t o m a t o e s & t e q u i l a

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA RECIPE
1/2 c. barbecue sauce
16 oz. pizza crust, pre-baked (I use thin crust Bobili)
1 1/2 c. shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
7 1/2 oz. canned black beans, rinsed (try to get low sodium)
1 small red onion, chopped
1 tbl. cilantro

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Shred the chicken and combine with half of the barbecue sauce, toss until chicken is coated.

Don't these sound ridiculous? Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats!? When I saw this recipe it was one of those perfect moments where the heavens align and suddenly feel like everything is right in the world.

And the verdict? Pretty good. I know.... you were hoping for, "mind blowing!" Sorry. They needed more cake batter - it was so subtle that you had to know it was there to detect the flavor. Nonetheless, I would try these again with more cake batter. The M&Ms were my addition. Did you know plain M&Ms are my favorite candy? One year for my birthday when I was about 13 a friend of mine got me a 5lb. bag of them and I ate the whole thing (with some help) over the next couple months and still wasn't sick of them. But that's neither here nor there.

CAKE BATTER RICE KRISPIE TREATS RECIPE
(howsweeteats.com)

3 tbl. butter
1 10 oz. bag of mini marshmallows
1/4 c. yellow cake mix
6 c. rice krispies cereal
1 1.75 oz. container of sprinkles (I didn't have any sprinkles so I just topped them with M&Ms)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until they begin to melt, adding in cake mix one spoonful at a time so its combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles and mix. Press into a baking dish [coated with non-stick spray or butter] (any size will do) and top with remaining sprinkles (or M&Ms). Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting.

This is my FAVORITE soup. No kidding. I just love the flavors, I'm not even sure I can pinpoint exactly what I like. I suspect that it has something to do with the addition of cumin. Not something I would normally guess to be in a french soup. I would typically think of rosemary or herbs de provence. Nonetheless it calls for cumin and it's just perfect. It is rich and filling and bursting with yummy flavors. AND, it's really good for you. It is chock full off veggies and lentils. Definitely use kielbasa if you make it. I'll tell you why. If you use regular sausage the fats (even if you cook the sausage separately) will slowly seep into the soup making it fattier and gelatinous over time. The kielbasa is precooked so you don't need to worry about that and the soup consistency remains the same with leftovers.

Enough said - try it, you will LOVE it.

LENTIL SAUSAGE SOUP RECIPE
(Ina Garten)

1 lb. French green lentils
1/4 c. olive oil, plus extra for serving
4 c. diced yellow onions (3 large)
4 c. chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (2 leeks)
1 tbl. minced garlic (2 large cloves)
1 tbl. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbl. minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 c. medium diced celery (8 stalks)
3 c. medium diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 quarts Homemade Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or canned broth
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 lb. kielbasa, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3-inch thick (I used turkey kielbasa here to lighten things up)2 tbl. dry red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the kielbasa and red wine and simmer until the kielbasa is hot. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

So, the holidays are over and they were full of eating and merry-making. For Christmas the hubby and I were in California with my family. We got together with some of my aunts and cousins for a raucous Christmas dinner. It was so good to be home with my family - I already miss them. While in California I also picked up some lovely food products that are harder to find in Colorado - just some unusual shapes of pasta and wine.

The day after heading back to Colorado we met some friends from New York for a drink. Then the fun continued the next day when my very good friend came for a visit for several days - again, lots of eating and merry-making. The night before my friend's departure we had dinner at my place and played board games - it was a ball. For dinner I made Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew from The New York Times. This stew is hearty and robust. The mustard is sharp and the wine and cognac add wonderful depth to this dish. It is everything one could want it a stew - rich and thick with complex flavors. I served it over hearty papardelle. The only drawback was that it is a bit time intensive upfront. I also made my Easiest French Bread and for dessert I went casual and just served Ultimate Ginger Cookies for a lovely winter dinner.

DIJON & COGNAC BEEF STEW RECIPE
(The New York Times)

1/4 lb. salt pork or bacon, diced
1 large onion, finely diced
3 shallots, chopped
2 to 4 tbl. butter, as needed
2 lbs. beef chuck, in 1-inch cubes
2 tbl. flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbl. butter, as needed
1/2 c. Cognac
2 c. beef stock
1/2 c. Dijon mustard
4 tbl. Pommery mustard
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into half-moon slices
1/2 lb. mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned and quartered
1/4 c. red wine.

Place salt pork in a Dutch oven or a large heavy kettle over low heat, and cook until fat is rendered. Remove solid pieces with a slotted spoon, and discard. Raise heat, and add onion and shallots. Cook until softened but not browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a large bowl.

If necessary, add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan to augment fat. Dust beef cubes with flour, and season with salt and pepper. Shake off excess flour, and place half the cubes in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, almost crusty, on all sides, then transfer to a bowl with onions. Repeat with remaining beef.

Add Cognac to the empty pan, and cook, stirring, until the bottom is deglazed and the crust comes loose. Add stock, Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon Pommery mustard. Whisk to blend, then return meat and onion mixture to pan. Lower heat, cover pan partway, and simmer gently until meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Add carrots, and continue simmering for 30 minutes, or until slices are tender. As they cook, heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté mushrooms until browned and tender.

Stir mushrooms into stew along with remaining mustard and red wine. Simmer 5 minutes, then taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.


Yield: 4 to 6 servings.