Table for Two - Pantry Pasta with Garbanzo Beans

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Each year we have a rain that truly marks the end of summer. It's usually a prolonged downpour that drenches as it "droppeth.....upon the place beneath." The rain, in deed and fact, is more biblical than Shakespearean, and gentle, I assure you, it is not. Errant blooms that clung to summer are beaten to the ground as they fall victim to the relentless tattoo of fall rain, but worse still is what the arrival of damp does to curly heads and running shoes. Fortunately, we are a hardy lot and while we may look soggy and unkept, the rain invigorates and renews a tired landscape from which color had begun to fade. With the rain comes the ancient need for fire and the valley, which a week ago smelled of fires gone amok, now is fragrant with the perfume of mesquite that is used to fuel stoves and fireplaces. It was a good day to read and set a spell and enjoy the first warming fire of the year. I was so lost in the comfort of the fire and the steady tattoo of rain beating on the roof, that I left myself no time to prepare the dinner I had planned. I fell back of this quick pasta recipe from Better Homes and Gardens magazine and enjoyed it enough to pass it onto you. This meatless dish is truly a pantry pasta that you can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes. Here is how its made.

Crock-Pot Moroccan Chickpea and Chicken Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The days grow shorter at this time of year. We lose the light and the pressure of full calendars makes it difficult to accomplish all that must be done with grace and humor. At various times, I've found myself wishing for a clone or, at the very least, an evil twin to help with the cooking and shopping and "et cetera" that has become so much a part of our modern holiday season. While some will swear they've encountered my evil twin in the kitchen, they exaggerate. I certainly have never seen her and the clones all seem to have gone to a higher bidder. Even so, I've found some techniques that help make entertaining and fabulous holiday meals more easy to accomplish. The real trick is learning how to simplify whenever it is possible. That means that some everyday meals become faster and easier to prepare than might normally be the case. This recipe is an example of a weeknight meal that comes together in minutes. It uses standard pantry ingredients and while it was designed to simmer in a crock-pot, you can also cook it stovetop if that is more to your liking. I found the recipe in Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook and it makes a pleasant weeknight meal. If you are looking for a quick and easy addition to your menu rotation, grab a can opener and give this recipe a try. Here is how this Moroccan stew is made.

Moroccan Chickpea and Chicken Stew...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 (16-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
1 medium onion chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons water
1-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of paprika
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter
Hot cooked couscous or brown rice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Place chickpeas, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, raisins, tomato paste, water, cumin and paprika in slow cooker. Mix well. Scatter chicken on top. Cover and cook on LOW until chicken is tender and cooked through, 6-7 hours.
2) Stir in nut butter. Serve hot over couscous or rice, garnished with cilantro. Yield: 4 servings.

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Roasted Garbanzo Beans with Cajun Spice - Blue Monday

Roasted Garbanzo Beans with Cajun Spice ...and...



My Blue Boys




From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of our favorite fireplace and football snacks. There are exactly 4 ingredients in this recipe. It really doesn't get any easier than this. BUT. I'm currently experimenting with dried garbanzo beans that are soaked in water for 24 hours before proceeding with the recipe. Please stay tuned! I'm sure, that given enough time, I can complicate this recipe for you. Till then, here's the bare bones version using canned garbanzo beans.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans with Cajun Spice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups canned garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained and patted dry
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon commercially prepared Cajun Spice
1/2 teaspoon golden brown sugar
Coarse salt to taste

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a no-stick baking sheet with no-stick spray and set aside.
2) Toss garbanzo beans with oil, Cajun Spice and brown sugar in a small bowl. Mix well.
3) Place beans in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with coarse salt to taste. Allow to cool before serving. Yield: 2 cups.


This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday