ALICE'S TIPS:

1. This recipe may be enjoyed as four side-dish/salad servings or two main-dish servings.

2. Chili powders can vary in intensity. You may wish to start with less chili powder if using a medium hot or hot form rather than regular chili powder. Sample the recipe and adjust according to personal preference.

3. Too much cayenne pepper can make food fiery hot; however, a dash can boost the flavor of dishes and enhance the taste of low-fat, low-salt recipes. Store cayenne pepper away from heat and light in a cool, dark and dry place.

4. Yellow corn is a source of lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants may help reduce the risk of developing age-related diseases of the eyes such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe vision loss or legal blindness in people over the age of 60 in the United States. Other sources of lutein and zeaxanthin include green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens.

5. To thaw frozen corn quickly, place it in a colander, run cold water over it for about 30 seconds or until thawed, and shake off the excess water.

6. Tomatoes provide lycopene, an antioxidant that may help lower the risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. Some research indicates lycopene is absorbed better in the presence of a little fat. If there are no other sources of fat in the foods served in combination with this dish, you may wish to add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to this recipe.

7. If you don't have a garlic press to puree the garlic, mince the garlic really fine. Some cooks will use the flat end of a chef's knife to help mash the garlic; watch out for your fingers if you use this method!

8. As a substitution for fresh garlic, use 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder.

9. Store fresh garlic in a cool, dark place other than the refrigerator. Many people use the small clay garlic holders to keep garlic for several weeks. Though cloves that have sprouted are still safe to use, their flavor will be less strong than fresh cloves.

10. Other types of beans may be substituted for the black beans in this recipe.

ALICE'S TIPS:

1. To lower the sodium, use a no-salt-added bean and omit the 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

2. Sprinkle the seasonings on the side of the chicken thighs that will be the "presentation" side when this dish is served. NOTE: The seasoned side will first be placed down in the pan, then turned and become the presentation side after it is browned.

3. Olives combine well with white beans and only add about 10 calories per olive! If you have purchased kalamata olives with pits, here are two of the most common suggestions for removing the pits.

   • If you already have a cherry pitter, you might try this on your olives. This is the easiest method for pitting olives. Cherry/olive pitters are available in the kitchen gadgets section of many stores. Or, you can search for a source on the Internet by putting the words "cherry/olive pitter" into your favorite search engine.

   • A second method is to use a rolling pin to lightly roll over olives to loosen the pits. Then pick out the pits. The resulting pitted olive may not look as good with this method as when you use a cherry/olive pitter.

4. You can use an instant-read thermometer to test if the chicken is done. The recommended temperature for chicken thighs is 170 F.

ALICE'S TIPS:

1. Black pepper has a slightly hotter flavor than white pepper, which has a milder, more delicate flavor. White pepper comes from the same plant and is left on the vine longer. Appearance is the reason white pepper is included in many recipes. For convenience, I used black pepper in this recipe and found it acceptable in flavor and appearance.

2. Rather than using whole canned tomatoes and chopping them, you might use diced tomatoes.

3. If you don't have dried basil, Food FAQ's: Substitutions, Yields & Equivalents suggests substituting either thyme or oregano, starting with half the quantity specified for basil and then adding more, if necessary, to taste.

4. To store any extra hot soup, transfer it to a shallow container to speed cooling. Limit depth of soup to two inches or less. Refrigerate perishable foods, such as soup, so the TOTAL time they are at room temperature is less than TWO hours. You can place loosely covered foods in the refrigerator while still warm; cover tightly when food is completely cooled.

ALICE'S TIPS:

1. As a substitute for fresh garlic, use 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder.

2. Garbanzo beans also are referred to as chickpeas.

ALICE'S TIPS:

1. Approximately 8 cups of salad greens may be substituted for the package of salad greens.

2. To thaw frozen corn quickly, place it in a colander, run cold water over it for about 30 seconds or until thawed and shake off the excess water.

ALICE'S TIPS:

1. Check on the label, Web site or with the manufacturer as to how long sun-dried tomatoes in oil will keep if you plan to hold them -- opened in the refrigerator -- longer than a few days. For example, when I checked the Web site of one popular brand, the site advised using their product within two weeks once opened, and storing it in the refrigerator.
   
   Other uses for sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil include: mixed with pasta, potato and macaroni salads, served on crackers with cream cheese, mixed with mashed potatoes. NOTE: The olive oil will harden after it is refrigerated, but will liquefy again at room temperature.
   
   To freeze extra sun-dried tomatoes in oil, use the "plop method" -- like when making baby food. Drop by tablespoons on a sheet of waxed or parchment paper or plastic wrap on a metal baking sheet or pan. Freeze until solid and transfer to a freezer bag. Use individual "plops" as needed. For best flavor, use within a few months. Label the date put in the freezer. NOTE: Occasionally when aluminum foil comes in contact with a highly acidic food, small, harmless pinholes are formed in the foil. For this reason, it's not recommended to place "plops" on aluminum foil.
   
   Another option is to buy plain sun-dried tomatoes or red-dried tomatoes that must be rehydrated before use. Rehydrate according to package directions. A common, quick method is to pour boiling water over them until the beans are covered, and let them soften in the water for about two to five minutes.

2. If you need to lower the sodium in this recipe, omit the salt and use beans canned without salt, as well as low-sodium chicken broth.

3. Any extra chicken broth may be frozen in ice cube trays and transferred to freezer bags for use as needed. Or, a low-sodium chicken bouillon may be used.

4. Rather than using seasoned bread crumbs, I crushed some whole grain crackers to sprinkle over the servings.

ALICE'S TIPS

1. To thaw frozen green beans quickly, place them in a colander, run cold water over them for about 30 seconds or until thawed, and shake off the excess water.

2. For added fiber, use whole grain pasta.

3. If time allows -- before serving, chill this pasta dish in the refrigerator for an hour or more to allow flavors to blend.

4. Use a melon baller to quickly scrape away the seeds and ribs of the red pepper.

5. According to the National Pasta Organization (www.ilovepasta.org), one pound of dry noodles will produce a cooked amount of 5 cups. Other pasta shapes may be substituted for the pound of noodles -- however, a different amount (about 10 ounces) is needed as one pound of macaroni, spaghetti, penne, etc. equals 8 cups cooked volume.

6. Eat within two days of preparation for best quality and safety. Avoid letting the salad sit at room temperature for more than two hours, TOTAL time.

ALICE'S TIPS:

1. If you cry when working with onions, here's why: "The tearjerker in onions is a compound called propanethial-s-oxide, which is released in a vapor when onions are cut," according to Cheryl Forberg, professional chef, registered dietitian and author of Stop the Clock! Cooking <www.cherylforberg.com>. "When the vapor comes in contact with the eye, it is converted to a form of sulfuric acid, which produces the stinging sensation and subsequent tears. Cutting onions under water or chilling them before cutting, will retard the enzymes that generate the noxious chemicals."

   Some other suggestions people have mentioned include:

   • Keep the root on while peeling and chopping. A variation of this is to cut from the top, leaving the root end intact until the last cut.
   • Be in a well-ventilated place and cut fast.
   • Use a good, sharp chef's knife. It glides through the onion with ease, allowing less of the compounds that cause tears to come out.
   • Wear a pair of safety goggles or a cheap, disposable painter's mask.
   • Put a slice of bread in your mouth, with half of it sticking out to "catch" the fumes.
   • Put some white vinegar on the chopping board before cutting.
   • Burn a candle immediately adjacent to where you're cutting. The tear-causing gas is drawn toward the heat source.

   • Purchase pre-chopped onions.

   After cutting the onions (and after cutting garlic), one suggestion that may help remove the smell from your hands is to run cool tap water over your hands while rubbing them across a stainless steel utensil, such as the bowl of a stainless steel spoon. If you have been cutting a lot of onions, this may not be as effective.

2. If desired, lower the sodium further by cutting back or omitting the salt, especially if your beans are canned with salt.

3. When I tried freezing some of this recipe for later use, I was quite pleased with the results. As I was reheating it in the microwave at work, several people commented on how good it smelled! For tips on how to freeze this recipe in plastic freezer bags, visit:
   ancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-freezing-techniques.htm

4. For more information on cooking brown rice, visit:
   lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-rice.htm