CRISP THREE BEAN SALAD + GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, Our Annual Trip

One of mine and Billy’s favorite events each summer is our family visit up to Glacier National Park.  We only go for the day.  We drive to the summit on the Going to the Sun Road, and then we come back.  This year we took two vehicles up so Billy and I stayed and walked the trail at the top of the mountain.  I guess that since Billy and I became Floridians we’d forgotten that flip flops do not make for good hiking shoes.  Note to self: next time wear sneakers.

This Big Horn Sheep was roaming the parking lot.  I maintained a respectful distance (see the size of those horns) and snapped pics (with the zoom on) from my phone.  I couldn't see a thing in my screen, so this is the best picture I got.
I kept getting pics of the rear, that were quite obscene...I'll just say, he's definitely a he.                                                                                                                                  

The view speaks for itself.

                                                                                                                                                   

This Mountain Goat was just hangin' on the edge of the trail.

This was the end of the line and we weren't about to cross it.  

On our return trip down the trail we had several people ask us excitedly if we'd seen any bears, and we replied that thankfully we hadn't! 

We may be city folk now, but Billy and I grew up bear country, and we know that bears are nothing to be fooled with.

Baby goat came out for a stroll.  That's a piece of Hidden Lake in the back ground.

I suspect that this Yellow Bellied Marmot has been fed by tourists, because it came right up and posed for us and acted as if it were waiting for it's reward.

Billy and I usually just take a day trip because when we're in Montana it's to visit family; but every time we're at Glacier, we say that we need to spend more time there and explore.

Most times when we go up to The Park we take a picnic lunch, and what’s a picnic lunch without a bean salad? 

Isn’t it funny that most picnics must have a bean salad, yet it’s usually the salad that nobody wants to eat?  It will get packed up as dreaded leftovers and sit in the fridge for a month before it finally gets chucked out.

That’ because usually the salad is a combo of mushy and rubbery canned beans that squeak against your teeth as you chew; not to mention that the dressing is cloyingly sweet.

Crisp Three Bean Salad is crispy and the dressing is the perfect not too sweet nor to sour.  This salad uses garden fresh green beans as well as red bell pepper and sweet Walla Walla (Vidalia in the South) onions, which all stay nice and crisp.  The dressing is slightly sweet; it’s a nice balance of sugar, vinegar, oil and herbs.

Healthy, Crisp Three Bean Salad will have you coming back for seconds and hoping for leftovers to enjoy all over again!

Here's what you do.

Trim the stem end from the fresh green beans, and cut the beans into about 1 inch long pieces.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

What ever you do, don't watch the pot, or it will never boil!

When the water is boiling, add some salt and the green beans.  Blanch the beans for about 45 seconds.

Drain the beans, and then immediately plunge them into a large bowl that is filled with water and lots of ice.

This shocks the beans so that they retain their bright green color and their crispness; if this step is skipped the result is grey, limp beans...and nobody wants that!

Drain and rinse a couple of cans of beans, these are kidney and cannellini beans.

Sweet onion and red bell pepper have supporting roles in this dish, they add more sweetness and crispness to the salad.

When I'm in the Western part of the country I use Walla Walla onions, and in the Eastern part of the country I use Vidalia onions, the onions are sweet and lovely, even when raw.

I like to dice the onion and cut the bell pepper the same size and shape as the green beans.

Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl.

Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Add all the veggies to a large bowl and pour the dressing over the top.

Mix until all the ingredients are combined, and then refrigerate for at least to hours so that the veggies have a chance to marinate.

Crisp Three Bean Salad keeps well, so it can be made a couple of days ahead of service if you so desire.

 Bring this salad to any picnic, barbecue or potluck and it will be gobbled up in no time!

CRISP THREE BEAN SALAD

Serves 6 to 8

½            lb.              Fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1-15          oz. can       Red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1-15          oz. can      Cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed

1                              Red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch long strips

½                            Medium sweet onion, medium dice

1/3           cup           Brown sugar

2/3           cup           Apple cider vinegar

1               tsp.          Italian seasoning

¼             tsp.          Garlic powder

¼             tsp.          Salt

¼             tsp.          Pepper

¼             cup          canola oil

¼             cup          olive oil

¼             cup          Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

   1.        Bring a medium sauce pan of water to a boil, have a large bowl of ice water standing by.  Add salt to the water when it boils and add the green beans to blanch for about 45 seconds; drain the beans and immediately plunge them into the ice water to shock them (this will keep the beans crisp and bright green).  When the beans are completely cooled drain them and remove any ice.

   2.       To a large bowl add the blanched green beans, the kidney and cannellini beans, bell pepper and onions.

   3.       In a small bowl whisk together the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, canola oil, olive oil and the flat leaf parsley.  Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.

   4.       Pour the dressing over the beans, and toss so that the ingredients are combined.

   5.       Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

*Note, this bean salad can be made a day or two before serving, it will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

 Some other great picnic foods!

Tomato and Cheddar Pie

Chick Pea and Spinach Salad with Tahini Dressing

Corn Tomato and Avocado Salad

RED BEAN CASSEROLE

So a couple of nights ago I was flipping through the channels and stopped on G4 which I'd never even heard of before.  G4 is hosting "21 days of Bond" and was showing Thunderball.  Young Sean Connery was steaming up the screen.  He was so handsome, charming and debonair.  Yes he was a womanizer, but somehow I forgive him that.  

I am a huge James Bond fan.  The first Bond film that I saw was Moonraker with Roger Moore.  I’ve never forgotten the intimidating Jaws with his steel teeth.

I have two favorite Bonds, Roger Moore and Sean Connery.  Daniel Craig is handsome, but I personally don't find him charming, as I do the Bonds of yesteryear.

Do you have a favorite James Bond movie, or a favorite Bond?

  
If you need me in the next couple of weeks, you will find me on my sofa, gazing at James Bond.

Red Bean Casserole may not be exactly the chic kind of meal that I imagine James Bond or any of the Bond Girls dining on.  Actually I don’t imagine them eating anything called a casserole; all though they may dine on Cassoulet.  But I may enjoy eating a nice big bowl of this healthy dinner in front of the TV while watching “The Spy Who Loved Me.”

What is Red Bean Casserole?  It’s just one of those meals that I tossed together that turned out to taste amazing (toot, toot (that’s me tooting my own horn)).  It’s kind of a mixture of creole and Spanish flavors.  I made this a vegetarian dish and Billy didn’t miss the meat at all (which is not usual for him). You also could throw some kind of sausage, such as Kielbasa, chorizo, or maybe Andouille into the mix.  Perhaps you would like to add some Octopussy (Sorry, that was bad, but can one speak of James Bond and not mention Octopussy?)

Here’s what you do.

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sweat the onions, celery and bell pepper (aka the Holy Trinity) in a large skillet.

When the vegetables have softened add the minced garlic and seasonings.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes just to get the rawness out of the garlic.

Add the drained kidney beans...

...Fire roasted tomatoes.  If you don't have fire roasted, regular canned diced tomatoes will be fine.

Add the pimento stuffed olives too.  These give a some fruitiness and saltiness to the dish.  Simmer for about 10 minutes.

While the beans are simmering, get yourself a box of corn muffin mix.  This one yields 6 to 8 muffins.

Whisk in some chili powder.

Then prepare the batter according to the box directions.  My mix calls for an egg and some milk.

When the beans are through simmering, add a handful of chopped parsley for freshness.

 

Pour the red bean mixture into an 8 x 11 x 2 inch pan.  You may use and 8 inch square pan, but it will be filled to the top so be sure to place it on a sheet pan before putting it into the oven.

 

Spread the corn muffin batter over the top.  It's okay if it doesn't reach all the way to the sides.

Bake just until the muffin batter is cooked; this will take 15 to 18 minutes.

Allow the casserole to set for just a few minutes before cutting into it.  This make 4 generous portions to serve with a salad.

RED BEAN CASSEROLE

Serves 4

½                                        Medium onion, large dice

2              stalks                   Celery, large dice

½                                       Green bell pepper, large dice

1              Tbsp.                    Olive oil

1-2           cloves                   Garlic, minced

1              tsp.                      Oregano

1 ½           tsp.                      Chili powder, divided use

½             tsp.                      Paprika

¼             tsp.                      Garlic powder

                Pinch                    Cayenne pepper

1-15          oz. can                   Red kidney beans, drained

1-14.5        oz. can                   Fire roasted diced tomatoes and juice

½             cup                       Green pimento stuffed olives, sliced

¼             cup                       Water

                                            Salt and pepper to taste

2              Tbsp.                      Flat leaf parsley, chopped

1-8.5         oz. package             Corn muffin mix, plus whatever ingredients that mix calls for (I used “Jiffy”)

  1.       Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.

  2.       In a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat sweat the onions, celery and green bell pepper.

  3.       When the vegetables have softened add the minced garlic, oregano, ½ tsp. of the chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne to the skillet.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to remove the rawness from the garlic.

  4.       Add the drained kidney beans, the fire roasted tomatoes and juice, sliced olives, water, salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes.

  5.       Stir in the flat leaf parsley.

  6.       Meanwhile, prepare the corn muffin mix according to the directions and stir in the remaining teaspoon of chili powder.

  7.       Pour the red bean mixture into an 8 x 11 x 2 inch pan (8 inch square will be fine too just be sure to place the dish on a sheet pan before putting it in the oven), and then pour the corn muffin batter evenly over the top.

  8.       Bake in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the muffin topping is cooked through.

  9.       Allow the casserole to set for a few minutes before serving.

Serve Red Bean Casserole with a salad.

*Note; a sausage such as Kielbasa, chorizo, or andouille would be a nice addition to this casserole as well.  If you do add the sausage, however; the casserole will NOT fit into an 8 x 8 x 2 inch dish.