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Tag Archives: hearty

Closeup on a plate of fried potatoes, pale yellow discs of potato studded with brick-red rounds of sausage and soft shreds of meltingly soft jalapeño and onion. In the foreground, blurry, a bite potato and sausage speared on a fork, touched with mayonnaise from a thick dollop in the corner of the frame.

Mr. W’s campout potatoes

February 24, 2017by Mike Bierschenk Leave a comment

My homage to the fabulous potatoes one of my scout leaders cooked on most campouts. We had to beg for leftovers back then, but now I can make these spicy, salty fried potatoes any time I want.

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Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Veg*n or veg*n-possible
Closeup on a spoon of black-eyed pea and okra curry, with rice, sitting in the midst of the larger plateful, the delicate white grains of rice contrasting with the hearty thickness of brown, red, olive, and green curry ingredients.

Black-eyed pea and okra curry

January 6, 2017by Mike Bierschenk Leave a comment

Earthy, hearty black-eyed peas in a thick, satisfying sauce brightened by tomato and spices, sweetened by coconut, and studded with tender green okra: I can think of no better start to a new year.

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Main Dishes, Stuff on Rice, Veg*n or veg*n-possible
A bowl of chicken stew with warm, wintry spices, chunks of red-skinned potatoes, chicken, carrot, and green beans bobbing in an orange-brown broth. A stainless steel spoon handle catches the light, and a scattering of crushed tortilla chips garnishes the bowl. In the background, a dark blue serving bowl awaits.

Chicken stew with warm, wintry spices

December 16, 2016by Mike Bierschenk 4 Comments

Tender, flavorful chicken; hearty potatoes and carrots; bright, fresh green beans and tomatoes; a thick broth with soft, comforting spices. Yep.

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Main Dishes, Soups
A thick slice of cornbread, covered in beans and topped with a fried egg, sits on a brightly-colored plate on a porch rail.

Vacation house beans and cornbread

July 29, 2016by Mike Bierschenk 8 Comments

I went to a mountain cabin in the Pacific Northwest, and I made… beans and cornbread? Yes I did. No regrets. Too good for regrets.

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Breakfast, Main Dishes, Veg*n or veg*n-possible
A hefty scoop of bacon and lentil shepherd's takes up most of a plate on a glass patio table, the reddish-brown lentil filling spilling out from beneath ivory potatoes. Buttered bread and a green salad nestle close to the main dish, with the tines of a fork protruding in from the lower edge of the fram.

Bacon and lentil shepherd’s pie

May 19, 2016by Mike Bierschenk Leave a comment

A riff on shepherd’s pie, subbing lentils for the minced lamb. Savory, buttery, rich, and altogether satisfying.

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Main Dishes, Veg*n or veg*n-possible

Coconut creamed spinach

December 31, 2015by Mike Bierschenk 6 Comments

Absolutely the best spinach I’ve had to date. A half-hour simmer transforms a pile of disconnected vegetables into a rich stew with flavor far beyond its components.

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Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Stuff on Rice, Veg*n or veg*n-possible

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Shredded chickenThose peppers are just so redBroccoli MountainAlarmingly giant spoon handleLet’s just pretend that’s a snowscape, not a blown-out car windshield
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All text and photos © Mike Bierschenk, 2014-2016
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