Catch the Spoon

This is a pantry staple for us (although we don’t eat it as often as I would like). It’s my take on the simple hearty recipe provided in Amy Dacyzyn’s The Complete Tightwad Gazette, a book that constantly shuffles its way through the kitchen, office, coffee table and bookshelf.

Lentils are chock-full of protein, fiber, iron, and a bunch of funky little things called amino acids that, when combined with a grain like, say, rice, makes a complete protein, which is extra-good for you. (Or something. I have no actual dietary training, so you may want to talk to a nutritionist if you’re curious.) They’re healthy for your wallet, too – at around $1/lb, they’re one of the cheapest sources of protein around.

Lentil Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup lentils
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1/4 cup dried minced onions
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 3 cups boiling chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 300° F. Combine lentils, rice, spices, and salt in 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish and stir to combine. Distribute butter evenly over top of dry ingredients. Place pan on oven rack and carefully pour hot stock into pan*. Stir gently to combine. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Remove foil from pan and top with cheese; bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Serves 4-6.

*By putting the pan in the oven first, you eliminate those scary moments of holding a vessel full of boiling liquid with slippery fabric and attempting to move it across the kitchen. Try it once – you’ll never go back.