Wednesday, July 29

Vegetarian Molasses Baked Beans

Makes 8 servings
Total Price: NY $4.20
Price per serving: NY $0.53


Vegetarian Molasses Baked Beans
Much like chowdah, baked beans are one of those recipes that can somehow be perfect both in the dead of winter and in the dog days of summer to boot. In the winter, I prefer my baked beans with some bacon for flavor, but in the summer I like them more barbecue-y. And in any season, I love them heavy on the molasses! This iteration is zesty but not heavy or goopy (as barbecue-type beans can sometimes get.) This recipe requires having the oven on for some time. If the fates align, the ideal time to prepare this is on a rainy afternoon a day or two before heading to a barbecue on a gorgeous sunshine-y summertime day.

Vegetarian Molasses Baked Beans
Ingredients
  • 1 lb.dried navy beans (NY $1.39)
  • 1 large onion (NY $0.85)
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil (staple)
  • ½ cup molasses (NY $0.99)
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar (NY $0.28)
  • 1/3 cup cider vinegar (NY $0.51)
  • ¼ cup ketchup (NY $ 0.18)
  • 2 tbsps dijon mustard (staple)
  • 1/8 tsp cloves (staple)
  • ½ tsp dried ginger (staple)
  • Pinch of allspice (staple)
  • Salt (staple)
  • Black pepper (staple)
Vegetarian Molasses Baked Beans
Directions

Soak beans overnight in cool water, covered by about an inch of water.* Drain soaked beans, discard soaking liquid, and rinse thoroughly in cold water. Place beans in a large ovenproof pot, and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours, or until beans are tender. Check the water level during cooking, adding more if the water nears the surface of the beans. Once beans are tender, drain and reserve cooking liquid.

Vegetarian Molasses Baked Beans
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In the same large ovenproof pot, heat the olive oil.. Add onion and cook, stirring occassionally, until beginning to color and soften, approx. 5 minutes. Add the molasses, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, mustard, cloves, ginger, all spice and 2 cups reserved cooking liquid. (If you don’t quite have 2 cups cooking liquid left, add some water until you do.) Stir and simmer for approx. 4 minutes. Add the beans, and season with several grinds of black pepper and a few dashes of salt. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes, then transfer to oven. Cook, uncovered, until bubbly, approx. 1 hour, adding more cooking liquid or water during cooking as needed.**

*Alternatively, beans can be quick soaked by again covering them in a pot in with the same amount of water, then bring to a boil on the stove. Boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat and let stand, covered, for at least 1 hour. (Longer is better if you have time to spare.)


** If, in an effort to be helpful, your spouse/partner/roommate/passing stranger tosses out your cooking liquid in a misguided effort to clean up and help out, you can use water instead. Hypothetically speaking, of course.


Vegetarian Molasses Baked Beans
Nutritional Info
Amount Per serving

Calories 313.7Protein 11.4 gMagnesium 31.2 %
Total Fat 2.6 gVitamin A 0.0 %Manganese 56.7 %
Saturated Fat 0.3 gVitamin B-12 0.0 %Niacin 5.4 %
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 gVitamin B-6 16.3 %Pantothenic Acid 5.3 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1.4 gVitamin C 4.5 %Phosphorus 20.4 %
Cholesterol 0.0 mgVitamin D 0.0 %Riboflavin 5.3 %
Sodium 14,280.2 mgVitamin E 1.0 %Selenium 11.0 %
Potassium 846.2 mgCalcium 15.0 %Thiamin 22.1 %
Total Carbohydrate 63.3 gCopper 20.1 %Zinc 10.1 %
Dietary Fiber 14.7 gFolate 47.8 %
Sugars 23.3 gIron 24.7 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Tuesday, July 21

In the Pink Sangria

Makes about 24 servings
Total price: NY $18.73 / 19.77
Price per serving: NY $ 0.78 / 0.82


Rose Sangria
We made this pink sangria for our friend Blondie’s Birthday Potluck in Prospect Park.* We drink a lot of sangria around here and find that for outdoor picnics, a pretty diluted sangira is preferable and more refreshing on a hot day out in the sun. That’s why this recipe calls for 2 liters of seltzer. If you’re serving this at night at a party, drop the seltzer down to just one liter or less (you know, depending on what kind of party you’re having, nudge, nudge.) The raspberries and pineapple with the rose wine give this one a nice bright, fruity taste and the bright pink color, punctuated with the yellow pineapple, just screams “Birthday Party!” And, of course, blondes and pink always have gone together splendidly!

Rose Sangria
(UPDATE: We've been Slashfooded! ("Stunning Sangria - Feast Your Eyes")

Ingredients
  • 1.5 liter bottle Rose wine (NY $6.99)
  • 2 shots Crème de Cassis (NY $1.77)
  • 2 pints strawberries (NY $2.49)
  • 1/2 pint raspberries (NY $2.49)
  • 1 pineapple (NY $4.99)
  • 2 liters seltzer (Free or NY $1.04)
Directions

Rose Sangria
Pour wine and cassis into a large pitcher. Wash strawberries, remove leaves, quarter vertically and toss into pitcher. Wash raspberries and add to raspberries. Chop pineapple into approximately half inch chunks and add to wine/fruit mixture. Put into refrigerator and allow to chill for 3-6 hours. Immediately before serving, add seltzer. (Either pour into pitcher if yours is large enough, or top off individual glasses with the seltzer.) Be sure to scoop lots of fruit into each glass, digging down for the non-floating raspberries: picking out the boozy fruity flotsam** is half the fun!

Rose Sangria
* The economy being what it is, Blondie still hasn’t found employment, but she’s had some encouraging interviews. Keep your fingers crossed for her!

**Of course, since raspberries don't float, I guess we can't call them flotsam, can we? OK, then, jetsam it is!


Rose Sangria
Nutritional Facts
Amount Per Serving


Calories 81.6Protein 0.4 gMagnesium 3.3 %
Total Fat 0.2 gVitamin A 0.4 %Manganese 27.2 %
Saturated Fat 0.0 gVitamin B-12 0.1 %Niacin 1.3 %
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 gVitamin B-6 2.7 %Pantothenic Acid 1.7 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 gVitamin C 35.9 %Phosphorus 1.7 %
Cholesterol 0.0 mgVitamin D 0.0 %Riboflavin 2.5 %
Sodium 5.5 mgVitamin E 0.5 %Selenium 0.7 %
Potassium 143.4 mgCalcium 1.2 %Thiamin 1.9 %
Total Carbohydrate 7.9 gCopper 3.8 %Zinc 0.8 %
Dietary Fiber 1.4 gFolate 2.5 %
Sugars 1.7 gIron 2.6 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump
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