What I Cook When my Husband Isn't Home

Dear Turkey,

Actual conversation:
Me: what should we make this week?
Honey: I don't know.
Me: how about black bean soup and cornbread?
Honey: I'm not really in the mood.

One week later:
Me: what should we make this week?
Honey: I don't know.
Me: how about black bean soup and cornbread?
Honey: I'm not really in the mood.

One week later: Honey is at work. The baby and I have just cleaned the house, done the laundry, gone for a hike, and taken a two hour nap (him), and watched Downton Abbey (me). What's next?

Cornbread:
In a bowl, combine

1 c sugar
1 c whole wheat flour
2 c cornmeal
1 t salt
1 t soda
2 c buttermilk, soymilk, or breastmilk (still reading?)
3 T canola oil (use some to grease one loaf pan)

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes

Black Bean Soup:

Chop or dice:
1 small red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
2 serrano peppers (or to taste)
5 shallots
Stems of about 1/2 c Italian parsley

Sautee this in a big pot with plenty of oil, salt, pepper, the juice of one lemon.
If you have it, add this secret ingredient:
1/2 c pickled onions and their pickling liquid (like the ones that you picked a few weeks ago in rice vinegar, lime, and salt).

Then add a few tablespoons each of honey (buckwheat is really awesome here), cumin, and chili powder.

Cook this for a few minutes; you don't need to cook off all of that good liquid. Then add one big can of black beans and one "regular" can of white beans, rinsed and drained. Cook for a few minutes, stirring.

Add about 3 c of water and simmer, covered, for about an hour. Then adjust the seasonings and add the leaves of the parsley.

Puree the soup so it's about two-thirds blended.

Top with feta.

At this point, your house will smell like a BBQ joint. When you husband walks in the door, he will suddenly be in the mood for black bean soup and cornbread.

I moss you,
Tofu