The "to try" list...

I like trying new recipes out on my unsuspecting family. In my recipe folder on my computer are tons of recipes I would like to try, and tons more bookmarked for online. And every once in a while I hit it right, actually more than once in a while, since I know what NOT to make for them. But I do like to widen their horizons and mine! Still working on blue cheese, but I am completely positive that it will never happen. Not ever. I love it, always have since I was a kid even, but two out of three tried and intensely disliked. The picky one just plain refused. But they do try for the most part and indulge me in my "to try" list for the most part.

So I know they eat wild rice, black beans and corn. All mixed up together in a salad and cold, not so sure. Throw in some roasted poblano peppers, and they did try the Wild Rice Salad from Martha Stewart's Living. and they loved it. I didn't serve it cold, we ran late and it never did have time to get cold. This was a great dish!

Beets and tomatoes, they eat both of those. This was a very good salad! and Grandma was very happy because there was not one hot pepper, not one smidgen of cayenne, jalapeno or anything else to curl her toes in any of the recipes! She got a little nervous when I mentioned poblano pepper, but it's such a nice mild pepper, and so good roasted, she was fine with it. Have to give her credit, she can be adventurous when it comes to food once in a while. She at least tries. Hear that Miss Picky? Ok, but grandma is pretty vocal when she doesn't like it. Grandma and Picky are pretty similar, sometimes!

Roasted Poblano Pepper

Wild Rice Salad
Source: Martha Stewart Living, July 2008
Printable Recipe

3 cups water
1 cup wild rice
Coarse salt
2 fresh poblano peppers
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced (I used 2 cloves)
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (from about 3 ears) (I used frozen kernels!)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
Freshly ground pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup) (I forgot to add these and it was fine!)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I used 1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and 2 teaspoons salt. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until rice is al dente and some grains have split, 45 to 50 minutes. Drain.

Roast poblanos directly over a gas-stove burner or under a broiler, turning often with tongs, until charred on all sides. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for 15 minutes. Rub poblanos with a paper towel to remove skins. Cut a slit down the side of each poblano, and remove seeds. Cut into 1/2-inch dice. *MY NOTE - I use a paper bag and fold it closed. and after about ten or fifteen minutes, I rinsed the pepper under cool running water, while rubbing the skin off to get all those black skin bits and seeds off! Saw that on TV once. It worked and it's one less bowl to wash!

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add poblanos, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in corn, and cook for 3 minutes. Add wild rice and black beans, stirring to coat, and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Let cool slightly, then transfer to a bowl. Cover, and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. Stir in scallions, cilantro, and lime juice. *I garnished with some avocado slices. 

Beet and Tomato Salad
adapted a bit, I added red onions, sliced very thin and a little lemon zest! I was running out of time, so I cheated and used precooked beets from Trader Joe's, They weren't canned! But roasting is really easy and tastes so good!
Source: Martha Stewart Living, September 2007
Printable Recipe

6 red beets, trimmed, halved lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 to 6 ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds), preferably heirloom, cut into wedges
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup small mint leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place beets, cut sides up, on parchment-lined foil on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Fold foil over beets to enclose, and crimp edges to seal. Bake until tender, about 35 minutes. Let cool. Peel, and cut into wedges. (Beets can be refrigerated in an airtight container overnight.)

Arrange beets and tomatoes on a serving platter. Drizzle with oil and lemon juice, and season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Scatter mint over top, and serve.

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