A Favorite Recipe

Fast. Cheap. Healthy. Delicious.

These are the ideal characteristics of a great meal around here. We have a favorite that I adapted from a far (if you can believe it) simpler recipe that was lacking a bit in flavor. My version takes no more time than the original Rice and Beans recipe I had read that fateful day, because all my extras can be done in the time it takes to cook rice. But my version has a whole lot more flavor and it looks beautiful on the plate.

I forgot to take pictures last night as I made it and I didn't think to until the plate was already nearly empty, so I'll update with pictures next week.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of water
• 1 tbs tarragon
• 1 tsp ground savory
• 1 tbs chicken base (or enough bouillon for 3 cups water OR replace water with chicken stock)
• 1 1/2 cups white rice (You can sub in brown rice if you have the time)
• One large onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 tbs butter
• 1/4 cup good white wine
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can red beans (or sub in any beans you like. Add extras too!)
• Fresh parsley, basil or any other lovely herb you might have. Or, in a pinch, dried will work to.

Directions:

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Turn down heat and cover. Simmer for 12 minutes then turn off the heat. No Peaking ;)
2. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in butter until onion is translucent, but not browning. Pour white wine into onion pan and scrape the bottom vigorously with a spatula (or spootula if you happen to know my children) to get up any delicious bits that might be sticking there. Then dump in the canned beans, juice and all. Heat through.
3. By now, your rice is done. Choose a pretty serving dish. I like to use a wide shallow bowl for this. Dump your rice in the middle of the dish and flatten out to cover the whole bottom of the dish. Then dump your bean mixture on top, spreading it out to almost cover all the rice (leave a little rice showing around the edge. It's pretty!)
4. Sprinkle some fresh herbs on top and garnish with a little sprig of parsley if you have it. If not, use dried herbs for garnish. You can also top with a little grated cheese for added flavor. You can serve this up just as it is or with some salsa if your family likes it.
5. Enjoy!

(Original recipe, if you want to try it, was simply cooked rice with canned beans mixed in. Not sure why that recipe crossed my path or why I found it inspirational for making this recipe, but there you have it!)