Creamy Heirloom Bean Soup

2 cups mixed heirloom beans, washed
1 onion, chopped
1 heaping tablespoon bacon grease
2 quarts chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream

Put the beans, onion, bacon grease, chicken broth and thyme in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours or until the beans are tender.  Just before serving, stir in the salt, pepper and cream.

This is excellent!  Adapted from a recipe found on Pinterest & Bon Appetit.

Navy Bean Soup

Crock Pot Navy Bean Soup

1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb dried navy beans
1 cup mashed potatoes (prepared without milk and butter)
1/2 cup shredded carrot
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks
32-oz carton chicken broth
Water
8-oz diced fully cooked ham
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, if desired, to garnish

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, cook the onion and celery in the olive oil until vegetables are tender and starting to change color.

Place the washed beans, mashed potatoes, shredded carrot, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaves and ham hocks in the Crock Pot.  Add the sauteed onion and celery and the chicken broth.  Add water to cover beans by about 2 inches.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

About 1 hour before you're ready to serve the soup, saute the diced ham in the butter until it begins to brown a bit.  Stir into the soup and let cook until dinner-time!  Sprinkle each bowl with parsley if desired.

Good soup!  Adapted from a Taste of Home recipes (Contest-Winning Ham and Bean Soup)

Black Bean and Smoked Sausage Soup

1 lb smoked kielbasa, sliced thin

1 finely chopped onion

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp cumin

3 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano

3 cans black beans

1 cup Salsa
Sour Cream to garnish, if desired

In large pot, brown sausage and onion over medium heat.  Add garlic, cumin, chili powder and oregano.  In blender, puree one can undrained black beans and add to pot.  Add other 2 cans of beans and the Salsa.  Heat and simmer.

Serve over a small mound of rice with a dollop of sour cream in each bowl with cornbread on the side.

Delicious and easy!  Adapted from e-meals "recipe"

Ham, Bean and Leek Soup

Ham and Bean Soup

1 lb dried Great Northern beans, sorted and rinsed
1 smoked turkey wing
1-2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
2 Tbsp bacon drippings (or olive oil)
2 leeks (bulb only), cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly crosswise
32 oz carton chicken broth
Water
1 lb cooked ham, cut into bite-size cubes
Salt and Pepper, if necessary

Place the beans, turkey wing, chopped celery, onion, cumin, garlic powder and parsley in the crockpot.

Heat the bacon drippings and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sliced leeks and cook, stirring about 10 minutes until the smaller pieces of leek begin to brown a little.  Add leeks to the crockpot and stir in the chicken broth and enough water to cover everything by about 1 inch. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.  Stir in the ham and cook another 2-4 hours until the beans are very tender.

Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.  If you wish, roughly mash about half the beans with a potato masher to thicken the soup.  I skipped this part.

Excellent soup!

Adapted from allrecipes.com recipe called Ham and Beans and More.

Refried Beans

1/2 lb sausage
1/4 cup water
1 tsp hot Mexican chile powder
1/2 tsp ground roasted cumin
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 lime, juiced
1 heaping tbsp diced pickled jalapenos
1 can Pinto beans, drained
1 can Ranch Style beans in sauce
Shredded Mexican cheese blend, to taste

In an iron skillet, cook the sausage in the water until finely crumbled and cooked through.  The water should be completely evaporated.  Add the chile powder, cumin, cilantro, lime juice and jalapenos.  Stir until well combined.  Stir in the beans and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook over low, stirring often and mashing until the beans are of the consistency that you prefer. I like mine a little chunky!  Sprinkle with cheese and allow to melt a little before serving. 

Yummy!

Spicy White Chili

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
4-oz can chopped green chiles
2 tsp roasted cumin
1 tsp dried cilantro
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 lb dried white beans (navy or great northerns, your choice), washed
1 carton chicken broth

Water Place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Add enough water to cover beans by about 2 inches. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or until done. Serve with sour cream, shredded pepper-jack cheese and tortilla chips. Yum!

Bonanza Beans

Bonanza Beans

2 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 lb dry pinto beans, washed
8 cups water
1 tbsp beef base
1 medium sized red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
15-oz can ranch-style beans
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp pickled diced jalapeno peppers
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp paprika
6 oz can tomato paste
8 oz smoked sausage, sliced into bite-sized rounds

Put everything into the crockpot except the tomato paste and the smoked sausage. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until beans are completely cooked. Stir in the tomato paste and the smoked sausage and cook another 1-2 hours.

This was delicious! Excellent flavor and I'll definitely make this again.

Brazilian Feijoada

Brazilian Feijoada

4 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1 pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Garlic Salt and Pepper
3-4 bone-in beef short ribs
2 medium onions, finely chopped
10.5 oz low-sodium chicken broth
3 tsp minced roasted garlic
1 smoked ham hock
2 cans black beans
1 tablespoon white vinegar (I used Apple Cider Vinegar)

In a large, heavy skillet cook bacon slices until crisp. Remove from pan, drain on paper towels and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the pork cubes to the bacon grease. Season with garlic salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the pork cubes from the skillet and put them in a large slow cooker.

Again in the same skillet, brown the short ribs (season with more garlic salt and pepper). Place the browned short ribs in the slow cooker. Add the onions, chicken broth, garlic and ham hock and cook 4-6 hours. Add black beans and continue cooking for another 2-3 hours. Serve over hot cooked rice.

These were the best black beans I've ever eaten! Seriously.

Black Beans and Yellow Rice with Fresh Tomato Relish

Black Beans and Yellow Rice with Fresh Tomato Relish

Tomato Relish:
2 large, ripe tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp minced red onion
1 tbsp minced cilantro
2-3 tsp lime juice
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Yellow Rice:
2.5 cups water
2 tbsp butter
11 oz can Mexicorn
10 oz pkg Vigo Yellow Rice mix
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp minced cilantro

Black Beans:
2 cans Black Beans
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp catsup
1 heaping Tbsp diced pickled jalapenos

Sour cream, if desired

Combine Tomato Relish ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

About 1/2 hour before serving, bring water, butter and Mexicorn to a boil over high heat in a medium sized saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Stir in yellow rice mix, cumin, chili powder and cilanto and boil 1 minute. Cover with lid, reduce heat to low and cook 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

In the meantime, combine beans, cumin, tomato paste, catsup, and jalapenos and heat, stirring often, over medium heat until thoroughly hot.

Spoon yellow rice mixture onto plate, top with beans, a spoonful of the tomato relish and a dollop of sour cream.

This was absolutely the best Yellow Rice and Black Beans I've ever made! Really good! And it was really pretty to look at...I have to start taking pictures!

Yankee Chicken Chili

Yankee Chicken Chili

16 oz pkg Great Northern Beans, washed
32 oz chicken broth
4 oz can chopped green chiles
2 Tbsp Ancho chile powder
1/2 cup Sofrito
Garlic Salt & Pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp Hot Mexican chili powder
1 large Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped
1 Lime
1 cup water

Place the beans in a crockpot with the chicken broth, green chiles, ancho chile powder, sofrito and Garlic Salt & Pepper.

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet. Season the chicken breasts with Garlic Salt, pepper and Hot Mexican chili powder and cook in oil over medium heat until well browned on both sides., adding chopped onions about halfway through cooking time. Squeeze lime juice over chicken and onions and add water. Bring to boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits, then add mixture in skillet to the beans in the crockpot.

Cook on high 6-8 hours or until beans are tender. Chop the chicken and return to the pot. Simmer 5-10 minutes and then serve.

6/11/11 - This was really good, especially the broth and the chicken. Try making this without the beans (just a Braised Chicken kind of thing). The beans were actually kind of bland, so I may experiment with a sour cream/salsa based topping or maybe a Ranch/Sour Cream flavor.

Bean & Cheese Enchilada Casserole

Bean & Cheese Enchilada Casserole

4 oz taco sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 heaping tsp diced pickled jalapenos
16 oz can chili beans in medium sauce
8 oz refried beans
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup chunky salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 tortillas

Preheat oven to 350^F. Coat the bottom of a 9-inch square casserole dish with the taco sauce and set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onions until soft. Add garlic, jalapenos, chili beans, refried beans, chili powder, cumin and salsa and stir until well combined and hot through. Cut tortillas into quarters (or strips) and layer half of them in the casserole dish. Top with half the bean mixture and 1 cup shredded cheddar. Repeat layers ending with remaining cheddar and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

This was yummy!

Spicy Bean with Bacon Soup

Spicy Bean with Bacon Soup

1 lb dried pinto beans, washed
1/2 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 tbsp diced pickled jalapenos
1 tbsp dried cilantro
Garlic Salt and Pepper
Splash Worcestershire sauce
32 oz chicken broth
Water, as needed
15 oz can tomato sauce

Place the washed beans into the crockpot. Cook and stir the bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally until the carrots soften. Add contents of skillet to the beans in the crockpot (including the bacon fat!) Add the jalapenos, cilantro, salt and pepper, worcestershire sauce and chicken broth. Add water, if necessary to completely cover the bean mixture and turn the crockpot on. Cook until beans are tender. Stir in tomato sauce and continue cooking for at least another hour.

This was OK. I think 15 oz is too much tomato sauce, but John liked it a lot. I might try it again with a small can of tomato sauce (or none at all) and see how that works. Or not...

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Terry's Texas Pinto Beans

Terry's Texas Pinto Beans

1 pound dry pinto beans
1 (29 ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp diced jalapeno pepper
1 tsp roasted garlic
1/2 cup green salsa
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Water
Salt to taste

Place the pinto beans in a slow cooker, and pour in the chicken broth. Stir in onion, jalapeno, garlic, salsa, cumin, and pepper. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Cook on low for 10-12 hours or until beans are tender. Add salt to taste.

Adapted from allrecipes.com recipe by the same name. These are really delicious! Next time I'll add a smoked turkey wing and I'll bet they'll be even better!

Happy New Year!

The tradition in our family for New Year's Day requires that we eat Black-Eyed Peas for Luck and Greens for Money. I've never been a fan of either of these dishes, but I eat them this one day a year anyway....why tempt fate? We usually have a Baked Ham and Cornbread to accompany the meal, but this year I'm making the Kalua Pig in a Slow Cooker that I tried a couple of months ago (recipe on this site and @ allrecipes.com) and I'm making Baked Corn instead of regular cornbread.

This will be the first year that I don't make something for dessert but my blood sugar has been up the last couple of days - probably because of the Nyquil I'm swigging every night because I'm sick! - so I'm not going to tempt myself with cake. However, I'm going to give you the recipe for my favorite New Year's Cake because it's awesome and delicious with this meal, and what I had planned to make today before my cold screwed everything up!


Black-Eyed Peas

16-oz pkg black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked over
1 hunk of smoked turkey wing (or whatever smoked meat you prefer)
1 large onion, roughly chopped
48 oz carton chicken broth
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in crock pot, turn it on low and cook until the peas are tender. Taste for seasoning, add salt & pepper if needed.

Many Southerners serve this as "Hoppin' John" by combining the peas with cooked rice, but my family's always eaten them plain, in a small bowl. Since my husband adores rice and could eat the stuff with every single meal no matter what's on the menu, I usually make some for him on New Year's. I'm such a good wife!


Turnip Greens

3 (16-oz pkgs) frozen turnip greens
1 (16-oz pkg) frozen turnip greens with chopped turnips
1/4 cup sugar
2 hunks smoked turkey wings
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 jar hot pickled peppers or hot cherry peppers
Water

Combine all ingredients in a really big pot with enough water to cover the greens by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer a couple of hours or until done. Serve with extra hot pickled peppers and a drizzle of vinegar.

This makes a lot, but since my family will devour this in a quest to manifest a prosperous year for themselves, I never have any leftovers!


Baked Corn

1 cup melted butter
15.25 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
14.75 oz can cream style corn
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
15-oz pkg Corn Muffin Mix

Preheat oven to 350^F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. Pour into a 9x13" pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until done.

This was OK...I had a problem personally with the texture (too squishy) but it had a nice flavor.


Williamsburg Orange Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup Crisco
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins, cut up
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tbsp grated orange peel

Heat the oven to 350^F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round layer pans. Beat all ingredients in a large mixer bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping occasionally for 3 minutes. Pour into pans. Bake until a wooden pick inserted incenter comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool. Frost with:

Williamsburg Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4-5 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp grated orange peel

Beat ingredients until smooth and spreadable.

I've made this cake for New Year's Day more often than any other dessert and everyone always loves it. It's a pain to chop those raisins and grate the oranges but it is so worth it. I've also made this with dried cranberries instead of the golden raisins and that was really good too. Or you can leave the raisins out entirely which I'm not opposed to since I personaly usually pick them out anyway. This recipe was in the very first cookbook I ever bought back in the late '70's and which is now missing it's back cover and half the pages are about to fall out...Betty Crocker's Cookbook!

Slow Cooked Pork with Caribbean Rice and Peas

Slow Cooked Pork

5-6 lb Boston butt pork roast or pork shoulder
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup grapefruit juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp black pepper

Place the pork in the slow cooker, fat side up. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until very tender. Yum!


Caribbean Rice and Peas

2 cups long-grain rice
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 cans field peas (or pigeon peas), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup broth from the pork roast

Combine the rice, coconut milk, broth, water and lemon rind in a rice cooker. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a pot combine the peas and pork broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until hot. Serve the peas over the rice. And Yum again!

Both of these recipes are adapted from Southern Living 2002 Annual Recipes.

Ham and Bean Soup

Ham and Bean Soup

1 lb dry Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
32-oz carton chicken broth
Water
1/2 tsp salt
1 smoked turkey wing
1 cup chopped carrots
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp dry mustard
8-oz minced ham

Combine all ingredients except minced ham in crockpot. Add water to cover everything by about 2 inches. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Stir in the minced ham and cook 1 more hour or until ham is hot.

Yum! Serve with Corn Muffins.

Beefy Black Bean Chili

Beefy Black Bean Chili

1 lb boneless lean beef, cut into 1 to 2" cubes (cubed pork is also good in this)
1 lb dried black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp chili powder
1-1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp dried cilantro
1/4 cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
48 oz carton beef broth
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate syrup (or plain chocolate syrup)
1 tsp sugar

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a crock pot. Stir and leave to cook on low all day. About 1 to 2 hours before serving, stir in the tomatoes, chocolate syrup and sugar and continue cooking until dinner time.

This is good served in a bowl with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced green onions. It's also very versatile....I've served it over rice, pasta, and baked potatoes and it's always well received by the family. With tortilla chips or without.

Lima Beans and Rice and Individual Peach Crisps

Lima Beans & Rice

16 oz bag dried large lima beans, rinsed
1 smoked turkey wing (or neckbones, or ham hocks, etc), optional
48 oz carton chicken broth
Water (or additional chicken broth)
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tsp pepper
Hot, Buttered Rice

Combine all ingredients except rice in a crockpot (slow cooker). Add enough additional water or chicken broth to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over hot, buttered rice.

This is my all-time favorite bean dish. I've eaten it this way since I was a small child and I love it!


Individual Peach Crisps

2 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 375^F. Lightly butter 2 individual baking crocks. Place the sliced peaches in the crocks and sprinkle with the almond extract. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, cutting the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the peaches. Bake for about 45 minutes or until peaches are bubbling and the topping is browned. Serve warm.

Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Juicy Peach Crisp". This was absolutely delicious! However, it was too sweet and there was too much topping. I'll be making this one again with some adjustments.

Beef & Beans

Beef & Beans

1 lb (more or less) lean beef cubes
1 lb dried pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
1 (32-oz) carton beef broth
1 onion, chopped
1 heaping tsp minced garlic
2 tsp hot mexican chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Water
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic & basil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine the frist 7 ingredients in the crock pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Cook on low several hours or until beans are done and the beef is tender. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and cook at least 1 more hour.

Very tasty served with allrecipe's Absolute Mexican Cornbread.

Pork and Pintos and Mexican Cornbread

Pork and Pintos

1 lb dried pinto beans
1 tsp baking soda
Water
5 or 6 Country Style Pork Ribs
2 tbsp Bacon grease
Salt to taste
Smokehouse Pepper to taste
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 large onion, chopped
32-oz carton beef broth
1 tsp garlic powder with parsley
1 handful chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 heaping tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos

Wash the beans and place them in a Dutch oven. Cover with water and add the baking soda. Bring to a boil for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand a few hours. Drain and the beans and set aside.

Season the pork ribs with salt, smokehouse pepper and chipotle powder and brown well in the bacon grease in the Dutch Oven. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the beans, garlic-parsley powder, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, jalapenos and beef broth. Stir in enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce to low and simmer until beans are completely cooked, 2 or 3 hours.


Absolute Mexican Cornbread

1 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 (15-oz) can cream-style corn
1 heaping tbsp minced pickled jalapeno
1 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300-degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13" pan. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in cream corn, jalapenos and cheese. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 300^ for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into center of the pan comes out clean.


OMG, this is the best cornbread I've ever eaten! Sweet and crusty with a very moist, dense crumb. Awesome!! The original recipe is on allrecipes.com...the only thing I did different was to substitute jalapenos for the chopped green chiles. The beans are mine...they're good too, but the cornbread was definitely the best thing on my plate tonight!