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This week's blog spotlight: Lori's Knitting Blog

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Contributors to today's cooking tips were (in no particular order): Lisa, Dawn, Julia, Anne.



Today's recipe:
Black Beans and Basmati Rice

Put in a pot to boil with lid on:
4 cups water
2 cubes bullion (preferably with no MSG)

Rinse in strainer until water runs clear:
2 cups Bamati Rice

When water comes to a boil, add rice.  DO NOT STIR (or your rice will be mushy).  Probably will cook in 15 to 20 minutes, but follow directions on package.  To check for done-ness, carefull make a little hole in the center with a spoon, and see if there is still water in the bottom of the pot.

Warm in large saute pan:
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Add to pan and sprinkle with salt:
1/2 cup chopped onion

Saute until the onion begins to wilt, then add:
1 or 2 cloves minced or pressed garlic
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Corriander

Saute for a minute more, then add:
3 cans (16 oz each) black beans

Stir and cook until hot all the way through.

Taste and then add more salt if needed (beans in a can usually have a fair amount of salt on them already, so be careful).

Serve over rice by itself, or with rice inside warm flour tortillas.  Add sour cream, sharp cheddar and spicy salsa if you'd like.

(Edited to update link for David's podcast)

Hi!  I'm on a bi-monthly schedule now, so look for me every-other-Monday.  Thank you to everyone who was so encouraging about the last show.  You all made my week!

Mind of Winter: We are community

Babe Wheels (an inexpensive way to start down the slippery spinning slope)  (Oh, forgot to mention in the episode, but I have since bought a Lendrum.)

Stacy at Sheep In The City: Rambling Rows Blogger Afgan

Blog Spotlight: Nads Knitting Basket Blog

New podcast!  Sticks and String with David Reidy.  He puts together a solid show; it's a great listen, so check it out.

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Not Your Average Meatballs:
(As usual, recipe by the esteemed Josephine R.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)

Place in bowl:
1 lb lean ground beef

Add:
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs (if unseasoned, you will need to intensify the following seasonings a little)
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley
1/4 cup red or yellow onion, diced small
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Basil
2 tsp Garlic Salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese

Squish together until combined.  Roll into balls and place in lightly greased jelly-roll pan or other pan with sides. 

If you make the meatballs big, they will look more impressive, but will take longer to bake.  If smaller, they will stretch further at dinner and take less time to bake.  (Two tablespoon sized meatballs will take about a half-hour.)

Bake until lightly browned and grey all the way through.

I usually serve this with tomato sauce (see sauce recipe in Episode 01 shownotes) and pasta, but you can just as easily serve this on a roll for a meatball sub, or just eat them by themselves.  They're that good.