Wednesday

Simple black beans (recipe in the comments)
Venezuelan white rice (recipe in the comments)
Fried plantains (recipe in the comments)
Arugula salad

Hot tea
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Our closest friend Flynn and her mom arrived tonight and we made one of my favorite company-worthy vegetarian meals. Everyone loves beans and rice, but this version takes the flavors to a new level. These seem a bit lighter than many and have an unusual slightly (really slight) sweet flavor. The rice is an essential pairing. We both love fried plantains, but they're often hard to get good versions of. When we first tried this, I had very low expectations for these (as they're SO simple), but they turn out perfectly every time! All in all an amazing meal!

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Moderate
Chopping: Onion, red bell pepper, garlic, plantains
Time: 45 minutes
Make ahead: The beans and rice save GREAT, but the plantains are best fresh.

Reaction
J: "The best beans and rice around!"
M: "Incredible - really incredible."