Potlucks and Packing (lunch that is), Episode I
October 18, 2005
For anyone who has worked in a true "Office Space" environment, birthdays and potlucks are two eating events that can be either dreadful or joyful, depending on who brought what. Yesterday, my coworkers banded together over a "Mexican themed" potluck. My food snobbery initially kept me at bay, but I decided that (as my mother would say) "if it has to be, it's up to me." I planned on bringing a fantastic mini-crock of pinto beans. This simple dish, by the way, is the easiest way to feed yourself all winter long on less than 20 cents per day. My mini-crock is a cheap 10 dollar Rival brand crockpot from Target. To make these simple beans, you will need the following: pinto beans, a serrano or jalapeno pepper, garlic, white onion, vegetable oil, salt.
Please note that this is merely a simple "I'm too lazy to make really luxury beans" recipe. Beans can be cooked over the stove if soaked overnight, but take several hours to cook (Sherri should really post a comment here with details of her bean feast this evening). You can also cook beans in a pressure cooker timed for one hour after the pot begins to "cheear" (makes the ch-ch-ch noise and spits out steam). To "guisar" the beans, or make them not-so-gassy, you simply add vegetable oil and salt at the END of the cooking process and simmer for another 1/2 hour.
For simple mini-crock, or any crockpot of beans:
Step one: Clean 1 cup of pinto beans (or frijole de bolita, my favorite). To clean beans, you have to spread the beans on the table and pick through them for rotten looking beans or rocks. Then, wash them in a colander.
Step two: Add beans to your mini-crock with the single pepper, 1/2 moon slice of white onion, and garlic clove; fill the thing with water to the top (that's about 3 cups of water for a 4 cup capacity total if using the mini-crock, otherwise add 4 cups of water).
Step three: Plug your mini-crock in and cook overnight (about 6-8 hours). The best part about crockpot beans is that you don't ever have to babysit them and the Rival mini-crock is so easy, there is no high or low setting (if you are cooking in a big crockpot overnight with real settings, cook on low).
Step four: Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of salt (or salt to taste); continue cooking for another 1/2 hour, adding more water if need be.
Step five: Smash your beans a bit before serving.
If you pack these beans for the potluck at work, I suggest you wrap your mini-crock in a plastic grocery bag, place this into a paper shopping bag, and then put this into a canvas tote or bookbag. Whatever you do, don't spill the beans.
Now, back to my potluck story. I planned on cooking these great beans and did, but alas, I didn't cook them for the requisite 6-8 hours. This is a sad cooking error on my part and so I cannot say that my mini-crock beans were the hit of the Mexican potluck (and to think, I am the one Mexican at work who should've gotten it right - I realize how pathetic this is, so spare me your "shame on you, you wannabe foodsnob" commentary please). If you are planning a potluck at work - which is a great idea - I suggest that you designate a food theme or the like, and that you provide a list of possible donations of food that everyone can bring (for instance, the cooking challenged brought cheese, lettuce, etc.). If you are cringing at the thought of a work potluck because you know everyone will bring tuna casserole, I suggest doing a breakfast potluck where everyone brings bagels, juice, muffins, etc. (in other words, things people don't have to make at home in their yucky kitchens with cats roaming around in the mist of cigar smoke). Now make nice with everyone and go have yourself a foodsnob potluck.
Please note that this is merely a simple "I'm too lazy to make really luxury beans" recipe. Beans can be cooked over the stove if soaked overnight, but take several hours to cook (Sherri should really post a comment here with details of her bean feast this evening). You can also cook beans in a pressure cooker timed for one hour after the pot begins to "cheear" (makes the ch-ch-ch noise and spits out steam). To "guisar" the beans, or make them not-so-gassy, you simply add vegetable oil and salt at the END of the cooking process and simmer for another 1/2 hour.
For simple mini-crock, or any crockpot of beans:
Step one: Clean 1 cup of pinto beans (or frijole de bolita, my favorite). To clean beans, you have to spread the beans on the table and pick through them for rotten looking beans or rocks. Then, wash them in a colander.
Step two: Add beans to your mini-crock with the single pepper, 1/2 moon slice of white onion, and garlic clove; fill the thing with water to the top (that's about 3 cups of water for a 4 cup capacity total if using the mini-crock, otherwise add 4 cups of water).
Step three: Plug your mini-crock in and cook overnight (about 6-8 hours). The best part about crockpot beans is that you don't ever have to babysit them and the Rival mini-crock is so easy, there is no high or low setting (if you are cooking in a big crockpot overnight with real settings, cook on low).
Step four: Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of salt (or salt to taste); continue cooking for another 1/2 hour, adding more water if need be.
Step five: Smash your beans a bit before serving.
If you pack these beans for the potluck at work, I suggest you wrap your mini-crock in a plastic grocery bag, place this into a paper shopping bag, and then put this into a canvas tote or bookbag. Whatever you do, don't spill the beans.
Now, back to my potluck story. I planned on cooking these great beans and did, but alas, I didn't cook them for the requisite 6-8 hours. This is a sad cooking error on my part and so I cannot say that my mini-crock beans were the hit of the Mexican potluck (and to think, I am the one Mexican at work who should've gotten it right - I realize how pathetic this is, so spare me your "shame on you, you wannabe foodsnob" commentary please). If you are planning a potluck at work - which is a great idea - I suggest that you designate a food theme or the like, and that you provide a list of possible donations of food that everyone can bring (for instance, the cooking challenged brought cheese, lettuce, etc.). If you are cringing at the thought of a work potluck because you know everyone will bring tuna casserole, I suggest doing a breakfast potluck where everyone brings bagels, juice, muffins, etc. (in other words, things people don't have to make at home in their yucky kitchens with cats roaming around in the mist of cigar smoke). Now make nice with everyone and go have yourself a foodsnob potluck.
Labels: kitchen accessories
