Franks and Beans! Franks and Beans!

When it comes to this time of the year, I really struggle with all the ordinary, boring, every day stuff. Why would I want to be folding laundry when I could be perusing the Interwebs for more Christmas goodies for Anna? How in the world can I be expected to sweep or mop my floors when there is holiday music to listen to while I get my craft on? And, really, how can I be expected to grocery shop and cook wholesome meals when all of my magazines and Pinterest pins are filled with peppermint-y, sugary, fatty, amazing sounding treats? I honestly think I could spend the entire month of December baking cookies, drinking peppermint mochas, watching Love Actually, and clicking the "add to my cart" button on Zulily.

Alas, I do not have the life of Buddy the Elf, and I have a family to feed and take care of. So in between all the fun stuff, I try to squeeze in a few loads of laundry and at least a couple servings of vegetables. Even better if I can do it with minimum mess and cost, right?

I found this recipe about a year ago in Everyday Food magazine, and I would say it's been in our two-week rotation pretty consistently since then. It's super easy to make, pretty healthy, and it all comes together in one pot, which makes this dishwasher oh-so-happy. It's also cheap. I guess I've never officially done the math, but I would bet all the ingredients together cost less than ten bucks.

For the longest time, we just called it "Turkey Sausage and Beans", because that's pretty much what it is. And then I passed the recipe along to Kristin and Drew, who made it and promptly named it "Mike's Franks and Beans". Which is kind of perfect, and also makes me think of There's Something About Mary every time I say it.

On second thought, though, maybe you don't really want to think about Ted's unfortunate zipper incident while you're eating this...

Anyways, here is the recipe for Mike's Franks and Beans. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound kielbasa or other smoked sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces (I use turkey kielbasa - I find in recipes like this you can't really tell the difference and it's a little healthier!)
3 medium carrots, diced small
2 shallots, diced small (I've used red onions if I didn't have shallots)
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (basically one can)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I usually skip this. I know lots of cooks say it adds so much flavor, but I'm lazy and always seem to end up throwing most of it away.)
sour cream or plain yogurt, for serving

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add carrots and shallots to skillet and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add black beans and broth and bring mixture to a boil. Add sausage, reduce heat to a rapid simmer, and cook until carrots are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.

Somewhere out there, Fievel is actually hung on a Christmas tree, instead of being dragged around by a toddler.

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What do you love the most about the holidays? How do you keep from spending all your time consuming Peanut Butter Blossoms and bedazzling your house?