Cheesy Bean Tomato Bake

How to start and how to finish.

This recipe originated from The New York Times, but as you can see I tweaked it so much it's a very different recipe. What motivated me to discover it was the need to use unopened mozzarella that was on the verge of getting too old to eat. Mozzarella is one of a few cheeses whose texture changes if you don't consume it fresh. This bake is a delicious alternative to barbequed franks and beans:

Cheesy Bean Tomato Bake

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

4 turkey (or chicken or beef) franks, sliced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup grape tomatoes

1 15 oz - 16 oz canned pinto beans

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon of garlic

1/2 teaspoon of dried ground bay leaf

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Optional: 1/2 cup of frozen or fresh spinach or cooked kale

Directions: 

1) With a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil sautè the onions, celery, and sliced franks in a cast iron skillet until the franks and vegetables are grilled.

2) Toss in the grape tomatoes (which I cut into thirds) and cook for another 1 - 2 minutes. Also if using, throw in the spinach or kale. 

3) Next add the beans, seasonings, and cider vinegar. Simmer for another minute or two on low-medium heat.

4) Finally top with the mozzarella cheese. Don't mix the cheese in, but let it lay on top of the bake.

5) Put the cast iron pan mixture into a preheated 350-degree F oven to bake for about 20 minutes or for as long as it takes to melt and grill the top layer of mozzarella cheese. I used my oven's broiler setting.

 

The New York Times suggests dipping crackers or grainy bread into the Cheesy Bean Tomato Bake, but I turned the dish into a hearty one-pan-meal which you certainly can eat with a slice of fresh crusty bread and a glass of wine. I asked my friend, Carolyn, to taste it. She loved it enough to eat it as a side for dinner with Salisbury steak and smashed potatoes. Bon Appetitè!

 

You may also enjoy:

Let The Barbecues Begin

Barbecue Franks And Beans

Steaming Hot Cincinnati Chili

Homemade Sloppy Joe's Sandwiches

Bean, Avocado, Corn, Onion And Tomato Salad

Phoro: natalieshealth.com

Eating beans helps people to live longer! A fact. In 2009, a Vitality Project lead by Dan Buettner studied the lifestyles of people who live in Blue Zones -- which are areas of the world with the longest life spans. People in the Blue Zones tend to live to be 100+ years old. Along with other healthy habits, it turns out that the people who live in epicenters of old age eat lots of beans. Since beans are healthy and tasty, perhaps we should emulate them. So now I'm looking for ways to eat more beans.

Last night's dinner was a quick and easy recipe I pulled off Facebook. As usual, I made it my own:

Bean, Avocado, Corn, Onion and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

1 15-16 ounce can of beans (Use black, red kidney, pink or your favorite.)
2 ripe avocados, diced
2 cups of corn kernels (I grilled 16 ounces of frozen corn in a skillet, but you can use a can, or fresh corn -- cut off the cob.)

French Tart-FT

1 small onion, diced
1 large ripe tomato, diced (or plum or cherry tomatoes, i.e. any)
seasonings to taste:
salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, Herb De Provence, dried chipotle powder and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
A sprinkle of soy sauce
A sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce

Dressing: You can use lemon (i.e., lemon + extra virgin olive oil); or vinaigrette (vinegar + extra virgin olive oil). I like vinaigrette.

Directions:

Toss everything into a big bowl and mix thoroughly. I made a vinaigrette dressing, adding it to the bean juice that was left in the can of beans. A very adoptable recipe, season everything to taste. 

You can also add other crunchy vegetables like diced celery; carrot, red peppers; an apple; or sunflower seeds to the salad. I made mine with just the 5 ingredients listed in the heading and went the spicy chipotle and red pepper flake route.

Such a simple salad to toss together and picnic friendly. Bon Appétite!

You may also enjoy:
Let's Plan A Wine Party
My Homemade Coleslaw
Let The Barbecues Begin  
Since 1875: The Kentucky Derby