Cuisine: Beans
Steak San Marino
I received a recipe in my inbox called Steak San Marino. I then proceeded to fall down a rabbit hole as I often do while researching this dish. San Marino is one of the smallest countries in the world. It is found in southern Europe and is fully surrounded by Italy (this is called an enclave, and only the Vatican City, Lesotho and San Marino are like this). Fewer than 30,000 people live there. It measures just 0.2 square miles, almost 120 times smaller than the island of Manhattan! I have lived in San Marino, CA and actually went to high school there. This Steak San Marino is made in a slow cooker and doesn't have many ingredients, but is very comforting and delicious. It's served on a bed of white rice and is very family-friendly, especially since online school has started for many. It only takes about 15 minutes to make and cooks all day and will fill your home full of wonderful aromas.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 8 hrs
- Yields: 6 Servings
Burrito Pie
Here's another socially distant dinner I made in my Instant Pot on my Dad's porch. You can also make this layered Burrito Pie in the oven. It's everything in a burrito - meat, refried beans and cheese that are stacked up with tomatoes and baked.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
White Bean, Hearts of Palm & Artichoke Salad
This White Bean, Hearts of Palm & Artichoke Salad is something I threw together using some of my pantry items. It turned out to be a great combination of things. Use this dressing recipe and with different kinds of beans, cheeses and nuts from your pantry to make your own version. This lasted a few days in the fridge and was great for lunch.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Tuscan Portobello Stew
This Tuscan Portobello Stew is vegetarian, but you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone, meat-eater or otherwise, who doesn't love it. Did you know the portobello is really a brown crimini mushroom? Once the little crimini grows up to be about 4" - 6" in diameter, it becomes a portobello. The portobello in Northern Italy is called "cappellone" which means "big hat". This stew is wonderfully rich, but only has about 310 calories per serving. I suppose adding the big hunk of crusty bread might take it over the edge! The recipe calls of dried herbs, but I used fresh.
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Italian Sausage & White Bean Braise
This Italian Sausage & White Bean Braise is simple and comforting. Braising is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the food is first sautéed or seared at a high temperature, then finished in a covered pot at a lower temperature while sitting in liquid. This technique imparts deep layers of flavor. Serve it with your favorite bottle of wine and some crusty bread to sop up all that lovely juice.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 45 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
White Beans with Broccoli Rabe and Lemon
I love broccoli rabe, which is also known as rapini, and I am always trying to find new ways to make it. This White Beans with Broccoli Rabe and Lemon recipe is really good. You fry the slices of lemon and garlic in olive oil before adding the broccoli and beans. The recipe calls for anchovies, but I didn't have any, so I left them out. I know some people will be outraged, but "tant pis", which means TOO BAD in French (and happens to be the name of our family cat!).
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Dill Pickle Hummus
I keep seeing Dill Pickle Hummus everywhere. Trader Joe's makes it, but I decided to concoct my own. My husband likes anything with pickles. When we were dating about 100 years ago, I remember going to the market and he bought a jar of pickles and ate the whole thing in the car on the way home! This should have been a tip-off!
- Prep: 10 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Vegetable Chili
This is one of my all-time favorite chili recipes, which happens to be vegetarian. It's the perfect thing to make for a crowd with a regular chili con carne. It will please your vegetarian guests and the carnivores as well. It's delicious!
- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 1 hr 45 mins
- Yields: 8 Servings
Butter Roasted Tomatoes, Beans, Kale, and Sausage Gratin
It’s winter and it’s cold. All you want is something hearty and stick-to-your-ribs good. But you’ve also been eating comfort food for the past month...enter this Butter Roasted Tomatoes, Beans, Kale, and Sausage Gratin. Rethink your winter carbo-load with this guiltless (but comforting!) veggie-loaded dish. You can leave out the sausage and make it truly vegetarian.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Instant Pot Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli
“Pasta e Fagioli” translates to “pasta and beans” in Italian. This recipe is outstanding. I have to admit I have never even been to an Olive Garden and hope I never do (sorry! I know it sounds snooty, but I just can't go there). I have given both the Instant Pot instructions as well as the stovetop version. This is a real crowd-pleaser. I should have added some chopped Italian Parsley to serve.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
