The Family Table: A kitchen vacation
I took a couple week hiatus from cooking recently.
It wasn’t voluntary.
While cutting some kale, I also cut my thumb.
I wish I could say it was the first time I had a mishap cutting things in the kitchen, but I’ve needed stitches to close up a nasty cut or two before. This, however, was the worst.
Mike and Wes were home and in the kitchen with me. I’d determined I needed more greens to wilt into the wedding soup I was making and sent Mike to grab the remaining few leaves from our garden.
I washed it, dried it, rolled it and started cutting it into ribbons.
The three of us were talking and laughing, making plans for what we’d do that day.
Then, I missed the kale and tossed the knife into the sink.
Mike realized what I’d done right away.
“How bad is it?” he asked, chuckling.
“Just need to get it stopped,” I told him.
I really did think it was just a nick. It wasn’t.
Quite concerned, Wes ran to get the phone and asked if he should call 9-1-1.
It was unnecessary, we told him. After assessment (and the realization that stitches weren’t going to cut it – no pun intended), Mike drove me to the emergency room.
A couple hours and three cauterizations later, I walked out with a white bandage on my thumb that was so big, Mike told me I could use it as a surrender flag.
In essence it was, only I had to surrender control of the kitchen until it healed enough to use.
Thankfully, Mike is an incredible cook so no one was in danger of starving and my mom sent food our way
One of my favorite dishes was his take on red beans and rice, using steam-in-the-bag riced cauliflower. It was not only delicious, but was quick and easy. Now that I’m back in the kitchen (and being incredibly cautious!) it will definitely be a new dish in my repertoire.
MikeĢƵ Red Beans and “Rice”
2 steam in bags of cilantro cauliflower rice, microwaved according to package directions
1 14.5-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 jalapeno, cleaned and finely diced
Cumin, salt and pepper
Over medium heat, sauté onion, celery and jalapeno until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, and about 1 teaspoon cumin. Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pan, cooking until the juice is reduced by about half. Stir in the kidney beans and remove from the heat. Combine that mixture with the riced cauliflower and serve. If you’d like to add some protein to the dish, you can finely chop kielbasa or andouille sausage and sauté it with the onion, celery and jalapeno.