The Murder of Red Beans and Rice

Before I am mauled by New Orleans natives, please hear me out. Mr. Bart and I LOVE RB&R, however, it takes forever and can get a little pricey. By no means is this a valid substitute for the real thing. It's just a new take on the basic ingredients.

I like to buy the ingredients, chop them up and freeze them. I can get enough stuff from one trip to make 4 meals.


1/4 med onion - diced
1 med carrot - diced
1/4 green bell pepper - diced
2 celery stalks - sliced
1 link andouille sausage - sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup instant rice
1 can seasoned kidney beans - drained and rinsed
1TB EVOO

Spices:

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper (more or less to taste)
1/8tsp Black Pepper
1/8tsp Paprika
1/8tsp Nutmeg
1/4tsp Salt
1/4tsp Oregano
1/4tsp Thyme
1/4tsp Celery Seed
1 tsp Cumin

These are spices I happen to have and like. A number of substitutions could be made depending on what you have and prefer.

Cook 1 cup instant rice in 1 cup chicken broth according to package instructions.
Heat skillet to med-high (6) with EVOO.
Add carrot, onion, bell pepper and celery.
Add spices and cook until lightly browned.
Mix vegetables and beans with rice.
Add a touch more EVOO to pan and add sausage. Cook until crispy.
Scoop up rice and top with sausage.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampe with Garlic Bread

I love this meal! And I love that I can get 2 meals out of 1 package of $5 frozen shrimp!


1 pkg lemon pepper linguine
1/2 pkg medium sized frozen shrimp - thawed, peeled & deveined
1 stick unsalted butter
a bunch of garlic minced - the more the merrier!
(I like about 4 large cloves worth)
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon
4 slices of French or Italian bread
1/2 cup of cheese (we had mexi-mix handy but mozz. or parm. would be better)
appx. 8 leaves of fresh basil - chiffonade
EVOO
S&P to taste

Boil water and prepare pasta as directed.
Preheat broiler.

Melt stick of butter in skillet over med-high (6)
When butter has melted brush some onto bread. Top bread with a little of the garlic and the cheese. Place under broiler until cheese has melted and the edges are crispy. Watch closely because it doesn't take long.
In a bowl add a few tablespoons of EVOO, basil and lemon juice. Top with cooked pasta.
Place garlic, onion, red pepper flakes and shrimp in skillet. Cook until shrimp is pink, appx 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, season with S&P and pour over pasta. Toss to coat adding EVOO as needed.

Salmon Coquettes with Cabbage and Risotto

Strange combo, I know. But it really did work well together.

Salmon Coquettes
2 lg pkgs vacuum packed salmon broken up with a fork
2 eggs
3/4 cup dried breadcrumbs (home made if available)
1/8 cup sliced green onions
salt and pepper to taste
EVOO

Preheat skillet to med-high (6) with appx. 6Tb oil.

Whisk eggs in bowl with S&P. Toss in green onions, salmon and 1/4 cup breadcrumbs.
Form into 4 patties and coat with remaining breadcrumbs.
Gently place patties in skillet and cook appx. 2 min per side or until golden brown and crispy.

Serve on cabbage and with lemon wedges and sour cream on the side if desired.


Cabbage

1/4 head cabbage
1 med. carrot
1/3 cup EVOO
1/8 tsp sesame oil
Zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 tsp celery seed
S&P to taste

Zest lemon and squeeze juice into a bowl. Add sesame oil and celery seed. Whisk in EVOO then season with S&P.
Shred cabbage and carrot and toss in dressing.


Risotto

Prepare risotto as directed on package. Stir in a handful of peas and a handful of chopped parsley.

I come from the generation of 20-somethings that was born to mothers who burned bras, broke the glass ceiling in corporate America, and redefined the "American Woman". Somewhere in the revolution my mom forgot how to cook. Growing up our family dinners were typically of the boxed variety.



My first real attempt at cooking didn't occur until I moved in with Mr. Bart. And that's when the "Suzy Homemaker" gene kicked in. I scoured Food Network and Better Homes and Gardens for recipes and eventually my culinary skills grew. The problem was that we were easily spending $150 a week on groceries for 2. Add in dining out for lunch and on weekends and we were headed for a major budget crisis.



That is the inspiration for this blog. It is a collection of inexpensive, nutritional, and tasty meals.