Ottolenghi's Delicious Dinner Recipe

I really can’t believe summer is nearly over. I haven’t baked or cooked as much as I had hoped. I am going to blame it on our air conditioning being broken from May to early August.

 But I have cooked Ottolenghi’s One Pot Puttanesca recently, from his Flavor cookbook, and it didn’t disappoint.

 

3 T Olive Oil

6 cloves of garlic, minced

One 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried

2 t paprika

2 t cumin (ground)

2 t tomato paste

Salt

2 cups parsley, roughly chopped

2 t lemon zest

3 T capers

¾ cup green olives – roughly chopped, pits removed

9 oz cherry tomatoes

2 t sugar

1 t caraway seeds

9 oz orecchiette pasta (I used bow tie)

2 c vegetable stock

¾ c plus t @ water

Black pepper

Directions

In a large sauté pan (that has a lid), combine 3 T of the olive oil, the garlic, chickpeas, paprika, cumin, tomato paste and ½ t salt. Cook over medium heat. Cook for 12 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. Remove 1/3 of the chickpeas for later.

In a small bowl, combine the parsley, lemon zest, capers and olives. Add 2/3 of this mixture to the sauté pan, along with the cherry tomatoes, sugar and caraway seeds and cook for 2 minutes over medium high heat, stirring often. Add the pasta, stock, water and ½ t salt, and bring to a summer. Decrease heat to medium, cover and cook for 13 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.

Stir in the remaining parsley mixture and garnish with reserved chickpeas.

Add salt and pepper and serve.

 

Instant Pot - No Fry Refried Beans

 

During the summer of 2022, Adam and I went to Cabo, and I ate alot of refried beans. I have been thinking about all the amazing things I had while in Cabo. Tonight, I made a super easy Instant Pot bean recipe that I will be making again and again.

No-Fry Refried Beans from Instant Pot Miracle (with some modifications)

Serves 6-8 adults

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans

5 cups fat free vegetable broth

4-6 sprigs of fresh cilantro

1/2 t plus 1/4 t cumin

 1 bay leaf

1 T canola oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 small jalapeno pepper seeds removed (I only used 1/2)

3 garlic cloves minced

salt and pepper

Rinse beans with cold water and remove any shriveled beans or discolored beans. Add beans to Instant Pot. Add broth, cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin and 1 bay leaf. Close the lid and select MANUAL and chose HIGH PRESSURE for 40 minutes. When complete, allow a natural release.

Pour beans into colander set over a large bowl to catch the bean liquid. Discard cilantro and bay leaf.

Pour 1 1/2 c of bean liquid into a measuring cup.

Press sauté on the pot. When hot add oil. Then add onion, jalapeño and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Press cancel and add cumin. Add bean liquid.

In a blender pour the contents of the pot and blend VERY quickly as to NOT make it smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

My First Ukranian Recipe

 I pre-ordered Budmo, during the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and had been waiting for the release. My first recipe, Bell Peppers, was a big hit.

Serves Six

Ingredients

3/4 cup rice (white regular)

salt and pepper

6 medium orange peppers

2 T Canola Oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 large carrot, grated

1 T tomato paste

2 cups canned diced tomatoes

2 cups vegetable stock

1 T cream

1 pound of Morningstar Grillers 

1 bay leaf

In a small saucepan, combine rice with enough water to cover it by two inches, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for 10 minutes. Drain rice and let cool.

Cut off the stems of each pepper and remove the seeds.

In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook for 9 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add canned tomatoes and stock. Stir, turn up heat to medium high. bring to simmer and then stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

In a bowl, mix together the grillers (frozen) and cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff the peppers with the rice mixture. Stand the peppers in a pot large enough to hold them but not so they crush each other. Then pour tomatoes sauce around the peppers. Insert bay leaf into sauce. Put pot on medium high heat and when the sauce boils turn down to low and cover. Heat for 40 minutes.

Put each pepper on a plate and serve with sauce. Make sure bay leaf is put into the compost bin and not on a plate.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs - A Weitzman Favorite

 I didn't make meatballs when the kids were younger. I am not a meatball lover, and didn't really care. But I have made this recipe for Passover and all year round. I can also make them with meat or with vegetarian balls.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1/4 c. matzo meal
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t dried oregano - from the Spice House
• 1 large egg
• 1 16 oz can of whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 26 oz jar of marinara sauce (I use Paul Newman's)

Instructions:

In a pot over low heat, combine the cranberry sauce and the marinara sauce while you make the meatballs. Stir every once in a while.

In a bowl mix the beef, matzo meal, onion powder, oregano and egg. I use gloves to really get into the mixture. Form meatballs that are about 1-2 inches in diameter. Drop them into the sauce. Cover. Cook for 45 minutes. Test a meatball to confirm meat is done.

To make it vegetarian, I use either pre-formed balls or I take the "meat" and form my own.

Yotam's Cous Cous Cake

 Last week I decided to make Yotam's VERY GIANT COUSCOUS Cake, and it was delicious. Yotam did indiciate that the cook time is 1 hour and 20 minutes, however it isn't all at once.

Three out of four of us liked it!

Ingredients:

1 2/3 c pearl couscous (rounder than regular couscous)

1 1/3 c boiling water

10 scallions (about a bunch) - cut into large pieces

8 T olive Oil

5 oz baby spinach

1 T coriander seeds (toasted and crushed with a mortar and pestle)

1 c. grated mozzarella

1/2 c grated pecorino

2 garlic gloves, minced

3/4 c basil leaves

3/4 c Greek Yogurt

2 large eggs

6 T AP Flour

Pepper Sauce Ingredients:

2 red bell peppers

1 tomato

4 T olive oil

2 large heads of garlic

1 1/2 T red wine vinegar

1 t maple syrup

Salt

Pepper

Preheat the oven to 425. Cut the peppers into quarters and cut the tomato in half. Put them on a piece of parchment paper with 1 T olive oil, salt and pepper.

Cut the top off the garlic heads and put them on some tin foil. Put a bit of oil on each with salt and pepper and wrap BOTH in one piece of tinfoil. 

Roast both for 35 minutes and let cool.

Peel and discard pepper and tomato skins and put flesh into the food process along with the roasted cloves of garlic. Add the vinegar, maple syrup and 3 T of oil. Process until smooth.

Pour the boiling water and couscous together into a pan. Cook. Let cool.

In a large sauté pan, heat the scallions with 2 t olive oil for 4 minutes. Take out scallions and set them aside.

Heat another 2 t olive oil and add the spinach and cook for 90 seconds. Put in a large bowl. Add scallions and couscous, coriander seeds, mozzarella cheese, pecarino cheese, garlic, basil, yogurt, eggs, flour and salt and pepper. Mix really well.

In large sauté pan, heat 5 T olive oil. Add couscous mixture and smoosh into large pancake. Heat over medium heat for 15-18 minutes. Carefully flip the pancake and put back into the pan with 1 T olive oil. Cook for 8 minutes.

Flip onto cutting board, and slice into servings and serve with pepper sauce.

Greek Salad

 I have been incorporating more salads into our family dinners. My daughter loves an "elaborate" salad, which really means, lots of interesting things into a typical green salad. She likes edamame, chickpeas, candied almonds and craisins. 

But the typical green salad was getting boring, as was Israeli Salad, which is another standard at my house.

Deborah Madison's Greek Salad from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone:

2 cups of salad greens

2 ripe tomatoes (the recipe called for four, but two large ones were plenty)

1 large cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced (turns out my daughter prefers her cucumbers this way, as she doesn't like the "stuff" surrounding the seeds.)

1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced

8 pepperoncini

2 T capers, rinsed

12 green olives

4 oz feta cheese, and I like this cheese

1 t Greek oregano

1/3 cup coarsely chopped parley

Salt

Pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges.

On a platter (I have always used a bowl for salads, but this method has inspired me) scatter the greens. Arrange the tomatoes, cucumber and peppers on the platter. Place the onion rings on top, and then place the pepperoncini, capers, olives and cheese around the platter.

Sprinkle the oregano and parsley over the salad.

Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with lemon wedges.

Zoodles - A different recipe - Summer Veggie Zucchini Noodles with Burrata

 Last night I tried a new recipe from SkinnyTaste - One and Done.  I adapted it a bit due to ingredients, but it was an easy, quick dinner for the family.  Three out of three of us liked it.  This recipe serves three.

Ingredients:

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 c sliced grape tomatoes (OR 1 cup sliced grape tomatoes and 1 cup sliced asparagus)

3/4 t kosher salt

pepper

1 cup baby spinach

2 small zucchini's (14 oz total) spiralized.

1/4 c freshly grated parmesan cheese

4 oz burrata ball, sliced into three

2 T chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add 1/2 T of oil and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until golden.  Add tomatoes, 1/4 t salt and pepper.  Cook three minutes.  Add spinach and cook for 1 minutes and transfer to a medium glass bowl.

In the pan, put the remaining oil, zucchini noodles, remaining salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes over high heat.  

Divide noodles over 3 plates, top with vegetables, parmesan, burrata and basil and serve.

Scallion Ginger Beef and Broccoli

A classic delicious dish.  I make two versions.  One with beef and one with tofu.

1/2 c soy sauce
1/4 c vegetable broth
2 T brown sugar
2 T cornstarch, divided
One pound of sirloin steak, thinly sliced (or one carton of firm tofu, drained and cubed)
3 T canola oil, divided
6 C broccoli florets
1/2 c. scallions
1 T fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced

Serve with rice, and crushed red pepper.

Whisk soy sauce, broth, brown sugar and 1 T cornstarch in a bowl.

Toss steak (or Tofu) in a separate bowl with the other tablespoon of cornstarch.

Heat 2 T oil in a wok, and then cook the steak for about 4 minutes, stirring once.

Transfer to clean plate.

Heat 1 T oil in the wok, and cook broccoli, stirring often, for about 2 minutes.  Stir in scallions, ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add soy sauce mixture, and then add beef (or tofu).  Cook until sauce thickens, about one minute.

Serve with rice.

Beef Bulgogi Tacos - Recipe

Last night Naomi filmed me via FaceBook Live making this recipe.  It is another example of a recipe that all four of us like!  From Smitten Kitchen

Filling
1 pound of ground beef (or fake meat like Morningstar Grillers)
1 large garlic clove, minced
one 2 inch piece of garlic, grated
1/4 cup of soy sauce
3 T rice vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 T Asian Toasted Sesame Oil
Gochujang

Other
2 cups lettuce, shredded
1 T lime juice
1 T Asian Toasted Sesame Oil
Salt
1 scallion, thinly sliced
small flour tortillas
Diced tomatoes
kimchi
chopped cilantro
toasted sesame seeds

Instructions
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Once it is hot, add the beef and break it up.  Cook for 7-10 minutes.  Drain off grease.  Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar and oil to the pan.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add gochuhang.

Toss the lettuce, lime juice, sesame oil and scallions in a medium bowl.  Season with salt.

Scoop the beef into a tortilla with a slotted spoon, garnish with salad, tomatoes, kimchi, cilantro and sesame seeds.

Tortilla Torta

Back in our newlywed days where I could cook nearly anything this recipe was an instant favorite of my husband's.  Our eldest child doesn't like the flavor profile of this recipe and our youngest would rather eat a burrito.

But 20 years later, this old favorite is still a favorite.

Tortialla Torta
Serves 4

Ingredients
one 16 oz can fat free refried beans
1/2 ripe avocado, chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 T chopped scallions (divided)
salt and pepper
one 10 oz can enchilada sauce
8 6 inch corn tortillas
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Coat a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray.

Combine beans, avocado and and 1/2 c chopped scallions into medium bowl.  Add salt and pepper.

Spread 3 T enchilada sauce on pie pan.  Place one tortilla on the sauce.  Spread tortilla with 1/4 beans and then sprinkle with 1 T cheese.  Continue until you run out and on the top tortilla, place sauce and cheese and the 2T chopped scallions.

Coat a sheet of foil with spray.  Put foil, spray side down, over the tortillas.  Bake for 23 minutes.  Cut into four slices.

Serve with a side salad or steamed broccoli.

Persian Chickpea Salad

Persian Chickpea Salad

2 15.5 oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 small red onion, diced
2 T Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves minced
1/2 t salt
ground pepper
1/2 c chopped cilantro
splash of lime juice

mix all ingredients in one bowl and serve

Ina's Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herbed Ricotta

This week my CSA distributed fresh tomatoes, including heirloom.

Ingredients

2 cups ricotta (I used a local brand)
2 scallions, minced, white and green parts
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pints assorted heirloom tomatoes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon good olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Fleur de sel

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, scallions, dill, chives, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside for up to 30 minutes.

With a small serrated knife, cut the larger tomatoes in wedges through the stem and the smaller tomatoes in half through the stem. Place them in a medium bowl with the garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside.

When ready to serve, add the basil to the tomatoes and combine. Pile the ricotta in a large (12-inch) round shallow bowl or oval platter. Using a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes around the ricotta, discarding any liquid. Drizzle the tomatoes and ricotta with olive oil, sprinkle with the reserved basil and fleur de sel, and serve at room temperature.

Potato Latke Recipe

Hanukah is around the corner, and one of the traditions is to light the menorah and make latkes.

Ingredients:
5 large potatoes, washed and peeled
1 large onion
3 eggs
1/3 cup flour (and on Pesach substitute matzo meal)
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Canola Oil

In a food processor with the grater blade, process the potatoes and onions in multiple steps.
Strain the potatoes and onion through a colander.
Put the potatoes and onions in a large bowl and add eggs, flour, salt and pepper and mix well.

Heat oil in either frying pan over medium heat or in an electric skillet.  Place batter onto the pan and fry for 5 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn over and fry on the other side for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from pan and place on paper towels on wire rack.  Continue with remaining batter until complete.  Add more oil when necessary.

Place on platter and serve with apple sauce.

Parmesan Roasted Zucchini

My daughter is not a big fan of vegetables.  She prefers fruit - peaches, plums, berries and apples.  In our house we all eat vegetables.  However, she really liked this zucchini side dish, so I had to share.  It is from Ina!

And late summer is zucchini season in New England.

6 medium zucchini (about three pounds) - washed
Olive Oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T minced fresh parsley
2 T julienned fresh basil
1/2 c freshly granted Parmesan cheese (NOT from the can)
3/4 c Panko

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Trim the stems off the zucchini.  Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds using a spoon (I use a regular small spoon).  Take a baking sheet and cover with tin foil.  Put the zucchini in one play on the pan and brush the scooped out side with olive oil.  Turn over the zucchini so the cut side is down.  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and then some ground pepper.

Roast for 14 minutes.

While roasting, make the stuffing by placing the garlic, parsley, basil, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon regular salt, ground pepper, panko and 3 T of olive oil.  Mix well.

When the zucchini is ready, please about a tablespoon of panko in each zucchini.  Bake for 8 more minutes.  Serve hot.

Enjoy

Broccoli, Red Pepper and Tofu Stir Fry with Balsamic Vinegar

A hit!  I made one batch with tofu and one batch with chicken!

Ingredients

• 14 ounces extra firm tofu , water-packed, drained (I used a pound of thin chicken breasts cut into cubes for the chicken based version)
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey or 1 tablespoon agave syrup
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil , for broccoli
• ½ lb broccoli floret
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil , for red pepper
• 1 red pepper , thinly sliced (I use red bell pepper)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil , for tofu
• 4 scallions , sliced, for garnish 

Directions

1.  Cut the tofu across the width into 6 slabs. Cut each slab in half to make 12 squares. Blot the tofu to remove some of the moisture and set aside.

2.  Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl and set aside.

3.  Saute the broccoli in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until bright green and starting to brown in places, about 5 minutes. Remove broccoli from the pan.

4.  Saute the red pepper in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until it starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the red pepper from the pan.

5.  Saute the tofu in the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until browned, 2 minutes per side or until crispy.

6.  Add the vinegar mixture to the tofu and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

7.  Return the broccoli and peppers to the pan and gently toss to coat with the sauce.

8.  Garnish with the scallions and serve with brown rice or another whole grain.

Three out of Four Isn't Bad

Last night, I made another new dish, which three out of four us really liked.  I am learning you can't please everyone every night.  However, I made a wide variety of foods, so if you don't like something one night, there is always tomorrow.

The recipe for Basmati and Wild Rice with Chickpeas, Currants and Herbs appears later in the post.  I served it with homemade hummus, carrots and cooked asparagus.

Over my coffee this morning, I was reading the Boston Sunday Globe, including the magazine section, which included this article.  When people hear what I cook for dinner, I get the typical "My kids would never eat that."  After reading the article, I hear what some people are saying - their kids are picky.  And in order to make dinner life more pleasant, parents cook what the kids want to eat, typically chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, pizza, etc.  When my kids were young (under five), I cooked two meals - an adult meal and a kid meal.  As the kids got older, and were exposed to more and more food, I stopped.  I declared in my own house, once the little one started kindergarten we were done with kid food (yes, no chicken nuggets for dinner) at the daily dinner.  Of course, if I served chicken or fish, I would make a vegetarian dish for my husband, however it was very similar to the meat based dish.  When designing meals, I tried to include one element that each kid liked (my daughter didn't like rice for a long time).  But you were expected to put a little of everything on the plate.  As they got older, you were expected to try a little of everything on the plate. And now, at ages 9 and 13, they are expected to eat what is on the plate.  Sure, it creates some "I don't like X" however they know they can either eat, or not eat.  However, if the kids decide not to eat, dinner is over.  After five years of doing this, each kid has skipped dinner less than five times.  Of course if the new recipe is horrible (both parents deem it horrible), then there is ice cream for all!

I also want to share one other experience before I post the recipe.  Back when my oldest attended preschool birthday parties the standard party food was pizza, fruit and cake.  My son did not eat pizza.  I did not bring another food with me.  He just ate the fruit (or veggies) and didn't say anything.  (He didnt' eat the cake either but that is another story).  One day in first grade he attended a soccer party after school.  At 5 PM, I picked him up and he said "How come you never serve pizza?  It is sooooooooo yummy."  Turns out he was so hungry from playing soccer for an hour, he didn't care what he ate, so he accepted the slice of pizza.  You never know.

Here is the recipe that I promised, adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi's Jerusalem cookbook.

1/3 cup wild rice
2 1/2 T olive oil
1 cup basmatic rice
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
one 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed
3/4 cup sunflower oil
1 medium onion thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp flour
2/3 cup currants
2 T fresh chopped dill
salt and pepper

In a small pot, put the wild rice with two cups of water.  Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 40 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

In other pot, put 1 T olive oil and heat on high.  Add rice and some salt, and stir for 2 minutes.  Then carefully add boiling water and salt and stir.  Cover and turn to low and simmer for 15 minutes.  Then remove the pot from the heat, cover the lid with a clean towel and cover and let sit for 10 minutes.

Put the onion and flour in a small bowl together and toss.

Heat the 1.5 T of olive oil in a saucepan over high.  Add cumin seeds and curry powder and stir.  Then add chickpeas and salt.  Stir quickly and remove from heat.

Put the chickpeas in a large mixing bowl, add the wild rice and basmati rice.  Clean saucepan, and then put sunflower oil and heat over high heat.  When hot, add 1/3 of the onions and watch.  After 4-5 minutes take out the onions and put on a paper towel on a drying rack to drain.  Continue with another 1/3 of the onion, and then finish the last third.  Sprinkle onion with a small amount of salt.

Put the onions and currants in the bowl with the chopped dill.  Stir and serve!

New Recipe

Sometimes I see a new cookbook at the library, and I check it out.  This time I checked out The Community Table - Recipes and Stories from the JCC in Manhattan and Beyond.  The first recipe I made was really good!  My husband and I really liked it.

Pappardelle with Ragu (originally made with lamb but mine is vegetarian)

2 T olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
One package of vegetable grillers (vegetarian ground "meat")
2 t ground coriander
1 t rosemary
1 t thyme
1/2 t ground cumin
salt and pepper
2 T tomato paste
1/2 c red wine
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/4 c vegetable stock
one pound of pappardelle pasta

In large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the carrots, onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes.

Turn up heat and add "meat" along with the coriander, fennel seeds, rosemary, thyme, cumin and salt and pepper.  Cook for 4 minutes.  Add tomato paste and red wine ad simmer for 25 minutes.

Cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes.  Drain.

Put pasta in the "meat" pot and stir, then serve.

Honey Roasted Carrots with Tahini Yogurt

Another fall dinner for us.  Roasted vegetables remind me of fall.

This recipe is from Yotam Ottolenghi's book - Plenty More

3 T honey
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
3 thyme sprigs
2 pounds of carrots - cut into large sticks
salt and pepper

Sauce
3 T tahini
2/3 c Greek yogurt
2 t lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400

In a large bowl, put the honey, oil, cumin seeds, thyme, salt and pepper.  Add carrot sticks.  Stir.  Put on large baking sheet (sprayed with Pam).  Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

While cooking put all sauce ingredients into a bowl and stir.

Transfer carrots to serving bowl and top with sauce.

Chickpea Bake - easy recipe

People are amazed when I say that I cook vegetarian for my vegetarian husband.  I don't think of it as a big deal.  I can handle cooking tofu and vegetables!  One of the simplest and easiest dishes I know is Chickpea Bake, and here is the recipe.

2 cans of chickpeas - open them, drain them, and rinse them off.  Drain off excess water;
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup - the real stuff - NOT the pancake syrup.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Get out a loaf pan, and spray PAM on the loaf pan.

In a large bowl, put the rinsed and drained chickpeas and cinnamon.  When you measure the maple syrup, spray PAM on the measuring cup and then measure the maple syrup.  Pour the measured syrup into the bowl.  Stir.

Pour into loaf pan.

Put into oven for 45 minutes.  Stir every 15 minutes.  PUT ON THE TIMER!!!!!  Yes, you can pick up a book and read, but if you don't put on a timer you won't remember to save the dish before it burns.

Serve

NOTE - goes well with a side of couscous and asparagus.