Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet

In looking for a new slow-cooker recipe, I found this recipe on Pinterest. I was drawn to the word Cassoulet!  I love it! The recipe originally called for turkey sausage, but we prefer spicy Andouille. We also added rice to make this a heartier stew rather than a soup. A very satisfying meal!

Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet

Prep time:  10 min

Cook time:  Slow cooker 8 hours

Ingredients

• 2 (16-oz) cans Great Northern or Cannellini beans, undrained
• 1 (28-oz) can diced Tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14-oz) package Andouille Sausage, sliced
• 3/4 cup Chicken Broth
• 3 medium Carrots, sliced
• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup Rice *(optional)

Directions

1. Combine first 11 ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until vegetables are tender. 
3. Remove and discard bay leaf.
4. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese before serving.

*Optional Rice add-in: To make this more stew/less soup like...

1. At 6.5 hours, turn to high and bring to boil (usually by hour 7) 
2. Stir in 3/4 cup uncooked rice. 
3. Cook on high the remaining hour. 

Serves 6

Adapted from Southern Living 2007 Annual Recipes

6 Secret Uses for Oranges

Maybe it is the Mythbusters influence in our home, but I've been exploring unconventional or interesting ways to use household items. I found this list of creative and clever ways to use oranges around your home to save time and money. I am interested in trying 1 and 5!

6 Secret Uses for Oranges

1. Use for kindling
   Dried orange and lemon peels are a far superior choice for use as kindling than newspaper. Not only do they smell better and produce less creosote than newspaper, but the flammable oils found inside the peels enable them to burn much longer than paper.
   
   
2. Make a pomander
   Pomanders have been used for centuries to fill small spaces with a delightful fragrance as well as to combat moths. They are also incredibly easy to make: Take a bunch of cloves and stick them into an orange, covering the whole surface. That’s it. Pretty simple, huh? Now suspend your pomander using a piece of string, twine, or monofilament fishing line inside a closet or cupboard, and it will keep the space smelling fresh for years.
   
   
3. Simmer for stove top potpourri
   Fill your abode with a refreshing citrus scent by simmering several orange and/or lemon peels in 1-2 cups of water in an aluminum pot for a few hours. Add water as needed during the simmering. This process freshens up the pot as well as the air in your home.
   
   
4. Keep kitties off your lawn
   Are the neighbor’s cats still mistaking your lawn for their litter box? Gently point them elsewhere by making a mixture of orange peels and coffee grounds and distributing it around the cats’ “old haunts.” If they don’t take the hint, lay down a second batch and try moistening it with a bit of water.
   
   
5. Apply as mosquito repellent
   If you’re not crazy about the idea of rubbing onions all over yourself to keep away mosquitoes, you may be happy to know that you can often get similar results by rubbing fresh orange or lemon peels over your exposed skin. It’s said that mosquitoes and gnats are totally repulsed by either scent.
   
   
6. Show ants the door
   Get rid of the ants in your garden, on your patio, and along the foundation of your home. In a blender, make a smooth puree of a few orange peels in 1 cup warm water. Slowly pour the solution over and into anthills to send the little pests packing.

Courtesy of Reader's Digest

Easy Pad Thai

In an effort to cook for from more cuisines at home, I found this simple and milld Pad Thai recipe. I didn't have scallions, but had fresh, first-of-the-season, asparagus that made this a perfect, light dish for a spring evening.

Easy Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 8 oz dried, wide and flat rice noodles
• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 TBSP fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
• 3 TBSP soy sauce
• ½ tsp Habernero infused maple syrup
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 scallions, white and green parts, separated and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts
• Try adding shrimp or chicken: While the noodles are soaking, cut up 1 small chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Marinate the chicken in a little bit of soy sauce and garlic. Cook chicken or shrimp before you add the noodles to the pan.

Directions

1. Soak noodles according to package instructions. Drain.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, and syrup.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add scallion whites and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
5. Add noodles, scallion greens, and sauce to skillet. Cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are soft (about 1 minute).
6. Serve noodles with lime wedges, topped with cilantro and peanuts.
7. Leftovers: Toss in a hot skillet for a minute with a little water, lime juice and soy sauce to warm the noodles.

Serves 4

Spicy African Peanut Stew

This stew is a simplified/American-ized version of Hkatenkwan (Ghanaian Groundnut Stew.) Groundnut is the African word for peanut, and this stew is based on the Western African version of the groundnut/tomato stew found all over sub-Saharan Africa.

One of the curators at our campus museum brought this in for our monthly potluck (thanks, Emmie!) and it was all I could do to not go up for thirds!

Spicy African Peanut Stew

Ingredients

• 14-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cubed sweet potato
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1.5 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 14-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 14-ounce can light coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
• 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
• Bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients (except cilantro and peanuts) in a slow cooker
2. Set on high for an hour, then switch to low for 4-5
3. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts