Curried Red Lentils with Caramelized Onions

We've made a delicious recipe two times now that is cheap, very tasty, almost vegan, and pretty good for you. Darcy, Jamie, and John can all vouch to it's deliciousness too! Enjoy.

Curried Red Lentils with Caramelized Onions
from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop
Serves 4 as a main course

For the Curried Red Lentils:
2 T canola oil
4 med. garlic cloves, minced
1 T minced gingerroot
2 tsp curry powder
3 1/2 cups water
1 c unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 c dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over to remove any stones
salt
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro leaves

For the Quick Caramelized Onions:
2 T unsalted butter
3 med onions (about 1 pound), halved and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

For the Rice Pilaf:
1 1/2 c long grain rice
2 T unsalted butter
1 cinnamon stick
2 1/4 c water
1 tsp salt

1. For the rice pilaf: Place the rice in a medium bowl and fill with cold water. Swish the rice around in the water with your fingers. Carefully drain off the water, keeping the rice in the bowl. Repeat the rinsing and draining steps until the water is no longer cloudy, 4 or 5 more times. Set the rice aside.

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan, preferably nonstick, over medium heat until foaming. If using, add the cinnamon stick and cook until it begins to unfurl slightly and is aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice smells toasted but has not colored, about 3 minutes. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook (without opening the lid), until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the rice to finish cooking. Fluff the rice with a fork (AND John adds a pinch of saffron here for a touch of authenticity) and serve.

2. For the lentils: Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the water, coconut milk, lentils, and 1/2 tsp salt and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the lentils have fallen apart, about 20 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat, and simmer until the lentils thicken a bit (they should be loose but not liquidy), about 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and adjust the seasonings, adding salt to taste.

3. For the onions: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the foaming subsides, add the onions, salt, and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to color slightly, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very tender and nicely brown, about 15 minutes. (If the onions start to burn at any point, reduce the heat)

4. To serve: Spoon some rice pilaf into individual shallow soup or pasta bowls. Spoon some lentils over the rice, top with a tangle of caramelized onions, and serve.

Talk about style!!

Lola in her new winter jacket!

As always, we had a wonderful time at Aunt Flo's with everyone. Chris did not come this year...so we missed him. Debbie's mom was there though! Wish all of you could have been there too, like last year!

My third and final post for the evening.

I just wanted to post about the books I've been reading lately. The first is one that we've been reading with Ben. Though we are only halfway through, I highly recommend it (Ben has already read it once and he says it is recommendable). It is a very meaningful book about losing loved ones and trying to understand God's message in the midst of that. You can get the actual synopsis off of Amazon, I'm sure.



The second book I've been reading is also the second book in a trilogy that is along the lines of Tolkein. The impressive thing about this series is that the author wrote the first book when he was 16. Apart from Dad, I may be the only one in the family that loves a bit of fantasy/science fiction in my reading books, so this one may not appeal to many of you. But if you ever get the itch, this is a good series. Unfortunately, the author is still working on the third book, so this is the end of the road for a little whie.

Staying busy

Jamie and I had a great long-weekend off from work. We spent most of the weekend working on art. Jamie was on a roll and started a handful of drawings, all in various stages of completion. I worked on one larger piece that I'm still not finished with. What a luxury to be able to work on this stuff all day!

Getting there. . .

Here's a picture of my new office! I still need to find curtains (for privacy) and a good, soft area rug. And John is going to teach Jamie how to make speakers for my stereo system (Jamie got me a receiver for Christmas). After that, I should be set for a while. So the next time you're in town, you'll have to try it out!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Walker Family

2007 Christmas Eve night
Top level: Brian, Chris, Rachel, Michael, LuAnn, and Christie
Middle level: John, Kathy, Papa John, Grandma Frankie, and Daniel
Bottom level: John, LeeAnn, and Elizabeth

Provision

I just wanted to tell you guys about a cool thing that happened today. I've been working on my massage room (our former guest bedroom) for the last week or so, getting it ready for clients. There have been a lot of things to purchase, and a limited budget to get them with. The other day I went to Lowe's to look for window treatments. I had a $10 off coupon that I used to buy a roman shade (you had to spend $25 to get to use the coupon), but even with the coupon it was still $20. . . and I needed another one anyways. So today, Jamie and I went back to Lowe's to take back the shade and look for something else. I asked the returns' woman if it was possible to do an exchange so that I could still get credit for the $10 off coupon. She said to pick out what I wanted and then talk to the manager about the coupon. Well, I found two beautiful curtain rods on clearance for $6 each. But Jamie was getting hungry, and grouchy, and we couldn't think of anything else we needed to make up the remaining $13 to use the coupon. So I went up to the counter and asked if I could just have some sort of credit for a future purchase. The manager came over and told the cashier to just take the $10 off my order -- so my curtain rods came to a dollar a piece! They look great in the room. Now, I'm just waiting for a good deal on curtains to come along.

This is our cookie and ornament exchange party at work...a fun group.

I love this picture of Abby. . .

and this one of Elizabeth. . .



Hope neither of you minded that I posted them. :) I'll have to download my pictures from Thanksgiving because I know I have more "favorites" on my camera.

The Family and Carter Mountain

Here's a photo that Ayley took of the vineyards on Carter Mountain.

O Tannenbaum!

Here's a picture of the tree that Jamie had set up in our room when I got back from my trip to Kansas. I love it!

baby, it's cold outside

due to the frosty weather and lola's not-so-thick skin, i had to buy her this winter coat to keep warm when she goes outside for very long. i got it at thepuppyshop.com for $10.99 which is a pretty good deal despite the fact it's for such a small item of clothing. i don't think they probably have anything hunter sized but i'm sure cashus and pete would fit if you guys needed some coats for them. just thought i would pass it along! i will have to let you know once i get it in the mail what kind of quality it is but as long as it's something, i doubt lola will be too picky!

We are at the bowling alley celebrating Barb's 5oth birthday (on the left). Elizabeth, do you remember Carol Fishwick (in the middle)?