Some Things Never Change

As much as the whole Growing Up thing can bite me, I find solace in the fact that some things haven't changed much as we've traveled down our life path.

When Alexis was two, she discovered dandelion seeds. It was love at first sight.

And love at second sight. And love at third sight.

It's still a relationship filled with love. If Alexis sees one of these

the universe pauses. For just a moment, nothing else exists except that little dandelion and its tiny seeds.

Alexis gently blows kisses into the air, setting the tiny seeds free.

Her "gentle kisses" are more like hurricanes, however, so the seeds go spiraling far, far away very quickly. In an instant, all of the seeds are set free.

So she runs off in search of another dandelion with seeds that are ready to be set free.

It's enough to make me want to grow an entire field of dandelions.

Hola, Emily!

And another new header is now in place. This time it's Emily of My Very Last Nerve fame.

Rice With White Beans And Spinach

Everybody needs some lazy day side dishes, right? Right. This is one of mine. I pretty much always have the ingredients on hand. There's almost no work involved in the preparation, so I can put a fairly decent meal on the table without any real effort. Win!

It is essentially nothing but rice, white beans (Great Northern Beans, Canelli Beans, and Navy Beans are interchangeable in this recipe--it really doesn't matter which one you use), and spinach. The combination packs a lot of fiber, protein, and vitamin A. Watch the sodium, though. If you add a lot of salt as you prepare the dish, you might end up better off just drinking salt straight from the shaker.

Rice with White Beans and Spinach

1 cup white rice
2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen spinach (Approximately 1/2 square package--I microwave it for about 20 seconds and am then able to break it in half. The extra goes back in the freezer for next time.) (You can also use fresh spinach. Just wilt it in the microwave. Still use 1/2 cup.)
Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, other seasonings as desired
1/4 parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

2. Add the butter and rice. Stir a couple of times to make sure the rice is coated in water.

3. Cover the pot and let the water return to a boil.

4. As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat. Allow the water/rice to simmer for approximately 12-15 minutes. If you dig a hole in the middle of the rice, there should still be 1/2 inch of water or so.

5. Remove the lid, stir the rice gently with a fork, and then add the beans and spinach.

6. Put the lid back on. Allow the rice to simmer until the liquid is all absorbed. Time will vary depending on your conditions, but it usually takes about 3-5 minutes for me.

7. Stir everything up with a fork until well-combined. Season as desired. We like a lot of black pepper and a tiny bit of salt. The husband is a fan of spicy and has been known to add crushed red pepper flakes, Tobasco, and all sorts of other things.

8. If you want, top it with a little parmesan cheese.