Roasted Cabbage with Balsamic Reduction

Our family loves roasted anything.  What is the magic that makes ANY vegetable irresistible with only olive oil, salt, pepper, and roasting?  I don't know, either, but I'm glad it exists, because we can gobble a whole head of cabbage prepared like this.

In addition to the olive oil and salt, this cabbage is drizzled with a balsamic reduction, which takes it from irresistible to EAT IT NOW!!!!

Roasted Cabbage with Balsamic Reduction

one head of cabbage, outer leaves removed

several tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

an oven for roasting

Balsamic Reduction (made speedier by the addition of sugar)

one cup of balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. of sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Combine the balsamic vinegar and the sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and then bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and allow mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by half.  Don't let it scorch when it nears the end.  It should be noticeably thicker now, and it will taste heavenly.

Prepare the cabbage by slicing it from top to bottom into 1-inch thick pieces (you can also cut it into wedges).  Drizzle with several tablespoons of olive oil (or brush oil on both sides), and then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.  Bake in the 400 degree oven for about 45-60 minutes, until tender and seared, turning once halfway through.  Toward the end, I drizzle on some of the balsamic reduction, and if the cabbage isn't dark enough for my liking, I just crank up the heat towards the end.  

When done, remove from oven, and top hot cabbage with as much balsamic as you like, which, if you're like me, is more than your fair share.

Couscous Salad with Balsamic and Basil

...because you asked.

 

John usually makes this quick salad, but since he doesn't measure anything, here's my best attempt to duplicate his delicious version. 

-2 cups dry couscous, prepared according to package directions

-1 large white onion, chopped

- about 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

- 2 tomatoes, diced in small pieces

-at least 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped or cut chiffonade, more to taste

-olive oil

-balsamic vinegar (2+ tablespoons?)

-salt (1/2 - 1 tsp.?) and freshly ground pepper (1/4- 1/2 tsp.?)

Saute onion in a tablespoon or so of olive oil until translucent and fairly soft and then add the minced or pressed garlic.  Cook over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes to cook and sweeten garlic.  Fluff cooked couscous and stir in the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and basil.  Whisk a bit of olive oil and a couple tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and then stir into the couscous, mixing thoroughly.  Add salt, pepper, and more vinegar, to taste.

Best eaten at any temperature.  :)

Corn, Bean, and Tomato Salad with Lime

 


Here's a summertime salad for you.  I've already made it half a dozen times, eating it plain, eating it with chips, or stirring the leftovers into rice and bean burrito fillings.  It's fresh and bright and sings of summer.

Rough Recipe, Give or Take as You Like

-12 roma tomatoes, chopped and drained of excess juice in a colander
- 1/2 of a big pepper, yellow, orange, or green, diced
- 1/2 of a large white onion, chopped
-4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
-1/2 cup lime juice (more or less)
-1/3 cup vegetable oil (more or less)
-several cups black beans, cooked and drained
-several cups corn, seared in cast iron skillet if desired (I've been using frozen summer corn, 'cause ours isn't yet ready)
-1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper, to taste
-ground cayenne, to taste
-ground cumin, to taste (at least a teaspoon)
-a bit of sugar, to taste, if desired for balance

Mix it all together in a big jumble.  Chill for a few hours to allow flavors to meld.  Eat in the summer sun.

Blast from the Past: Roasted Cauliflower, Bean, and Feta Salad

*From the pre-Fancy Camera Archives

 Maybe my enthusiasm had something to do with the combined facts that I love roasted anything (even Roasted Kangaroo, which I've never had the chance to chew), and that I would marry feta cheese if I weren't already happily attached to John, but I thought this was extremely delicious.  John tried it but didn't care for it, so proceed at your own risk.  I think I adapted a recipe that Deb of Smitten Kitchen had adapted from a Bon Appetit magazine, though, so there's not too much of a risk here.

- 1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp. olive oil (I used less)

- 1 tsp. fresh rosemary (or ground, to taste, if it's winter)

- 2 tbsp. lemon juice

- 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

- 1 and 1/2 tsp. salt (I used 1 tsp. )

- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

- 3 cups cauliflower florets

- a 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

- 1 tbsp. fresh chives (or 3-4 tbsp. chopped onion, if it's winter)

- about 1 tbsp. fresh, chopped parsley (Italian flat-leaf, or about 1 tsp. dried parsley, if it's winter)

- 1/2 cup feta cheese (always feel free to increase the amount of feta cheese in any recipe you come across!)

- 1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts (I omitted this because we didn't have any, but just toast regular walnuts on a cookie sheet in a 350- degree oven for about eight minutes until golden-brown and fragrant, stirring or shaking a few times)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss cauliflower florets with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast until edges are dark and caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice.

While cauliflower is roasting, combine remaining 1/3 cup (or less) olive oil and rosemary in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Cool.

Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Combine roasted cauliflower, beans, chives, parsley, walnuts, and rosemary oil in medium bowl; toss. Mix in cheese. Add lemon juice mixture and toss to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper.

Blast from the Past: Cranberry Waldorf Salad

This is my standard cranberry dressing for Christmas.  Mrs. Winnie Finbar shared it with me when we lived in Depew, and I remember her as a most excellent cook.  (Remember these spiced nuts?)  Be confident that if Mrs. Finbar made it, it's worth making.

Cranberry Waldorf Salad

- 1 can whole cranberry sauce

- 1 package raspberry jello (Red 40.  I know, I KNOW.)

- 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup boiling water

- very finely chopped celery, 1 stalk or less

- 1/2 red apple, unpeeled and finely chopped (I always add more)

- chopped walnuts (toast them first if you'd like!)

-  I also usually add some orange zest.

Dissove Red 40 jello in boiling water.  Mash cranberries with a fork and add to jello.  Refrigerate for twenty minutes.  Add chopped apple, celery, and walnuts and refrigerate.

*To give credit where credit is due, Winnie included this note at the bottom:  "Recipe came on the Food TV on a program last Christmas time on a show about Cranberry Inn in Cranberry, NJ." 

Crispy Kale, Or, Oven-Roasted Kale

I've talked about this before, hence this short zip-a-dee post. The girls gobble bowls of crispy kale like they're bowls of potato chips, and, truth be told, their mother does, too, though she wouldn't dare admit it in the public forum of a blog. (So shhhhh.)

Steps 1-5:

1. Step outside, walk to your garden, and pick some kale.
2. If it's large, tear the leaves from the stem; if small and tender, leave them whole
3. Toss kale in a large bowl with several drizzles of extra virgin olive oil and many shakes of salt
4. Broil in your oven for several minutes, stirring midway, until slightly browned and crispy.
5. Watch your children eat it all in one minute flat.

And just because I've also talked about this before, here's Luci's hand.

And Luci herself.

*A few tips:
1. Kale does not take long to scorch and burn. It can take seconds, really, so keep a close eye on it.
2. Kale shrinks considerably in the oven, so what you may think is a giant's portion is truly only a 3 year-old's portion.
3. Crispy kale does not taste like potato chips, but it doesn't have to in order to be yummy.

Bonus: Sauteed Kale & Beans with Onion and Garlic

...because I still have seven minutes until midnight arrives. (The post title doubles as a simple recipe.)

I discovered a few years back that kale is magic. The girls and I love it, John likes it, and it's extremely versatile. Plus, it's green!

We oven-roast it with olive oil and salt until it's crispy and irresistable, we toss it in soups, we add it to curries, and when we rejoice to find it growing in our not-yet-cleaned-out-from-last-fall-garden, we saute it like this

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Loose ingredients for the above dish, which we ate as a meal.

- Onions, lots and lots of onions, diced and sauteed in a mixture of butter and olive oil until soft and translucent
- more fresh garlic than you think you should add, finely minced, added to the onions at the tail end for a minute or so (I probably used 7-8 cloves?)
- beans (your choice; we like pinto or white or kidney), added after the garlic is heated
- kale, torn into pieces, added last with some water, and sauteed/steamed until beginning to soften but not yet limp
- one slice of ham, leftover from the scalloped potatoes (that Papa baked) diced into tiny pieces
- salt and pepper, liberally shaken

(This is probably too obvious to mention, but by all that's good, if you've got bacon, USE BACON, too!)

Not to be a garden snoot, but a friend told me a few days ago that kale from the store tastes far different than home-grown. I've never had it from a store, but if you can, grow your own. Sow some today! It's easy and hardy and so, so delicious. Plus, it's green!

Spinach Beef Bake

Two weeks ago we had a church potluck. Lucky you! And it's another "bake!" Your favorite!!!!! I'm cheating by re-posting this, but I didn't have a picture before, and now I do, so it's allowed.

Potluck people like this. They really do! When they ask me its name, I tell them "Spinach Stuff." So it is, but it's good spinach stuff. It's a garlic-y, quickly prepared dish that can be used as a main course or a side. One may use fresh, torn, blanched spinach, too, and fresh mushrooms (just cook with the beef), but that increases preparation time. So, if you're in a time pinch, be lazy and use the bagged, boxed, and canned stuff!

2 tubes (7.5 oz. each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 ½ pounds ground beef
@ ½ cup finely chopped onion
2 eggs
1 package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (about 10 oz.)
1 can (4 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
4 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (can also use crumbled feta)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons butter, melted
_____________________________________________

1. Press and flatten biscuits over bottom and up sides of a greased 11x7x2 dish (or whatever else works)

2. Cook ground beef with onion and drain.

3. Beat eggs in bowl; add spinach and mushrooms and mix well.

4. Stir in cheeses, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and beef mixture. Mix well.

5. Spoon into crust, drizzle with butter, and bake ucovered at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until crust is well-browned.

Take to the potluck and gobble, gobble, gobble.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzerella

When John came home with portobello mushrooms (which I've never bought before) along with exotic ancho chili powder, asparagus, fresh lemons, fresh basil, and mozzerella, I just about fainted. As much as I loved him for taking the task of supper-making almost entirely off my hands, I knew that we'd move to the poorhouse if this was going to be our typical fare. Well, the other recipes from that particular supper have since passed, but after he made this portobello recipe for the third (THIRD!) time, I gently suggested that we should put our tax refund into a locked savings account before we ate it up in portobello form.

If there's no choice but to eat one's tax refund, though, this surely is the best way to do it.

Even if you don't like mushrooms, make the tomato salad and eat it plain. The flavor is simple and fresh and tastes like a spoonful of summertime. Also, use your judgment with the olive oil application.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing grill pan
4 large portobello mushrooms (about 5 inches in diameter), stemmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 small to medium sized vine ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces fresh water-packed mozzarella, drained, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leavesPrepare the barbecue (medium-high heat).
Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over both sides of the mushrooms. Sprinkle the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil on grill pan to prevent mushrooms from sticking. Grill until the mushrooms are heated through and tender, about 5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, whisk the extra-virgin olive oil and garlic in a medium bowl to blend. Add the tomatoes, cheese, and basil and toss to coat. Season the tomato salad, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Place 1 hot grilled mushroom gill side up on each of 4 plates. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Spoon the tomato salad atop the mushrooms, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil to finish, about 1 tablespoon and serve.

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon and Garlic

I've never eaten asparagus before, or, if I have, I have no memory of doing so. I now have John, our personal chef, to thank for my first (and second and third) helping. This was a yummy introduction to them, and the girls even gobbled them. It may have helped that John took Annie's cue and called them green beans...



My only change if we made this again would be to add more garlic and lemon zest. Their flavor was delicious and present, but I wanted even more of it!

1 pound asparagus
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Trim asparagus. In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic, zest and paprika and stir with a fork. Lay asparagus side by side and pierce on 2 wooden skewers to form a raft. Place rafts on the grill and brush with oil mixture. Cook to desired tenderness and season with salt and pepper.

Seasoned Grilled Potatoes

Sometimes I think our family has eaten potatoes just about every possible way, but this was a new incarnation, thanks to the unique taste of the ancho chili powder that seasons them. Smoky, flavorful, and just plain good. Oh, humble potato. We love you.

Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay. Potatoes for supper courtesy of my husband.

3 pounds Idaho potatoes
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tsp. ground cumin.

Cover the potatoes with cold water in a large saucepan and cook until almost tender. Drain and dry the potatoes. Cut each potato lengthwise into quarters. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and brush both sides of the potatoes with oil. Combine the chili powder, salt, and cumin in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the potatoes. Grill the potato wedges for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown.

Streusel-topped Cheesy Broccoli

I really liked this broccoli, and it's my new favorite way to eat little trees. It's much more flavorful than the typical cheesy broccoli casserole, due mostly to the savory streusel topping seasoned with garlic, onion, spicy mustard, and parmesan.



1 to 1 and 1/2 pounds of broccoli florets

Streusel Topping
2 tablespoons butter
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 -1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
@ three slices of fresh bread (I used oat) broken into smallish crumbs
Parmesan cheese, salt, and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Cheese Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
@ 2 cups milk
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
salt, freshly ground pepper, ground cayenne, and ground nutmeg, to taste

Cook broccoli in boiling water for about 3 minutes until slightly cooked but still firm. Drain and set aside.

Saute onion and garlic in butter over medium-low heat until onion is translucent. Add the mustards and the bread crumbs. Fry until crumbs begin to turn golden and then season with salt, pepper, and parmesan. Set aside.

For the sauce, prepare a basic white sauce by melting the butter in a pan and then stirring in the flour. Whisk in the milk and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens, whisking constantly. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne and add the grated cheese. Stir until cheese has melted and is incorporated completely, forming a smooth sauce.

Layer the broccoli in the bottom of a baking dish and spread the cheese sauce on top before sprinkling the bread crumb topping over it all. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the topping is nicely browned and toasted.



I added more mustard, garlic, etc., to taste as I made this, and the cheese sauce is just a guide. I usually just wing cheese sauces, so I'm not entire sure how much milk I added. It wasn't as thick a sauce as I'd normally make, but since it had additional baking in the oven, it turned out to be a perfect consistency.

Garlic and Herb Cherry tomatoes

Sigh. Looking at these summertime pictures of summertime food is killing me. I can't wait to make this again this summer. The recipe comes to us from the Barefoot Contessa. I don't really know who she is, but John has a television in the room at work, and though they can't see much on it, it has audio. Being the tomato lover he is, he printed this recipe out and brought it home.

I loved these, but John decided he still likes cherry tomatoes best uncooked, straight from the garden, by the dozen, and unadulterated by anything but copious amount of shaken salt.

3 tbsp. good olive oil
2 cloves freshly minced garlic
2 pints cheery tomatoes (I just grabbed an apronful from the garden....sob!)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. chipped fresh parsley (I think I added less, with a bit more basil instead)
2 tespoons chopped fresh thyme (I didn't grow thyme, so I omitted this)
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan large enough to hold all the tomatoes in one layer. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to loose their firm round shape. Sprinkle with a little fresh chopped basil and parsley and serve hot or at room temperature.

YUM!

Jack and Abigail's Magic Party Beans

For Becky.

I lifted this recipe from this book of Mildred's, but I adapted it to suit, so I figured pairing myself with Jack in the title wasn't dishonest.



1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled, and set aside
a few tablespoons of bacon grease, reserved
1 lb. ground beef
one onion, chopped
4-6 cans of beans (I used two undrained cans of pork and beans, a can of drained/rinsed kidney beans, and a can of drained/rinsed white beans-- pinto, I think)
1 and 1/2 tsp. dried mustard, or to taste
additional prepared mustard, to taste, if desired
1/2 cup ketchup, or to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or to taste
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
a smidge of blackstrap molasses, if desired

Cook the ground beef and onions until beef is cooked and onions are translucent. Drain off the fat. Combine beef and bacon with remaining ingredients, including the deliciously greasy bacon grease, to taste. Spoon into a greased baking dish and bake, uncovered at 300 degrees, for 1 hour or until beans reach desired thickness OR put in crockpot on low. Simmer all day until supper. I usually stir in the bacon pieces when the beans have already cooked for a bit so that the bacon doesn't become limp and soggy.

I tasted this a few times while preparing, and though I can't remember for sure, I think I added a bit more vinegar and I think I also sprinkled in a tad of garlic powder.

Oh, Yes, It's ONIONS and MUSHROOMS!

If you think I'm posting "recipes" that aren't really recipes just to bulk up the number of recipes I'm posting, you'd be wrong. It does seems a little fishy when you look at this one, though, doesn't it? I just found this picture in my backlog, and don't know its purpose, so here's a "recipe" from this past summer.

Saute onion slices in a few tablespoons of olive oil for several minutes. Add to them sliced fresh mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are done and onion is tender and carmelized, shaking on liberal amounts of salt and pepper while cooking.

Serve with juicy hamburgers, freshly grilled by one's husband.

The End.

Zucchini Coins, Method Two

I already posted one scant recipe for frying up zucchini coins, but this is the method I grew up using with the zucchini from the family garden. The only reason why the slices shown above aren't coins is because I was using a zucchini the size of a baseball bat.

Slice a small or medium zucchini. Dip in a egg-milk mixture (two eggs whisked with several tablespoons milk) and then dredge in a flour-salt-pepper mixture. Fry in a pan with a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil until golden brown and puffy on both sides. Eat hot, with extra salt shaken, if desired.

Sweet (To the Second Power) Potatoes OR When Used with Squash...Candy Squash

For Mitzi.
I have no picture yet, though I've made it twice in the last month for family and church gatherings. I usually use garden butternut squash instead of the sweet potatoes, hence, the "candy squash." And when I say "usually," I refer to the one or two times a year I make it for holiday get-togethers, where all children are told to "eat the yummy orange dessert that's next to all the vegetables." Guess what? It works.

This recipe is a delectable variant on the usual marshmallow-topped squash or sweet potato souffle and is topped with a crunchy, nutty layer. It's so dessert-like that it really should relinquish its title as "vegetable."

A lifetime of holiday thanks to BelleMichelle and "Fred," chief chef of the Houghton cafeteria my junior year- to Fred for relinquishing the recipe and BelleMichelle for coaxing the recipe out of him.
1 40 oz. can yams (I usually use the equivalent of butternut squash from the garden, cooked, seeds and skin removed, and pureed)
3 oz. butter or margerine
1 cup evaporated milk
1 and 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Drain and warm potatoes (or squash) and mash. Cream the rest and add the potatoes. Mix well, spoon into a 8-in. square baking dish, and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix 1 cup crushed cornflakes, 1/2 cup crushed walnuts, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, and 2 oz. melted butter or margarine. Sprinkle over the top of the potato/squash mixture and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

*Important Notice: I've never made this without increasing the topping amount at least by 1 and 1/2 times. So, mix 1 and 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes, 3/4 cup crushed walnuts, and so on. I also add a few sprinkles of cloves and a bit more cinnamon to the squash and a sprinkle or two of cinnamon to the topping.

Oven-Roasted Green & Yellow Beans

John made these; I'd never had such a thing before, but they are now one of my favorite ways to eat green beans (don't worry for my health; I like them raw, too).

Here's what he did.

Toss green and yellow beans in some oil. Spread them in a rimmed baking sheet, and roast them until they look like this, occasionally sprinkling with salt.

They are SO good. Millie keeps asking for some, even at breakfast time.

*I've since frozen garden green beans with only the ends cut off to make these in winter. Success! You just need to thaw and drain them before you toss them in olive oil.

Orzo and Zucchini Salad with Garlic and Basil

John's mom gave us whole-wheat orzo! I've never had orzo before, but I really like it. Here's a summertime recipe adapted from Martha. I take this and put in all ingredients to taste. I suggest you do the same!

coarse salt (I used regular sea salt)
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup orzo
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil (just eyeball it)
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced, or as much as you'd like
one garlic clove, finely minced (I used more)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn (The amount I use varies with how much the girls pick...)
1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (I don't have any, and splashed white vinegar and white cooking wine on in equal amount, to taste, and I think I use quite a bit more than 1-2 tablespoons.)

* I also add green onion tops or minced chive tops in it, to taste.

1. In a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo until al dente, according to package directions. Drain well. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet to cool completely.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add zucchini and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 4-6 minutes. Don't overcook! The crunch of crisp-tender zucchini is much more pleasant than the soggy droop of overcooked slices.

3. Transfer orzo to a medium bowl; add zucchini mixture, basil, vinegar, cooking wine, and remaining teaspoon oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. If storing, cover and refrigerate up to one day; bring to room temperature before serving. (That's probably proper, but I've enjoyed it warm, lukewarm, and cold, and cold might be my favorite.)

Curried Indian Chickpeas

Yet another spicy one to fill your nostrils with the scent of faraway places.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh ginger root, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander (the ground seeds of the herb cilantro)
Salt, to taste
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground turmeric
* I usually shake on some garam masala, too
Two 15-oz. cans garbanzo beans or the equivalent of freshly cooked
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Heat onion in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry onions until tender. Stir in garlic, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, salt, cayenne, and turmeric. Cook for one minute over medium heat, stirring constantly. Mix in garbanzo beans and some of their liquid (I usually only put in some of the liquid from one can so the flavor is not diluted, though the recipe calls for all the liquid from both cans). Continue to cook and stir until all ingredients are well blended and heated through. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro just before serving, if desired. Serves 8 or serves one bearded husband for three lunches. (He requested that I pack it for his lunch EVERY SINGLE DAY, but I haven't been a good enough wife to do it more than half a dozen times so far.)