Recipe Review from 4/23/2018

Hooray! Spring has Sprung!  A WONDERFUL week of temperatures in the mid-50's, sunny, and well, Spring-ish.  My yard is still a bit to squishy to start raking or picking up sticks, though I've done the ubiquitous Tootsie Roll Patrol.   Another sign of spring - this years baby chicks are due to arrive some time next week!  Stay tuned for some peeping cuteness!

Last week was insane work-wise, but at least I was ready for it and even had a couple new recipes on deck. 

The Meal Plan from 4/23:
Sat (I was in town)  leftovers  (S)  pizza from the co-op
Sun (Husband in town) leftovers   (S)  Fritatta
Mon (yoga/legion)
Tues - Sauted farro and tomatoes
Wed (evening Mtg) - Quiche (from the Moosewood Ckbk)
Thurs (yoga)  leftovers
Fri - (off/PM yoga) - take-n-bake pizza
Sat (S)  leftover farro


Vegetable and Goat Cheese Frittata (Ckng Lght, March 2018)  gluten free, vegetarian
I am still finding dishes out of the March issue!  This was one I had my eye on and just needed to slide it on the menu.  This was perhaps the best frittata recipe I have made to date, and honestly, I thin I liked it better than my go-to quiche recipe.   It was light and poofy, great flavors, came together in half the time as a quiche and was perfect with a microgreen side salad. 

A couple small changes:

• I added some dried tomatoes to the top.  I soaked the tomatoes for about 10 minutes (maybe less) in boiling water to soften, and then layered around the top before putting the dish into the oven.  
• I used broccolini instead of broccoli.  I thought it would be more tender, easier to saute, and it comes in a much smaller package.  I used just the florets, and steamed the rest to go along side the farro dish coming next. 
• I skipped the pico de gallo.  Seemed unnecessary.  

I highly recommended this dish.

7 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 ounces multicolored mini bell peppers, cut crosswise into 1/4-in.-thick rings
4 ounces small broccoli florets (about 2 cups)  (I used about 1 cup of broccolini florets)
1 1/2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/3 cup)
1 medium avocado, chopped
1/4 cup refrigerated pico de gallo  (I skipped, wasn't necessary)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Combine eggs, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat oil in a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add mushrooms; sauté 6 minutes. Add bell peppers and broccoli; cook 5 minutes or until tender. Remove pan from heat; pour egg mixture over vegetable mixture in pan. Sprinkle with goat cheese.

Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until egg is set. Cut into 4 wedges; top evenly with avocado and pico de gallo.

One-pan Farro with Tomatoes (Smitten Kitchen Blog) vegetarian
My friend Gail brought this dish to my attention and I finally had an opportunity to add it to the meal plan.  This was quite tasty!  I made it nearly as written, my only change being I sauted the onion first rather than bring everything to a boil together.  I like the taste of caramelized onion in my dishes.   This is a creamy and tangy dish - don't skip the basil!  It definitely adds a flavor zing.  

This made enough for two of us for two meals, and I could see myself making this for lunches for myself later this summer.

photo from Smitten Kitchen blog

2 cups water
1 cup (updated) semi-pearled farro (see Note above for farro types)
1/2 large onion (I usually use a white one, for mildness) 2 cloves garlic
9 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
Up to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Few basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)


Place water and farro in a medium saucepan to presoak (I find just 5 to 10 minutes sufficient) while you prepare the other ingredients. Adding each ingredient to the pot as you finish preparing it, cut onion in half again, and very thinly slice it into quarter-moons. Thinly slice garlic cloves as well. Halve or quarter tomatoes. Add salt, pepper flakes (to taste) and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and set a timer for 30 minutes. Bring uncovered pan (no lid necessary) up to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. When the timer rings, the farro should be perfectly cooked (tender but with a meaty chew), seasoned and the cooking water should be almost completely absorbed. If needed, though I’ve never found it necessary, cook it for 5 additional minutes, until farro is more tender.

Transfer to a wide serving bowl. If there’s enough leftover cooking liquid to be bothersome, simply use a slotted spoon to leave the amount you wish to behind. Drizzle farro lightly with additional olive oil, scatter with basil and parmesan. Eat immediately. Repeat tomorrow.

The Smitten Kitchen author notes:  A Farro 101 note, the trickiest thing in writing this recipe was considering the different types of farro (from an Italian wheat strain known as emmer) available — as well as misconceptions, such as the notion that it can be used interchangeably with spelt. (It cannot, as spelt can take hours.). Farro comes whole/unpearled, semi-pearled (semi-perlato) and pearled (perlato); pearling describes how much of the exterior bran is removed, but packages are not always labeled. If your package says it will cook in less than 15 minutes, it’s probably pearled; if it takes around 30 minutes, it’s probably semi-pearled. And if it takes 60 to 80 minutes, it is whole or unpearled. [To make it even more confusing, I’ve been using the Rustichella d’Abruzzo brand, which labels it as “whole farro” but it is indeed semi-pearled, which is why cooking times are the best way to decipher which kind you have.] This recipe will work for all three versions (there are multiple comments below noting results for each, as well as quinoa, couscous, and even rice, just do a word search [Cntrl + f] to find the grain you’re looking to swap) but I’ve defaulted to semi-pearled below, which I find most frequently in stores. In all cases, if your package gives you a different cooking time than the 30 minutes suggested below, default to it instead.

Private: Gold by James Patterson and Jassy Mackenzie (Private #13.5)

Private Gold by James Patterson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb: Hired to protect a visiting American woman, Private Johannesburg's Joey Montague is hoping for a routine job looking after a nervous tourist. After the apparent suicide of his business partner, he can't handle much more. But this case is not what it seems--and neither is his partner's death.

Read as an audio book. Short story.

Premise of the book is Joey is still reeling after the death of his partner and is watching their hopes in the form of Private: Johannesburg wash away with the monsoon rains. Joey is clearing out their former offices when he receives a panicked call from Isobel Collins, who is in desperate need of a body guard after hers didn't show up at the airport. Isobel and Joey find themselves on the run from someone intent on killing them, and as they begin to dig deeper into the 'why', uncover a plot that stuns them both.

Short stories are hard to write, having to distill down description and emotions but not so much so that the reader becomes disengaged from the overall plot. Private: Gold did that and actually had me wishing for a bit more. In some ways, this was a more interesting read than some of the full length Private books I've read.

I liked that our heroine was able to stand on her own two feet. Too often in mysteries I hear the ubiquitous "I don't understand!". Not in Isobel - she was engaged and took responsibility and even more so, Joey took her seriously. That alone made for a much appreciated read.

I will note, and this is where I would have liked a slightly longer book, I really didn't get a feel for the setting. Yes, it was Johannesburg, but honestly, mentally I could have plunked this in any large city.

And idle speculation - would Jack Morgan have allowed a new branch office to fail so quickly? Somehow I doubt it...

Overall, a solid short story with strong characters and a engaging plot. Recommended if you've been reading the Private series.



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Not Really a Recipe Review...

With last weeks snowstorm, the Husband out of town for three days, a couple extra yoga classes, and puppy/chicken duty on top of  two days of interviews at one of our satellite offices, I wasn't able to get to the grocery store.  At all.  So, this is going to be a take-out review.   A week of take-out isn't something we do, like, ever, but it certainly helped keep the stress levels down.  

And on a wonderful positive note - we hit 60* this weekend!!  First time in six months!!  WOO HOO!!  Pine siskins have migrated on, junco's are moving through, swans are flying over, and the snow is rapidly melting. 

Sun (L) leftover chili  (S) pasty with peas
Mon (yoga) Dickies BBQ
Tues (yoga) Leftover Dickies
Wed - Indian
Thurs - Chinese
Fri - leftover Chinese (I bought extra on purpose)
Sat (L) lunch out/Husband leftover Chinese  (S) co-op Pizza


Dickies BBQ   (Hermantown, MN)
Ribs, pulled pork, and baked beans, mac n cheese, coleslaw and mashed potato casserole as sides.

Dickies lands in the middle for barbecue - it's neither the best (that's reserved for Coopers in Luddock, Texas) nor the worst (which was a place in Independence MO, whose name I have long forgotten).  If I were to keep things more local in comparison, it's on par with Dave's BBQ and Texas Road House. 

The advantage Dickies has is how quickly we can get it to go - I think I was in the store less than 5 minutes before walking back out with all the yummy goodies - and it's on the way home so I don't have to make an extra stop.  They've done well when the Sibling and her family come up and we've gotten the family meal for 6 plus kiddos. Portion sizes are about perfect - I had just enough for Supper for me the next night. 

India Palace  (Duluth, MN)
Saag Paneer with basmati rice and Naan

I LOVE Indian food.  I LOVE Saag Paneer.  It's what I order no matter where I end up.   I will have to say this week it was absolutely fantastic.  Big chunks of cheese in a delicious creamy spinach mix - absolutely delish.  One order covers three meals for me; I knew this going in which was partly why I choose Indian.  One supper, and two lunches. 

China Star  (Hermantown, MN)
Sesame Chicken, Moo Goo Gai Pan, egg rolls, chicken wings

Thing is with Chinese restaurants, every one is just a little bit different: fry oil is changed more often (or not), sauces are a tich saltier or less so, veggie combinations slightly different.  And it could just depend on who's cooking in back on any given visit. 

China Star is not the most stellar Chinese place I've been, but they are consistently tasty enough and when I need something for dinner and don't want a take-n-bake pizza, I'll swing by here.  I always get chicken wings for the Husband (which are consistently good - better than most "wings" at a sports bar), egg rolls for me and some kind of chicken dish.  This visit I picked up two different chicken dishes because I knew we'd be needing supper the following night too.

Sesame chicken this go around, enough for two of us for dinner and the Husband's lunch the next day. Moo Goo Gai pan - ditto, enough for supper and lunch for him the next day.

The Bone Orchard by Paul Doiran (Mike Boditch #5)

The Bone Orchard by Paul Doiron

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: In the aftermath of a family tragedy, Mike Bowditch has left the Maine Warden Service and is working as a fishing guide in the North Woods. But when his mentor Sgt. Kathy Frost is forced to kill a troubled war veteran in an apparent case of "suicide by cop," he begins having second thoughts about his decision.

Now Kathy finds herself the target of a government inquiry and outrage from the dead soldier's platoon mates. Soon she finds herself in the sights of a sniper, as well. When the sergeant is shot outside her farmhouse, Mike joins the hunt to find the mysterious man responsible. To do so, the ex-warden must plunge into his friend's secret past—even as a beautiful woman from Mike's own past returns, throwing into jeopardy his tentative romance with wildlife biologist Stacey Stevens.

As Kathy Frost lies on the brink of death and a dangerous shooter stalks the blueberry barrens of central Maine, Bowditch is forced to confront the choices he has made and determine, once and for all, the kind of man he truly is.

Read as an audio book.

Premise of the book is, Mike's former Sergent, Kathy Frost, was nearly killed as part of a revenge shooting and now lies in a coma in Portland, Maine. Mike, resigned from the Warden's service, was on the scene when it happened. Bereft of a friend and steady employment, Mike starts asking questions. When Kurt shows up, drunk and disorderly and clueless that his sister is in the hospital, Mike begins to wonder what Kurt knows that nobody else does. But before Mike can find out, Kurt disappears.

I enjoyed this more so than previous books, but we still had some "bang head on steering wheel" moments.

Mike, Mike, Mike. You are not the brightest bulb on the bush:

Point - Your father was an abusive alcoholic. Why are you telling an alcoholic you've just met to lay off the booze and get treatment? Dumb.

Point - If said alcoholic borrows/steals his sister's car while under the influence, and you think he's going to go confront the antagonist, you call the police. You do not go chasing after him. This is an eye-rolling DUH.

Point - If you grow your hair and beard you, you are going to look like your father. It should have come as no big surprise when Kathy pointed it out. Another DUH. Saw that one coming a mile away.

Other small issues I had with this, Mike's job as a Northwoods Guide might keep him busy for a week, yet he signed a contract that stated he couldn't be gone from the cabins - behind a locked gate and under monitored security cameras - for more than four days. That really doesn't seem realistic.

I'm really not enjoying the Stacy Stevens unrequited sub-plot and the whole thread has become quite frayed. The detente between the two didn't work for me.

When Kurt disappears during the investigation of an active shooting incident and could possibly be a person of interest - I found it odd how easily the Warden Service blew his disappearance off.

And would this investigation stay in the ranks of the Warden service or would a higher authority come and take over? Just a question I have/had...

Other those points (and a few others), yeah, I did enjoy this. Mike wasn't fighting the constraints of authority and the book just flowed better for it. Old animosities didn't just disappear, new animosities arose, Mike tried to keep the Warden's in the loop and they blew him off. I enjoyed the interwoven plots in this and I thought everything clipped along at a good pace to keep me engaged and interested.

Recommended if you've read the first four in the series.



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Recipe Review from 4/9/2018

As I type this, another winter storm is bearing down on the Midwest.  Weather forcasts are all over the place: 1 to 3" of snow, 6-10" of snow, 12-18" of snow.  Can't believe any of it because we just don't know how The Lake is going to affect things.  Right now, there is a Lakeshore Flooding Advisory for Two Harbors and Ashland, as the prevailing winds will be coming hard of the Lake.  It might be enough to keep the snow to the south.  It might not.  Just don't know...

Winter.  Go. Away.

The Meal Plan from the week of 4/9/2018
Sat (L) leftover pasta   (S)  Old Chicago
Sun (L) leftover pasta  (S)  Porketta
Mon (yoga)  Porketta
Tues (yoga) Porketta
Wed  quiche
Thur (yoga)  quiche
Fri - leftovers

Lunches - Qunioa chili

Quinoa Chili (Cooking Classy Blog) vegetarian, gluten free
Found this recipe on Pinterest.  I was looking for a vegetarian slow cooker chili and this popped up.  While not a slow cooker dish, it fit the requirements for vegetarian and easy.  So so easy!  Only two things to chop: the onions and garlic. Everything else came out of a can (in a good way!).

I did streamline one thing, and that was to cook the quinoa IN the chili.  I added a tich extra liquid, but not much because I do like my chili thick.  I subbed pinto beans for the kidney, and navy beans for the black beans.

Recipe noted this made 6 servings - I had enough for easily 10 meals. 

2 cups cooked quinoa (from 2/3 cup dry)
1 Tbsp olive oil

photo from Cooking Classy Blog

1 large yellow onion , diced (1 3/4 cup)
4 cloves garlic , minced
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can vegetable broth
1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
2 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper , more or less to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used 2 cans pinto beans)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed (I used 1 can navy beans)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (bought the cilantro for another dish, forgot I had the cilantro)
1 Tbsp lime juice
 

For serving: Shredded cheddar cheese , diced avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips

1. Heat olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot add onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked quinoa, vegetable broth, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, paprika, sugar, coriander, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and allow to simmer 30 minutes.
2. Add in all kidney beans, black beans, corn, cilantro and lime and cook until heated through. Serve warm with optional toppings and sides (cheddar, sour cream, diced avocados and tortilla chips).  
   
   

And this was a Lydia Bastianich inspired dish from a recent episode on Create:

potatoes (I used Yukon Golds), cut into wedges
1 red, yellow or orange pepper, cut into strips
1/2 onion, cut vertical
rosemary

heat oil in a large pan until shimmering
add potatoes and cook until start to turn color
add onions and peppers, cook until just softened, but still have a bit of "bite" (al dente)
season with rosemary and extra olive oil if desired.

Red Alert by James Patterson (NYPD Red #5)

Red Alert by James Patterson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb:  NYPD Red is the elite, hard charging, investigative task force called in only for New York City's most high-profile crimes. Detective Zach Jordan is the best of the best, a brilliant and tireless detective. He puts professionalism above all, ignoring his feelings for his partner Kylie MacDonald, the woman who broke his heart when they first met at the police academy. After solving a brutal string of murders during the Hollywood on Hudson film festival, the scandalous hazmat killer case, the mysterious kidnapping of a billionaire businessman's son, and a shocking jewel heist at a Manhattan movie premiere, Zach and Kylie return to face the most dangerous criminal of their careers.

3.5 stars - dropped a star for my complaint below.

Read as an audio book.

I enjoyed this latest installment with one significant issue, and I would even go as far to say this is a major complaint:

Mr. Patterson, DO move on from the whole ex-girlfriend/current girlfriend angst. It's stupid on so many levels. Zack got a gorgeous (all the women are in the Patterson books) and caring girlfriend and all he does is compare the fine Dr. to his partner and ex-girlfriend from 10 years ago, and whine about not having her. And this has been going on for FIVE books. Talk about conceited...

If it weren't for that, this would be a fantastic book. I enjoyed the plots (there are always several), I thought the antagonists were almost more interesting that our fine detectives (less whining about what girl they have/don't have), and the supporting characters a delightful counterpoint to everyone else. While some might find the Mayor's brusk and attitude of "Find the serial killer NOW..." off-putting, as someone who does work with politicians, that demanding behavior is so, so true.

Where I was left a bit perplexed was calling the bomber a serial killer when it was well known he was specifically targeting four individuals.

And as I'm writing my review, I just realized there was at least one items left hanging - the tripod marks at the abandoned hotel. Who was videoing the murder of Aubrey? Hmm....

This is a fast paced, twisty-turny book with interesting plots and great supporting characters. Recommended if you've read the first four in the series.



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Recipe Review from 4/2/2018

Winter continues to stubbornly hang on.  Grrr.  Or should that be Brrr!

At least I know Spring is on its way - on my last two trips to/from the Cities before and over Easter, I saw a couple of swans and Sandhill cranes.  Two redwing blackbirds have stopped at my bird feeder, but I haven't seen either since.  The pine sikins are voracious eaters right now, easily wiping out he feeder in a day.  Fund to watch the siskin swarm in the morning before I head off to work. 

The Meal Plan from the week of 4/2/2018
Mon (yoga) NCAA College basketball championship!   Take n bake pizza.  Michigan lost...
Tues - pasty  (with pork and rutabaga filling - my favorite!)
Wed - Sweet Potato Tacos
Thurs (yoga) - leftovers
Fri - Baked sausage and cheese rigatoni


Sweet Potato Tacos  (Smitten Kitchen Blog)  vegetarian, gluten free option**
Made as written, using avocado, slaw, and cilantro as sides.  Simple, filling, flavorful.  I loved the brightness of the sweet potato with the cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika.  This made enough for two of us for two dinners.   Recommended.

2 pounds (about 4 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 to 3/4″ cubes
Olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon kosher salt

Photo from Smitten Kitchen

1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 to 3 teaspoons chili powder, to taste (see Note)
Chipotle powder, cayenne, or shakes of hot sauce, to taste (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
12 small (6-inch) or 6 medium (8 to 9-inch) flour tortillas  (or corn tortillas)
1 15-ounce can refried black beans
1 lime, in wedges
Sliced avocado, pickled red onions, pickled jalapenos, chopped fresh cilantro, hot sauce, Lazy Taco Slaw, or your choice(s) thereof, to finish

Per Smitten Kitchen:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss tweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, chipotle powder, and paprika and toss to evenly coat. If you’d like to roast the vegetables (for easier cleanup) on parchment paper, line a large baking sheet with it and spread the potatoes in a single layer. If you’d like to roast them directly on your baking sheet (I find they get more crisp this way), first coat it with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil, then spread potatoes in an even layer.

 Roast potatoes for 40 to 45 minutes, tossing once or twice for even color.

To assemble, if you have a gas stove, I love running flour tortillas over an open flame to give them a little char and complexity. Otherwise, you can wrap the stack of them in foil and let them warm in the oven while the potatoes roast for 5 minutes.

Schmear some refried black beans on each tortilla. Add a big spoonful or two of roasted sweet potatoes. Squeeze a little lime juice over the potatoes and black beans (don’t skip this, please), and finish with toppings of your choice, shown here with a shake of hot sauce, sliced avocado, pickled red onions, and cilantro. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

To get ours ready for the family meal, I get the tacos as far as the black beans, sweet potatoes, lime juice, and avocado, and let everyone take it from there. They stay warm for about 15 minutes nested, as shown, in a casserole dish.


Baked Sausage and Cheese Rigatoni (Pinterest)
With temps still bouncing between 7* and 30* (at least there isn't a negative sign in front of the 7*), and a pound of Italian sausage in the freezer, this recipe popped up on a Pinterest search.  It comes together fairly quickly, since the assembly steps can happen somewhat simultaneously.

I had a couple of substitutions:  I used hot Italian Sausage instead of regular, and cottage cheese for the ricotta (I have it on hand and I prefer the texture).  I skipped the fennel seeds since I didn't have any.  This was tasty, filling, and hit the spot on a chilly late Winter evening.   This easily made a 9x13 pan, so we'll be eating it for at least three meals, if not four.   Recommended. 

1 Olive oil, Extra virgin

1 lb ground, Sweet Italian sausage  (I used hot Italian sausage)
1 tbsp Fennel seeds

1small onion, chopped
1 25 ounce jar marinara sauce
1 12 ounce jar roasted red bell pepper, chopped
16 ounce package rigatoni
8 oz grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley
15 oz Ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)
8 slices Provolone cheese

1.   Preheat oven to 375*.  Grease a 2 1/2-3 quart (I used a 9x13 glass baking dish).

2.  Cook pasta according directions on package.

3.  Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Cook sausage and fennel seeds until lightly browned and fragrant.  Add onion and cook until just softened.  Add roasted bell pepper and marinara and heat through.  Add pasta add stir until coated.

4.  Combine parmesan cheese, parsley and ricotta cheese.

5.  In prepared pan, layer pasta mixture, ricotta cheese mixture, and 4 slices of provolone.  Repeat layers.  Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbly about 20-25 minutes. 



And a Whoops!  I somehow forgot to blog about this chili dish and this was one I want to give a shout out too:

Vegan Three Bean Quinoa Chili (Oh My Veggies Blog) vegan, vegetarian, gluten free
This was, simply, fantastic.  I loved the veggies, the chewiness of the farro (a sub for quinoa), and how this turned out thick and saucy.  I might have been short on liquid, or the farro soaked up a bit of extra liquid, which might explain the saucy.  My chili powder is Penzey's "medium-hot" so I did cut back a bit so it wouldn't overwhelm the rest of the spices. 

I will also note, this made a lot.  Seriously - I had this for lunch during the week, then at least two-three weekend meals for two.  So...roughly 10-12 servings.  This might be my entry in our office chili cook-off this year.   Highly Recommended! 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced

Photo from Oh My Veggies Blog

1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded, deveined, and finely minced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, deseeded, deveined, and diced
1 green bell pepper, deseeded, deveined, and diced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

(I detest kidney beans and subbed navy - the author notes you can use any combo of beans you like)
2 (14 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn kernels
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed  (I used Farro, same amount)

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is just translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the carrot and celery and sauté 3-5 another minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the zucchini and diced peppers and sauté for another 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir well to ensure spices are well distributed, and sauté for about 1 minute.

Add the kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, corn kernels, vegetable broth, and quinoa (farro). Stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring the chili to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes the quinoa (farro) should be fully cooked and the chili nicely thickened. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serve with diced avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips alongside–or whatever toppings you like.

The Sixth Idea by PJ Tracy (Monkeewrench #7)

The Sixth Idea by P.J. Tracy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  The peaceful Christmas season in Minneapolis is shattered when two friends, Chuck Spencer and Wally Luntz, scheduled to meet in person for the first time, are murdered on the same night, two hours and several miles apart, dramatically concluding winter vacation for homicide detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth.
           
An hour north of Minneapolis, Lydia Ascher comes home to find two dead men in her basement. When Leo and Gino discover her connection to their current cases, they suspect that she is a target, too. The same day, an elderly, terminally ill man is kidnapped from his home, an Alzheimer’s patient goes missing from his care facility, and a baffling link among all the crimes emerges.
           
This series of inexplicable events sends the detectives sixty years into the past to search for answers—and straight to Grace MacBride’s Monkeewrench, a group of eccentric computer geniuses who devote their time and resources to helping the cops solve the unsolvable. What they find is an unimaginable horror—a dormant Armageddon that might be activated at any moment unless Grace and her partners Annie, Roadrunner, and Harley Davidson, along with Leo and Gino, can find a way to stop it.

Read as an audio book.

I confess, it's been several years since I've read a Monkeewrench book. I had a couple of 'meh' (two star) installments, and a couple of this was interesting enough installments (three stars), and then the next book hadn't been published yet and I forgot about the series.

Until now, when I realized I was about two books behind.

I really enjoyed this installment. I had forgotten how quirky and humorous Harley, Grace, Roadrunner, Annie and Charlie could be. I had forgotten how wry and incredibly insightful into the human psyche Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth were. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this audio book.

Now, that's not to say I didn't have a few issues with a handful of items, because I did. My main contention was with the premise of the murders - our Uber Secret Guardians killing off the creators and the descendants of the Hydrogen bomb because they "might" know something about the Sixth Idea decades after the Cold War had ended...? Especially the descendants? Umm...no. Didn't work for me At. All.

A few too many loose threads left dangling - did Lydia hook up with the Deputy? Was Lydia's and Charlies bumping into each other on the plane a massive coincidence? Did Roadrunner and Annie make it back in time for Christmas?

And, trying not to give away spoilers...did our Uber Secret Guardian's really have to kill everyone off and obliterate the Secret Headquarters? I found that especially disturbing. It was like the Uber Secret Guardians had spent so much time in the closet, that they forgot what daylight looked like (ie, just weren't with the times).

Other than those few items. like I noted, this book pushed all my happy buttons and I found myself sitting in the car just listening to the narration. Magozzi's observations about people and relationships was just so spot on, Rolseth's small mannerisms (the ones Magozzi's kept commenting on) were just perfect, Grace and Magozzi's relationship dance was so much fun to watch, and I liked how Annie and Roadrunner were on the road, yet the reader finds out more about them too.

So, other than the premise upon which the entire plot was based, I greatly enjoyed The Sixth Idea and returning to the Monkeewrench world.



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Recipe Review from 3/26/2018

Spring is certainly taking it's sweet time getting here, tantalizing us with 40* temps one day, then frigid winds and 30* the next, with a whollup of snow on the weekend. 

It was also Minicon weekend!  So I took the annual trip to the Cities for a bit of scifi-ish R&R.  

The Meal Plan 
Sat - Cities
Sun - Cities;  Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Mon (Yoga/Bookgroup/Legion) pulled pork
Tues - Lentil Shakshuka
Wed - Leftovers lentils
Thurs - Sun - Minicon!


Curried Cocunut Lentil Shakshuka   (Food52 Blog)  vegetarian, gluten free
This came recommended through a foodie website I like to follow.  I fully admit, I LOVE just about anything with lentils and eggs.  Total comfort food for me.   This was no exception - it came together very quickly, I loved the warm spices, and add in that poached egg on top...yum. Just yum. 

My main modification to this dish was I skipped the whole baking bit.  This doesn't need to be baked, the eggs will cook quite nicely right on the stove.  In addition, I only cooked two eggs, enough for the husband and I for that supper.  I poached more eggs the next night to serve over the leftovers.

This makes enough for four, or, in my case, enough for two people for two suppers.  I did serve with naan.

3 tablespoons olive oil

Food52 Blog, photo by Julie Gartland

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder, or to taste (a salt-free mild or maharajah-style curry recommended)
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (or a 26.5-ounce box of chopped tomatoes--I like the Pomi brand) 
(I used 1-28 oz can diced tomatoes )
3/4 cup dried red lentils
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk, well-stirred
1/3 cup water, plus more as needed
Pinch or two of red chile flakes, optional
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, or to taste
6 eggs at room temperature  4 eggs are plenty
For serving: chopped cilantro; warm naan (or flatbread or pita) 

Heat oven to 375° F. 

In a 10 to 12-inch skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, then the curry powder. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, or until the curry is fragrant.

Add the tomatoes with their juice (tip: If using whole tomatoes, use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes into small pieces once they’re in the skillet), lentils, coconut milk, water, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom the pan so the sauce doesn’t stick; add a little extra water if needed. The finished sauce should be thick like a marinara sauce, with only a tablespoon or two of liquid left. Add red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, to taste. Add chile flakes if you’d like more heat.

With the back of a spoon, make six small indentations in the sauce and crack the eggs into each one. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer pan to oven. Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes, until the egg whites are fully cooked and the yolks are still runny or more set, depending on preference.
Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with warm naan