Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's six recipes include Lemon Icebox Pie III and Chicken Mozzarella. Enjoy!

RED BEANS AND RICE

This is from Kim Severson in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “Every Monday, you can find a pot of red beans and rice cooking in someone’s kitchen in New Orleans. The food writer and New Orleans bon vivant Pableaux Johnson’s house is no exception. The dish, an easy meal from when people used to reserve Monday to do the wash, was once made with the pork bone left over from Sunday supper. In this version, Mr. Johnson strongly encourages the use of hand-made Louisiana Andouille, but smoked sausage will do.”

Yield: About 12 cups; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 4 hours’ soaking.

Note: Several readers to the NYT cooking e-newsletter responded that they soak the beans for 10 minutes, bring to a boil for 20 minutes, then let them sit until ready to cook. I’ve usually boiled them for 10 minutes or so, then let them sit for maybe an hour. That also seems to do the trick.

This was featured in: Fluffy. Tasty. Tricky. and can be viewed online here.

LEARN: How to Make Rice

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound dried red beans (preferably New Orleans Camelia brand)

1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced 1/2-inch thick (smoked sausage can also be used)

4 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium onions, finely diced

1 large rib celery, finely diced

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons salt

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried basil

3/4 teaspoon rubbed sage

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 bunch fresh green onions, chopped

Cooked white long-grain rice, for serving

Preparation

In a large bowl, cover beans in water and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. (Water should cover beans by at least an inch.)

In a large, heavy pot, brown sausage in 1 tablespoon of oil until slightly crisp. Add remaining oil, then the garlic and onions. Sauté over medium heat until onions become transparent and limp. Add celery and bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes.

Pour soaked beans and water into the pot and bring to a simmer. Add black pepper, cayenne, salt and all herbs except parsley.

Cook until beans are softened, about 11/2 to 2 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Fifteen minutes before serving, remove 1 cup of beans to a bowl and, using a fork, mash them and stir back into the pot to enhance the creamy texture of the dish. Add parsley and green onions. Simmer about 15 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning, and add up to 1 cup more water if beans seem too thick. Remove bay leaves. Serve over white long-grain rice.

SPINACH & ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

This comes from Lauren Miyashiro on Delish. The recipe begins, “This creamy skillet chicken dinner will give you life.”

Yields: 6; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

6 chicken breasts

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

3 tbsp. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 c. baby spinach

1 (13.75-oz.) can artichoke hearts, chopped

1/2 c. sliced roasted red peppers

1 c. half-and-half

3/4 c. shredded mozzarella

1/4 c. Parmesan

Directions

Season chicken all over with salt, pepper, and oregano. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add chicken and cook until golden, about 6 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet.

Melt butter in skillet then stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in baby spinach, artichokes and red peppers and cook until spinach starts to wilt. Add half-and-half and bring mixture to a simmer. Stir in mozzarella and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Return chicken to skillet and cook until sauce has thickened slightly and chicken is completely cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Serve chicken warm with sauce.

LEMON ICEBOX PIE III

This is from Heather Simpson on AllRecipes. The recipe begins, "A family favorite when a no-bake, fast pie is needed. (And family members too small to use the oven can make dessert!) Very pretty when garnished with whipped cream and mint leaves.”

This recipe makes 8 servings and can be found online here.

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 lemons, juiced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon rind. Mix until smooth. Pour mixture into crust. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and mint leaves if desired.

CHICKEN MOZZARELLA

This recipe is from Family Time, and begins, “This effortless meal from the oven features mozzarella-topped chicken breasts baked in an Italian-seasoned tomato sauce...and it's on the table in just 40 minutes!”

Serves: 4 servings; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes

This can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast half

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Healthy Request® Condensed Tomato Soup

Dried oregano leaves, crushed or 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 ounce)

1/2 of a 1-pound package rotini pasta (about 3 cups), cooked without salt and drained

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°F.

Place the chicken into an 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish. Stir the soup, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Spoon the soup mixture over the chicken.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle the chicken with the cheese. Serve the chicken and sauce with the pasta.

Ingredient Note: (from Family Time) “We develop our recipes using a 4-to 5-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast half per serving. However, there are a range of sizes available in-store, from the butcher counter to the meat case and the freezer section. Use whichever you prefer- just follow the recipe as written above for the best result. If you're using larger chicken breasts they may require a little longer cooking time.”

VEGAN CHILI

This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!

Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 bell peppers, diced

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo

1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes

1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

2 c. vegetable broth

For Topping

1 avocado, sliced

Lime wedges

thinly sliced scallions

Directions

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.

Serve with the toppings of your choice.

GRILLED CHICKEN

This is from Ree Drummond of The Food Network show The Pioneer Woman.

Total: 24 hr 15 min; Active: 15 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

Olive oil

Juice of 4 lemons

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons honey

A dash of salt

4 whole chicken breasts

Directions

Mix together some olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey and a dash of salt. Pound the chicken breasts until they are uniform thickness, then marinate them for about 24 hours in the fridge.

Grill 'em up ... they should take 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked all the way through ... turn them halfway through so they cook evenly on both sides, then set 'em aside and keep 'em warm.