Happy 'Ville

Not for the first time, C-ville was recently listed as one of the happiest places to live in America by a national publication. This time it was in Outside magazine's list of the "15 Happiest Places to Live in the U.S." The methodology considered factors such as overall well-being (using the Sharecare Community Well-Being Index), percentage of public land, affordability, how climate change is affecting towns, and the level of inclusivity demonstrated to people of color and LGBTQ+ residents.

 

As for C-ville, Outside noted the favorable work-life balance, with lots of UVA jobs and one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country on one side of the ledger; on the fun side, the magazine specifically mentioned the 20-mile Rivanna Trail, kayaking trips led by the Rivanna River Company, hiking and camping in Shenandoah National Park, and the high density of great local cuisine, particularly in the "trendy" Belmont neighborhood. Alas, no mention of Bodo's, which won't score any points with Brad in terms of establishing credibility.

 

Other cities of note on the list based on some proximity to you all are Frederick, Maryland, and Tacoma, Washington.  

 

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This is a solid, flavorful vegetarian main dish. It takes almost an hour to make from start to finish, but hardly any of that is hands-on. There is almost no chopping and even the tomatoes get baked whole. Plus, it all gets cooked in one baking pan, even the rice, so a simple cleanup. We'll definitely be putting this one into the rotation during the cooler months when we don't mind baking something in a 450-degree oven.

 

Chipotle-Tomato Baked Rice

Adapted from I Dream of Dinner (so you don't have to) (2022) by Ali Slagle

Time: ~55 minutes (mostly hands-off)

You can also serve this with some fried eggs on top if you want to make an even heartier meal.
 

1 medium yellow onion
1 or 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (it wasn't very spicy, even for us)
80 grams (6 tablespoons) olive oil
454 grams / 1 pound (~2 pints) cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
270 grams (1½ cups) long-grain white rice
60 grams (½ cup) roasted & salted peanuts
590 grams (2½ cups) water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 lime, quartered

    1. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Heat to 450 degrees.
    2. Coarsely chop the onion and chipotle chiles. Transfer to a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Add the oil, tomatoes, and cinnamon stick, and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, rinse the rice in a sieve for about 1 minute. Coarsely chop the peanuts (or bash them some in a plastic bag with a rolling pin).
    4. When the tomatoes are soft, add the rice in an even layer on top of the ingredients in the baking pan. Gently pour in the water, then sprinkle with the sea salt. Carefully seal the very hot pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
    5. Remove from the oven and let rest, with the pan still covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the foil, then stir in the black beans and remove the cinnamon stick. Serve promptly, passing the peanuts and lime quarters at the table. Serves 4.