Summer Squash Gratin with White Beans

If a squash recipe could be described as decadent, this would be it. The original recipe is meant as a side dish, but I think it would make a lovely light meal with a can of drained and rinsed white beans gently tossed in.

The original recipe is here: Summer Squash Gratin

I made a few modifications which I've listed below:

I used only 1/4 cup of olive oil in the sauce, and two large cloves of garlic. I thought the smaller amount of oil was plenty, if your mix seems too dry you could add more 1 T at a time.

I used paprika instead of red pepper, because the little people in my household don't do spicy too well.

I used good parmesan instead of gruyere, because that's what I had in my fridge (although I'm sure the gruyere would have been delicious!).

Farmhouse Chowder

1 medium onion, chopped
1 or 2 stalks celery, sliced
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, sliced
1 parsnip, sliced
Red bell pepper, chopped, about 2 Tbsp, enough for a little color
Oil
3 1/2 c. water
2 chicken bouillon cubes (optional, soup will need more salt if omitted, can use vegetable bouillon too)
1 can cream style corn
1 or 2 cans white beans
1/4 tsp. tarragon or dill
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 c. cream

Heat oil in large pot. Add onion, celery, potatoes, carrot, and parsnip. Cook until potatoes begin to soften up and turn a bit brown. Add red bell pepper, water, bouillon(or salt), corn, beans, tarragon, and pepper. Simmer until vegetables are cooked through. Add cream, simmer until heated through being careful not boil. Salt to taste.

Southwestern White Bean and Cheese Chowder

I submitted this recipe to Taste of Home for their "Make it Meatless" competition and ended up winning second place. You can read more about it here and here. The picture is the one they took, straight out of the magazine

2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 green bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cup. chicken broth (Or vegetable)
1 can green chilies (4 oz.)
1/8 tsp. chile powder
1 tsp. cumin
2 c. milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
4 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped (optional garnish)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Saute onion, celery, and garlic over medium heat until translucent. Add bell pepper and cook another 30 seconds. Add 1 can of beans and mash into onion mixture with a potato masher or slotted spoon (mixture should be chunky-smooth).

Stir in second can of beans, green chilies, corn, carrot, chicken broth, cumin, and chili powder. Bring mixture to a simmer. Blend cornstarch into cold milk and stir into chowder, bring slowly to a mild boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until corn and celery are just tender and mixture thickens. Stir in cheese just until melted.

If desired, garnish with additional shredded cheese and diced cilantro or sliced green onions

Black Bean Soup II

This soup is more like the Black Bean Soup often found at restaurants. It's also easy to make with food storage items - dried onions and garlic, for example - although I always use fresh unless it's an emergency. It also cooks up in under 30 minutes.

Plus, it's low-fat and high fiber - but you don't have to tell your family!

3 cans black beans, with liquid

1 medium onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, diced

3 c chicken or vegetable broth (I use bouillon cubes, so if you use regular broth, you'll probably want to add a bit more salt to the finished product)

1-2 carrots, diced

1/4 c. dried mixed red and green peppers (bell peppers, NOT hot peppers!)

Dash chili powder and cumin (optional)

3 T olive oil

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil in a heavy pot over med-low heat until they're very soft and slightly golden. Add chicken broth, peppers, carrots, and spices and turn heat up to medium. Simmer until carrots are tender, then add 2 cans of beans. Puree and add the third can of beans. Heat through and serve.

Very tasty plain or served with a dollop of salsa and plain yogurt or sour cream, a sprinkle of shredded cheese, and a bit of guacamole (or any combination of the above!).

Economical Counter: For 7, 1-1/2 c. servings

3 Cans black beans $2.34
Onion $0.25
Garlic (4) $0.24
3 bouillon cubes $0.07
Carrots (2) $0.36
Dehydrated bell peppers $0.32
3 Tbsp Olive Oil $0.48

Total: $4.06
Per Serving Total: $0.58

The per serving total is particularly fun to see since in restaurants soup in usually 3/4 cup portions, making their total $0.29 a serving, and you typically pay around $4 a bowl!

Chickpeas with Zucchini and Garlic

2-3 small green zucchini, thinly sliced

3 c. cooked pasta (spaghetti noodles work well)

1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed

2-3 large cloves garlic, diced

pinch of crushed red pepper

3 T butter

3 T olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat olive oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and zucchini until zucchini is tender. Add chickpeas, pasta, salt, and red pepper, and toss until evenly mixed and warm through. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Spaghetti

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 carrot, grated
1 small zucchini, grated
olive oil
2 cups beef broth (vegetable or imitation beef broth for vegans)
3/4 c. dry brown lentils
Italian seasoning
1 bottle spaghetti sauce

Saute onion, garlic, celery, pepper, carrot, and zucchini in olive oil until onion and garlic are tender. Add beef broth, lentils, and italian seasoning and simmer until lentils are tender. Watch the pot and don't let it boil dry, add more water or broth if necessary. Drain additional liquid when lentils are tender. Add the bottle of spaghetti sauce and serve over pasta.

White bean pitas

Pick the fillings you like, they are mostly all optional. Also I dont buy greek seasoning I mix my own. I haven't needed to in forever though and can't find my recipe, I just google a recipe. I also use just a pinch of cinnamon, most call for more. This can be done in tortillas as wraps instead of pitas, whatever you have on hand.

Pita Pockets
Hummas
1 can White beans
Greek seasoning
Cucumber sauce
Romaine lettuce
Sliced tomatoes
Feta cheese
Chopped kalamata olives

Rinse and drain white beans. Toss with a little greek seasoning. Spread pita with hummas and fill with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives, and seasoned beans. Drizzle with cucumber sauce.

Cucumber Sauce
8 oz. sour cream
1 large cumber
2 LARGE cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. lemon juice
dash tabasco
1/4 tsp dill
salt to taste

Peel cumber and cut in half lengthwise. Scrape put seeds with a spoon. Grate remaining cucumber. Stir into sour cream. Add lemon dill and salt to taste. add dash tabasco and stir in garlic. Serve with whatever you want.

Sweet Potato Falafel

Ok, i'm sure some of you can guess where this came from, the same place as the last two posts...Something I like to do with traditional falafel, and i'm sure this would be good as well, is make small balls and throw them into salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and anything that I feel like throwing in there.

Baked Sweet Potato Falafel

2 medium sweet potatoes (orange inside), around 1 1/2 pounds in total
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 small cloves of garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 big handfuls of fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of half a lemon
a scant cup chickpea flour
a splash of olive oil
a sprinkling of sesame seeds
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees (220C) and roast the sweet potatoes whole until just tender - 45 minutes to 1 hour. Turn off the oven, leave the potatoes to cool, then peel.

Put the sweet potatoes, cumin, garlic, ground and fresh coriander, lemon juice and gram/chickpea flour into a large bowl. Season well, and mash until smooth with no large chunks. Stick in the fridge to firm up for an hour, or the freezer for 20-30 minutes. When you take it out, your mix should be sticky rather than really wet. You can add a tablespoon or so more of chickpea flour if necessary (the water content of sweet potatoes varies enormously).

Reheat the oven to 400F. Using a couple of soup spoons (put a well-heaped spoonful of mix in one spoon and use the concave side of the other to shape the sides) or a falafel scoop if you have one, make the mixture into falafelly looking things and put them on an oiled tray. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes, until the bases are golden brown.

Baby Lima Soup with Chipotle Broth

Ok, another 101cookbooks recipe, its just so good. I add around 3 chicken bouillon cubes to my broth for a little extra flavor, 10 (the amount of water) is too many and takes over the soup

1 pound dried baby lima beans, picked over and rinsed
10 cups water
1 head garlic, top lobbed off to expose the cloves and loose skins removed
2 tablespoons olive oil or clarified butter
1 onion, halved top to bottom and sliced into thin crescents
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt

Squeeze of lime juice (optional)

Pick over the beans, looking carefully for any pebbles or dirt clumps; baby limas seem to be magnets for dirt. Rinse the beans, then combine them with the water and garlic in a heavy soup pot. You might think putting a whole head of unpeeled garlic in the pot is strange, but just go with it. Bring the beans to an active simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until just a touch al dente and not mushy or falling apart. Test their doneness by tasting; you really can't tell any other way.

Heat the olive oil (or butter) in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion, chipotles, and 2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce, and sauté over medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the onion starts to soften. You can always add more adobo sauce later for a spicier soup; just don't overdo it on the front end.

Add the salt and the onion-chipotle mix to the pot of beans and simmer gently for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. The broth should be thin, so add more water if needed. Add more salt and more adobo a bit at a time if the flavors aren't popping. Finish with a squeeze of lime if you like. I usually remove the garlic head at this point or serve around it.

Armenian Apricot Soup Recipe

Armenian Apricot Soup Recipe

Add the chicken cubes to taste but not enough to equal the amount that would normally be used to make the water broth, just to add a hint of flavor, or you can leave them out all together. This is my adaption on the recipe found here.

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, diced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 c. red lentils, rinsed
1 can white beans
10 cups water
6 - 12 oz. dried apricots, chopped
salt
1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes (my addition, totally optional)

Heat the oil in your soup pot over medium heat, then stir in the onions and carrots. Saute for about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and stir well. Decrease the heat, cover, and let the vegetables sweat for ten minutes.

Add the lentils, beans and chicken cubes and pour in enough of the water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for twenty minutes, or until the lentils and carrots are tender. Add more of the water as needed as the lentils soften and expand.

Remove from the heat, stir in the apricots and any remaining water, and season with salt. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth; alternatively working in batches, puree in a regular blender until smooth. Take care not to over salt this soup. The right amount will bring out the flavor of the apricots but leave the onions in the background. Serve hot.

Country Herb Skillet

2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 3/4 c. water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp, basil
2 c. Normandy vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
2 c. uncooked corkscrew pasta

Parmesan cheese

Boil water in large pot. Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and simmer until vegetables are tender and pasta is cooked. Dust with cheese.

Tex-Mex macaroni and Cheese

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/8 - 1/4 tsp chile powder
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 c. water
3 beef bouillon cubes
2 c. elbow macaroni
1 can cheese soup
1/2 c. salsa
4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. onion powder

Cook beef and chile powder until beef is no longer pink. Drain. Add kidney beans, broth and water. Bring to a boil, add pasta and reduce heat to medium. Cook until pasta is tender. Add can condensed soup, salsa, and onion powder. Stir to combine. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted.

Baked potatoes or Casserole

OK, so this isn't exactly a "recipe" just a great dinner idea

Steamed Normandy vegetables (Broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots)
White beans, rinsed and drained(I sometimes use cooked brown lentils)
Cheese sauce

Mix all together and serve over baked potatoes.

OR

Replace the baked potatoes with 2 bags of steak fries, bake until crisp in a 9x13 casserole dish. Add 1 egg to sauce and pour over cooked potatoes and top with grated cheese. Bake until heated through and sauce is slightly set.

Risotto with Black Beans

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
2 small sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup Arborio rice
1 c. milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the beans and milk and cook, stirring frequently, until milk is absorbed.
Measure 3 1/2 cups of water. Add 3/4 cup at a time and cook, stirring occasionally and waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. It should take 25 to 30 minutes for all the water to be absorbed.
Stir in the Parmesan and oregano.

Curry in a Hurry

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 c. cauliflower florets
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 c. peas
1 can black or white beans, rinsed and drained

Cook curry, onion and pepper in oil over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until vegetables are cooked. Serve over rice

Kielbasa Fettuccine

1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
7 oz. roasted red bell peppers, drained
1/2 kielbasa
2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained.
2 green onions, sliced

Place whipping cream, bell peppers, and Cajun seasoning in a blender. Puree until completely smooth. Slice kielbasa, cook over medium heat until starting to brown. Add and cook with the kielbasa for 2 minutes. Add the pepper puree and cook until slightly thickened. Serve over pasta topped with sliced green onions.

Pesto Soup

You can cut the broth down to 1/4 c. and serve as a pasta dish topped with melted mozzarella cheese.

1 pkg. knorr pesto, cooked according to package directions
2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
4 c. chicken broth
1 1/4 c. cooked pasta or rice or other grain

Combine all and simmer until heated through

Creamy Hungarian Bean Soup

I haven't tried this recipe yet, it looked like it might be interesting.

2 c White Beans
2 small Onions, chopped
1 Leek, rinsed and chopped
3 Carrots, diced
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Sweet Hungarian Paprika
6 Tbsp Flour
1/2 c Sour Cream
2 tsp Cider Vinegar

Soak beans overnight. Drain them and place in large soup pot with onions, leek, carrots, and garlic. Add water to an inch above the level of the beans. Bring them to a boil and then simmer, covered, until tender (about 1 1/2 hours). Mix in the salt, pepper, and paprika. Ladle out 2 cups of the hot bean water and slowly stir it into the flour until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the beans, stirring constantly. Remove the soup from the heat and whisk in the sour cream and then the vinegar. Gently reheat the soup for about 10 minutes.

Smoky Pinto Bean and Potato Soup

1 medium Onion, chopped
3 large Red potatoes, cut into l/2" cubes
2 Carrots, thinly sliced
1 Celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 cans Cooked pinto beans, rinsed and drained
3 1/2 c. beef broth
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Cumin seed
1/4 tsp. Black pepper
2 tsp. Mesquite smoke flavoring
1 Tbsp. White wine vinegar
1/4 lb Chopped smoked sausage

Combine the onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, beans, sausage, and broth in an crock-pot. Stir in the cumin, pepper, smoke flavoring, and vinegar. Cover and cook on HIGH until the vegetables are tender.

Chalupas

Instead of the chilies I use about 1/4 c. of bottled salsa verde. The stuff keeps longer and is cheaper than the canned chilies

3 lb. Pork roast
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Ground cumin
1 Tbsp. Salt
2 can pinto beans
2 Tbsp. Chili powder
1 Tbsp. Dried oregano
1 - 2 (4 oz.) Can chilies

Put roast in crock pot. Top with remaining ingredients including beans and their liquid. Add water to cover all. Cook on high 1 hour and on low 6 hours. Remove meat and shred with forks. Return meat to crock pot and cook another hour. Serve on tortillas with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc...

Ethiopian Lentils

Ethiopian Lentils

1 lb Lentils
6 c Water or vegetable broth
1 Bell pepper chopped
4-oz can chopped green chiles
2 Red onions; chopped
2 Cloves garlic minced; or more
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
Pinch ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. fungreek
Dash nutmeg
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring lentils and broth to boil and simmer 10 minutes.

Add onion, garlic, pepper, chilies, spices, and vinegar. Cook covered for another 30 minutes, until most of liquid is absorbed.

Serve with ground black pepper to taste.

For a vegetarian meal, these lentils are good with a dollop of greek yogurt and brown rice.

Spicy black bean and ham soup

Spicy black bean and ham soup

2 can black beans, drained
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 pound cooked ham, cut in pieces (or one can ham, crumbled)
6 cups beef broth
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 - 2 Chopped Pasilla chilies
1 4 oz. can chopped jalapeno peppers or mild green chiles
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp ground thyme
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Greek yogurt and chopped tomatoes -- for garnish

In slow cooker, combine beans, potatoes, ham, broth, onion, chilies, peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, thyme, and cloves. Cover and cook on Low 8 to 10 hours or on High 4 to 5 hours. Stir in cilantro. Serve. Garnish bowls with greek yogurt and chopped tomatoes, if desired.

Thai Sweet potato soup

2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 carrots, cut into chucks
Oil or butter
1 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp. paprika
Salt to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. Thai red curry paste (more or less to taste)
2 c. chicken broth
1 can coconut milk
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained.

Toss together sweet potato, carrots, enough oil to coat vegetables, curry powder, salt to taste and paprika. Bake uncovered at 350 for 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Saute onion and garlic together until fragrant. Stir in the Thai red curry paste until blended. Add the broth, coconut milk and the roasted vegetables. Cook for 10 minutes, remove pot from heat and allow to cool enough to puree. Puree until completely smooth. Add the white beans and return to heat, simmer until heated though.

Garnish top with a sprinkle of paprika and sliced green onions

Ultimate Chickpea Noodle Soup Recipe

I did not come up with this recipe, it's another one from 101cookbook. The original recipe and a great picture can be found here. Pappardelle are large, very broad fettuccine. I also use chicken stock in this recipe since I am not strictly vegetarian.

4 cups water or a mild vegetable stock
2 cups pre-soaked ceci beans (also known as chickpeas or garbanzo beans)
6 ounces fresh or dried pappardelle

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

Bring the stock and ceci beans to a simmer and cook until the beans are cooked through. Taste and season with salt - you will need more or less depending on how salty your stock (bouillon) is. I wanted my broth to have a bit more body so I scooped out a small handful of cooked beans (20 or so), pureed them with a hand blender, and added them back into the pot -an optional step and not necessary if you opt for a homemade chicken stock which tends to have more body (from the gelatin in the bones)...this was my vegetarian work-around.

While the beans are cooking, boil the pappardelle in well-salted water. Drain and set aside 1/3 of the cooked noodles, you are going to fry these. Also, hang on to a cup (or two) of the pasta water in case you need a bit more liquid for your soup.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add the reserved noodles and fry them up until they are nice and crispy, don't let the oil get overly hot, it should be nicely fragrant and able to do its crisping job. Just remember, you are going to use it later in the recipe, so you don't want it to get to its smoking point.

Add the boiled-not-fried noodles into the bean pot and taste for seasoning, salt if needed (add in the reserved pasta water here if you want a bit more broth, but I like this soup light on the liquid). Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the olive oil from the skillet into the soup and serve with a generous sprinkling of the fried noodles mixed in at the last minute. A drizzle of your favorite table olive oil is a great way to finish the soup.

Russian Vegetable Soup

You want less beef cubes than water so the flavor is nice and light, this lets the flavors of the vegetables shine through.

1-1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
5 c. water
3 or 4 beef bouillon cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp butter
8 c. shredded cabbage
4 c. sliced carrots
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 c. chopped tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained
1 c. chopped fresh beets
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
1-1/2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 c. half-and-half cream

In a large soup pot saute onion in butter until tender. Add the water, beef cubes, cabbage, carrots, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, beets, parsley and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 50-60 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
In a small bowl, combine flour and cream and cream. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Lentil Bread

I threw the dough in the bread maker and then formed the loaves myself. The bread is surprisingly light. I added the rosemary, so if you dont like it you can leave it out but I think its a wonderful savory addition to the bread

3/4 c. lentils, rinsed
1-1/2 c. water
4-1/2 tsp. finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 c. warm water (110° to 115°)
1-1/2 c. warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp salt
1 c. whole wheat flour
6 to 7 c. bread flour

In a saucepan, combine the lentils, water, onion, rosemary and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Cool slightly. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor; cover and process until smooth. Cool to 110°-115°.
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, lentil mixture, oil, sugar, Parmesan, salt, whole wheat flour and 3 cups bread flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into thirds; shape into loaves. Place in three greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375° for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Paprikish

1 or 2 cans white beans
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/4 c. paprika
Big pinch black pepper
3/4 c. heavy cream or evaporated milk
2 tsp. corn starch
1 chicken bouillon cube (low sodium is best)
1/2 cup boiling water

Dissolve chicken cube in water. Saute onion in butter and oil until tender. Add beans, paprika, and pepper. Add dissolved chicken and simmer 10 minutes. Whisk together cornstarch and cream. Add to pan and simmer until slightly thickened. Serve over rice or pasta.

Tortellini Beans

If you are feeling really ambitious you can make your own tortellini and use the filling from the manicotti post.

1 or 2 cans beans, any variety
1/2 tsp. steak seasoning
1 c. water
1 beef bullion cube
1 lb. frozen cheese tortellini
4 oz. mozzarella cheese grated

Combine all except cheese in a frying pan on the stove. Simmer covered until tortellini is cooked. Top with cheese, remove from heat and replace cover until cheese is melted.

Eggplant Soup (or Sauce)

Use in place of tomato sauce on pizza, or add 2 cups additional chicken stock to make a soup.

2 egg plants, quartered lengthwise
4 roma tomatoes, quartered
3 cloves garlic
1 onion, quartered
olive oil
Salt

Brush vegetables with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast at 400 for 40 minutes.
Combine
6 c. chicken broth (Or Edward and Sons NOTChicken bouillon)
2 tsp. marjoram
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 can white beans
Scrape eggplant from purple skin. Add eggplant, onion, tomatoes, and garlic to broth. Simmer 30 - 40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Puree. Let sit 15 minutes.

Lentil Version:
Simmer 3/4 cup lentils in 2 c. chicken stock. Add to soup after pureeing.

Stuffed Peppers or Squash

You dont want too much liquid when you are finished cooking but you also don't want the lentils or rice to cook dry. If they start to look dry add more liquid, either more broth or water works fine as well. If you add too much you can always drain it off before filling whichever vegetable you choose. I have found with squash that it is best to start baking them right before I add the rice to the lentils and then just be careful and fill them hot and return them to the oven.

1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 stick celery, minced
1/2 c. rice
1/2 c. lentils
1 can white beans
3 c. beef or vegetable broth
1 can tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black peppers
1/4 tsp. fennel
3/4 tsp. ground sage
Peppers or squash to be stuffed
Spaghetti or tomato sauce for peppers
Cheese for squash ( I like cheddar or mozzarella)

Saute onion, pepper, garlic, and celery in oil until onion is tender. Add broth and lentils, simmer until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes. Add the rice, white beans, can tomatoes, paprika, pepper, fennel, and sage. Simmer until the rice and lentils are tender.

Fill with lentil rice mixture and top with either sauce or cheese. Bake peppers uncovered until they are cooked enough to eat. Cover the squash beforehand since they require a longer baking time.

Manicotti

I use store bottled spaghetti sauce here but if you like to make your own that works just as well.

8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 can white beans, drained but not rinsed
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 c. mozzarella cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Jumbo Pasta shells, cooked and cooled enough to handle
1 bottle spaghetti sauce or homemade, whichever you prefer

Puree white beans until completely smooth. Mix with ricotta until totally combined. Add eggs,parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 c. mozzarella and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff pasta shells with ricotta beans mix and place side by side in a baking dish. When all the shells are full to with spaghetti sauce and remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake, covered for 30 minutes until heated through, remove covering and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Garlic White Bean Soup

This recipe has a great deep, caramelized garlic flavor. Very savory, its something I adapted from a recent Martha Stewart. Mostly by omitting the sherry and adding a can of white beans, they go great here. If you want you can even puree them with the other vegetables for a completely smooth soup.

40 garlic cloves separated but still in the skins
1 large russet potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large yellow onion (about 12 ounces), trimmed, peeled, and cut into six-inch wedges
4 fresh sage leaves
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Black pepper
3 1/2 chicken stock
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 400. Toss whole garlic cloves, potato, onion, sage, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a large ovenproof skillet. Cover, and transfer to oven. Roast, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

Remove skillet from oven, and stir in 1/3 cup water. Cover, and return to oven; roast until potato is deep golden brown and garlic and onion are very soft, about 20 minutes. Transfer garlic cloves to a plate, and let cool slightly. Squeeze garlic from skins into skillet; discard skins.

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add stock and 1/2 cup water stirring to scrape up browned bits, 1 minute, then bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly.

Puree vegetable mixture in a blender in batches. Press through a fine sieve into a medium saucepan. Heat over low heat; stir in lemon juice, white beans, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Roast Corn And Garlic Soup

Roast Corn And Garlic Soup

2 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
6 teaspoon olive oil
20 clove garlic
1 large red pepper, diced
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (optional)
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 jar (16 ounces) Salsa Verde
2 cup Chicken or vegetable Broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional)


Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the corn into a shallow roasting pan. Add 2 teaspoons oil and toss to coat.

Place the garlic onto a large square of aluminum foil. Drizzle the garlic with 1 teaspoon oil. Fold the corners of the foil over the garlic and twist to seal.

Roast the corn and the garlic for 30 minutes or until the corn has begun to brown and the garlic is soft. Crush the garlic in a small bowl with a fork until it forms a paste.

Heat the remaining oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the peppers and cook for 5 minutes or until they're tender. Add the corn, garlic, chicken, white beans, salsa and chicken broth to the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture is hot. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with the yogurt, if desired.

Greek Wedding Soup

I don't know if Greeks really have a wedding soup, it's really just a Greek twist on Italian wedding soup

1 c. brown lentils
1 tsp. Greek seasoning
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 or 3 carrots, sliced into coins
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
6 c. chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 c. orzo or other small pasta
3 handfuls of spinach, chopped fine

Saute onions and garlic until fragrant. Add stock, Greek seasoning, oregano, and lentils and simmer until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. When the lentils are tender add the white beans, carrots, celery and orzo and simmer until pasta is al dente. Stir in the spinach and lemon juice and continue cooking until both pasta and spinach are cooked.

Artichoke and White Beans

1 bottle white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bottle marinated artichoke hearts
6 oz. cream cheese softened
2 - 3 Tbsp. Parmesans cheese grated
1/4 tsp Garlic salt
Butter
8 oz. cheddar cheese grated
1 loaf French bread sliced 1/2 in. thick

Drained Artichoke hearts, reserving liquid. Coarsely chop the hearts. Combine beans, cream cheese, chopped artichoke hearts, Parmesans cheese, garlic salt and 1 Tbsp. of the reserved artichoke liquid. Set aside. Butter one side of each bread slice and top with 1/4 cup of bean mix. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and broil for 10 seconds until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Italian Wedding Soup

This is usually made with little tiny meatballs cooked in with the vegetables. I make it both ways, this way if I dont feel like forming five thousand 1/2 inch meat balls or dont have any ground meat on hand

1 c. brown lentils
1 tsp. italian seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 or 3 carrots, sliced into coins
2 stalks celery, sliced
6 c. chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 c. orzo or other small pasta
3 handfuls or spinach, chopped fine

Saute onions and garlic until fragrant. Add stock, italian seasoning, and lentils and simmer until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. When the lentils are tender add the carrots, celery and orzo and simmer until pasta is al dente. Stir in the spinach and continue cooking until both pasta and spinach are cooked.

Economical Counter: 5, 1-1/2 c. servings (with 1/2 c. leftover)
Lentils $0.39
Italian seasoning $0.33
Onion $0.25
Garlic $0.12
Carrots (3) $0.54
Celery $0.36
6 cups chicken (using Tones bouillon cubes) $0.15
Orzo $0.50
Spinach $1.50

Total: $4.14
Total per serving: $0.83

Oriental Pepper Steakless

This is a steakless pepper steak. Because anyone can make that and this is a bean blog.

1 Onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 stalk celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. dried ginger
3 Tbsp. light soy sauce sauce
1/2 c. boiling water
1 beef bouillon cube (Edward&sons, only use 1/2 a cube)
1 tbsp. corn starch
2 - 3 cans red beans, drained

Dissolve beef bouillon in boiling water. Set aside. Saute onion, celery, and garlic in oil until fragrant. Add bell peppers and cook for 30 seconds more. Combine ginger, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Add to pan with beef bouillon. Cook until thickened, add beans. Serve over rice

If you like tomatoes in your you can add a can of drained tomatoes in when you add the peppers.

Jambalaya

Ok, so this isn't really a recipe so much as what I do to doctor the mix. Normally I am not a fan of pre-fabricated food, this is the one exception. Zatarians does a pretty good job, though it still needs the help of a few fresh ingredients.

1 adouille or polish sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 - 2 stalks celery, sliced
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomatoes, undrained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can white beans, drained
1 family size box Zatarians Jambalaya rice mix

Slice the sausage. Cook sausage over medium heat until beginning to brown slightly. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic and cook until onion is tender. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, both cans of beans, and rice mix along with the water called for on the box. Cover and cook until rice is tender.

Brazilian Black Beans

Brazilian Black Beans

2 cans black beans
1/2 lb. hot italian sausage
oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 cup chicken broth

Cook Italian sausage until no linger pink. Remove from pan and slice. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the same pan with the sausage drippings, add more oil if needed. Cook until onion is tender. Add beans, seasonings, juice, and broth to pan. Summer 30 minutes until starting to thicken. Add sausage back to pan and heat through. Serve over rice.

White bean and bacon soup with escarole

(From Martha Stewart)







2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces applewood-smoked slab bacon, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 medium onions (about 6 ounces each), finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 quarts chicken stock
1 pound dried white beans, soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed
3 large thyme sprigs
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 head escarole, cut crosswise into strips

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

2. Add onions and shallot to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more.

3. Return bacon to pan. Stir in stock, beans, thyme, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover, and cook until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours more.

4. Stir in escarole. Cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Yellow Rice and Black Beans

Yellow Rice and Black Beans

1 Zatarains yellow rice mix
1 medium onion, chopped
2 green onions, sliced using the green part
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 c. cooked chicken, cubed (Optional)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained

Pre-heat oven to 35. Prepare rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute onions, bell pepper, and carrot in oil over medium heat 10 minutes or until tender. Combine rice, onion mix, and remaining ingredients. Spoon into a lightly greased 9x13. Optional: top with cheese before baking. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes until heated through

Pork and Black beans

Pork and Black beans

2 - 3 c. wild rice
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 lb pork roast
1 c. packed fresh cilantro leaves
4 green onions
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Bake pork roast in oven bag or crock pot until cooked through and tender enough to shred with fork. Shred. Cook rice, toss with shredded pork and black beans. Puree remaining ingredients until smooth. drizzle over rice mix and toss to coat

South American Harvest Stew

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
* 4 heaping cups pre-baked, peeled and diced orange squash (sugar pumpkin, butternut, carnival, etc.)
* 3 cups cooked fresh corn kernels (from 3 to 4 ears)
* 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid
* 16-ounce can red or black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 to 2 fresh hot chiles, seeded and minced, or one 4-ounce can chopped mild green chiles
* 1 cup vegetables stock or water
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* Salt to taste
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* Hot cooked rice

Heat the oil in a soup pot or steep-sided stir-fry pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until it is translucent. Add the red bell pepper and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

Add all the remaining ingredients except the last three. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.

Season to taste with salt, then stir in the cilantro. Serve at once in shallow bowls over hot cooked rice.

Pomegranate Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrot
½ cup chopped celery
1 cup dried lentils
1 cup water
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
1 (14 ½-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (14 ½-ounce) can ready-to-serve vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (1 ¼ ounces) shredded Swiss cheese (optional)

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté 2 minutes. Add lentils and next 7 ingredients; cover and cook 45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add pomegranate juice. Remove and discard bay leaf. To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls, and top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Chickpea and Leek Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium Yukon gold potato, cut into ¼” dice

1 large leek (about ¾ pounds), white and light green parts thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

2 c. vegetable broth (I use chicken)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ teaspoon saffron threads

1 cup milk (I used Half an Half)
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 ounce parmigiano-reggiano cheese
6-10 strands saffron

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes. If the potatoes start to brown, lower the heat. Add the leeks and sauté until they are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, chickpeas, and saffron. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the milk and simmer for a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and pulse until the soup is slightly chunky.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the chopped parsley. Grate the cheese over the parsley and top with a few strands of saffron.

Country Beans and Rice

Country Beans & Rice

1 cup rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced, about 2 teaspoons
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
2 bouillon cubes
2-1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cans beans, any kind you feel like (I use white)

Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables, red pepper and Poultry Seasoning. Fry the veggies until they are somewhat tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the rice. Fry the rice until it's white and toasty, about 2 or 3 minutes.
Add the water, bouillon cubes, soy sauce and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cover with a tightly fitting lid. Simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the water.

Orange Chipotle Black Beans

Orange Chipotle Black Beans

3 cans black beans, drained, reserving 1 c. liquid
1 orange
2 tablespoons chopped chipotle peppers
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic

Heat the vegetable oil in a very large skillet or pot. Add the onion and garlic and saute until they are both tender and fragrant. Add the beans and their liquid. Grate the rind of the orange into the beans, cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the beans too. Add the chipotle pepper and salt. Bring to a boil. Simmer for at least 15 minutes so the flavors blend. Serve over rice

Jamaican Coconut Beans

Jamaican Coconut Beans

1 ¼ c. dry kidney beans
1 c. coconut milk
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 ½ Tbsp. Green onion, sliced
1 hot red chile pepper, sliced
2 ¼ c. uncooked brown rice

Combine beans and coconut milk in a large saucepan; cook for 2 hours on low heat.
Stir in thyme, garlic, onions and 3 slices chile pepper; simmer for 7 minutes. Stir in rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Lemon Lentil Soup

2 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 c. chicken broth, plus more as needed (edward&sons for vegan)
1 16 oz. pkg. green lentils
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1 large bunch kale, chopped
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

. Heat oil in a lage pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Add the carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until the carrots are softened. Add 12 cups of the broth, the lentils, basil, thyme, and salt. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to low; add kale. Cook 30 to 35 minutes, or until lentils are tender, adding additional broth if necessary. Stir in lemon juice and top with grated peel before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Cholent

1 can lima beans
1 can red beans
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 onions, coarsely chopped
3 medium potatoes, unpeeled, quartered
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cut into large chunks
1/2 C. barley
1/2 C. buckwheat
1/2 head of garlic, chopped
1 t. salt
Freshly ground pepper
Water
1/2 C. maple syrup
1/4 C. Dijon mustard
1 t. salt or to taste

Combine beans in a stockpot with carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, sweet potato, barley, buckwheat, garlic, salt, pepper and water to cover by 1 in.
Cover the stockpot, and put it into the oven at 350 F. for 2 hours. Check to make sure the water is sufficient.
Combine the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and salt in a small bowl. Stir vigorously, and add to the stockpot, mixing well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

Steak Beans

I usually make this in place of steak, not because I have leftover. Who has leftover steak? But if you do, throw it in.

Steak Beans

2 cans red beans
½ c. cooked chopped steak (optional)
½ small onion
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. Flour
1 c. beef broth
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 or 4 Tbsp. Heinz 57 or A-1 sauce (whichever you prefer on your steak)
Steak seasoning, to taste
Sour cream to garnish

Saute onion in butter until translucent. Add flour until slightly browned. Stir in both. Cook until broth is thickened. Stir in remaining ingredients until heated through, season with steak seasoning. Serve over baked potato, garnish with sour cream.

Lemon Pepper White Beans

Lemon Pepper White Beans

2 cans white beans, drained
3 Tbsp. Lemon juice
¼ tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
dash black pepper
1 cube sodium free chicken bouillon, crushed
1 ½ tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 ½ tsp. dried basil
1 can cream of chicken soup
¼ c. milk
Combine beans and lemon juice in skillet until warmed. Add garlic, lemon pepper, black pepper, chicken bouillon, Cajun seasoning, basil, and soup. When mixed, stir in milk and heat through. Serve over rice.

Hoppin' Johns

Hoppin' Johns

2 cans black eyed peas, drained
1 can ham, drained and crumbled
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 – 3 Tbsp. Fresh parsley, minced
oil
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp. granulated garlic
1 – 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning (more or less to taste)
1 ½ c. cooked rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. chicken broth

Saute onion, celery, and carrot in oil until onion is tender. Add beans and ham. Saute for 1 minute, add remaining ingredients. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Yam Soup

Yam Soup

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large yam or sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 c. chicken broth (or imitation)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
½ cup chunky salsa
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 c. diced zucchini
1/2 c. cooked rice
2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Saute onion, sweet potato, and garlic until onion is soft. Turn down heat if necessary to prevent burning.
Stir in the chicken broth, thyme and cumin. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in salsa, garbanzo beans and zucchini. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir in the cooked rice and peanut butter until the peanut butter has dissolved. Serve hot with pita chips and a green salad.

Pork Psole

I have no idea what makes something "Psole" but that s what it's called, also I add extra cans of both hominy and beans and only use 1/4 lb or less of pork, just enough for a little flavor.

Pork Psole

1 lb pork stew meat, cut into ¾ in, cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Oil
3 c. beef broth
1 can white hominy, drained
1 can white beans, brained
1 can chopped green chilies
1 – 2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
½ tsp. each salt, cumin, and oregano
¼ tsp. each pepper, cayenne pepper

In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook the pork, onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the broth, hominy, beans, chilies, jalapeño if desired, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper and cayenne.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until meat is tender.

Sweet Southern Baked Beans

This recipe came from a lady that I went to church with in southern Virginia. Its sweet baked beans and I have never met someone who didn't just love them.

Linda Greens Baked Beans

1 medium, onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
2 cans Bush's Original baked beans (or 1 large “Family Size” can)
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 c. ketchup
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt to taste

Sauté beef, onion and green pepper until beef is cooked. Add remaining ingredients and put in a casserole dish and bake at 350°, 30 minutes. It’s good with a package of corn bread baked on top too.

Jamaican Black Beans

Jamaican Black Beans

2 cans black beans, including liquid
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. Mustard powder
2 T molasses
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried chili flakes (use less if you don't want it as spicy)
1 chicken or vegetable bouillon cube, dissolved in a small amount of water
1 red and one yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in 2 T oil until soft. Add all other ingredients, place in casserole dish and bake at 225 for 2 hours. Check liquid levels, beans should be very moist and saucy, but not soupy. Add water if necessary.

Herbed White Beans with Broccoli

I originally created this recipe trying to re-create Olive Gardens Chicken con Broccoli, it's not quite that but it is good in it's own right.

Herbed White Beans with Broccoli

2 cans white beans, drained
1 tsp. olive oil
4 oz. dried orecchiette pasta (or other medium pasta)
2 c. milk
½ c. water
1 chicken bullion cube
1 Tbsp. Butter
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 c. broccoli florets
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Spice Mix:
1 tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 ½ tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/8 tsp. cayenne or paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine Spice mix. Saute in olive oil and butter, beans, spice mix, and garlic until garlic is fragrant. Cook pasta in salt water until al dente. Drain, set aside. Combine half and half, milk, broth, and cornstarch. Stir into pan. Cook until thick. Add pasta and broccoli. Cook until thick and broccoli is crisp-tender.

Eastern Variation: ½ red pepper
1 carrot, julienned
1 onion, cut into chunks
Saute with beans. Add to cream sauce
1/3 c. peanut butter
Sprinkle top with chopped peanuts

Garbanzo Bean Curry

1 can garbanzo beans
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. curry powder
1 can tomatoes, drained


Saute onion and garlic in oil until translucent. Add cumin and curry. Add remaining ingredients and simmer. Add coconut milk if you like a thicker curry sauce. Serve over rice

Black Beans and Sausage

Black Beans and Sausage

½ lb. Breakfast Sausage
½ green pepper, chopped
½ onion, chopped
¼ tsp. Garlic powder
1 Tbsp. Flour
1 can tomatoes, slightly drained
1 can black beans (do not drain)
1 bay leaf
3 c. potatoes, cubed and roasted
Saute sausage until no longer pink. Add pepper, onion, and garlic until onion is translucent. Add flour. Cook until thick. Add tomatoes, beans, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until thick. Remove bay leaf. Serve over potatoes.

CC's Dishwater Soup (aka Black Bean with Rice)

Black Bean Soup

¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, grated
¼ c. white rice
3 c. chicken broth
1 can black beans
¾ c. corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 tsp. Cumin
olive oil
salt to taste
cheese, sour cream, and cilantro to garnish (optional)

Saute onion and garlic in 1-2 T olive oil until soft. Add chicken broth, diced carrots, and rice. Cover and simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes. Add corn, cumin, and black beans. Heat through.

Daal

This is a middle eastern dish thats nice and hearty and yet not overly heavy. Spread on pitas and serve with cut up veggies

Daal
1 lb brown lentils
1 or 2 onions - finely chopped
2 tsp salt.
1 ½ tsp. each turmeric, cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp garlic powder, ground ginger
1 can tomatoes, undrained
½ stick butter
2 large potatoes, peeled and grated

Put the lentils into a large stove-top pot and add 5 cups water. Add remaining ingredients except butter. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 2 hours. Add water as necessary. Mixture should be think and mushy. Add the butter and stir until mixed in. Simmer about 15 minutes more. Serve on pitas.

5 minute chile

Use as many or as few beans as you want. Also you can leave out the refried beans if you want, I think they make it all come together though and prefer them in. If you want to add hamburger to yours add the taco powder to the meat. Just add the remaining ingredients to the cooked meat an simmer.

Chile

1 – 3 cans beans, any variety, drained
2 Tsp. Taco powder
1 can refried beans
1 ½ c. salsa
1 can chilies (optional)

Combine all. Simmer 10 minutes. Can be thrown in the crock pot to cook or keep warm.

Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry Soup

This soup has a warm mellow flavor and comes out somewhat like a stew, not to much broth and slightly thick. Something to note is the cooking time of the lentils, red lentils cook much faster than the brown variety. Also, in an effort to cut costs, I use chicken bouillon. If you do don't add the salt. Bouillon is typically pretty salty.

Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry Soup
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp. Curry Powder
12 ounces red lentils
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken stock
2 c. water

Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add curry and salt; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and ginger; cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add squash; cook until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add stock and water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in lentils; cook until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

White Chili

This chili uses chicken but I don't usually bother. Nutritionally it doesn't need it and then you can save the chicken for another night. I also don't bother with the green chilies, instead I use about 1/4 cup of bottled salsa verde, which I always have on hand. Also if you like it spicier use a 4 oz. can of jalapenos.

UPDATE AS OF 10/10/2010 - To make it thicker and more chili like I reduced the chicken broth to 3 cup of liquid and the sour cream to 1/2 a cup and added an extra can of white beans which I pureed first.

White Chili
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) white hominy, drained
2 - 3 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
5 c. chicken broth (Or Edward & Sons vegan NOT Chicken bouillon)
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (optional)
1 c. sour cream
1/3 c. half-and-half cream

Saute the onion in oil until translucent. Add the hominy, beans, broth, chilies, seasonings, and chicken if using. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Stir together sour cream and a small amount of the half-an-half. Adding in the half-an-half in small increments, and stirring often, to make the sour cream thin and smooth, otherwise the sour cream will stay chunky in the soup. Remove from heat; stir in the sour cream and half-and-half mix.

Food Storage Version
Use bouillon, dehydrated onion, skip the chicken or use canned, for the dairy use powdered milk, dehydrated sour cream, or evaporated milk)


Economical Counter: (6 Servings, 1-1/2 cups each, plus 1 additional cup)
Onion $0.25
Hominy $0.78
Beans (3 cans) $2.34
Salsa Verde $0.22
Garlic (1 clove) $0.06
Salt $0.04
Basil $0.04
Cumin $0.04
Black Pepper $0.04
Chicken broth $0.16
Sour Cream $0.75
Half-an-half $0.30

Total: $5.02 (So close, marking it anyway)

Per serving total $0.84

Cabbage White Bean Soup

I did not come up with this recipe on my own. Check the original web site and then how I make the soup, since I am all about simple. Leave off the parm for vegans


Cabbage White Bean Soup
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a big pinch of salt (to taste)
1/2 pound potatoes, skin on, cut 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 c. stock (I use chicken but for a truly vegetarian pot you can use vegetable, the original does)
1 1/2 c. white beans, precooked or canned (drained & rinsed well)
1/2 medium cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Warm the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the salt and potatoes. Cover and cook until they are a bit tender and starting to brown a bit, about 5 minutes - it's o.k. to uncover to stir a couple times. Stir in the garlic and onion and cook for another minute or two. Add the stock and the beans and bring the pot to a simmer. Stir in the cabbage and cook for a couple more minutes, until the cabbage is slightly tender. Taste and add more salt if needed. Top with cheese.

A really tasty addition is saute some bacon and cook potatoes and onions in the bacon dripping. Crumble the bacon and use sprinkle on top of individual bowls

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

I love this soup, its a hearty, smokey, slightly spicy and perfect for a simple meal. I saw a pumpkin soup recipe on a cooking show while I was in the hospital having my third daughter. Upon locating the recipe it actually turned out to look kinda gross so I created my own version



Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
One can pure pumpkin puree (15 ounces)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Salt to taste
4 c. beef broth ( vegetable works great too)
2 cans black beans (15 ounces), undrained (I sometimes use pinto)
1 can corn, drained, or 1 c. frozen
1/4 c. uncooked grain (rice, barley, quinoa, whatever)
1 Tbsp. lime juice (optional)
Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream

Heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until onion is translucent. Add apple and cook slowly over medium heat until starting to brown a bit and is looking tender all the way through. Add the garlic and cook JUST until fragrant and then immediately add liquid. Either broth or water and then bouillon cubes

Add the cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, corn, beans, pumpkin, and grain.

Simmer until grain is tender.

If using, stir in lime juice

Option: Reduce the beef broth to 1 cup and omit the grain. Serve as a sauce over rice

Harira

This is a middle eastern dish that I have adapted to be simple and economical. Do I need to mention tasty? I wouldn't be posting it if it wasn't! Some recipes are more like a soup where as this one is thicker, more like a stew. If you want it thinner just add more broth and/or water.



Harira
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 can garbanzo beans
4 cups vegetable broth (chicken works too)
2 cups water
1 tsp. Garlic powder
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 can tomatoes, undrained
1 cup lentils
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. each sweet paprika, turmeric, ground ginger, ground coriander
1/4 tsp. each ground nutmeg, black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
¾ cup brown rice
1/2 c. golden raisins, chopped (optional)

Heat oil in a large pot until hot, add the onion and cook until tender. Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot. Simmer stirring occasionally 40 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender. When tender remove from heat and serve.

Garlic Beans

What doesn't go better with beans than garlic?

Red beans and garlic rice
2 cans red beans
1 ½ tsp. white pepper
½ tsp. paprika
4 Tbsp. Butter or Earth Balance Sticks
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp. salt
2 c. cooked rice (cook with 2 tsp. garlic)

Combine beans and their liquid in saucepan over medium heat. Add the pepper, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and butter. When the beans boil mash half in pan while stirring. Simmer another 20 minutes until smooth and creamy. Serve over rice.

Soup with Kale

I love kale, especially in soup. My grandpa used to have an awesome garden in his backyard, one of the things he grew was kale. We used to always eat it steamed with butter and italian salad dressing.

Another great thing about kale is that in soup it isn't as soft as spinach, it stays slightly firm.

1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 or 5 cups chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups chopped fresh kale
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large pot saute the onion, garlic and Italian seasoning in oil until onion is tender.
Stir in the broth, beans, sweet potatoes and kale. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper. Simmer 10-15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

German Lentil Soup, A Great Recipe, Twice

So this is another really simple recipe. I throw the lentils, broth, and seasonings in the pot. While that is cooking I chop the remaining vegetables and throw them in when the lentils are tender. It's that simple but the results are a very hearty, very thick, very flavorful soup that makes great "pockets" the next day. I'll explain that last part in a minute.

It can also be made using all dried ingredients for food storage purposes. If you use dried onion, potatoes, carrots, and celery you will need to add more water to the soups while it is cooking. Also don't wait until the end to put them in, they will need longer to cook so add them with the lentils. No need to rehydrate first.

This also makes a great gift idea. Just put the lentils in a cute cellophane bag with the seasonings (use powdered Worcestershire) and tie the top with cooking instructions and a mini bottle of Tabasco. You can add dehydrated vegetables to the mix or put what what needs to be added and when on the instruction card.


German Lentil Soup

2 c. dried brown lentils
7 c. vegetable stock (can use chicken too, I prefer vegetable though, it doesn't interfere with the flavors of the spices as much. If you use bouillon skip the salt, you wont need it)
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 - 1 tsp. salt, or to taste
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (Warning, contains small amount of anchovies, vegetarian versions are made though, just check yours if you don't eat fish)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 drops hot pepper sauce
1/2 - 1 tsp. caraway seed (I like more)
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped celery
3 c. potatoes, cut into 1 in cubes
1 can ham, crumbled, or 1 c. leftover ham chopped fine (optional)

Combine the lentils, chicken stock and the next 11 ingredients. Simmer 45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Do not let the soup boil dry, if it starts to add more liquid, either water or more stock. If you just simmer the pot you should be just fine. The only time it went dry on me was when it was at a full boil. When the lentils are soft enough to eat add the carrots, celery, and potatoes and continue to cook until tender. When the vegetables are done stir in crumbled ham. This goes great served with a dark crusty bread.

Or you can throw all the ingredients at once in the crock pot and cook on high for 4 - 6 hours

And now for the twice part. The next day I like to strain the liquid and use as a filling in stuffed bread. I throw a batch of dough in the bread maker and when its done pull off 2 in balls of dough. I roll them flat and top with a heaping tablespoon of lentils. Then wet the sides on half of the dough and pull the other side over the top to create a half circle. Press the sides with a fork to seal and place on a lightly floured bake sheet. I bake them at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the are golden brown and it looks like the bread is done.

And a helpful website...

... on how to cook the things if starting from scratch.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/driedbeantip.htm




And a couple great places to look for more recipes

http://vegetablewithmore.allrecipes.com/
http://www.justbeanrecipes.com/index.html

Also, this site is a vegetarian site so she features more than just beans, but I love her recipes and she has beautiful pictures to go along with them.

www.101cookbooks.com

Red Beans and Brown Rice

This is the recipe I always think of first when I think of bean recipes, so it is fitting that it should be my first post. It isn't just my favorite bean recipe though, it is one of my favorite dishes of all time, it's just that good. My mom used to make it when I was growing up, it has such a wonderful bacon flavor. That and that fact that it is a supper simple recipe makes it an instant staple.

I just discovered "My Legume Love Affair" being hosted at Briciole and will  be sharing this recipe with them and I couldn't be more excited.  

1 lb bacon (the original recipe called for 4 slices, I like more so I use more)
2 cans red beans
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 heaping tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. parsley, chopped ( I always end up using dried)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. Mortons Natures seasons
Dash Tabasco sauce
3 or 4 c. cooked brown rice

Cook bacon until nice and crispy and then remove from pan. Saute the onion in the bacon grease until nice and tender. Add the flour and cook until thickened. Combine the liquid from beans and enough water to make 2 cups, add that to the pan and whisk in. Cook until thick and bubbly. Add the beans and remaining ingredients and simmer 10 minutes. Top with reserved crumbled bacon and serve over brown rice.

Vegetarian changes: Skip the bacon, saute the onions in butter. Replace salt with JDs vegetarian bacon salt to taste. Continue with the rest of the recipe as shown above.

Getting Started

I really like beans. They are a great ingredient
(for many reasons)
that so few people actually use.

I use them a lot so I have a lot of recipes,
funny how that works.

I plan on using this blog to share recipes,
cooking tips, storage information, helpful web sites and
just general knowledge of this sadly overlooked item.