Cuban Black Beans and Rice

INGREDIENTS:


1 & 1/2 cups black beans, dried
1/4 cup olive oil for sautéing
2 & 1/2 cups onion, diced
2 & 1/2 cups green pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
3 teaspoons cumin, ground
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 &1/2 cups chicken stock
3 cups long grain white rice


DIRECTIONS

1. Cover the dry beans with about four cups water in a two-quart saucepan. DON'T add any salt yet! Bring to a boil, and boil for three minutes. Remove from the heat and let it stand, covered for one hour.

2. Drain and rinse the beans. Add enough water to cover once again and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and cook until tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Drain.

3. Rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear.

4. Use a large, eight-quart covered stockpot. Sauté the onion and green pepper in the olive oil until tender. Add the garlic, and sauté another minute or two. Add the tomato paste, black beans, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, and vinegar. Cook for about five minutes, stirring gently.

5. Add the chicken stock and the rinsed rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes – until the rice is fully cooked.

6. Finally, adjust the seasonings by adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf. Serve Hot.

7. For an added treat: Drizzle some olive oil (don't be stingy!) over the rice in the pot, and fluff cooked rice gently with a fork.

8. If plating the rice as a side dish, drizzle a little olive oil over individual servings and garnish with some parsley or cilantro.

Lazy Delight (Stuffed Poblanos)

INGREDIENTS

1-2 cups chicken meat (diced or shredded)
1 medium yellow onion
2-4 baby portobella mushrooms
1/2 poblano pepper
2 table spoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
generous dash salt
2 garlic cloves minced

rice or potatoes

WHAT TO DO

1. Cook rice or roast potatoes (red potatoes, cubed, coated in olive oil, red pepper, garlic salt, oregano
    or thyme)
2. Get some chicken, diced, in strips, or shredded and sautee with garlic, salt, cider vinegar, soy sauce,
    and oregano
3. dice a medium yellow onion
4. dice a few portobello mushrooms
5. finely dice poblano pepper
6. add onions and mushrooms to olive oil and sautee til tender
7. add chicken, stirring occasionally
8. add poblano pepper, stir
9. combine with cooked rice or roasted potatoes
10. let sit for a minute or so and serve

VARIATION

1. stuff whole poblano (minus seeds and stem)
    with onion, mushroom, chicken and rice
2. seal with queso cheese or monterey jack cheese
3. bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted or pepper is cooked.

Caribbean Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup shredded carrots
2 1/2 tbs butter
salt to taste

Prepare rice according to package directions. Turn off heat just before rice is done. Add remaining ingredients. Let steam for five minutes and serve.

Black beans with banana and brown rice

Ingredients:

1 can black beans
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 banana
1 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Serve over brown rice. Enjoy!