Ward off evil kitchen spirits with a witch

You want a happy kitchen? Get a witch.

A co-worker recently gifted me one - a good one, like Glinda from "The Wizard of Oz" or Samantha in "Bewitched." Their presence is designed to ward off domestic disasters.

Cooks guarded by her presence supposedly never have to worry about burned food, boiled-over pots or accidental cuts and scrapes. Sounds more like a miracle worker to me.

According to my online research, cookery and food are integral parts of kitchen witchery. A kitchen witch honors the food she prepares and makes all meals with loving intent. OK, I buy that.

She cooks with fresh, seasonal ingredients, usually ones she has grown, and makes magic in the kitchen by creating delicious, seasonal food and herbal remedies. Hey, that works for me, too.

I've heard for years that it's good luck to have a rooster in your kitchen. I never knew how, where or why this superstition originated, but I took it at face value and used it as an excuse to buy one. Can't say it's actually done anything, but that rooster looks mighty fine sitting on the counter.

So why not a witch watching my back, too?

At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about another crone in the kitchen. We don't look anything alike, though. She's green-faced, grinning and stands about 3 inches tall.

This witch came with a few tricks up her sleeve.

For instance, she claims that adding hazelnuts to food and stirring them clockwise attracts wisdom, luck and fertility to your household. And the wave of her somewhat worn wooden spoon is supposed to make homes happier and healthier.

She also says that decorative parsley on your plate protects the food it's with from "nasty influences," onions keep negative energies at bay and cayenne pepper helps flush toxins from your body.

"Ah, but can she bake a cherry pie?" I thought.

An unbelievably wicked one no doubt.

Magic rice and beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups medium-grain white rice

1 green onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large ovenproof pot, heat oil on stovetop on medium heat.

Add rice, onion and garlic. Stir frequently so rice does not brown, about five minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover pan and set in oven. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 more minutes. Add lightly rinsed, heated beans and tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste.