Slowly Back Away From The Can

It's time for you to slowly back away from the can. That's Right. Today I shall teach you how to make whatever's in that can from scratch. We'll start with the one containing pinto beans.

What might seem a "no-duh" to some about this recipe, is not for others. Please keep that in mind before judging. To quote Pema Chodron, Start Where You Are, wherever that happens to be. I realize for most of you this entry is a complete and utter waste of your time. Not to fret, I have taken this into careful consideration by taking the liberty of borrowing a glam photo from my Lifestyle Guru (she can be yours too for a click) to use as both example, and something to drool over while you read.

Pinto Beans Not From A Can
Stuff you need to get out of the cupboard after you get up off the couch and walk into the kitchen:
- 1 to 2 lbs of organic dried pinto beans
- lots of cold water
- 6 to 8 quart stainless steel pot
or
- Rival Crockpot  6.5 quart (any brand really, this is what I have)
- 2 to 3 TBL salt
- 2 TBL olive oil

Assemble
- Decide how many beans you would like to make. I suggest making the full 2 lbs, and freezing half or more for later. Homemade frozen pintos are superior to canned, any day of the week.

- Next, pull out your 6 - 8 quart pot (container) or crockpot and pour the pinto beans in slowly. You need to look closely as you pour to pick out rocks and/or dirt clods from the bag of beans--whether you bought packaged or bulk. I usually pour them on the kitchen table and scoot the good ones into the pot.

- Then fill your container with cold water close to the top.

- Put on the lid and soak, at the very least, overnight. Preferably, 24 hours.*

"Do I really need to soak them that long?" 
I've discovered, through my personal Lifestyle Guru, most of life's difficult questions can be answered simply by looking at the expression on George Clooney's face. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so collect as many of him as you can.

Look closely at the three faces in the glamour photo below, then ask yourself:

What would George say?

Does George Clooney's face say the beans Matt Damon ate in his supersized burrito before arriving to the Oscars were soaked before they were cooked? Then again, with these three being so good at poker it's really hard to tell who's doing the cuttin' or smellin' among them. It might've been Brad.
(Note how the photographers are keeping their distance.)

Sorry for being a killjoy for what you previously thought was an exceptional picture, but as I said, life having its difficult moments, you'll want to collect as many of George as you can for the answers. Who knows, you might find a picture you can't rib.

Nonetheless, I for one, would like to thank my Guru, and these boys for so fabulously demonstrating my point. DO NOT under any circumstances skip the soaking step of cooking beans. Go by the adage: The longer, the better. Should you soak them for 24 hours, rinse with cold water again after 12, then refill and continue soaking.

- After completely soaked, thoroughly rinse again. Refill the container with water two inches above the beans.

- Add oil, and salt to taste. (Use 2 TBL oil and salt for 2 lbs of beans to start. Less, if you're making less than 2 lbs. You can always add more salt as they cook. Better safe, than ruined.)

Bling:
You can swap black beans for pintos if you prefer in the recipe. Most dried beans are cooked this same way, varying only in the length of time you cook them. Look in the appendix of any recipe book or Google the cooking time for the variety of bean you are interested in preparing.
Some folks throw in a ham hock or bacon with their beans as they cook 'em. I make the vegetarian version, living in the land of vegetarianism and all.

Cook:
On the stove:
Place on a burner medium heat for about 2- 1/2 to 3 hours, if they've been soaked overnight or for 24 hours. Add water as needed. Taste test for doneness. Add salt, a little at a time, if you like more.**

In a Crockpot:
These things are great! Pour in beans, fill two inches or a little more above the bean level. Place on high for about 6 hours. If you're gone all day, put the crockpot on low and dial in the hours until your return.

Suggestions
*Some folks will parboil their beans in place of soaking for a shortcut, to then strain and cook, thinking it's enough. To put it simply. It's not.

**Serve with a side of corn bread, sliced Vidalia onions, fried potatoes, with bacon, pork chops, or sliced ham.


Mmmmm...Now that's good eatin'!

Mr. G's Cookin'!

If you expect a recipe from me with a title like that, you might want to view, or review the wherefore and why of Rule # 2 from, Stone Ground Rules For The Kitchen, as men are simply not allowed. Therefore, in keeping with the perpendicularity of this blog, today I will share a few favorite dishes from restaurants we go to when it is Mr. G's turn to cook. There are a few things you'll want to keep in mind when considering where to go for dinner. Are you:

1- Celebrating?

2- Famished?

3- Irritable?
4- Wanting breakfast?
5- Bored? 

That pretty much sums it up. Many of you might wonder why "Expense" is not included as a category above. I find cost slips into consideration only when you're not hungry, in which case you must be either celebrating; irritable; or bored. In the first two, money should never be an object or brought up, unless you wish to pay twice in price by having to go out the next night, to make up for how much you lacked in empathy the night before, or take the risk someone might stop cooking altogether. (Visit my other blog post, OCB .) In the case of bored? What are you doing eating in the first place?! Find something else to do, even if means rippin' the acrylic off your latest nail job! A mani-pedi costs the same or less than dinner for two, and it won't add one ounce of fat to your bod. Hence, pricey restaurants will only be included in the former two categories. You'll know which restaurants they are.

With this in mind, here are a few of our favorite places should you stumble through our neck of the woods wanting to eat.

Celebrating! or Irritable (While money might be an object, your significant other knows better than to bring it up.)

*****Larrupin Cafe - My absolute favorite, and Mr. G knows it, if for no other reason than to getaway while not having to drive too far. Make a reservation and ask to eat downstairs. The atmosphere is tops.  Know, before you order more, they have a house appetizer plate that is both great and gratis! (They sell their Larrupin Red and Mustard-Dill sauces in the local grocers in Arcata, e.g., Wildberries Marketplace.) I usually get the Chicken Wrapped In Phyllo Dough with twiced baked potato, salad is included. Mr. G, who'll eat anything, will try something different on each occasion. We share a piece of whatever chocolate in way of cake is on the menu for dessert, but know too, this restaurant has a fabulous Chocolate Pecan Pie.

****The Looking Glass House Restaurant and Bar (word on the street? GOING OUT OF BUSINESS :( )

Reservations strongly recommended if you're eating at night. However, for lunch, not so much. Drop on in. What to order? First thing off the bat you need to know, unlike Larrupin Cafe--who serve only wine and beer-- they have a full bar. You will get loaded off of one, mind you, one Long Island Tea, only theirs is called, The Mad Tea Party! (Does wonders if you're needing to iron out the irritable, assuming s/he's not a mean drunk.) Their Beet Salad is yummy too. Check out the rest of their salads online, they all look good! For the main course, I order Filet Mignon, with Bacon Mashed Potatoes, finishing up with their Banana Spring Roll dessert, easily shared. (Bananas rolled up and deep fried in won ton wrappers topped with warm butterscotch sauce, and ice cream on the side!) For Mr. G? It's a waste of his time, and theirs, to bring a fancy plate that has food decorated on it. I look (or ask) for what happens to be the most in amount offered up for his main course. This man can put away some serious quantities of food. As to the drink, double Dewar's scotch whiskey, straight.

***Abruzzi

Reservations not really necessary or recommended unless it's HSU graduation, Mother's Day, or Christmastime. Note the three star rating. Only because I, not eating much in the way of bread or noodles, never cook Italian. Not rarely, never. That's the only reason. This is Mr. G's favorite restaurant. He'd give it five! The atmosphere and waiters/waitresses are fabulous. The original and long time owners of this restaurant have taught and continue to teach each and every one of their servers to keep a mindful eye on your wine glass so it never runs low. They do this in such a non-interruptive manner as to make you think your glass never empties--the fountain of youth, only different. By the time you wonder if you've had too much to drink, you have. If you like to drink, and want to indulge, this is the place to do it. They have a full bar as well. Just make sure to have a designated driver who doesn't drink, or splurge for a taxi. As to what to order? Who cares! I usually get their Four-Cheese Fettuccini Alfredo, and Mr. G, their Pescara. For dessert, Abruzzi chocolate cake. If you're not big on chocolate, order tiramisu.

Famished or Irritable For occasions you're starving or need to eat out. (I'm not sure why, but I feel it's unnecessary to rate the famished or breakfast categories.)

Hunan Village Chinese Restaurant 752 18th Street, Arcata (707) 822-0277
Yes, they have take out! Ready in ten minute! In fact eating in, or out, it's ready in ten minute. I love this restaurant for SO many reasons. The original owner, Adam, for one, who's now retired and sold the business. The best restaurant owner I've EVER known. He was classy and congenial, well dressed, and always came around to say "Hi" to everyone's table. He'd catch up on you; you him. He always made me feel like I was a long time friend, if not part of his family, or favorite customer. I suspect everyone who knew him said the same. He sold the restaurant to equally wonderful and well mannered people who are lovely to be around. Same menu, only newer, the quality of food is as good if not better!!! What do we order? Same thing every time. Sweet & Sour Prawns, Sze-Chuan Green Beans, Black-Pepper Beef, and of course, white rice. Best appetizer? Po Po (pronounced with a long "o") Plate. Soup? Won-Ton. Other memorable dishes:
Tofu In A Crock
Broccoli Beef
Hunan Chow Mien

As my friend Sara says, "It's All Good!"

Fiesta Grill & Cantina
If you're looking for their other restaurant, Fiesta Cafe, in Sunny Brae, it's closed, go here. Same marvelous owners and restaurant, menu, etc.--with a full bar! Order anything on this menu. It's all delicious, and you get plenty of food!  You are quickly greeted by your server with chips, salsa, and water. Our favorite dish, and we split it because it's huge, is Steak Rancheros--jalapenos on the side! It's delicious. Comes with your choice of soup--Abondigas is mine, however, their Posole is delicious too! The main dish comes with a huge steak cooked with peppers and onions, along with thinly sliced oven cooked to perfection potatoes, beans, rice, and your choice of homemade wheat or corn tortillas. Order a house blended margarita while you wait for the food.

Hey Juan Burritos
This is probably the restaurant the reviewer in Fiesta Grill & Cantina was referring to (click the link and read the first review below). Nonetheless, Hey Juan's continues to have the best hippie Mexican food in town since I moved here thirty-three years ago. Music is sometimes loud and unpredictable, door is always open (due to the fire code) AND the servers are always nice. The original owners sold the place, however the restaurant's mission remains the same: good, healthy--whole wheat, and spinach tortillas from which to choose when making your burrito not to mention brown rice--Mexican food, at a decent price, featuring an informal, and local atmosphere. What to order? If I'm starved, I get their Two Enchiladas Plate--chicken (with green chiles) with beans and rice. If you like Super Nachos, best place--scratch that--only place in town you should get them. I order vegetarian: beans, cheese, brown rice, guacamole, sour cream, olives--hold the jalapenos--with mild salsa. They have medium and hot, with a side of humor to advertise their hottest in paste: "Many come to Juan seeking Death, and Juan obliges."

Breakfast Restaurants
Wildflower Cafe & Bakery
Back in the day, this was the vegetarian restaurant where many of my friends worked, or cooked, and was called The Sprouted Seed. Different owners, same restaurant, only over the years a few recipes, like Shepherd's Pie, are no longer on the menu. Serving breakfast, lunch, or dinner, we just go for breakfast. Mr. G orders two pancakes, fresh squeezed orange juice (best in town) and a decaf coffee. I get Gregos Rancheros and their homemade Chai Tea. Like Hey Juan's, I love this restaurant for its longevity, and mission. Strictly vegetarian.

The Big Blue Cafe
Breakfast all day, they serve lunch too, until 3 or 4 PM--whenever they close. They make marvelous quiche variations on a potato crust. They also offer The Breakfast Sampler: eggs, potatoes with veggie or sausage gravy, beans, fruit, and toast or corn tortillas, which is super yummy, as is their Huevos Rancheros! Mr. G? Pancakes, of course. The other great thing about this restaurant is it carries my favorite in locally made tea, Planet Chai--latte please!

Bored
Princess Nails 
Last time I checked, this place offers a mani-pedi for about thirty-five bucks, plus tip. Go ahead, rip off those acrylics, bite off your nails, chew off your toe polish, and head on down. If price is no object? Go out to dinner. Where?

Sushi Spot
...while not cost efficient, neither will it fill you up. Here's the best place in town. Why my vote? Not for the lack of other restaurants trying: atmosphere, presentation, and consistency of sushi--in reverse order. Especially if you order tempura sushi--yam and prawns. Added bonus, this place features both in one roll. We order (as Mr. G finds dinner at sushi restaurants to be pricey appetizers): Plain Sunomono or Miso soup (depending if we're hot or cold), Tempura Roll (includes both yam and prawns), and Caterpillar Roll (unagi--eel and avocado). Both are large rolls, perfect for two people. Top with one or two, large hot sakes. Sometimes, if we're really bored, we'll order an Edamame appetizer (those green bean-like things you break open and eat). For dessert? Mango Mochi Ice Cream. Double click on their menu, it enlarges.

Mmmmm...Now That's Good Eatin'

Grits for GRITS Who Don't Like Grits

Not being as proficient at cooking as you'd expect me to be to blog about it, I don't usually take requests. But it just goes against the grain of southern hospitality to ignore the plea from a GRITS who don't like grits, for a grits recipe. This is a worse pickle to be in than GRITS who don't like pies. Not to worry, I have a solution. Go west, young lady, go west. Wait...east is east and west is west, and the wrong one I have chose. [Anyone born after, idk, 1960 reading this? probably not. If so,  here's the song reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v3d_lJ6UKk] 
I mean, go east. Isn't rice from the east? Probably no more than fries are French, pizza is Italian, or shepherds are Australian, and I--no longer wishing to be the messenger of dashed hopes--am not going to Google rice to find out. However, and assuming grits are from the south, you happen upon the fact they're not, don't mention it here, some things are meant to remain sacred...

...as in the recipe below, it's pure comfort food. Warning: My daughter and I can polish off one of these in one sitting, so double the recipe if we're coming.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Brown Rice Pudding 

Stuff you need to get out of the fridge and cupboards after you get up off the couch and walk into the kitchen:
- 3 cups cooked organic short grain brown rice
- 2 and 1/4 cups milk
- 5 eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup honey or 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 TBL grated orange peel (the peel of one organic orange)
- 2/3 cup raisins

Bling
- 2 medium apples, cored and finely chopped (add this in with the raisins)
- substitute half and half  for milk for creamier pudding
- top with freshly whipped cream

Assemble
Butter a deep casserole dish. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs together. Add cooked brown rice, grated orange peel, raisins. Mix.  Add vanilla, spices and honey, and milk and continue mixing until all are well blended.

Bake
Pour mixture into the buttered casserole dish; place into 325 degree preheated oven for one hour; stir every 20 minutes (two times total) until done.

Mmmmm...Now that's good eatin'!

GRITS Who Don't Like Pies, Pie

Ah...the southern pie. My favorite movie on the subject? Waitress. The movie offers up a pie recipe for practically any occasion.
A new romance?
Falling in love pie

New Baby?
Baby screaming in the middle of the night and ruining my life pie

Feeling guilty over infidelity issues?
Earl murders me because I have an affair pie

Need to solve the problems of the world?
Strawberry chocolate pie

I could add a few pies of my own of late, I bet you could too.
Dropped the gong and it's gonna cost me another 90 bucks to replace it pie 
Wish I were a better plumber pie
Think I'll eat a banana split instead of dinner pie

Thing about pies with me is, I'm not particularly fond of flour crusts or fruit that's been boiled to death, which is a real conundrum being a southerner and all, as most pies consist of both, and everyone just expects that you do. What do GRITS (girl raised in the south) who don't like pies do to fit in? Well, for one, as with this recipe, put up a false front. Any southerner worth his or her salt knows how to do this, and well.

Trade secret? This ain't really a pie, it's a casserole dressed up to look like a pie. If you want a pie for dessert, my advice is rent Waitress. You'll have more pie recipes than you can throw a crust at.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cauliflower Cheese Pie
Stuff you need:
- 2 russet potatoes
- one head of cauliflower
- 1/2 cp bread crumbs (I use arrowhead mills organic savory herb stuffing, and blend it.)
- one onion
- oil, canola or olive
- three cloves of garlic
- one egg
- 1/4 cup of milk
- blend of white or cheddar cheese,  romano, and asiago 1 to 2 cups grated
- salt and pepper

Assemble
In your favorite pie dish (I use a blue and white ceramic one) pour in enough oil to coat bottom of the dish, and place in a preheated oven until oil is hot.

Meanwhile:
Peel, rinse and grate two russet potatoes. Rinse grated potatoes in cold water to rid them of excess starch, and pat dry with paper towels. Take pie dish out of oven when oil is hot, and form the grated potatoes around the bottom and sides to look like a crust. Sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown.

While potato crust is baking in oven-
Dice onion and garlic and saute--medium heat--on the stove in a bit of oil. Rinse and cut cauliflower into small florets and add to them to the onions and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until cauliflower is al dente, cooked but still firm (not soggy!).

Remove potato crust from oven when brown and crisp, and arrange sauteed cauliflower, onion, and garlic on top.
In a small bowl, whip the egg and 1/4 cup of milk together until well blended. Pour overtop the sauteed vegies you just put in the potato crust. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese, one to two cups depending on the size of your pie dish, and bread crumbs--reserve a little cheese mix for the top.

Bling
Bling
- add one large heirloom or red tomato, slice in seven or eight sections, and  arrange on top of casserole.

Bake
In a 375 degree oven, bake for 45 minutes total; covered for twenty minutes, and then uncovered 'til done.


Mmmmm....Now that's good eatin'!

Steak Frites

When naming your own recipe, you can't go wrong borrowing from the French or Italians. The world's been brainwashed to accept either of these countries' food as gourmet. Even when fries are not French, pizza is not Italian, and if you've read my latest post You Always Think the Worst of Me, from my blog, Enlighten Up Yourself, neither is shepherd (the dog breed), Australian. (Yes, you've spotted it; a shameless plug.)

But don't let the gourmet name discourage you from making this recipe. If you want a yummy, yet simple potato dish in a pinch, c'est vite et c'est simple. (It's quick and it's easy.)

Preheat oven 450 degrees


Steak Frites 
Stuff to get out of the cupboard after you get up off the couch and walk into the kitchen:
- 1 potato, 2 potatoes, 3 potatoes, 4 (the quantity is up to you). Just make sure they're large russets. Possibly organic, you be the psychic.
- oil: canola, or olive. (enough to sufficiently cover potato slices.)
- salt (ok, your favorite type here: Himalayan, kosher, regular, etc...)

Assemble:
Peel potatoes and rinse in cold water. Slice lengthwise into large pieces, for big chunky, fat frites. (I get about 6 to 8 slices per potato, depending on the size.) Pat dry with paper towel.
Place cut potatoes in a large bowl, and drizzle oil overtop. Mix together thoroughly, making sure all slices are sufficiently covered.

Bling:
- crushed garlic: I always use this, and was going to include it automatically, but thought better not, for the non-garlic lovers. If you like garlic, I use one large clove, peeled and crushed, per potato. Mix this in the bowl, along with the oil.
- ketchup (duh!) for dipping when they're done.
- ranch dressing, alternative to ketchup.

Bake:
Place potatoes flat, do not layer, on a lightly oiled pizza round. Sprinkle with salt. Pop into the oven for 25 minutes. Check after 15 minutes, and turn potatoes over with a metal spatula to brown the other side. When sufficiently browned all around, they're done. Test with a fork, or kabob skewer for tenderness.


Mmmmm....Now that's good eatin!

Food for Scientifically Minded People

My last recipe entry got all of 4 hits. Which just further confirms my suspicions most people either: don't share my love of green beans; know they're not really a deep green but a bean; have their own recipe and any other is inferior; or are sick up and fed with green beans, as there exists more versions of this vegetable in casserole recipes than Crayola Crayons boast in their largest box of 12o. My recipe now putting it at 121, and Sherry's comment addition, 122. Let's leave the green beans on the vine.

Just to prove I'm not into blogging for fame, fortune, or funny, but truth, here's my next recipe entry. I'll be surprised if this one isn't any less popular than the last. Food for scientifically minded people is just that, and with it, comes my salad. No, I will not explain what this salad will do for you by means scientific. If you don't already know, you're not gonna care... unless you have an extra twenty minutes.

Mitochondria Salad
Stuff to get out of the fridge after you get up off the couch and walk into the kitchen:
-  1/2 head of *organic red cabbage
- 4 large organic carrots
- 2 organic beets
- 1 bunch organic kale

Assemble
Peel carrots and beets, then grate them in a *Cusinart Food Processor (otherwise, you're gonna hate this recipe) using the grater disc.
Shred red cabbage and kale using Cusinart's 1 mm slicing disc.
Toss this together into your favorite salad bowl, and Viola!, as my friend Bart would say.
That's it. You are now looking at the most festive salad known to humans.

Bling
This recipe makes a huge amount of raw, colorful salad. Top with any or a combination of the following:
- marinated then grilled organic steak slices (The nicer the cut of steak, the better it tastes. Just saying, don't scrimp.)
- grilled teriyaki organic chicken slices
- homemade Creamy Tahini Dressing (see below)
- Add a side dish of homemade oven baked Steak Fries (Another day's post, probably not for the scientifically minded folk if you know what I mean. ;)

Suggestions:

* Buy organic, or try, or pretend that you did, otherwise, what's the point of making this recipe in the first place?

* I have a Cusinart, any food processor with similar attachments will do the same.

Creamy (Tofu-)Tahini Dressing (from the Raw Gourmet by Nomi Shannon)
Party Size makes 9 - 10 cups  (half recipe for 4 -5 cups for recipe above)
- 2 and 1/2 cups organic water
- 2 cups raw organic tahini  or ***Tofu-Tahini (1 cup raw organic tahini, 1 cup firm organic tofu)
- 1 and 1/2 cups organic lemon juice
- 1 cup organic liquid aminos
- 2 cup organic parsley
- 1 cup organic onion
- 1/2 cup organic scallions
- 10 organic garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 TBL organic ground cumin
- 2 TBL organic *ginger juice (put chunks of whole ginger root through a heavy-duty juicer with a juicing screen)
- 1 tsp organic cayenne
- more organic water

Assemble:
In a blender, add water and gradually the tahini until blended. Then lemon juice, liquid aminos, parsley, onions, scallions, garlic, cumin, ginger juice (or pwdr), and cayenne. Blend until smooth. Add extra water for desired consistency.

*This dressing keeps for 7 to 10 days in the fridge. The extra water at the end is for desired thickness. One part tahini to one part water results in a  thick liquid. If you like a milder flavor, reduce ginger, onions, scallions, garlic and cumin.

Bling:
Vary the flavor further by adding basil, dill, or oregano. Add dulse for a nutrional dressing. ***Swap one cup plain tofu for one cup raw tahini.

Suggestions:
* For the ginger juice, if you don't have a heavy juicer like me, or even if you do but don't want to do it, use organic ginger powder, and cut the quantity to about 1 tsp.

***My addition. I prefer Tofu-Tahini Dressing.

California Casserole

Summer afternoons on the farm visiting mama and papa (pronounced: mam-maw, pap-paw) were sometimes spent stringing freshly picked green beans off the vine under the Weepin' Willow. Which to this day remains my favorite tree, and green vegetable. Being a bean, it's actually more of a "starch" than a green, if you want to get all scientific about it. (Next recipe post: Food for scientifically minded people.) Which brings us to today's recipe. "California Casserole." I love this recipe because it's easier than canned, and almost naturale. Real food for real people. 

Preheat oven 375 degrees 

Green Bean Casserole 
Stuff To Get Out of the Fridge After You Get Up Off the Couch and Walk into the Kitchen:

- 1 pound (maybe a little more) fresh green beans  - rinsed, stringed and cut diagonally in half

- 1 crisp red bell pepper - sliced into square chunks
- 1 Vidalia onion (or mild white)- sliced into square chunks
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese (preferably white) - grated
- seasoned bread crumbs - enough to cover top of casserole. (Here's the unnaturale part, I use Progresso Italian when I don't feel like making them, which is more often than not. But feel free to knock yourself out and whip up your own. Toast three slices of  whole wheat  bread until crisp, crumble then sprinkle with freshly minced garlic mixed with salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings ;)
- one large juicy ripe tomato - cut into eight slices (fourthed, then eighthed)
- 1/4 cup water
- salt
- freshly ground pepper

Assemble
In your favorite covered casserole round, place freshly rinsed, strung, and diagonally cut in half, green beans. Add red bell pepper. Add onion. Fluff together until pretty. Pour in 1/4 cup cold water. Lightly salt and pepper to taste.

Bling
Arrange sliced tomatos - eight- in a circle on top of the vegies in the casserole dish, reserving one slice for the middle.
In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs and grated cheddar cheese. Sprinkle overtop casserole and tomato slices. Cover.

Bake: Here's the tricky part. You don't want to overcook this. I like mine slightly al dente. If you do too, try 45 minutes? I don't rightly remember. Test by taste. Remove cover 5 to 10 minutes before done. See how that works out for ya.

Mmmmmm..Now that's good eatin'!