Black Beans

If you like black beans from a can, then you haven't really tasted black beans! There's nothing like making them in a cast iron kettle, slow simmering for hours, then used in any recipe that you would normally use the canned version in. It's so easy!

What You'll Need:

1 Lb. Dry Black Beans
1 Medium Onion, Diced
1 Medium Poblano Pepper, Diced
2-3 Cloves Fresh Garlic, Finely Chopped
2 Cups Vegetable Broth
Sliced Jalapeno to Taste (I use the nacho slices in the jar because I like the flavor)
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1Tablespoon EVOO
Salt & Pepper to Taste

What To Do With It:

Thoroughly rinse the dry beans then soak for a minimum of 4 hours. Place the onion, garlic and poblano in your kettle and cook in the EVOO until the onion is translucent. Rinse the soaked beans well, then place in the kettle and add the remaining ingredients. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 2". Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and simmer until the beans are tender but not mushy. You'll want to check them often and stir gently, you don't want to overcook them, and you want to keep an eye on the water so you don't let them get too dry, but not so much water you end up with soup. Once they're done, you're ready to use them in your recipes or just enjoy them all by themselves!

* Try using them in my Vegetarian Black Bean Enchilada recipe!

Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas

I was a bit skeptical about these enchiladas, because I dearly loved regular 'ol beef and chicken enchiladas, and I was afraid I'd miss the meat. But they turned out amazing! You honestly don't care that there's no meat in them, they're so delicious!

I recommend making these starting with dry black beans that you prepare yourself - I really think it makes the flavor better, and I will be posting my black bean recipe here later. However, if you need to use canned, that works too, and I'm sure they'll still be yummy!

What You'll Need:

2 Cups of black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 Cup frozen corn
1 Cup of your choice of salsa
1.5 to 2 cups of fresh baby spinach, chopped
Small yellow onion, diced
2 stalks of green onion, green parts diced
Lg can red enchilada sauce
2 cups monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, grated
Salt & pepper to taste
Corn tortillas

What To Do With It:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non stick spray & set aside.
Combine the chopped fresh spinach, corn, salsa, 1/2 the green onions, 1/2 the cheese, yellow onion, salt, pepper in a medium to large bowl. Stir until ingredients are evenly mixed. Add the black beans and carefully stir so you don't mash the beans up.

Steam the tortillas using a tortilla warmer. If you don’t have a tortilla warmer, place them on a microwave safe plate, on top of wet napkins/paper towels, and then cover with more wet napkins/paper towels and microwave for about 45 seconds, or until tortillas are warm and easy to work with.

Fill each tortilla with a small amount of filling, about 1/4 – 1/3 cup, and roll tortilla up, placing the seam side down in the pan. Repeat process until all tortillas have been filled. Pour enchilada sauce over them, making sure to cover them evenly. Top with remaining shredded cheese.
Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until tortillas are heated through. Garnish with your remaining green onions, and serve hot with sour cream on the side. Best served with Spanish or yellow saffron rice, and refried beans! Enjoy!

Savory Split Pea & Rice Soup

After much tweaking, I came up with what I think is the most savory, full flavored Split Pea Soup I've ever made. It's so easy to make, and SO yummy!

What You'll Need:

1 tablespoon EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

1 lg onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon celery seed

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 Lb dry split peas

1 Bay leaf

1 cup uncooked brown rice (can use barley as well for a variation!)

1 Cup Sliced Baby Mushrooms

1 Cup thinly sliced carrots

8 Cups water

2 Cups Vegetable Broth

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt 

What to Do With It:

Heat oil in your soup pot (I always use a cast iron kettle) and saute the onion, mushrooms and garlic until tender. Stir in celery seed, salt and pepper and mix well. Add split peas, rice (or barley), water, broth, carrots and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until peas and rice are tender.

Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread

This recipe makes the most delicious, sweet yellow cornbread! It's moist and has a wonderful texture. I recommend using a cast iron skillet to bake it in, makes a yummy crisp outer crust!

What You'll Need:

1 Stick of Butter
2/3 Cup Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Honey, Depending on Taste
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Buttermilk
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 Cup All Purpose Flour

What To Do With It:

Preheat the oven to 375. Put the butter in the
skillet and watch closely so that it melts but
doesn't burn.  Once the butter is melted, swirl
it around the sides to coat the skillet well, then
pour butter into a mixing bowl. Add eggs, and
beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk and
baking soda and pour into bowl. Whisk in
cornmeal, sugar, vanilla, flour, honey and blend well.
Pour batter into skillet, and bake for 25-30 minutes,
or until toothpick comes out of the center clean.

Mama's Chow Chow

My Mom used to make and can this in huge batches, not only for us to have on hand, but to give as yummy gifts. We also referred to it as a bean relish, because that's primarily how we used it, on pinto beans, black eyed peas, etc. But you could also use it on just about anything else you would use a relish on!

What You'll Need:

Stock Pot
Mixing Bowl
Canning Jars
Large Head of Cabbage, Grated (I use a cheese grater)
1 Large Yellow Sweet Onion, Chopped
1 Large Bell Pepper, Chopped
2 Tablespoons of Salt
1 Teaspoon of Turmeric
2 Teaspoons of Celery Seed
2 Teaspoons of Ground Mustard
2 Teaspoons of Mustard Seed
2 Cups of White Vinegar
1.5 Cups of Sugar

What To Do With It:

Combine cabbage, onion and bell pepper in
a mixing bowl, and sprinkle with salt. Let sit
in the refrigerator for about 6 hours, then drain
well. I grab handfulls of it and squeeze as much
water out as I can! Set aside.

Put all other ingredients into your stock pot,
and simmer them for 15 minutes, then add your
vegetable mix to the liquid, and allow to simmer
for another 10 minutes, then bring to a rolling
boil. Immediately pack into heated canning jars,
leaving about 1/8" of space at the top. Place your
canning lids on and tighten. Set the jars on the
counter upside down to help them seal. Leave
until completely cooled. Once cooled, your chow
chow is ready to enjoy!

* CAUTION - has addictive tendency

Southern Vegetarian Black Eyed Peas

This is by far, one of my favorite comfort foods, and so super easy to make! And unlike a lot of dry bean recipes, this won't require any overnight soaking, or all day cooking!

What You'll Need:

Soup Pot - I prefer Cast Iron
1 Pound Dry Black Eyed Peas
I Large Onion, Chopped
2 Med/Lg Cloves of Fresh Garlic, Thinly Sliced
1/4 Cup Jalapenos (I use pre-sliced from jar)
1 Tablespoon of Butter
1/4 Teaspoon Celery Seed
Sea Salt & Pepper to Taste

What To Do With It:

Rinse the beans well in a collander, and as with
all dry beans, check carefully for rocks! Nothing
ruins a yummy bite of black eyed peas like biting
down on a pebble. 
Put in soup pot, and cover with water - you want
to be careful about your water level so as not to
end up with soup. (As they're cooking, you want to
make sure there's just enough water to go over the
top of the beans.) Add the remaining ingredients,
and bring to a rolling boil. Let boil for 10 minutes,
then lower the heat and allow to simmer until beans
are tender, but not mushy. Depending on your pot, it
shouldn't take more than a couple hours, but check
them frequently!

* Best served with my homemade chow chow (as
pictured) and cornbread.  Look for the chow chow 
recipe too!

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

If you're like me, you love super easy crock pot meals that don't require a lot of time out of your busy day, but gives you an incredibly delicious meal. It doesn't get much easier - or tastier - than these tacos!

What You'll Need:

Crockpot
4 Lg Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
1.5  Tablespoons Chili Powder
3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
1 Cup Salsa
1.5 Cups Frozen Corn
Chopped or Sliced Jalapenos to Taste

What To Do With It:

Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of your
crock pot. In a bowl, combine the chili powder and
lime juice, then pour over the chicken breasts. I turn
them over once to coat them on both sides with the
liquid.  Set crock pot to low and cook for 5-6 hours,
making sure chicken is thoroughly cooked, and easy
to shred. Remove the chicken from the crock pot and
shred, then replace. Add your salsa, and frozen corn,
and jalapenos if you choose, and let cook for another
45 minutes to an hour.

Serve with crunchy or soft taco shells, cheese and
sour cream - so yummy!

Good Grief Hot Beef

This is so easy to make, and makes one of the best sandwiches I've ever put in my mouth! I got the original recipe from my wonderful friend, Jennifer Schiess, and tweaked it a bit. It's not super spicy, so don't be scared to try it even if you're not usually a fan of spicy foods.

What you'll need:

A Crock Pot
One Lg London Broil or Rump Roast
One Jar Pepperoncini
One Med/Lg Onion
Choice of Hoagies/Buns

What To Do With It:

Put your roast in the crock pot, set it on low, dump the whole jar of pepperoncini's in it - juice and all,
either slice or chop your onion - whichever way you
like it - and let it cook all day until it shreds easily with
a fork. Shred completely, and serve on warm buns!

* We like it best with melted pepper jack or swiss cheese 
to top it off! You can also add jalapeno peppers to taste if 
you like things a little spicier!