup black beans
salt

Heat oil in a large skilled and add the potatoes and cover, stirring often, for about ten minutes or until they begin to soften a little bit.

Add the onion, chiles, and corn. Cook for an additional ten minutes.

Add the garlic and beans and cook for an additional five to ten minutes.

Stuff ingredients in a warmed tortilla and serve with super hot salsa!

If you eat cheese, Manchego is a good addition to this option.


Option #2
2 tbsp safflower oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup sweet corn
1/2 cup black beans
chipotle chile powder
New Mexican oregano
cumin
salt

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the sweet potato and cook for about ten to fifteen minutes until the begin to caramelize and soften.

Add the corn and black beans and season to taste. Cook until heated through.

Again, you just need to stuff your ingredients into a warmed tortilla and serve.

If you eat cheese, Cotija is a good pairing with this option.


Option #3 (Vegetarian)
2 tbsp safflower oil
2 small red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
5-6 baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/4 yellow onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt
2 eggs, scrambled

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the potatoes, mushrooms, and onions and cook for about fifteen minutes or until potatoes begin to brown and soften. Stir often.

Add the garlic and season with salt to taste. Cook for an additional five to ten minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

Layer potato mixture in a warmed tortilla and top with some scrambled egg. Enjoy!

If you eat cheese/dairy - shredded Mexican cheese blend and/or sour cream are a nice addition to this option.

And now for something completely different...


Doesn't that just look so darn appetizing? Well, it might not look good, but it sure tastes good.

J's Pink Egg Salad
1 egg, hardboiled and chopped
2 tbsp yellow onion, chopped
1/2 small carrot, peeled and microplaned (hence the pink color)
2 tbsp hot pepper relish (instead of the cucumber kind, I like spicy, that's just how I roll)
2-3 tbsp mayo or Veganaise
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
a few dashes of cayenne

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and adjust ingredients to your liking.

I serve this on toasted Jewish rye bread with lots of baby spinach.

And finally, here are a couple of other things I've made as of late...


Banana cake! I had some bananas on the counter I've been using for smoothies get a little too ripe on me, so what to do? Make banana bread! Brett and I prefer it to be more "cakelike" than "breadlike", so I just used my Banana Bread recipe but put it in an 8x8 pan and cooked it for an hour instead of an hour and fifteen minutes or more.

I also used all whole wheat pastry flour instead of just part.


When Brett was at the store the other day, they were out of his beloved cookies. I have been in a bit of a baking mood so I decided I would make him some. I just used my Super Yummy Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and subbed in a mixture of M&M's and Reese's Pieces for the chocolate chips. He hasn't missed his store bought cookies after all...

AND - I was able to get at least something semi-wholesome into his cookies but using whole wheat pastry flour. :-)

'Til next time.

Peanut Butter Kitty (a.k.a Butters)

I don't feel too much like blogging today - I'm pretty tired. We've been staying up late and have had family visiting each of the last few days and it has caught up with me. But I DID wan to make sure that I got some pictures of our new kitty Butters up for everyone to see. He is quite the sweetie and we've had a blast with him so far.

I hope to be back in a day or so - I have some recipes to post!

Hope you enjoy the pictures.


















If you look closely, you can see a kitty snuggled up in the blanket. Of course, it's Gabby, not Butters, but it is so cute I couldn't help but share. She is such a photogenic kitty.

And now introducing Butters, 5 pounds of orange kitty goodness!

Black Bean Shepherd's Pie and a New Addition to the J&B Household

Yes, um, I actually made this quite some time ago, but seeing as I've been afflicted with that horrible Lazy Syndrome, I'm only getting around to it now. Many, many moons ago, Jessy from the oh so awesome blog, Happy Vegan Face, posted about a Shepherd's Pie recipe she had made.

I'd never had Shepherd's Pie before vegetarian or otherwise, but who doesn't like mashed potatoes, veggies, and beans? Why not put them together? I know! Great idea! So I decided to make up my own recipe based on what I had around and it was pretty darn good. I think I'm going to try using green lentils in place of beans next time I make this.


















Black Bean Shepherd's Pie

The Taters:
4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed (leave the skins on for some excellent fiber!)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 cup milk
2-3 tbsp butter or Earth Balance
1/2 cup gouda or non-dairy cheese shreds
salt

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the potatoes and garlic. Boil until potatoes are tender and drain.

Combine all the ingredients with a mixer or potato masher, seasoning with salt to taste.

Rest of the Stuff:
2 tbsp safflower oil
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup sweet corn
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small can tomato sauce
2 cups black beans

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the veggies and cook for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Add the tomato sauce and black beans and cook until heated through.

In an 8x8 pan, spread the bean/veggie mixture and top with the potatoes.

Place, uncovered, in the oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until top is nice and golden.

Enjoy!

Yum, just posting about it makes me want this again, it was hearty, filling, and super tasty. I just wish I had had some green beans or peas to add to the mix. Or broccoli like Jessy used. Mmmmmm, green veggies...

So, in some exciting but completely off topic news - Brett and I are getting ready to welcome a new addition to our home.

A couple of weeks ago, Brett and I went to St. Louis for the weekend to celebrate (belatedly) the holidays with my parents and brothers. I met my first little nephew - Gabriel - and he seemed as scared of me as I was of him. Perhaps when he is older we will both be more comfortable...

Anyway, while we were up there, my parents took our Cocker Spaniel, Sadie, to the vet to have something checked out. While there, they discovered that a kitty had been found very sick in a trash can and was brought to the vet by a daughter of one of the nurses who found him. He was this tiny little orange puff ball who was scared, thin, malnourished, and in need of love and food. Stacey fell in love but was torn - she might have an infant in the house soon and a little kitty and babies don't usually mix. But the kitty was so sweet and unless someone took him, he would be taken to an animal shelter and likely put down because he was a runt and they couldn't guarantee his long-term health. So she asked Brett and I if we might want to take him.

Now, as a little aside, I would love to take ALL animals in need of a home. But we cannot. We live in an apartment and are limited in both funds and space, so we can only have so many critters and still be able to provide a good home with plenty of love. There is a shelter here in Columbia called Second Chance. They don't have a facility, rather, all the animals are put in "foster homes" where they live until they are either adopted or, well, they've lived out their days. They are no-kill. I think this is one of the most amazing organizations I've heard of and I would love to be able to help foster one days.

Anyway, back on topic. While we can't have all the animals that need a home, the more I got to thinking about it, the more it seemed like we had more than enough room for another kitty. I spoke to Brett about it and he agreed that we could go see the kitty at the vet. He knew (as I did) that as soon as he agreed to go see it, we were going to be adopting the cat, whether it had three legs and one eye, it didn't matter, we were going to give this unwanted kitty a home.

So we went to the vet and the nurse brought out this tiny orange fluff ball. He is so cute! He was very shy but took to me instantly. He let me love on him and didn't cower as he usually did. He was just the sweetest little thing. We decided we would call him Peanut Butter (we will call him Butters for short, like South Park :-)) and that he would definitely be welcome in our home.

Since he was so thin and was having some problems with his kidneys, they kept him at the vet to fatten him up and get his insides working a little better. Oh, and they are also going to fix him. EEEEEEK! Word from the vet is that he is really coming out of his shell and is starting to play a lot. They think he is 10-11 months old. He will be ready to come home on Saturday and my parents will be bringing him down. We can't wait!

Except...we have to introduce a new cat into our home and though I've only had to do it once before, it was not fun and was quite a stressful time. So while we are looking forward to him coming home, we are not looking forward to the introduction process. Yuk.

Anyway, that's about all the news I have for now. I'll get some pictures of Butters this weekend and post them for all to see.

'Til next time.

Super Yummy Green Smoothie

I have been making more of an effort lately to make sure that Brett and I are getting adequate vitamins and minerals and have really become fond of juicing and making smoothies. Not only are they tasty and make a great breakfast, they are easy and so very healthy.

Below is one of my very first experiments and it is really good. I will make up a batch of this in the mornings and Brett and I will split it for breakfast. Super yummy and really easy, can't get much better than that.


















Super Yummy Green Smoothie
2 apples (you want to use a tart variety, I used organic Granny Smith), cored
2 bananas
a couple handfuls of spinach
juice of half a lime
1 heaping tsp. spirulina powder
5-6 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Enjoy!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!

'Til next time.

Random Grub We've Made (and remembered to take pictures of)

So yeah, promises, promises, right? I said, oh let's see, a month ago, that I was going to try to start blogging more regularly and look, it has been over a month. I really suck sometimes. I have all sorts of excuses, but I will not bore you all with them.

Needless to say, I have been a lot better about taking pictures of the things I have been cooking and have tried out some tasty new things I am going to be blogging about in just a little while. I guess you could say that my New Year's "resolution" will be to be more organized and a better blogger, because, you know, I've missed it.

Anywho, here is some of the random things I have made lately:


















Spicy Smashed Kidney Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos.


















Potato, Mushroom, and Egg Burrito.


















Potato, Mushroom, and Egg Burrito cut open. I just simply cut up 3 small red potatoes, sliced half a container of button mushrooms, a bell pepper, a jalapeno, half an onion, and a couple of cloves of garlic, sautéed it and seasoned it with cumin, cilantro, chipotle chile powder and salt. The I scrambled an egg and stuffed it all in a warmed tortilla.

I hope everyone out there had a wonderful holiday. B and I stayed home this year, and seeing as how we didn't cook anything special on Thanksgiving, we decided to make all our favorite sides for our just-for-two Christmas dinner. After we gorged on the goodies you will see below, we spent the evening playing Sim City 4 together - so much fun, probably my favorite computer game ever. Anyways...


















Candied yams for Brett. He really, really likes these. I'm not a marshmallow person, and while I loves sweet potatoes, this isn't really my thing, I make it for Brett.


















Garlic mashed red potatoes.


















Green bean casserole.


















Herbed stuffing.

As you can see, it was a really tasty meal.

Well, I wish everyone a safe and happy New Year's. We will be joining a small contingent of friends and then heading to St. Louis on Friday to spend the weekend with my family. My brother Zac and his wife Brittine just had their first child, Gabriel, and I get to meet him for the first time. I'm Aunt J! The only problem is I am scared shitless of children, particularly little babies and B is hell bent on getting me to hold him.

I will mention one of my excuses for not blogging - I fractured a rib and it is hard to get comfortable. It is finally starting to feel better - there isn't much that can be done for a rib except for giving it time, but I plan on keeping that in my arsenal of excuses as to why I don't need to hold Gabriel. I will get down on the carpet and have a chat with him, where there is no chance of my dropping or otherwise injuring this tiny little human, but that is about as far as it goes. Is it weird to have adult like conversations with infants? I have VERY LITTLE experience and contact with children/babies and I am never sure how to approach/handle them. And my goodness, being pregnant? That has to be one of the creepiest things - ever. I don't think I could ever get comfortable with some creature in my belly, that is just, well, creepy. But I have the maternal instinct of most commitment-phobic males (though, obviously, since I am happily married I am not a commitment-phobe). It has made my grandparents and mother quite sad that I have no desire whatsoever to have children. My dad doesn't really care, he just wants me to be happy, and besides, I have three step-brothers to provide plenty of pitter-pattering little feet. I have a feeling I will do the "cool Aunt from afar" thing - I will bring cool gifts and play with the kid when I am around, but then will happily give him back to Mom and Dad. Nice.

Anywho - I will be writing and scheduling some more recipes to be posted in the next couple of days.

Have a great night everyone!

'Til next time.

Books J's Read - 2011

The new start of a new year means yet another Books J's Read list. It will likely contain mostly cozy mysteries, and the occasional non-fiction book, but if you are looking for something to read, and you trust my humble judgement, read on for my list of reads of the year.

Fiction:

1. A Peach of a Murder (Fresh-Baked Mysteries, 1) - Livia J. Washburn - 4 out of 5
   
2. Accessory to Murder (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper 3) - Elaine Viets - 5 out of 5
3. An Uplifting Murder (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper, 6) - Elaine Viets - 5 out of 5
4. Bantam of the Opera (Bed & Breakfast, 5) - Mary Daheim - 3 out of 5
   
5. Cat Sitter Among the Pigeons (Dixie Hemingway, 6) - Blaize Clement - 4 out of 5
   
6. Cat Sitter On a Hot Tine Roof (Dixie Hemingway, 4) - Blaize Clement - 4 out of 5
7. Curiosity Thrilled the Cat (Magical Cats Mystery 1) - Sofie Kelly - 4.5 out of 5
8. Dune to Death (Bed & Breakfast Mystery, 4) - Mary Daheim - 3 out of 5
   
9. Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter (Dixie Hemingway, 1) - Blaize Clement - 4 out of 5
10. Duplicity Dogged the Dachshund (Dixie Hemingway, 2) - Blaize Clement - 4 out of 5
11. Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues (Dixie Hemingway, 3) - Blaize Clement - 4 out of 5
12. Foul Prey (Bed & Breakfast Mystery, 2) - Mary Daheim - 3 out of 5
    
13. Dying in Style (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper, 1) - Elaine Viets - 5 out of 5
14. Holy Terrors (Bed & Breakfast Mystery, 3) - Mary Daheim - 3 out of 5
    
15. Just Desserts (Bed & Breakfast Mystery, 1) - Mary Daheim - 3 out of 5
    
16. Killer Crab Cakes (Fresh-Baked Mysteries, 4) - Livia J. Washburn - 3 out of 5
    
17. High Heels Are Murder (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper, 2) - Elaine Viets - 5 out of 5
18. Murder By the Slice (Fresh-Baked Mysteries, 2) - Livia J. Washburn - 3.5 out of 5
    
19. Murder With All the Trimmings (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper, 4) - Elaine Viets - 5 out of 5
20. Raining Cat Sitters and Dogs (Dixie Hemingway, 5) - Blaize Clement - 4 out of 5
    
21. Shot Through Velvet (Crime of Fashion Mysteries, 7) - 3.5 out of 5
22. The Christmas Cookie Killer (Fresh-Baked Mysteries, 3) - Livia J. Washburn - 3 out of 5
    
23. The Fashion Hound Murders (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper, 5) - Elaine Viets - 5 out of 5
24. The Pumpkin Muffin Murder (Fresh-Baked Mysteries, 5) - Livia J. Washburn - 3 out of 5
    

Books J's Read - 2010

1. 44 Scotland Street (44 Scotland Street, 1) - Alexander McCall Smith - 5 out of 5
   
2. A Charmed Death (Bewitching Mystery, 2) - Madelyn Alt - 3 out of 5
3. A Hoe Lot of Trouble (A Nina Quinn Mystery, 1) - Heather Webber - 3 out of 5
4. A Killer Workout (A Fat City Mystery, 2) - Kathryn Lilley - 3 out of 5
   
5. A Rose from the Dead (Flower Shop Mystery, 6) - Kate Collins - 3 out of 5
6. Arsenic and Old Paint (Annie Kincaid, 4) - Hailey Lind - 3.5 out of 5
   
7. A Toast to Murder (Wine Lover's Mystery, 6) - Michele Scott - 3 out of 5
8. A Vintage Murder (Wine Lover's Mystery, 4) - Michele Scott - 3 out of 5
9. A Wedding to Die For (Yellow Rose Mysteries, 2) - Leann Sweeney - 4 out of 5
   
10. A Witch in Time (Bewitching Mystery, 6) - Madelyn Alt - 3 out of 5
11. Acts of Violets (Flower Shop Mystery, 5) - Kate Collins - 3 out of 5
12. Armed and Glamorous (Crime of Fashion, 6) - Ellen Byerrum - 3 out of 5
13. Bed Rest - Sarah Bilston - 4 out of 5
14. Better Off Wed (Annabelle Archer Mystery, 1) - Laura Durham - 3.5 out of 5
    
15. Bookmarked for Death (Booktown Mystery, 2) - Lorna Barrett - 4 out of 5
16. Bookplate Special (Booktown Mystery, 3) - Lorna Barrett - 4 out of 5
    
17. Bride and Doom (Carnegie Kincaid, 6) - Deborah Donnelly - 3.5 out of 5
18. Brush with Death (Annie Kincaid Mystery, 3) - Hailey Lind - 4 out of 5
    
19. Catch As Cat Can (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 10) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
20. Catering to Nobody (Goldy Schulz Catering, 1) Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
    
21. Cat On the Scent (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 7) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
22. Cat's Eyewitness (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 13) - Rita Mae Brown - 3 out of 5
23. Chapter & Hearse (Booktown Mystery, 4) - Lorna Barrett - 3 out of 5
    
24. Chopping Spree (Goldy Schulz Catering, 11) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
    
25. Class Mothers - Katherine Stewart - 3 out of 5
    
26. Claws and Effect (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 9) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
27. Clubbed to Death (Dead-End Job, 7) - Elaine Viets - 3.5 out of 5
    
28. Cooking Up Murder (Cooking Class Mysteries, 1) - Miranda Bliss - 3.5 out of 5
29. Corked By Cabernet (Wine Lover's Mystery, 5) - Michele Scot - 3 out of 5
30. Crossing the Lion (Reigning Cats and Dogs, 9) - Cynthia Baxter - 3.5 out of 5
    
31. Damsel Under Stress (Katie Chandler, 3) - Shanna Swedsen - 4 out of 5
32. Dark Tort (Goldy Schulz Catering, 13) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
    
33. Dead Air (A Talk Radio Mystery, 1) - Mary Kennedy - 3.5 out of 5
34. Dead Canaries Don't Sing (Reigning Cats and Dogs, 1) - Cynthia Baxter - 4 out of 5
    
35. Dead Giveaway (Yellow Rose Mysteries, 3) - Leann Sweeney - 3.5 out of 5
    
36. Dead Men Don't Get the Munchies (Cooking Class Mysteries, 3) - Miranda Bliss - 3.5 out of 5
37. Dearly Depotted (Flower Shop Mystery, 3) - Kate Collins - 3 out of 5
38. Death By Panty Hose (Jaine Austen Mystery, 6) - Laura Levine - 4 out of 5
39. Death of a Trophy Wife (Jaine Austen Mystery, 9) - Laura Levine - 4 out of 5
40. Death Takes a Honeymoon (Carnegie Kincaid, 4) - Deborah Donnelly - 3.5 out of 5
    
41. Death Takes the Cake (Della Cooks Mystery, 2) - Melinda Wells - 4 out of 5
42. Decaffeinated Corpse (Coffeehouse Mystery, 5) - Cleo Coyle - 3 out of 5
43. Designer Knockoff (Crime of Fashion, 2) - Ellen Byerrum - 3 out of 5
44. Died to Match (Carnegie Kincaid, 2) - Deborah Donnelly - 3 out of 5
    
45. Digging Up Trouble (A Nina Quinn Mystery, 3) - Heather Webber - 3 out of 5
46. Dirty Rotten Tendrils (Flower Shop Mystery, 10) - Kate Collins - 3.5 out of 5
    
47. Don't Hex With Texas (Katie Chandler, 4) - Shanna Swedsen - 4 out of 5
48. Double Dog Dare (Kendra Ballantyne, 6) - Linda O. Johnston - 3 out of 5
49. Double Shot (Goldy Schulz Catering, 12) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
    
50. Dying for Chocolate (Goldy Schulz Catering, 2) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
    
51. Dying for Dinner (Cooking Class Mysteries, 4) - Miranda Bliss - 3.5 out of 5
52. Dying to Be Thin (A Fat City Mystery, 1) - Kathryn Lilley - 3 out of 5
    
53. Dying to Call You (Dead-End Job, 3) - Elaine Viets - 3.5 out of 5
    
54. Enchanted, Inc. (Katie Chandler, 1) - Shanna Swedsen - 4 out of 5
55. Espresso Shot (Coffeehouse Mystery, 7) - Cleo Coyle - 3 out of 5
56. Espresso Tales (44 Scotland Street, 2) - Alexander McCall Smith - 5 out of 5
    
57. Evil in Carnations (Flower Shop Mystery, 8) - Kate Collins - 3 out of 5
58. Fatally Flaky (Goldy Schulz Catering, 15) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
    
59. Family Affair - Caprice Crane - 3 out of 5
60. Feline Fatale (Kendra Ballantyne, 9) - Linda O. Johnston - 3 out of 5
    
61. Fine Feathered Death (Kendra Ballantyne, 3) - Linda O. Johnston - 4 out of 5
62. For Better or Hearse (Annabelle Archer Mystery, 2) - Laura Durham - 3.5 out of 5
    
63. French Pressed (Coffeehouse Mystery, 6) - Cleo Coyle - 3 out of 5
64. Fundraising the Dead (Museum Mystery, 1) - Sheila Connelly - 3 out of 5
65. Feint of Art (Annie Kincaid Mystery, 1) - Hailey Lind - 4 out of 5
    
66. Grave Apparel (Crime of Fashion, 5) - Ellen Byerrum - 3 out of 5
67. Half-Price Homicide (Dead-End Job, 9) - Elaine Viets - 3.5 out of 5
68. Hare Today, Dead Tomorrow (Reigning Cats and Dogs, 4) - Cynthia Baxter - 3.5 out of 5
    
69. Hex Marks the Spot (Bewitching Mystery, 3) - Madelyn Alt - 3 out of 5
70. Holiday Grind (Coffeehouse Mystery, 8) - Cleo Coyle - 3 out of 5
71. Homicide in Hardcover (Bibliophile Mystery, 1) - Kate Carlisle - 4 out of 5
72. Hostile Makeover (Crime of Fashion, 4) - Ellen Byerrum - 3 out of 5
73. Howl Deadly (Kendra Ballantyne, 8) - Linda O. Johnston - 3.5 out of 5
74. How to Crash a Killer Bash (Party Planning Mystery, 1) - Penny Warner - 4 out of 5
75. How to Host a Killer Party (Party Planning Mystery, 2) - Penny Warner - 4 out of 5
    
76. Hunger Point - Jillian Medoff - 3.5 out of 5
77. If Books Could Kill (Bibliophile Mystery, 2) - Kate Carlisle - 3.5 out of 5
78. Killer Blonde (Jaine Austen Mystery, 3) - Laura Levine - 4 out of 5
79. Killer Cuts (Dead-End Job, 8) - Elaine Viets - 3.5 out of 5
    
80. Killer Mousse (Della Cooks Mystery, 1) - Melinda Wells - 4 out of 5
81. Killer Pancake (Goldy Schulz Catering, 5) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
    
82. Killing Bridezilla (Jaine Austen Mystery, 7) - Laura Levine - 4 out of 5
83. Last Writes (Jaine Austen Mystery, 2) - Laura Levine - 4 out of 5
84. Latte Trouble (Coffehouse Mystery, 3) - Cleo Coyle - 3 out of 5
85. Lead a Horse to Murder (Reigning Cats and Dogs, 3) - Cynthia Baxter - 3.5 out of 5
86. Love Over Scotland (44 Scotland Street, 3) - Alexander McCall Smith - 5 out of 5
    
87. Love You To Death - Melissa Senate - 3 out of 5
88. Makeovers Can Be Murder (A Fat City Mystery, 3) - Kathryn Lilley - 3 out of 5
    
89. May the Best Man Die (Carnegie Kincaid, 3) - Deborah Donnelly - 3 out of 5
    
90. Misery Loves Cabernet - Kim Gruenenfelder - 3 out of 5
91. Meow for Murder (Kendra Ballantyne, 4) - Linda O. Johnston - 3.5 out of 5
92. Monkey See, Monkey Die (Reigning Cats and Dogs, 7) - Cynthia Baxter - 3.5 out of 5
    
93. Mum's the Word (Flower Shop Mystery, 1) - Kate Collins - 3 out of 5
94. Murder At Monticello (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 3) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
95. Murder Between the Covers (Dead-End Job, 2) - Elaine Viets - 3.5 out of 5
    
96. Murder By the Glass (Wine Lover's Mystery, 2) - Michele Scott - 3 out of 5
97. Murder Had a Little Lamb (Reigning Cats and Dogs, 8) - Cynthia Baxter - 3.5 out of 5
    
98. Murder Has A Sweet Tooth (Cooking Class Mysteries, 5) - Miranda Bliss - 3.5 out of 5
99. Murder is Binding (Booktown Mystery, 1) - Lorna Barrett - 4 out of 5
    
100. Murder Most Frothy (Coffeehouse Mystery, 4) - Cleo Coyle - 3 out of 5
101. Murder On the Menu (Cooking Class Mysteries, 2) - Miranda Bliss - 3.5 out of 5
102. Murder on the Prowl (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 6) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
103. Murder Uncorked (Wine Lover's Mystery, 1) - Michele Scot - 3 out of 5
104. Murder Unleashed (Dead-End Job, 5) - Elaine Viets - 3.5 out of 5
     
105. Murder, She Meowed (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 5) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
106. Murder with Reservations (Dead-End Job, 6) - Elaine Viets - 3.5 out of 5
     
107. Never Say Sty (Kendra Ballantyne, 7) - Linda O. Johnston - 3 out of 5
     
108. Nothing to Fear but Ferrets (Kendra Ballantyne, 2) - Linda O. Johnston - 4 out of 5
     
109. No Rest of the Wiccan (Bewitching Mystery, 4) - Madelyn Alt - 3 out of 5
110. On What Grounds (Coffeehouse Mystery, 1) - Cleo Coyle - 3 out of 5
111. Once Upon Stilettos (Katie Chandler, 2) - Shanna Swedsen
112. Pawing Through the Past (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 8) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
113. Pay Dirt (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 4) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
114. Pick Your Poison (Yellow Rose Mysteries, 1) - Leann Sweeney - 3.5 out of 5
     
115. Prime Cut (Goldy Schulz Catering, 8) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
116. Pushing Up Bluebonnets (Yellow Rose Mysteries, 5) - Leann Sweeney - 3.5 out 5
     
117. Puss 'n Cahoot (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 15) - Rita Mae Brown - 3 out of 5
118. Putting on the Dog (Reigning Cats and Dogs, 2) - Cynthia Baxter - 3.5 out of 5
     
119. Rachel's Holiday - Marian Keyes - 3 out of 5
120. Raiders of the Lost Corset (Crime of Fashion, 3) - Ellen Byerrum - 3 out of 5
121. Rest in Pieces (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 2) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
122. Reel Murder (A Talk Radio Mystery, 2) - Mary Kennedy - 3 out of 5
     
123. Rich Again - Anna Maxted - 3 out of 5
124. Right from the Gecko (Reigning Cats and Dogs, 5) - Cynthia Baxter - 3.5 out of 5
     
125. Roast Mortem (Coffeehouse Mystery, 9) - Cleo Coyle - 3 out of 5
     
126. Santa Clawed (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 17) - Rita Mae Brown - 3.5 out of 5
127. Shoes to Die For (Jaine Austen Mystery, 4) - Laura Levine - 4 out of 5
128. Shoot from the Lip (Yellow Rose Mysteries, 4) - Leann Sweeney - 3.5 out of 5
129. Shooting Gallery (Annie Kincaid Mystery, 2) - Hailey Lind - 4 out of 5
     
130. Shoots to Kill (Flower Shop Mystery, 7) - Kate Collins - 3 out of 5
131. Shop Till You Drop (Dead End Job, 1) - Elaine Viets - 3.5 out of 5
     
132. Silenced By Syrah (Wine Lover's Mystery, 3) - Michele Scot - 3 out of 5
133. Slay it with Flowers (Flower Shop Mystery, 2) - Kate Collins - 3 out of 5
134. Sleeping with Anemone (Flower Shop Mystery, 9) - Kate Collins - 3 out of 5
135. Snipped in the Bud (Flower Shop Mystery, 4) - Kate Collins - 3 out of 5
136. Sour Puss (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 14) - Rita Mae Brown - 3 out of 5
137. Sticks and Scones (Goldy Schulz Catering, 10) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
138. Sweet Revenge (Goldy Schulz Catering, 14) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
     
139. The Accidental Virgin - Valerie Frankel - 1 out of 5
140. The Cereal Murders (Goldy Schulz Catering, 3) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
     
141. The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund - Jill Kargman - 2 out of 5
142. The Fright of the Iguana (Kendra Ballantyne, 5) - 3.5 out of 5
     
143. The Girl's Guide to Witchcraft - Mindy L. Klasky - 3 out of 5
144. The Grilling Season (Goldy Schulz Catering, 7) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
145. The Hunt (Rachel Benjamin, 4) - Jennifer Sturman - 4 out of 5
     
146. The Jinx (Rachel Benjamin, 2) - Jennifer Sturman - 4 out of 5
147. The Key (Rachel Benjamin, 3) - Jennifer Sturman - 4 out of 5
     
148. The Killer Hair (Crime of Fashion, 1) - Ellen Byerrum - 3 out of 5
149. The Kitchen Witch - Annette Blair - 2 out of 5
150. The Last Suppers (Goldy Schulz Catering, 4) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
151. The Main Corpse (Goldy Schulz Catering, 6) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
152. The Pact (Rachel Benjamin, 1) - Jennifer Sturman - 4 out of 5
     
153. The PMS Murder (Jaine Austen Mystery, 5) - Laura Levine - 4 out of 5
154. The Proof is in the Pudding (Della Cooks Mystery, 3) - Melinda Wells - 4 out of 5
155. The Purrfect Murder (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 16) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
156. The Tail of the Tip Off (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 11) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
157. The Ten Best Days of My Life - Adena Halpern - 4 out of 5
158. The Trouble with Magic (Bewitching Mystery, 1) - Madelyn Alt - 3 out of 5
159. The World According to Bertie (44 Scotland Street, 4) - Alexander McCall Smith - 5 out of 5
160. The Unbearable Lightness of Scones (44 Scotland Street, 5) - Alexander McCall Smith - 5 out of 5
     
161. This Pen for Hire (Jaine Austen Mystery, 1) - Laura Levine - 4 out of 5
162. To Love and To Perish (Annabelle Archer Mystery, 3) - Laura Durham - 3 out of 5
     
163. Through the Grinder (Coffeehouse Mystery, 2) - Cleo Coyle - 3 out of 5
164. Tough Cookie (Goldy Schulz Catering, 9) - Diane Mott Davidson - 4 out of 5
     
165. Trophies - Heather Thomas - 4 out of 5
166. Trouble in Bloom (A Nina Quinn Mystery, 2) - Heather Webber - 3 out of 5
167. Trouble in Spades (A Nina Quinn Mystery, 4) - Heather Webber - 3 out of 5
168. Undead and Unappreciated (Queen Betsy, 3) - MaryJanice Davidson - 3 out of 5
169. Undead and Uneasy (Queen Betsy, 6) - MaryJanice Davidson - 3 out of 5
170. Undead and Unemployed (Queen Betsy, 2) - MaryJanice Davidson - 3 out of 5
171. Undead and Unfinished (Queen Betsy, 9) - MaryJanice Davidson - 4.5 out of 5
     
172. Undead and Unpopular (Queen Betsy, 5) - MaryJanice Davidson - 3 out of 5
173. Undead and Unreturnable (Queen Betsy, 4) - MaryJanice Davidson - 3 out of 5
174. Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, 1) - MaryJanice Davidson - 4 out of 5
175. Undead and Unwelcome (Queen Betsy, 8) - MaryJanice Davidson - 3 out of 5
176. Undead and Unworthy (Queen Betsy, 7) - MaryJanice Davidson - 3 out of 5
177. Veiled Threats (Carnegie Kincaid, 1) - Deborah Donnelly - 3 out of 5
     
178. Weeding out Trouble (A Nina Quinn Mystery, 5) - Heather Webber - 3 out of 5
179. Where There's a Witch (Bewitching Mystery, 5) - Madelyn Alt - 3 out of 5
180. Whisker of Evil (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 12) - Rita Mae Brown - 3 out of 5
181. Who's Kitten Who (Reigning Cats and Dogs, 6) - Cynthia Baxter - 3.5 out of 5
     
182. Wish You Were Here (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries, 1) - Rita Mae Brown - 4 out of 5
183. You May Now Kill the Bride (Carnegie Kincaid, 5) - Deborah Donnelly - 3.5 out of 5
     

J's Onion Soup

Well not only have I been a bit obsessed with soup lately, Brett and I have both been fighting a nasty cold that doesn't seem to want to go away. So soup has been an even bigger part of our lives lately.

Nothing feels better on a sore throat than a flavorful, brothy soup. At least that is how I feel.

I wanted something simple, tasty, and that would also do the trick. I've never been much of a chicken noodle girl (or a "No Chicken Noodle" girl as it now stands), and I really love the taste of caramelized onions, so I thought I'd give this a shot.

It turned out good - darn good, and it was easy to make, and that is the only tolerable cooking that can be done when sick. Not that I don't like quick and easy meals on a good day though either...

Anyways, check it out.


















The local booty legend (aka revealing my sources):
no asterisk = grocery store
+ = local produce from The Root Cellar
++ = The Peace Nook (will denote whether product is local or just from the Nook)
* = farmer's market
** = CSA
*** = Container or Community Garden
**** = the non-profit buying club, Blue Planet or Purcell Mountain Farms

J's Onion Soup

Mushroom Broth:
1 package portobello mushrooms
1 yellow onion, halved
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
2-3 tbsp Earth Balance or butter
6 cups water

Melt EB or butter in pot over medium-high heat.

Add the mushrooms and onion and cook until they begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Add the water and simmer over low heat for about an hour.

Strain broth with a wire mesh strainer. Reserve at least 3 cups.

Rest of the Soup:
2 tbsp safflower oil
2 red onions, peeled and sliced
2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
salt
pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften and caramelize, about 15-20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add the mushroom broth in batches until it is at your desired consistency.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Very simple, very good.

J's Songs of the Day:
Japura River - Philip Glass
Paru River - Philip Glass

'Til next time.