Black Bean Tacos/Pitas

If you're looking to cook something quick & easy, this is your new go-to meal.  Seriously, it requires minimal ingredients & is ready so quickly you don't have to eat a snack before starting to cook dinner (like I usually do because I'm so hungry).  It works equally well with pita bread cut in half or soft taco shells.

Black Bean Tacos/Pitas

This meal was originally inspired by a Smitten Kitchen recipe.

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon cumin

~ 1 cup fresh spinach, rinsed & ripped into small pieces

juice from half of a lime

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

4 soft taco shells or 2 pieces of pita bread cut in half & opened

salt & pepper

1.  Heat black beans over medium heat in small pan, stirring occasionally until hot.  Add salt, pepper, & 1 teaspoon cumin.  Stir to combine.

2.  Combine spinach with 1/2 teaspoon cumin, lime juice, olive oil, salt, & pepper.

3.  Heat taco shells or pitas either in the microwave or oven.

4.  Layer beans then spinach, & crumble feta cheese on top.

Makes 4 servings.

Parmesan Brown Butter Pasta

Check out my awesome Christmas gift!  The pasta press attachment for the KitchenAid stand mixer made its debut in my kitchen this week.  I had never made fresh pasta before, but it was actually quite easy (at least with this attachment).  I paired the fusilli pasta with a simple brown butter sauce so that we could determine if the fresh pasta tastes any different than dried box pasta.  It tasted great (although I'll still probably keep some dried pasta around just in case).

Parmesan Brown Butter Pasta

 

1/2 pound short pasta (fresh or dried)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/8 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt

pepper

extra parmesan to sprinkle on top

1.  Bring salted water to boil, & cook pasta accordingly.  Drain, & return to pan.

2.  Slice butter into 4 large chunks, & melt over medium heat in large pan.  Add parmesan, salt, & pepper.  Turn heat to medium-high, & cook butter until it lightly browns.

3.  Pour butter over pasta, & stir to coat.  Serve with extra parmesan on top.

Makes about 3 servings.