Category: FOOD!!!

Crock Pot Pinto Beans

Brad grew up eating pinto beans and rice. When we moved in together, he asked me to make some with him but he didn’t really remember how his mom made them. So, we called her, got the gist of how she made it and added our own twist. Each time we make it, it’s a little different from the time before. This is how I’m making them today:

Basic Ingredients to think about –

  • Pinto Beans
  • Cooking liquid (proportion of liquid to beans is 3 to 1)
  • Salt
  • Seasonings of you choice

Today, I used –

  • 4 Cups Pinto Beans
  • 8 Cups Water
  • 4 Cups Beer
  • Salt
  • Garlic Powder
  • Bay Leaf
  • Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
  • 1/2 Ring Dried Beef Sausage
  • 1/2 Yellow Onion

 

I started by putting the liquid and seasonings in my crock pot.
Put the liquid & seasonings in crock pot.

I then washed the pinto beans and made sure to pick out all the stuff that won’t cook well (including looking for pebbles).
Wash the pinto beans. Stuff that won't cook well. No pebbles today!

Cut up the dried beef sausage into small pieces.
Dried Beef Sausage Ring Cut into small pieces.

Cut 1/2 an onion into small pieces.
1/2 a yellow onion. Small pieces of onion going in the crock pot.

I put the crock pot on high and I’ll let it cook until it’s ready. I’ll stir is every couple of hours but I’ve read that every time you open the lid of your crock pot, it takes 20 minutes for it to regain the heat it lost so I have to remember to be patient. Hopefully, it’ll be done by dinner time.

Right before we eat, I’ll make some rice in my rice cooker. I’ll try to remember to take and post a pic of the final product.

Love you, mean it!
~C

What does that recipe need???

I realized the recipes I blog about don’t start with an ingredient list and if you’re trying the recipe for the first time, that can make it hard to get started. I apologize and plan to go back and add an ingredient list to the beginning of each recipe I’ve blogged about that doesn’t have one.

Pizza dough flatbread

I saw this easy recipe on The Today Show but since their website can be hard to search, I’m going to archive the recipe/method here. I’m going to certainly use the store-bought method at our next gathering. Maybe with the ranch spinach dip I just blogged about!

Flatbreads (if making from scratch)
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons yeast
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
2 teaspoons evoo (extra-virgin olive oil)
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 2/3 cups warm water

Store-bought
If store-bought, cut into small balls and let rest at room temperature. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough out as thinly as possible (almost see-through). Sprinkle with fennel seeds and roll a few times to “secure” them. Cut into strips or triangles or leave whole. Lay onto oiled sheet trays and drizzle with more oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes until lightly browned and crunchy. Cool and serve.

If making from scratch
In the bowl of a standing mixer combine flours with dough hook attachment. Add remaining ingredients and “knead” in the mixer for about 3 minutes. Remove hook. Cover and let rise by double — about 30 minutes. Separate into 4 or 5 balls and let rest 30 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough out as thinly as possible (almost see-through). Cut into strips or triangles or leave whole. Lay onto oiled sheet trays and drizzle with more oil. Bake 6-8 minutes until lightly browned and crunchy. Cool and serve.

EASY Chicken Noodle Soup

I have to admit that there’s not a whole lot of “cooking” to this recipe. It’s pretty much combining stuff. But when you’re not feeling good and want chicken noodle soup, or wanting an easy dish to make, this is certainly a great way to go.

32 oz box Low Sodium Chicken Broth
15 oz can Peas and Carrots
12 oz can Chunk Chicken
Salt & Pepper to taste
Egg noodles

Combine and heat broth, peas and carrots and chicken. Make egg noodles according to package separately. Put egg noodles in bowl and pour soup over.

* Note – don’t put all your egg noodles in the pot with the soup. They’ll absorb all the broth.

Ranch Spinach Dip

Just saw this on a commercial and I think I’m going to give it a try at our next gathering.

1 Packet of Hidden Valley Ranch
1 box of spinach (thawed)
16 oz sour cream

I’ve never been a big sour cream fan by itself but as the base of a dip, I’m good with it. They show it served in a bread bowl but I think I’ll serve it in a regular bowl with bread rounds, veggies and chips. I’ve also seen it with water chestnuts mixed in but I may pass on that. I’ll let you know how it goes or if I even try it.