Black Bean and Spinach Lasagna

 

Lately, I have been looking for meatless entrees, especially ones that use beans because beans are so cheap when you buy them dry in bags. When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it, even it sounded pretty weird. Don't let the combination of black beans and spinach/pasta scare you away. This was really good, to the point that I actually was sad I had to eat out the other day instead of being able to eat these left overs.


Spinach and Black Bean Lasagna
from Southern Living


2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, divided
• 2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or cook your own)
• 1 (2-pound, 13-ounce) jar pasta sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 9 precooked lasagna noodles
• Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

• Stir together first 5 ingredients and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; set aside.
• Mash beans with a potato masher or fork in a large bowl; stir in pasta sauce and cumin. Spread one-third of bean mixture on bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
• Layer with 3 noodles, half of spinach mixture, and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; repeat layers. Spread with one-third bean mixture; top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining bean mixture.
• Bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour; uncover and top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish, if desired.
  
  *You can halve this, using 5-6 lasagna noodles and in a 8x8 pan.

Easy Red Beans (and Cornbread!)

Do you listen to any NPR or PRX or such? If you don't, I highly recommend you stop what you are doing and go do some exploring of some seriously good stuff. Earlier this week I was listening to Snap Judgement (one of my new favorites) and the host was telling a story that involved him eating red beans when he was a kid. I just couldn't get the thought of red beans out of my head after listening to the show, so I decided to make some. I think this is one of my new favorite dinners. It took just half an hour to come together and all of it was made from scratch (well, the beans were canned, but that's it).

Easy Red Beans

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/4 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

6-8oz kielbasa, sliced into bite size coins

1 (15oz) can of red beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

Oregano to taste

Thyme to taste

Cornbread, for serving (recipe in post below)

Place first four ingredients into a skillet (make sure you put a little oil in the bottom of the skillet) over medium heat and cook until onions are soft (about 7 minutes). Add the rest of the ingredients and cook 3 more minutes. Serve with corn bread.