brown rice

November 24, 2008

Cheesy Sausage, Broccoli & Brown Rice Casserole

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites broccoli, brown rice, casserole, cheddar, sausage

Cheesy Sausage, <a href= dysentery Broccoli & Brown Rice Casserole” />

Thanksgiving is just days away! I’ve tested everything and finalized the menu. I’ve also given myself a little bit of a break from the kitchen over the weekend. The most complicated thing I made was tomato soup (from a carton) and hot dogs loaded with kraut, grainy mustard and pickled jalapenos! Lame, I know.

This recipe is left over from last week and I never got around to posting it. It’s a simple weeknight meal you can prep in the morning or on the weekend and pop in the oven when you get home from work. It doesn’t sound like much, but the cheese bakes and browns and bubbles in the oven, taking this casserole from plain to super delicious.

More casserole fun tomorrow, then I’m kind of on a break for the rest of the week, pigging out and eating leftovers!

October 29, 2008

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

mel entree, recipe beans, brown rice, cheese, chicken, corn, hominy, poblano peppers, tortilla

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

It’s finally (finally!) cooling off here, case and so I can justify all of my soups, stews and casseroles. In honor of the cold weather (what? 55° is cold for Miamians!), I made a spicy Chicken Enchilada Casserole with a crumbly, cheesy tortilla crust.

This casserole reminds me of a 7-layer dip, even though you’ll find no canned chili or cream cheese in here. You start with a layer of brown rice, then follow up it with layers of beans, hominy, sauteed onions and poblano peppers, shredded chicken, Enchilada sauce, corn tortilla dough and shredded cheddar cheese. Into the oven for 35 minutes, and out comes a slightly spicy, bubbly, cheesy casserole of goodness.

This dish can be made a day or two in advance and baked just before you’re ready to eat. I suspect you could easily freeze the casserole whole for those times when you find your fridge and pantry bare (a trend in my house lately).

Tom loved this casserole, and I gotta say, it’s crazy delicious in that messy comfort food kind of way. I can’t wait to get into the leftovers, and I’m thinking about making another batch soon to stock the freezer. There’s just nothing better than a cheesy, melty casserole and a chilly beer to welcome the fall.

April 21, 2008

green rice & beans

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites brown rice, curry, lima beans, vegetarian, whole grain

steak & tofu lettuce wraps with bulgur salad

After 45 minutes of prepping, sale cooking and plating I discovered that I’d left my camera at work. And every other camera in the house was busted, adiposity so I had to use my phone’s camera. What a hideously unappetizing photo. But, food the food was too good to not post the recipe. One day when I have my camera, I’ll get around to making it again and will replace the grainy picture you see today.

I’ve been toying with the idea of lettuce wraps for a long time. At first, I was thinking of onions, cilantro, beans and lime for Mexican/taco twist, but I wasn’t really inspired. Instead, I went with the more traditional Asian inspiration. Lettuce, pickled vegetables and some protein.

They would have been tasty just like that, but I find that I have no energy for my 6am workout if I skip the carbs the night before. Would I add brown rice? Quinoa? Farro? They all seemed too heavy for the delicate lettuce. But bulgur seemed just right.

For the protein, I couldn’t decide between steak and tofu, so I used both. I marinated them (separately) in tamarind juice, shoyu, chipotle pepper and garlic cloves for a salty sweet flavor. The steak and tofu were a match made in heaven and their slight sweetness complimented the acidity in the salad. Overall, it was exactly what I wanted. Full of flavors and textures, but still light and refreshing. And that bulgur powered me through a tough pre-dawn workout, so I’m sold!

April 2, 2008

simple sausage & red lentil soup

mel entree, recipe brown rice, red lentils, sausage, whole grain

suasage and lentil soup

I’m always looking for lunches that are healthy, approved filling and really easy to make. Work has been so hectic, I haven’t been able to get to the grocery store in over a week. A new record for me, I believe. So, when I realized I had nothing to pack for lunch this morning, it was time to get creative with leftovers and pantry supplies.

I had a couple of leftover Chicken Garlic sausages, cans of fire-roasted green chile tomatoes, frozen brown rice and a bag of red lentils. A couple of cubes of vegetable buillion, some sherry vinegar and fresh tarragon leaves all went into the pot for a surprisingly flavorful soup. The sherry vinegar and green chiles gave it a really nice kick, and the sausage, lentils and brown rice add a good variety of textures.

Even if you think you don’t have anything to eat, you can usually forage for a good meal in your pantry. It’s a great way to challenge yourself and to use up some of those forgotten items from the back of the shelf.