Sourdough Biscuits

I was first introduced to sourdough by Uncle Bob. He was a not-really-related uncle who was loved by the Stewart family. He was visiting in Rexburg, Idaho, and was the first person I ever met who traveled with their sourdough start. His biscuits made an impression!

Several years later I came across an author at a preparedness expo that was selling her book about sourdough. It came with a sourdough start that was documented at 90 years old. Although I really wanted that book, I could not justify its expense with four little children in tow. However, the author was willing to share her start for free, without the book. So I obtained my first sourdough start, totally undocumented and delicious, in 1990. So far I have kept it going for 25 years. Here is one of our favorite recipes for sourdough biscuits.

Approximately 1 cup of sourdough start (I like to use leftover sourdough pancake batter.)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups warm water

I usually mix these ingredients in the morning, after breakfast. Cover the mixture loosely with a cloth and allow it to stand in a warm place all day long. By late afternoon the mixture should be bubbling. A couple of hours before service, continue with these additions:

1/4 cup sugar (This will cause browning.)
1/4 cup oil (I have used many different kinds!)
1/2 tsp salt
2 TB baking powder (You can leave this out and use a longer rise time.)
additional all-purpose flour, enough to create a soft and tender dough

Fully incorporate these last ingredients, kneading the dough lightly. Keep the dough soft by not adding too much flour; it should be slightly sticky. Pat the dough out on a floured surface and cut out with a floured biscuit cutter. Line biscuits out on a parchment-lined sheet; cover loosely with a towel and allow the biscuits to rest. When they show signs of slight rising, preheat the oven to 400*. Bake biscuits for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Porcini Mushrooms

He is my accidental mushroom forager. It was an incredibly beautiful afternoon in early September when we happened upon these porcini mushrooms. That same morning, Scott had been educated on wild mushrooms of the season. So we were very excited when we chanced upon them unexpectedly. A kind gentleman recognized what we were gathering and offered us a bag for our treasures. Our benefactor just happened to be a chef from the eastern states and very much appreciated what we had found. The only difficult part of that afternoon was rushing home to make it to Stake Conference. It was such a great treasure hunt!

That evening we sampled our cache by sauteing a few of the perfect porcini in butter. Wow! Our new chef acquaintance was right; they are delicious!

To assure you that this is a recipe blog, I'll tell you that we dried the mushrooms in our dehydrator.  The old reliable Ball Blue Book recommends that the mushrooms be dipped in an acid solution to prevent browning. However, these porcini didn't need it at all. All I did was clean and sort them. Then the best were cut in 1/4 inch slices. The largest porcini took about 9 hours to completely dry at a low heat.

We have used these beautiful porcini in soups, omelets, and as a side dish cooked in butter. I am already looking forward to trying them in Thanksgiving stuffing. They are so fast and easy to hydrate and even the water used for plumping them back up has a wonderful flavor.

Now, the official disclaimer here will be to confirm that you know your wild mushrooms! If in doubt, throw it out! It is also wise to always cook wild mushrooms to nullify any toxicity.

By the way, we did not use the largest mushroom in Scott's hands. It was much too mature. We definitely prefer the smaller size.

Creamy Chicken Curry In A Hurry

Jenny brought this simple recipe into our lives years ago. It has always been a favorite for everyone.  Family Fun magazine was the original publisher, but I don't know what changes have been made since then. It's simple, easy, and delicious. I usually double the recipe with the intent of freezing the leftovers, but there are rarely leftovers when I serve a group.

1 1/2 TB oil (I prefer coconut oil)
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp curry powder
1 can (12-14 oz.) unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 TB tomato paste
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes (chicken thighs work wonderfully)
3 cups packed, fresh, baby spinach

In a large skillet, saute the onion and salt in oil until the onion is translucent. Add the curry powder and continue to cook and stir for 1 minute more to encourage the fragrant spices.

Stir in the coconut milk, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Continue cooking mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.

Add the chicken, stir well, and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Add the spinach and cook until wilted (about 3 minutes). Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.

Variations:
I love to replace the spinach with chard from our garden when it is in season.
I have used whole canned tomatoes and blended them for the sauce.
Fresh tomatoes can also replace the canned variety during their season. Peel and dice them.
Our favorite rice with this dish is jasmine rice, but many varieties work well.
This is a nice way to use leftover cooked vegetables, too: peas, carrots, potato chunks, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, corn, cabbage, green beans. Just add them after everything else is cooked to warm through.
I will open a can of tomato paste and then freeze the leftover paste in prepared portions for future curries.

Spicy Honey Chicken

This post is for Joe in his new apartment. I'm reluctant to post it because I like to have incentives to entice my children home for visits occasionally. But I also love the fact that they take care of themselves and they are all good cooks.
This recipe comes from the wonderful site that Kali introduced me to: Our Best Bites. I'm becoming a frequent visitor there.

                                 Honey Spicy Chicken

Chicken & Crookneck Lasagna

With a little less cheese and a lot more veggie, this squash and chicken lasagna is my new favorite summer pasta. The layer of fresh basil packs a punch, so don't underestimate that vital ingredient!

2 small yellow crookneck squash, grated

1 onion, diced

1 Tbsp garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup cottage cheese

10 oz chicken breast, cooked and cubed

1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided

1 jar spaghetti sauce

5-6 lasagna noodles

1 small bunch fresh basil, washed

1 egg

1 Tbsp milk

Boil the lasagna noodles two at a time, for four minutes each; set aside.

In a separate pan, saute onion in olive oil for 2 minutes; add squash and garlic and cook until tender. Add ricotta, chicken, and 2 Tbsp parmesan (save the rest of the parmesan for the topping). 

Spray a deep casserole dish with nonstick baking spray. Pour enough spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Layer: noodles, half of the squash mixture, spaghetti sauce, noodles, remaining squash mixture, whole basil leaves (cover the entire layer), spaghetti sauce, and remaining noodles (if any remain). Add a thin layer of spaghetti sauce over the top. 

Mix remaining 1/4 cup parmesan with egg and milk; pour over top.

Bake, covered, at 375* for 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes or until sides are bubbly and parmesan topping is cooked through.

Chana Masala

Chick peas, aka garbonzo beans, are not my family's favorite. However, this recipe may just win them over as it received rave reviews at the dinner table last night! Thanks so much for sharing another incredible gluten-free option with me Jesse!

http://orangette.blogspot.com/2006/02/public-display-of-chickpeas.html

Cream of Spinach Soup

I was recently looking for a good spinach soup recipe and was unimpressed by what I found. I felt I could do better, and came up with this recipe:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Tbsp chopped garlic

1 pound fresh spinach

3 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

3 cups half-and-half

(or cream or milk, depending on how rich you're feeling...)

In a pot, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until onions begin to soften. Add spinach (don't worry, it will cook down!), and about a cup of the chicken stock. Cover the pot with a lid and stir periodically, wilting the spinach. When spinach has cooked down, add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until spinach is soft.

In a saucepan, melt the butter, and then whisk in the flour until smooth. Slowly mix in the half-and-half until smooth.

Pour the half-and-half mixture into the pot with the spinach mixture, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. For a really smooth product, run an immersion blender through the soup before serving.

Guys, I don't mean to brag, but this stuff is pretty awesome. It even got the coveted Ellie endorsement. She very enthusiastically slurped up her "green soup."

Cafe Rio Rip-Off Salad/Burrito

Now that you've got all the recipes you need, here's how to put together your salad or burrito:

• Tortilla
• Grated cheese
• Black beans (I like to warm them on the stove with cumin, garlic, onion, and a little cayenne pepper)
• Rice
• Pork
• Lettuce, shredded (if you're doing the salad)
• Pico de Gallo
• Tomatillo Dressing

Add family. 'Cause it just taste best that way. (Cheesy, I know, but seriously).

Barbacoa Pork

This is the first of the Cafe Rio rip-off recipes from the cabin, per request. I can't guarantee it's going to taste as ridiculously awesome as it does at the cabin, but hey, it's sure worth a try!

5-6 lb pork roast

20 oz Dr. Pepper

3/4 cup white sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

7 oz. can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (we used three chilies and all the sauce)

6 oz. red taco sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place roast in crockpot and cover halfway with water, then cook on low until soft. (Or throw it in a dutch oven on 300 degrees for a few hours if you're winging it at the cabin...) Drain off the liquid (we left a little of it in), then mix in remaining ingredients until sugar dissolves. Continue to cook the pork until it's fork-shredding-soft. Shred the pork, then add it back into the sauce. Mm mmm mm!

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

What can I say about this recipe? It's absolutely delicious - real veggies, parmesan cheese, dairy all mixed together. Fantastically easy - mostly cooks all day in a crockpot. It's my new winter favorite! You've GOT to try it! (This recipe comes from "365 Days of Slow Cooking")

Ingredients:
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Directions:
Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil (if using fresh oregano and basil, if using dried oregano and basil add it in the last hour of cooktime), and bay leaf to a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft. About an hour before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for another hour until ready to serve.

*Note - used the pregrated powdery parmesan the first time. Not bad, just kind of a grainy texture. Used the real stuff the second time - wow!
** I like to use my stick blender and puree the veggies before adding it to the roux. Just makes a velvety soup. Then Jeremiah will eat it. :)

White Chicken Chili

2 cups great northern dry beans
1 quart chicken stock, or bouillon and water equivalent
1 can of cannery chicken or turkey, with broth
2 TB dried onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 7 oz. can diced green chili
1-2 TB jalapeno (optional)
2 tsp ground cumin seed
1 tsp dried oregano
additional dairy ingredients below

Rinse and sort the dry beans. Soak beans overnight in a generous amount of water.
The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Return them to the pot and cook them in the chicken stock on low heat until the beans are tender. Add more water as needed to prevent scorching; stir occasionally. (This will take about 2-4 hours, depending on the freshness of the beans.)
Break up canned chicken or turkey and add it with its liquid to the pot. Add all remaining ingredients and cook until the onions are tender.
Just before serving, remove from heat and add:
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Stir to incorporate and enjoy.

Terrific Options:
A faster edition will use canned great northern beans.
We also prefer to use the gorgeous, frozen chilies that Kali and Bobby have sent from New Mexico!
Be sure to grate your own cheese for this recipe; don't use prepared cheese that may contain cellulose (to prevent clumping).
This is a good way to use left-over, cooked poultry.
One chopped, sauteed onion is good for the dried onion.
The crock pot produces a soupier version and perfect for busy days.

Tomato Pie

I did an Intranet search recently for recipes that used lots of tomatoes because my little tomato plants had produced a bunch at once. This tomato pie recipe was my favorite. I used early girl and taxi tomatoes and it was DELICIOUS! Because of all the water in the tomatoes I found that it did not preserve too well. I ended up cooking the leftover slices for another 10 minutes or so to try to get rid of some of the juices and I think that helped, but I would make sure to finish the leftovers no later than the next day. I hope you enjoy this recipe next season when your gardens are full of yummy tomatoes!

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) pie shell
• 7 ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 1 yellow onion
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used a little more than 1/3 cup)
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bake the pastry shell for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned.
3. Slice onion and place in the bottom of pastry shell. Slice tomatoes and arrange over onions. Add black pepper to taste.
4. In a medium bowl, combine mozzarella, parmesan and mayonnaise. Spread this mixture evenly over tomatoes.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Once cooked, garnish with fresh herbs.

Pumpkin Ravioli

Every bit as amazing as it sounds. I forgot to take pictures, but it's probably for the best because as delicious as it was, I don't make the prettiest ravioli! It was my first time; I'll get better. This recipe is from Food Network's Wolfgang Puck and uses the pasta dough recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter (heck yeah!)
• 1 lb fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
• 2 cups heavy cream (double heck yeah!)
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 2 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 recipe pasta dough (below)
• 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
• Semolina or all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 shallots, chopped

Heat a saute pan over low heat and add 4 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the cubed pumpkin and cook, stirring often to stop it from sticking and burning, until it softens and falls into a puree.

Turn the pumpkin into a saucepan, add 1/2 of the cream and half the herbs and cook over a low heat for approximately 1 hour, or until the puree is thick and the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and beat in an additional 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the beaten eggs, season, to taste, with salt and pepper and set a side to cool.

On a floured surface, roll out the pasta as thin as possible. Cut into 2 sheets and brush 1 of them with egg wash. Using a teaspoon, place 24 equal mounds of the pumpkin puree on the egg-washed dough, about 2 inches apart. Cover the mounded dough with the second sheet of pasta and press around the mounds of pumpkin to seal the dough.

Using a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife cut the ravioli. Dust a tray with semolina and place the ravioli on it.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, while you make the sauce.

Prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, reduce the stock with the shallots to 1/2 cup. Add the remaining cream and reduce by half. Over a low heat, whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, a little at a time, over low heat. Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and add the remaining sage and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the ravioli to the rapidly boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Add the ravioli to the sauce and bring just to a boil. Correct the seasonings.

*I used canned pumpkin instead of fresh pumpkin and a little red onion in place of shallots. I also did not strain the sauce before finishing it. It turned out soooo good! And I gotta say, Joe is one of the best sous chefs a girl could ask for!

Pasta Dough

Super basic, super simple recipe for homemade pasta dough. Modified* from Mr. Wolfgang Puck's recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until dough begins to mass on the blade, 1-2 min. Remove and press into a ball. Wrap ball in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least two hours to rest before rolling and cutting.

I borrowed Grandma's pasta cutter from Mom for this. Man, that's the only way to go! I can't imagine rolling that dough out thin enough by hand. It's so easy with the pasta machine! (I know, I totally sound like an infomercial...)

* The only modification I made from the original recipe was to use just all-purpose flour rather than half all-purpose and half semolina. Because I did not have semolina on hand. And I may or may not know what semolina is... And I'm pleased to say it turned out great without it!

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Thanks to Jenny for this recipe, which comes from the "Everyday with Rachel Ray" magazine. We made it for a quick, easy Saturday lunch and it worked great! It could become a weekend tradition. I doubled the recipe and cooked it in twelve regular sized muffin pans. I think we should try it out for a party sometime.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounced cut up pepperoni
1/2 cup store bought pizza sauce
2 Tablespoons chopped basil
1 red bell pepper, sliced.

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350*. Grease a 24 mini-muffin pan. Mix together flour and baking powder; whisk in milk and egg. Stir in cheese and pepperoni. Let sit for ten minutes.

2. Stir the batter and pour into the muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, until puffy and golden.

3. Microwave pizza sauce to warm, and stir in 1 Tbsp. basil. Remove pizza puffs from pan and sprinkle with other Tablespoon basil. Serve puffs with red pepper slices on the side and sauce for dipping!

Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

This yummy casserole is from my latest issue of Cuisine at Home. It's supposed to be for two, but it could have easily fed three or four. It's so yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 lb tomatillos, peeled and quartered
• 2 Tbsp minced jalapeño
• 4 corn tortillas (6 inch)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack
• 1/2 cup shredded Manchego*
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
• 1/2 cup minced bell pepper
• Fresh cilantro leaves, torn

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 2 shallow casserole dishes** with nonstick spray.

Boil water, broth, onion, and garlic for the chicken in a sauté pan over high heat. Season chicken with oregano, salt, and pepper; place in boiling liquid. Cover pan, reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken to plate to cool.

Add tomatillos and jalapeños to broth mixture; return to a boil over high and reduce to 1 cup, about 7 minutes. Mash tomatillos with a spoon or potato masher.

Shred chicken with two forks once cool enough to handle. Stir chicken back into tomatillo mixture, then remove from heat.

Brush tortillas with oil and toast in oven until crisp, 5 minutes.

Combine cheeses in bowl and sprinkle a thin layer into each prepared dish. Top cheese layer with a tortilla, divide chicken mixture evenly between dishes. Continue layering with remaining cheese and tortillas, ending with cheese on top. Scatter bell peppers over cheese.

Bake casseroles until cheese melts and sauce is bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Garnish each casserole with cilantro.

*I couldn't find Manchego, so I used an extra ounce of Monterey Jack and Queso Fresco.

**I don't have individual casserole dishes, so I just put the whole thing in my small Corningware casserole dish and it worked great.

Creamy Corn Soup with Chicken and Poblano Chile

This is from a cookbook by Rick Bayless called "Mexican Everyday". I needed more uses for our garden produce and this is a great one for fresh corn from the garden. The roasted chile pepper just seems perfect for New Mexico too.

Ingredients:

• 1 large poblano chile
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
• 1 small white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 cups corn kernels cut from the cob (takes about 5 ears)
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 quart milk
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breats cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• salt
• about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1. Roast the pepper over open flame or 4 inches below the broiler until blackened and blistered all over.
2. Heat oil in pan. Add onion and garlic and cook until golden. Put into blender or food processor.
3. Add corn, cornstarch, 1 1/2 cup milk to the blender too. Process to a smooth puree. (You can strain the puree through a mesh strainer for a smoother soup). Return puree to pan.
4. When chile is cool enough, peel off the blackened skin. Pull off stem and seed pods. Cut into 1/4 inch pieces. Add to the pan.
5. Add chicken to the puree and additional 2 1/2 cups milk. Simmer until chicken is cooked. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and add the cilantro as a garnish. Serve!

A few variations the author suggests are replacing the chicken with ham; or zucchini or asparagus for a vegetarian meal. Or add shrimp, crab, bacon, etc.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

This a spin off another recipe I found that used bulgur. Couldn't find bulgur but I did have a box of parmesan couscous that needed used up... so this is a recipe that lends itself to impromptu variations of whatever is on hand!

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1 chopped up and cooked onion
• 1 box cooked parmesan couscous
• some cooked ground up turkey
• a handful dried cranberries
• a bit of monterey jack cheese

Mix together the filling ingredients (like I said, this recipe works with basically whatever as you can tell by my precise measurements). Stuff filling inside 4 green bell peppers, the tops cut off , seeds and ribs removed (think mini jack-o-lanterns and you've got it made - adding a notch in the "lid" makes it easier to line up when cooking too). After they're stuffed, set them in a pot with about a cup of water on the bottom. Bring water to a boil, then cover the pot and let simmer for 5-10 minutes until peppers are tender-crisp and filling is warmed through.

P.S. We had extra filling leftover, but its great eating just by itself. Or just cut up some more peppers later.

P.P.S. No photo since I just ate the last one for lunch. :)

Lemon Chicken Soup

The inspiration for this one came from watching Giada De Laurenttis on the Food Network Channel. She made a lemon chicken soup with carrots and parsley, but I had loftier ideas for lemon chicken soup, so I like to think of this one as a Jesse original. This recipe makes four generous portions.

• 6 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade)
• Juice of 4 lemons*
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 oz spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, add chicken broth, lemon juice, and bay leaves. On med/high heat, add whole chicken breasts and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the pot and add the spaghetti. Using two forks, shred the chicken while the spaghetti cooks 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken back in when the pasta is tender. Stir in basil and spinach and cook just until spinach is wilted. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.

I don't usually poach chicken, but in the chicken stock and lemon juice, it becomes super moist and savory. This recipe is quick, easy, and healthy. Try it, love it, then tell me how brilliant I am. ;)

*I like LEMON chicken soup. If you're not that into the lemon flavor, I'd just go with a couple lemons.

Black Beans and Rice

This is our favorite beans and rice recipe. It's one I've gradually modified from a Food Network recipe. It's best served with roasted chicken and mole.

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup diced green chillies (preferably New Mexican)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1 cup white rice*
• 2 cups black beans, drained
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (preferably homegrown)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Heat oil in a pot over medium/high heat and stir in chillies, onions, garlic, bay leaves, and cumin. Stir and cook about 8 minutes.

Stir in rice, black beans, tomatoes, water, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Cook for about 40 minutes or until rice is tender.

*I always try to make this with brown rice. Don't! Brown rice takes waaaay too long to cook. If you want to use brown rice, I recommend cooking it separately and adding it into the dish towards the end.