Weekend Recipes

This weekend I made two new dishes that turned out great, so I thought I'd share Pineapple Rice and Two Bean Salad with you.

Pineapple Rice
I made this for dinner Saturday night, using my Zoji-rific new rice cooker (thanks, Eddie) for the rice. The flavors are a fabulous combination, especially those zesty scallions in there, and it's great for a hot summer night because the only thing requiring cooking is the rice - every thing else goes in raw or room temperature. Leftovers are also delicious for lunch.

I got the recipe from Fresh Direct, so since it's already online, just click on the title and you're there - why retype it? But if you like the ingredients you'll love the combination. Hazel ate it, too, so that's always a plus.

Two Bean Salad
This comes from Cooks Country (Aug/Sept 2007) as a runner-up in their Summer Picnic Salads Recipe Contest (Diane Walsh, Waltham, MA.) It really needs a better name, though. I'm taking submissions. I made it for a potluck "linger longer" lunch at church - wish I'd made a double batch and kept some home. Hazel liked the beans - another surprise - both kinds!

Salad:
4 slices bacon, chopped
4 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (abt 1 cup)
2 (16-oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Dressing:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
1. For the salad: Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, abt 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to large bowl. Pour off all but 2 T bacon fat from skillet and cook green beans in fat until bright green and just tender, about 5 min. Add cooked green beans, white beans, onion, parsley, and mint to bowl with bacon.
2. For the dressing: Combine lemon juice and mustard in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (4-6 servings; can be refrigerated up to 2 days.)