We Interrupt this 31DBB with Summer Stew

There is nothing like a good stew when you're in need of comfort. You are in need of comfort, aren't you, at this juncture in the 31DDB Project?

This Nigerian Stew began as delicious Nigerian Baked Beans. The following night I added potatoes and fried onions (sliced really thin, fried really dark brown).

Today I want to remember what I did, in case I'm in need of comfort again sometime. Or just want to eat a great summer stew.

Nigerian Baked Beans, from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian (modified by moi :)

Stir briefly over low heat..

• 1 onion, chopped and already sauteed until light brown
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TB curry powder


Add onion and garlic mixture to...

• 1 1/2 cups dried Great Northern Beans, already soaked and cooked until tender (retain cooking water)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/2 TB peanut butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Bake all together about an hour or until tender and sauce is thickened.

Serve with salad and brown bread with herbed butter (herbed butter is a stick of softened butter you whip up and add chopped fresh garden herbs to, along with minced garlic, onion and a bit of lemon juice; I added fresh lemon thyme, sage, rosemary, chives, and oregano).


For Stew the Following Evening...

• cut 4-5 potatoes into 1/2 to 3/4 inch chunks, add to beans with enough water to cover, and cook 15 minutes or until tender
• garnish with one onion sliced very thin, browned until crisp
• add a generous scoop of herbed butter and stir until melted


Nigerian Stew photo, by L.L. Barkat.

Quickest Sweet and Cheesy Quesadilla

When I'm feeling lazy about making lunch, but I want something divine, this works for me...


Quickest Sweet and Cheesy Quesadilla

• cilantro jalapeno tortilla
• top with sliced cheddar
• spread with Sara Beth's Peach Apricot jam
• sprinkle with cinnamon
• add herb of choice (cilantro above, but I think basil might work better)

Wrap and saute briefly until cheese melts. Enjoy!


Quickest Sweet and Cheesy Quesadilla photos by L.L. Barkat.

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Easy Chickpea Soup (or what to make when the holidays have totally tired you out)

I said I'd see you in the New Year. I obviously underestimated the power of a simple recipe to bring me here... so I could share it with my fellow tired-from-the-holiday bloggers.

This is a variation on a Greek soup which uses fresh rosemary and lemon juice (which you too can use if it's what's in your kitchen, in place of the fennel and vinegar).

As for me, I poked around in my herb garden and found fresh fennel growing under the leaf mulch. Here's what happened...


Easy Chickpea Soup


Saute until barely brown...

• 1/2 onion, chopped


Add and simmer several minutes...

• chickpeas (2 cans or 1 1/2 cups dried and cooked); mash some of the chickpeas to thicken soup
• chickpea water or if using canned, vegetable broth to cover


Add and simmer about 1 minute more...

• a few asparagus, chopped (I used leftovers)
• few sprigs fresh fennel, chopped
• dash sugar
• few dashes brown rice vinegar
• dash to 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• sea salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Finish...

Drop in a TB of butter.

This tasted really good with leftover challah bread and butter. And I like raisins, so I threw a few into my soup! An apple salad would be a great compliment too, except I didn't have the energy to make it.

Peachy Quesadilla

Spicy. Sweet. Juicy. Filling. Delectable.

That's the only way I can describe this ultra-simple, unexpected recipe— the product of staying with relatives and needing to figure something out for vegetarian lunch. Necessity really is the mother of invention.

Peachy Quesadillas

• whole wheat tortillas
• pepper jack cheese
• sliced fresh peaches or nectarines
• butter

Fill tortilla with cheese and peaches, fold and saute a few minutes on each side in a little butter. Heavenly.


Peachy Quesadilla photo, by L.L. Barkat.