Pasta with Vodka Sauce

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This the Vodka Sauce from The Joy of Cooking.  It is probably one of the few recipes that I follow without changing anything at all.  I did use De Cecco Cavatappi instead of the traditional penne - but that's about it!  That said, the recipe's statement that basil is optional is totally false.  Basil is never optional.  The recipe is on page 328.  You do own the Joy of Cooking, don't you?  If not, the recipe is after the break. Go make it right now.

Veggie Vindaloo

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This is my version of Veggie Vindaloo - invented by combining and tweaking a few I found online.  Vindaloo is a Goan dish that evolved out of a dish Portugese settlers brought called Vinha d'Alhos and originally included wine and pork.  My favorite part of the story is that "aloo" means potato in Hindi so the Indian version almost invariably contains potatoes even though the Portugese did not.  Ahh false cognates.  Gotta love 'em.  Anyway, you usually see this with lamb or chicken in American Indian joints.  My version is all veggie, but it'd be easy to add some meat and stew it a whole lot longer if you wanted.

Recipe here.

Black Bean Mess

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Those of you who know me,  knew this day was coming.  Here's my all-time most overused, still most loved recipe: "Black Bean Mess."  It's wonderful and I highly recommend you go make some.  The ones in the picture were made with homemade black beans, but honestly canned works pretty darn well.  Find the recipe here: EmmettFood.com

My 3 favorite uses:

1) Combine with brown rice in about equal portions, cheese, sriracha, and a little sour cream.
2) Fill a burrito shell, fry the burrito a little on two sides in a non-stick pan with a tiny bit of oil, top with sriracha.
3) Make a salad with spinach, avocado, tomatoes, green onion, sour cream, cheese, and some black bean mess - awesome "taco salad"