Beans and Rice a la Bruce

Ingredients:
3 or so cups of dried black beans
brown rice
grated cheddar cheese
frozen peas - he loves them
Pace Picante sauce
diced sweet onion

The night before you want to eat them, use uncooked black beans - not the canned stuff  - about 3 cups.
Sort out any stones or other stuff in the beans. In the cooking pot, cover them with lost of water, mix them around, then drain the water. then add a bunch of clean water and soak overnight. This is important to get the lectins out.

The next day, cook in an instant pot (which is the best way to get rid of the lectins) or  in a crock pot, or on the stove.

Mix up add all the ingredients in the bowl that Lisa made in high school

Eat while reading a science fiction novel.

Pie Crust

Rather than trying to gild the lily,  i suggest this recipe. It's got lots of info on the whys and hows, and it is easier and better than so many recipes that I have tried.

Serious Eats

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/06/print/old-fashioned-flaky-pie-dough-recipe.html

Can She Bake a Cherry Pie, Billie Boy, Billie Boy?

Cherry Pie for Brucie

Adapted from: Serious Eats

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/06/print/fresh-cherry-pie-filling-recipe.html  and 

1.  Prepare crust: see the crust recipe blog post.

2. Prepare Filling
                28 ounces pitted cherries (5 heaping cups; 790g), from about 2 pounds whole fruit (6 heaping cups; 910g) from our backyard tree.

                1 ounce fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons; 30g) from 1 small lemon

7 ounces sugar (1 cup; 195g)  needs to be a 1:4 ratio with the cherries

3/8 teaspoon  salt

1 1/2 ounces tapioca starch (1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon; 40g). It needs to mention cassava by name on the packaging - some sourced from Asia are made from other plants.

3. Make a top crust appropriate for the occasion - his favorite is the squid with the blueberry eyes. 

4. Egg Wash (optional):

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1/2 ounce heavy cream (1 tablespoon; 15g)

1/8 teaspoon salt

5. Chill for at least 30 minutes

6. Place chilled pie inn center of oven, on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until crust is golden, about 1 hour, then put an empty baking sheet placed on the top-most rack of the oven to serve as a shield. Continue baking until filling is bubbling even in the very center of the pie, about 15 minutes more.  The time can vary considerably depending on the thickness and type of pie plate, the amount of top crust, how long the pie was refrigerated, etc.

Broccoli Tofu Pie

Recipes

Mama's Broccoli Tofu Pie

ingredients:

pie crust - optional - I think is tastier and healthier without with a crust, but go with what you like

10 oz of frozen, or preferably,  about 2 medium fresh broccoli crowns

+/- 1 smallish onion -  I heartily vote for the onion 

1 container of firm or extra firm tofu

6-7 eggs

salt

+/- a little nutmeg

freshly ground black pepper  (if you have a grinder) or just regular if you don't

minced clove or 2 of garlic

spices are free form - whatever sounds good - i love a lot of Italian style spices

cheddar cheese, grated

romano or parmesean, freshly grated if you have a grater (blessed are the cheese graters)

paprika or edible red paint

1. prepare crust and bake  -  need a recipe for this?
2. drain tofu, then smoosh it with your hands (or use a utensil  if you believe in the germ theory)
3. dice and then steam broccoli to al dente
4. if you use an onion, sauté until translucent
5. break up the tofu
6. add the eggs and beat a lot.  (Or if no mixer, beat the living daylight out of it by hand)     *note: in my latest iteration I have stopped using the mixer. I think it tastes and looks more appealing if it is not homogenized. 
7. add steamed broccoli and onion
8. taste mixture and season to taste. (the mistake that i have made most commonly  is having it be too bland)
9. add more cheese than you think that you should add
10. mix it up and put it in a fluted 10 inch ceramic dish that you got as a wedding gift - unless you are not married yet.  ;-)
11. put grated cheese on top- maybe a first layer of cheddar followed by a layer of the romono or parmesan
12. make a happy face with the paprika.  It will be harder for you because Chase wears glasses, but well worth the effort.
13. bake 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees.  I forgot to turn the timer on the last time i made this. it was without a crust, and baked at least 60 minutes. Eli and Bruce said that it was the best broccoli tofu pie EVAR.
14. Take out of oven.  (I couldn't tolerate an unlucky # of steps)