This is our favorite black bean soup. It's a combo of several.
2 lbs dried black beans, soak overnight according to package directions
1 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced really small
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
4 quarts of water
2 TBS cumin
1 TBS oregano
3 bay leaves
1 TBS plus 2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup cooking sherry, or the real stuff
1 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS lemon juice
Heat olive oil in a HUGE pot. Add onion and garlic and cook 10 plus minutes until it starts to turn brown. Drain soaked beans and add to pot. Add water plus the next five spices. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender. Stir in sherry, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Simmer an additional 30 minutes. Stir every now and then.
*You can add ham or a ham hock to this. If you do you can add it when you add the water. You can shred the meat after it cooks for 2 hours.
*We usually do it without the meat! Mine seem to like it better that way!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
We love these muffins! They make 7 dozen mini muffins!
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
12 oz mini chocolate chips
Mix first 5 ingredients together. Separately mix the dry ingredients. Blend the two mixtures together. Stir in chocolate chips. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Bake on 350 for 10ish minutes!
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
12 oz mini chocolate chips
Mix first 5 ingredients together. Separately mix the dry ingredients. Blend the two mixtures together. Stir in chocolate chips. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Bake on 350 for 10ish minutes!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Roasted Veggies, Peas, Tomato Salad, and Fruit
This is a very standard meal at our house. We eat something like this about once a week.
For fruit: Sometimes I just chop up fruit and serve it plain, but this night I heated about a tablespoon of honey with a few drops of vanilla and poured it over the plums, peaches, and pears. I'm not a huge fruit fan, but I definitely like it sweet!
Peas and Beans: Fill a pot 3/4 full of water and bring to a boil. Then I add peas or beans along with some seasonings. I rarely add the same seasonings, but I have learned that fresh peas and beans need fat. My favorite is 1-2 TBS of butter. Then I add a good amount of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sometimes for the fat I use olive oil. I know you can you bacon, but I don't ever do that. Let it come back to a good hard boil and then turn it on low and put top on it. I then let it cook for 45-1hr until peas taste soft. If we have any leftovers I have learned that they reheat much better in their "juice" so I just put the whole pot in refrigerator.
Corn: We really started liking corn this way this summer. I cut it off the cob and then saute it in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic (my staples) until corn starts to turn brown!
Tomato Salad: chop or slice tomatoes, with feta and basalmic vinegarrete
Zucchini: This is a favorite around our house! We eat it lots and lots. I slice zucchini and then 1/4 then so they are in bite size pieces. Put olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper on them and put them in a baking dish. It is important that they are in a single layer. I cook them on 350 for 45-1hr. My family likes them when they are turning brown!
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Black Bean and Feta Dip
Years ago, I had a student from Birmingham. His mother gave me this recipe and I have made it LOTS of times!
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can white corn, drained
1 pkg feta
6 green onions, chopped
Dressing:
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup sugar (I don't use this much)
dash of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Mix beans, corn, feta, and onions. Mix dressing. Pour over bean mixture and refrigerate. Serve with fritos.
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can white corn, drained
1 pkg feta
6 green onions, chopped
Dressing:
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup sugar (I don't use this much)
dash of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Mix beans, corn, feta, and onions. Mix dressing. Pour over bean mixture and refrigerate. Serve with fritos.
Shrimp Quesadillas
This is Pioneer Woman's recipe! They are delish!
Ingredients:
flour tortillas
Can red enchilada sauce
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large onion
l red pepper
1 green pepper
2 cups Monterey Jack grated
2 TBS olive oil
salt to taste
Pour red sauce over shrimp. Set aside. Chop veggies into large pieces. Heat skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Cook veggies on high heat until they start to get brown/black. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Return skillet to high heat. Then dump in the shrimp and the sauce. Cook. Stirring occasionally, until shrimp is opaque.
Add a little water if sauce gets dry. Remove from skillet and chop shrimp in bite size pieces.
In a separate skillet, heat butter. Place tortilla in skillet, then layer: cheese, veggies, shrimp. Top with more cheese and a second tortilla. Cook on both sides, adding butter before flipping to the other side. Remove and cut into wedges.
(I have done this numerous times with groups of about 15. I follow it exactly until the very end. I use small tortillas and fold them in half. That way they are easy to turn and stuff doesn't fall out. First I go ahead and spread a tiny amount of butter on the outside of the tortilla. Then I fill the tortilla like she does and "stand them up" on a rimmed cookie sheet. I usually do this a couple of hours before people come over. Then when it is time to eat, I either do them 3 or 4 in a large skillet or zeb does them in a skillet on the grill.)
Ingredients:
flour tortillas
Can red enchilada sauce
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large onion
l red pepper
1 green pepper
2 cups Monterey Jack grated
2 TBS olive oil
salt to taste
Pour red sauce over shrimp. Set aside. Chop veggies into large pieces. Heat skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Cook veggies on high heat until they start to get brown/black. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Return skillet to high heat. Then dump in the shrimp and the sauce. Cook. Stirring occasionally, until shrimp is opaque.
Add a little water if sauce gets dry. Remove from skillet and chop shrimp in bite size pieces.
In a separate skillet, heat butter. Place tortilla in skillet, then layer: cheese, veggies, shrimp. Top with more cheese and a second tortilla. Cook on both sides, adding butter before flipping to the other side. Remove and cut into wedges.
(I have done this numerous times with groups of about 15. I follow it exactly until the very end. I use small tortillas and fold them in half. That way they are easy to turn and stuff doesn't fall out. First I go ahead and spread a tiny amount of butter on the outside of the tortilla. Then I fill the tortilla like she does and "stand them up" on a rimmed cookie sheet. I usually do this a couple of hours before people come over. Then when it is time to eat, I either do them 3 or 4 in a large skillet or zeb does them in a skillet on the grill.)
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Mac and Cheese
Now, this isn't exactly healthy, but then is there any healthy mac and cheese! This is, however, my family's favorite recipe! It is from Southern Sideboards and is Rosa'sMacaroni Pie. I mostly follow it--I usually add more noodles just so it makes more. It doubles easily.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni
4 TBS melted butter
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
Cook macaroni until well done. While still hot, add butter and all but 1/2 cup of cheese. Mix well. Beat the eggs and add to macaroni mixture (I add a little noodles to eggs first). Add milk and seasonings. Return to stove and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 3 minutes. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 qt casserole and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake on 350 until cheese is good and melted (20 min).
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Oven Fried Chicken
Ingredients:
2 cups of sour cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 tsp Worcestershire
4 tsp celery salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 half chicken breast
2 cups Ritz crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
The night before combine all ingredients except chicken, butter and cracker crumbs. Roll the chicken in mixture and refrigerate overnight. Before cooking, roll chicken in crumbs and place in a shallow pan. Pour half of the butter over the chicken and bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Baste occasionally . Pour rest of butter over and bake for 15 minutes longer. If chicken begins to brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
2 cups of sour cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 tsp Worcestershire
4 tsp celery salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 half chicken breast
2 cups Ritz crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
The night before combine all ingredients except chicken, butter and cracker crumbs. Roll the chicken in mixture and refrigerate overnight. Before cooking, roll chicken in crumbs and place in a shallow pan. Pour half of the butter over the chicken and bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Baste occasionally . Pour rest of butter over and bake for 15 minutes longer. If chicken begins to brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Spinach and Pecan Salad
1 cup of pecans
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 TBS melted butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
spinach
apple
Dressing:
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Stir together the first four ingredients and spread nut mixture on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes, stirring often. Cool and break apart. ***
Mix together ingredients for the dressing. Combine spinach and chopped apple. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with pecans.
***This is the first week of school so I know I am going to be super busy. To simplify this for this week, I just bought a bag of toasted almonds that are near the lettuce at Kroger.
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 TBS melted butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
spinach
apple
Dressing:
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Stir together the first four ingredients and spread nut mixture on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes, stirring often. Cool and break apart. ***
Mix together ingredients for the dressing. Combine spinach and chopped apple. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with pecans.
***This is the first week of school so I know I am going to be super busy. To simplify this for this week, I just bought a bag of toasted almonds that are near the lettuce at Kroger.
Back to School Lunch Prep
Freezer Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
This took me about 10 minutes to make and I made 16 sandwiches. You can use any bread--those little rolls, croissants, or the bread above are sandwich rolls that were on sale at Kroger.
Ingredients:
Bread
ham-thinly sliced (I bought one pound but used a little more than 3/4)
cheese-I used the Kraft thin slice--any kind of cheese works
Sauce:
3-4 TBS butter (the original recipe calls for 2 sticks-so use more if you like)
poppy seeds --I just tossed some in-probaby about a tsp
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1TBS dry mustard
Make the sandwiches. Then put a little of the sauce on top. I probably ended up using half the sauce.
Freeze them. In the morning before school throw them in the oven, turn the oven on to 350. Let them cook about 20-25 minutes. And that's it! My kids LOVE them!
With the leftover ham and the 4 cheese slices that I had left, I will make a "lunchable" a couple of days this week. Zeb is a hypertension doctor and so a real lunchable is a no go in our house because of the saturated fat and sodium. The kids like the idea of them so often I do a lunchable style school lunch!
*These also are great for breakfast!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Peanut Butter Cupcakes
I had this recipe at a baby shower and have tweaked it just a tad. It is delicious!
For cupcakes:
1 pkg devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 oz) pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 TBS instant strong coffee granules
For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
2 TBS vanilla
1.5 lbs sifted powdered sugar
6-8 TBS milk
Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins.
In a bowl of a stand mixer (paddle attachment), beat all of the ingredients for the cupcake. Beat on medium until well combined.
Spoon into 24 muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan after they rest about 10 minutes and let them cool on wire rack.
Frosting:
Cram butter and peanut butter on medium until fluffy. Turn mixer to low and add powdered sugar and mix until well blended. Add vanilla and some of the milk. blend on low until moistened. add an additional 1-4 TBS of milk until you get the consistency you like. Beat on high until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
Makes: 24 cupcakes with extra frosting
For cupcakes:
1 pkg devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 oz) pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 TBS instant strong coffee granules
For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
2 TBS vanilla
1.5 lbs sifted powdered sugar
6-8 TBS milk
Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins.
In a bowl of a stand mixer (paddle attachment), beat all of the ingredients for the cupcake. Beat on medium until well combined.
Spoon into 24 muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan after they rest about 10 minutes and let them cool on wire rack.
Frosting:
Cram butter and peanut butter on medium until fluffy. Turn mixer to low and add powdered sugar and mix until well blended. Add vanilla and some of the milk. blend on low until moistened. add an additional 1-4 TBS of milk until you get the consistency you like. Beat on high until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
Makes: 24 cupcakes with extra frosting
Key Lime Cupcakes
3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 TBS key lime zest
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup half and half
2 TBS fresh key lime juice
Key Lime filling:
3 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
10 oz jar of lime curd
Key Lime Buttercream:
make your favorite buttercream recipe and add 2 tsp of key lime zest
For Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 and line 12 muffin cups with liners. In a large bowl combine sugar, butter, and lime zest. Beat on high with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cracker crumbs, baker powder, and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together half and half and lime juice. gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with half and half mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. spoon batter into muffin cups until they are 2/3 full. bake for about 16 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan, an cool completely on wire rack.
Using a melon baller, carefully remove a small amount of cake from center of each cupcake. spoon or pipe about 1 tsp of key lime filling into the center of each cupcake. frost the tops with a key lime buttercream. garnish with fresh key lime slices, if desired.
For Filling:
in a bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. add sugar beating til smooth. add curd, beating til combined. can be in refrigerator up to three days.
Buttercream:
The buttercream recipe that comes with this is for the birds--it took hours to make. Just make a basic one and it will be good!
This recipe comes from a magazine. I cut it out a couple of years ago, but the bottom of the paper doesn't say where it comes from and I don't remember!
Makes 12 cupcakes
3/4 cup sugar
1 TBS key lime zest
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup half and half
2 TBS fresh key lime juice
Key Lime filling:
3 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
10 oz jar of lime curd
Key Lime Buttercream:
make your favorite buttercream recipe and add 2 tsp of key lime zest
For Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 and line 12 muffin cups with liners. In a large bowl combine sugar, butter, and lime zest. Beat on high with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cracker crumbs, baker powder, and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together half and half and lime juice. gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with half and half mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. spoon batter into muffin cups until they are 2/3 full. bake for about 16 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan, an cool completely on wire rack.
Using a melon baller, carefully remove a small amount of cake from center of each cupcake. spoon or pipe about 1 tsp of key lime filling into the center of each cupcake. frost the tops with a key lime buttercream. garnish with fresh key lime slices, if desired.
For Filling:
in a bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. add sugar beating til smooth. add curd, beating til combined. can be in refrigerator up to three days.
Buttercream:
The buttercream recipe that comes with this is for the birds--it took hours to make. Just make a basic one and it will be good!
This recipe comes from a magazine. I cut it out a couple of years ago, but the bottom of the paper doesn't say where it comes from and I don't remember!
Makes 12 cupcakes
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Okra (not breaded and fried)
My family loves fried okra. I made it once and won't make it again for a long long time. However, this is a very similar taste and much healthier. Chop of the ends of okra and cut them up into bite size pieces. (This can be done earlier in the day.) Sprinkle with a little garlic powder. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a skillet. I use just enough for it to cover the bottom. Put okra in the pan. It takes 7-10 minutes or so. I cook them until they start turning brown. Take them out of pan and sprinkle with coarse salt. Best served hot.
Enchiladas
I have tried several different kinds of enchiladas over the years. I told Zeb I was making them this week and he said could I make the original ones that he didn't like them creamy. Ha! Original ones! From 11 years ago--I have no idea. Hence one of the reasons I am doing this blog. So I can actually keep up with what I am cooking!
I looked in several cookbooks and ended up talking to my sister, Sara. This is her recipe and it is THE EASIEST enchiladas ever! I ate one for breakfast since I made them at 8:00 in the morning. I thought they were really good and I can't wait for Zeb to try it!
Ingredients:
cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie which I don't use a lot and used the whole thing)
large can of green chiles (didn't use all of it)
large can of green enchilada sauce
tortillas (I like the small ones)
Monterey Jack cheese ( I used a large block and just had a bit left over)
This made 16 or 17 enchiladas
Mix the chicken, chiles, some of the cheese together. Put in tortillas and lay seam side down in a lightly greased pan. Poor the enchilada sauce over and try to lightly cover all of the tortillas. Sprinkle with any extra cheese. Bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
I looked in several cookbooks and ended up talking to my sister, Sara. This is her recipe and it is THE EASIEST enchiladas ever! I ate one for breakfast since I made them at 8:00 in the morning. I thought they were really good and I can't wait for Zeb to try it!
Ingredients:
cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie which I don't use a lot and used the whole thing)
large can of green chiles (didn't use all of it)
large can of green enchilada sauce
tortillas (I like the small ones)
Monterey Jack cheese ( I used a large block and just had a bit left over)
This made 16 or 17 enchiladas
Mix the chicken, chiles, some of the cheese together. Put in tortillas and lay seam side down in a lightly greased pan. Poor the enchilada sauce over and try to lightly cover all of the tortillas. Sprinkle with any extra cheese. Bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Pioneer Woman's Salsa
This is our very favorite salsa recipe! Super easy! Just throw it in the food processor and it is done.
Ingredients:
28 oz. can of whole tomatoes in juice
2 cans of rotel (I use milder)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno, quartered
1/4 tsp of sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 lime, juiced
Put everything in food processor. Pulse 10 or so times depending on how chunky you like it! Serve with your favorite chips.
Ingredients:
28 oz. can of whole tomatoes in juice
2 cans of rotel (I use milder)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno, quartered
1/4 tsp of sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 lime, juiced
Put everything in food processor. Pulse 10 or so times depending on how chunky you like it! Serve with your favorite chips.
Sandi's Spaghetti
This is my mother in laws famous spaghetti recipe. It is so so easy and delicious. It does take a while so plan ahead!
Day 1:
Ingredients:
large package of ground chuck
bread crumbs
salt and peper
flour
Sprinkle bread crumbs and salt and pepper into the meat. I just eye ball it. Just do enough bread crumbs to hold meat together. Roll into balls and then roll the balls in flour. Cook for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Put in fridge when cool. You won't need these until day 2.
Ingredients:
2 large cans of tomato paste
4 (15-16 oz) cans of tomato sauce
2 cans of milder rotel tomatoes
1 whole onion, chopped
1 whole bunch of celery, chopped
6 TBS of oregano
3 tsp of salt and up to 3 tsp of pepper depending on how hot you like it
Put in a crockpot and cook on low overnight.
Day 2:
Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water to sauce. Add meatballs. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
This makes a lot! But it freezes very well.
Day 1:
Ingredients:
large package of ground chuck
bread crumbs
salt and peper
flour
Sprinkle bread crumbs and salt and pepper into the meat. I just eye ball it. Just do enough bread crumbs to hold meat together. Roll into balls and then roll the balls in flour. Cook for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Put in fridge when cool. You won't need these until day 2.
Ingredients:
2 large cans of tomato paste
4 (15-16 oz) cans of tomato sauce
2 cans of milder rotel tomatoes
1 whole onion, chopped
1 whole bunch of celery, chopped
6 TBS of oregano
3 tsp of salt and up to 3 tsp of pepper depending on how hot you like it
Put in a crockpot and cook on low overnight.
Day 2:
Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water to sauce. Add meatballs. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
This makes a lot! But it freezes very well.
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