In keeping with my New Year's Resolution to find three more recipes for the rotation, I made Red Beans & Rice for the first time yesterday. I made it in the crock pot, and it came out pretty decent! Unfortunately, one of the ingredients I added (not sure exactly which) made it pretty spicy. So Anthony and I were able to eat it, but I couldn't share any with Katie. So that really defeats the purpose. I'll have to tweak the spices next time. (Pretty sure it was the chipotle powder.)
I was amazed at how much effort it was to make this dish, considering it's designed to be a no-fuss, simmer-all-day kind of thing. I read on the interwebs that everyone in New Orleans eats red beans & rice on Monday, because Monday was traditionally wash day and housewives wanted something that they could throw in a pot and let cook while they were busy with the washing. Sounds good to me (except the part about having to do the laundry!) I suppose I should have already known this factoid, as my mom grew up in New Orleans, but I guess I forgot. My main recollection of red beans and rice is that my Granny would bring us a couple of cans of Blue Runner red beans in her suitcase when she came to visit. Even though they were from a can, MAN were they good!!
The recipe I found online really was simple. But that's not accounting for the Toddler Factor. When I see a simple direction like "chop an onion and a bell pepper and sauté until translucent," I know I'm in trouble. I might be able to chop the bell pepper without Katie offering assistance. Maybe I'll even manage half of the onion. But then the demands of "See up! Katie see! Hold me!" start, with ever-increasing volume. I'm reading a parenting book right now and there's a chapter near the end on "Cooking with Children," so maybe that will help me. Another solution might be to find recipes that will still be ready by dinnertime if I start them when Katie goes down for her nap.
Anyway, the red beans came out pretty good, spiciness aside. I don't think I could stand to have it once a week, though. Maybe once a month? (That's about how often I do laundry anyway, lol!)
What's cookin' in your kitchen?
Spicy red beans? Yes, please!
ReplyDeleteCooking with children. Please pass that book chapter on when you are done with it...the oldest wants to "help" the middle wants me to come play with him in the other room and the youngest wants to eat dishsoap she finds under the sink. I could use all the help I can get.
Awesome you for trying a new recipe!
It was kind of a letdown - they should have called it "Letting Your Kids Help Cook." It was mostly stuff about letting them wash lettuce or shell peas. No advice whatsoever about what to do with the other two who aren't interested in helping! Boo. Also there were some super unhelpful platitudes like "Expect a mess." Gee, really? LOL
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