Sign Up for the Weekly Catch-Up!

The best of the blog, in your inbox.

The Kitchen Recessionista

So, here we are, in a recession. Let's eat!

Three-Bean Chili.

by

I’ve owned my current Crock-Pot for going on 15 years, and the novelty of coming home to an already-cooked dinner never gets old – never! 
Tonight I tried a new chili recipe for the first time, another from the venerable Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet.  Robin never steers me wrong, and she didn’t in this recipe either!  The combination of black, pinto, and kidney beans with a huge can of crushed tomatoes, plus some tomato paste for sweetener and some jalapenos for spice, mingled beautifully with the diced onion, bell pepper, and chili powder.
LeeLee had to work late, so I was on my own come dinnertime.  As a result, I pulled out the ol’ TV tray, cracked open a beer, and poured a generous layer of Fritos in the bottom of my bowl, ladling several heaping spoonfuls of chili on the top.  I garnished the meal with some Daiya mozzarella shreds, and with that, I dug in! 
The results were fantastic.  I loved the sweet and spicy combination, with just a little saltiness brought in by the aforementioned Fritos.  At first, I was a bit concerned that I’d miss the meat analogue – many of my chili recipes call for vegetarian burger crumbles – but I didn’t miss it a bit.  In fact, I found the chili to taste lighter and fresher as a result!
Once I was finished with dinner, I pulled out two plastic containers and filled each one to the brim with leftover chili – one for LeeLee for later (and for leftovers), and one for the freezer for a later dinner.  I’m looking forward to defrosting it already!

:)

Broccoli-Cheese Noodle Soup.

by

I ask you, can there be a better night to try a new soup than an evening where the mercury didn’t even crack 20 degrees, where the windchill hovered around 0 all day long?  (I recognize we have it much better than some of our friends and loved ones in the Midwest, who have spent the day in the negatives, both in temperature and likely in temperament.)
I came across this recipe over at The Frugal Girl last week and immediately added it to the menu plan.  Believe you-me, I wasn’t disappointed!  It was a cinch to make, and the end result was just fantastic.
When we got home, I chopped half an onion and heated it up on the bottom of my French oven (which always makes soup look extra pretty).  Once it was translucent, I poured in a carton of veggie broth and let it boil up nicely.  Then I added the macaroni, let it boil for 4-5 minutes, and then added a bag of frozen broccoli and some garlic powder.  Once the broccoli had begun to cook, I lowered the heat and stirred in the Velveeta (though, given the recent Velveeta Shortage of 2014, we had to use Safeway brand), and once it was smooth I added some almond milk.  A nice dash of pepper, and the soup was heated through before I knew it!
We hungrily ladled two heaping bowls’ worth of soup and lapped it right up.  Wow!  What a rich, hearty soup!  The cheese added a nice punch without being too cheesy, and the broth filled the meal out with nice flavorful undertones.  Also: I’ve enjoyed broccoli-cheese soup a million times, but how have I never thought to add noodles?  What a wonderful accompaniment to the dish!
In short, this will definitely have a place in the standard rotation.  And not just in the winter – it’s destined to be a year-round treat!
:)