blackbean santa fe salad (a recipe post)

every so often i will get a craving for THIS amazingly delicious salad at which point i wheedle poor brian to take me out for a dinner date so i can order it, stuff my belly full and consider my cravings satisfied.  until the next time.

but at $12.79 a visit it did seem a tad expensive when i started thinking about the simple fresh ingredients (it's salad!!!) and the cost to buy and make it myself.  so i did my research.

• garden greens (so, lettuce?)
• canned black beans
• chopped tomatoes
• canned corn - "roasted corn medley"
• roasted sweet peppers
• citrus vinaigrette dressing (they used to use a wonderfully spicy ranch dressing which i much preferred so i will be looking for that on the grocery shelves instead)
• shredded cheese
• guacamole
• lemon juice for zippiness

so yummy!

i chose to buy canned ingredients because a)i like the idea of having them on hand when the craving hits and b)i was not able to find any recipes that worked for me.  if you have any tips, tricks or links to share, please do so.

call me crazy but i was also thinking of making this to use as a topping for veggie burgers.  just imagine it piled high between a toasted whole wheat bun, with cucumber slices... i drool as i type.

vegetarian pantry "chowder" (a recipe post)

i stumbled upon and was immediately inspired by this post.  the ingredients sounded like stuff we already had in the pantry and we both enjoyed.  it sounded so easy i had to ask myself "how can i make this even easier?".  what follows are my ingredients and directions as i made it.  i obviously altered the original recipe some and would encourage you to do so to your taste and to include what you have on hand.

I USED:

• crockpot 
• two cans of cream of mushroom soup
• two cans of water
• four medium red potatoes, skin intact & a pot to cook them in.  also, a strainer.
• one cup of chopped broccoli (i had frozen)
• one cup of chopped cauliflower (i had frozen)
• four celery stalks diced up as tiny as i could make them
• one cup-ish of chopped carrot
• about a palm sized brick of cheddar cheese

start by plugging in the crockpot and set to the highest heat. add the soup and water.  stir.

i got to work on the potatoes first because i wanted to boil them before adding them to the mix.  i don't like my soups and stews overly starchy   chop chop chop leaving the skin on for a hearty rustic potato.  leave them to boil while you do the rest.

chop all your other veg while the potato boils. add to crockpot.

grate the cheese directly into the mix.  i was originally going to use flour but decided i liked the idea of cream, mushroom and cheesy goodness.  it worked.

once your potatoes have boiled add them to a strainer and rinse away the starch.  add it to the crockpot.

leave for at least four hours, preferably more, to allow it to thicken, the flavours to mix and the veg to soften.

i served it in mugs and seasoned with pepper and a bit more grated cheese.  it was a hit!  for the next time brian has requested some onion and i would like to try it with some corn for sweetness.  and more cheese.  i'm terrible.

**although this recipe is technically vegetarian i was thinking it could be altered to vegan by switching out the soup for a vegan veggie broth and thickening to "chowderness" using flour.  i also hear good things about daiya cheese products.  vegetarian & vegan readers, i would love your feedback.

the easiest mint hot chocolate. ever. (a recipe post)

step one: make hot chocolate 

step two: drop a mint teabag in the mug

mind.  blown.

add hot mustard and put it in your face (a recipe post)

via



this canadian thanksgiving in lieu of traditional turkey or ham we decided to ring in the cooler weather and the fall holiday spirit with one of my childhood comfort food favorites, the good old cottage roll.  essentially it's a big hunk of salty pork.  it looks and smells disgusting before cooking but after... drroooool.  melts in your mouth.  promise.

i use two pots because i have a serious paranoia about cooking my veg with any kind of raw meet but all the slow cooker recipes i have checked say it's fine so go ahead and mix everything together if you really hate doing dishes.  i respect that.

YOU'LL NEED

• one cottage roll
• potatoes
• carrots
• cabbage
• hot mustard or regular mustard or no mustard whatsoever (but what other condiments go with ham?)
• two large pots or one large pot or one slow cooker or two slow cookers (read on for explanation)
• tongs

FIRST POT (OR SLOW COOKER)

flip a smaller plate upside down in the bottom of a large cooking pot.  this prevents your roll from sticking to the pot.  leave your roll in the string net that it comes in.  cover with it with water and bring to a boil.  at this point, turn the heat down to about seven and put the lid on.  LEAVE THE LID ON I BEG OF YOU.  brian could not resist "checking" on the meat every half hour or so and turned a six hour cook into nine.  live and learn.  so six hours or so.  check it at about the three hour mark.  you may want to add more water or flip the roll over to ensure full and even cooking.

SECOND POT

cut your potatoes up and throw them in the pot as you normally would to make boiled potatoes.  once boiled turn the heat to about a two.  add carrots and cabbage leaves.  then just walk away.  seriously, walk away.  check your water level at the same time you check on your meat.  your veg should be soft and mushy and delicious.

BACK TO THE FIRST POT

at the six hour mark remove your roll using tongs.  it will be super soft and ready to flake apart.  put in on a plate to cut into the center and make sure that it's cooked thoroughly.  looking a little bright pink for your liking?  put it back in the water and give it another half hour or so.  keep checking until it is a nice light hammy pink.

serve it all up on a plate, add hot mustard and put it in your face.  accept compliments graciously.  use the leftovers for sandwiches.  when you are so sick of salty ham sandwiches you never want another ham sandwich again it is time to throw new potatoes, carrots and cabbage into the slow cooker again and make soup.

prepare to crave this delicious meal fortnightly.  or thereabouts.