Balsamic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms

1 lb. fresh green beans 
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450F.

Wash mushrooms. Cut mushrooms into slices 1/2 inch thick. Wash green beans.  Trim green bean ends.

Place both into a zliplock bag or a plastic bowl. Whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pour over, then squeeze bag or stir so all the beans and mushrooms are lightly coated with the mixture.

Arrange on in a single layer on a large cookie sheet. Roast 20-30 minutes.

Cook until beans are tender-crisp, mushrooms are cooked, and all liquid on the pan from mushrooms has evaporated.

Season beans to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper, then sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan. Serve.

Southwest Egg Rolls

2 cups cubed boneless skinless chicken  (or one large chicken breast - I had a little under 2 cups and it still worked well)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup of finely chopped red bell pepper (optional - I just wanted a little more color)
1 can (7 oz) green chilies
1/4 cup of finely chopped green onions
1 cup frozen corn
1 can (14.5-15 oz) black beans - drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cups cheese (I like it a little spicy so I used all pepper jack, but if you don't like it too spicy - I would use half pepper jack and half cheddar)
1 package egg roll wrappers - 20 wrappers


Toss the chicken with seasonings. Make sure they are coated with the mixture. If  it isn't - add a little more cumin and chili powder.  In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil or olive oil on medium. Add in the chicken and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the red pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through.  Stir in green chilies, green onion, corn and black beans.  Add the spinach.  Cook until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and add cheese..

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Using a spoon or scoop a heaping tablespoon of filling onto the wrapper. Follow the directions on the back of the egg roll package for folding. Position an egg roll wrapper out like a diamond with one tip pointing towards you. Scoop the filling near the center of the egg roll wrapper. Pick up a corner on your left pull it over the filling. Pick up the corner opposite and bring it over the filling.  Take a corner pointing down towards you and start rolling it up around the egg filling.  Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Place on baking sheet seam side down, not allowing egg rolls to touch.  If you are having problems with them staying shut - slightly wet the edges with your fingers as you roll them.

Brush the egg rolls with olive oil or coat with cooking spray so that they crisp up in the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy.

Serve with or without a dipping sauce.  I used 2 different dipping sauces - Guacamole mixed with some sour cream and salsa mixed with sour cream. About a 1 to 1 ratio.

Slow Cooker Meatball Soup

I didn't add any extra seasonings to this soup and it had amazing flavor. The tomatoes with the basil, garlic and oregano plus my homemade meatballs have Italian seasonings - those were giving it all the seasoning it needed. This was easy and quick to put together and tasted really good.

1 bag (16 oz) frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed or cooked homemade meatballs
2 cups beef broth
1 3/4 cup water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (19 oz) cannellini beans or great northern, drained
1 cup frozen carrots
1 cup frozen green beans
1 cup cooked pasta - made just before serving
Shredded Parmesan cheese - garnish

In 4 quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 7 hours. The carrots and green beans can become mushy in a slow cooker so add after 4 hours or 4 1/2 hours instead. Add pasta just before serving.

Garnish individual servings with Parmesan cheese.

Baked Beans

Baked Beans
2 cups of dried great northern or navy beans or a combination of them
2 1/2 cups water or chicken stock
1/2  yellow onion - finely chopped
6 strips of thick hickory-smoked bacon - chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup favorite bbq sauce
1/4 cup dark molasses, also known as robust (not blackstrap)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the beans in a large bowl and pick through them, discarding any broken beans or stones. Cover the beans with at least 3 inches of cold water. Allow to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain in a colander.

Place the beans, stock, bacon, and onion in a slow cooker.

Whisk the remaining measured ingredients. Pour into the slow cooker and stir until thoroughly combined. Cover and cook on either high or low heat until the beans are tender and the liquid thickens slightly (it will thicken more as it cools), about 6 to 8 hours on low. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Refried Beans

I am sorry I don't have a photo of these....because honestly I just can't seem to get a good photo of them. I mean it is refried beans...not always the most nice looking dish. But these taste really good. So much better than from a can.

Refried Beans
adapted from The Gourmet Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World - review on yesterday's post

1 white onion - quarterd
6 cloves of garlic
4 Serrano chilies - seeded and halved
1 tablespoon cumin (can use cumin seed and ground in coffee grinder)
2 cups dried pinto or black beans
4 cups water
2 cups beer
3 to 4 table spoons vegetable oil
salt to taste

Pre-heat the broiler.  Place the onion, garlic, and chilies on a baking sheet and broil, turning, for  5 to 7 minutes, until blackened and blistered. Remove from broiler and transfer to a cutting board, chop coarsely.

Rinse and sort through the beans.  Place in the slow cooker and add water and beer. Add the onion mixture and the cumin. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until beans are very tender.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the oil.  Spoon the beans into the pan, a bit at a time, and smash them with a potato masher.  Gradually add all the beans, then any remaining liquid. Cook until some of the liquid evaporates and the beans thicken.  The finished beans should have some texture to them.  IF you want a smoother texture, puree them in a food processor before adding to saute pan.  Stir in salt to taste and serve warm.

NOTES:
Dried Beans - I have to be honest I am hit and miss on dried beans not just for this, but for soups, baked beans or whatever recipe calls for dried beans. Sometimes they work and get to the soft buttery texture, but at times they don't.  I just read Lynne Alley's book 50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker and she explained in it that dried beans can become old. They can have trouble hydrating if they are too old.  I have had many batches of beans never hydrate and that is even with soaking them over night. I always felt I was doing something wrong. But now I do think it was they were older beans.  So make sure if you are going to make these, don't just use the beans that have been sitting on your shelf for so long you can't remember when you got them - buy some new beans and you will have better luck - I am positive.   Also this recipe says you don't need to soak the beans over night, but because I have always been hit and miss on beans - I have always soaked them.  But next time I will try to buy fresh beans and not soak them - to see how they turn out.

Serrano Chilies - please google how to handle peppers if you haven't ever done so before - before you cut into them.

 

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

1 - 32 ounce carton chicken stock or 4 cups homemade stocks
3 - 15 ounce cans of white beans
1 lb boneless chicken breast - chopped (no need to cook ahead of time)
1 - 7 ounce can of green chili
3 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
topping:  shredded cheese, tortilla chips or strips, sour cream, sliced jalapeno, green onion, chopped tomatoes

Place chicken in the bottom of the crock-pot and then add other ingredients on top.  Cook on high for 1 hour, then stir and turn down to low. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.  Serve with your favorite toppings.


NOTES:
Really only one note...I put the chicken in the bottom and place everything on top without stirring it for that hour on high so that the crock starts heating that chicken right away. It is just a little food safety tip with slow cookers.  Anytime putting raw meat in the crock - try to always put it towards the bottom 1/2 of the crock and then heat on high so that it brings it to a hot temperature instead of letting it get to room temp before the crock is fully hot.  If your meat is already browned or cooked, then heating putting on the bottom isn't always necessary.

Community Shared Agriculture - Week 3

It's been so wonderful so far and we are only in week 3.  The weather has been fantastic for growing all sorts of delicious greens, tomatoes, sweet onions, herbs, and berries.  We've had just enough rain in NJ that everything is growing nice and easy and early.  It's making for fantastic boxes for this year's CSA.  We were blessed with another jar of honey from the farm this week, along with more berries, asparagus, onions, tomatoes, red and yellow beets, lots of greens (bib, leaf, spinach, escarole, collards, and argugala), along with carrots, and a basil plant.

With all of last week's delicious produce, my family ate some wonderful healthy foods.  I will share some of those yummy recipes with you at the end of this post.  One of the things I enjoy about the CSA is all the helpful tips for saving produce for future use that the farmer shares with the members of the CSA.  This week is no exception.  This week I learned that one of the best ways, besides pickling, to put up beets for future eating is to scrub, steam, or roast the beets.  Peel them, and cut them into uniform pieces, and then freeze them.  I use my foodsaver to freeze my produce as it lasts longer in the freezer that way, but if you don't own a food saver appliance, just be sure to get out as much air from the freezer bag as possible prior to freezing.  Saving your beets this way allows them to be used in later recipes or salads without them going bad or to waste for not using them timely.  It also helps lock in the nutrients of these delicious vegetables.

I hope you are enjoying all of the produce of the current season.  Remember to eat local as often as possible to help lower your carbon footprint.  

Asparagus and Mushroom Salad

• 1 pound asparagus
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley and chives 1 cup arugula
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 small garlic clove, minced or pureed
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ounce slivered Parmesan

Steam the asparagus for three to five minutes, depending on how thick the stalks are. It should be tender but still have some bite. Rinse with cold water, and drain for a minute on a kitchen towel. Cut into 1-inch lengths. Place in a salad bowl, and toss with the mushrooms, herbs and arugula.
Whisk together the lemon juice, salt and pepper, garlic and olive oil. Toss with the asparagus mixture and the slivered Parmesan, and serve. 

Tuscan Bean and Wilted Arugula Salad (see side note)

• 3/4 cup dried white kidney beans
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 6 cups trimmed baby arugula 3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans. Place beans in a large saucepan. Cover with water to 3 inches above beans; add bay leaf. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender. Drain beans; discard bay leaf. Place beans in a large bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Let stand 5 minutes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil; toss gently to coat.

Heat 4 teaspoons of oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 45 seconds or just until garlic begins to gently brown. Remove from heat; stir in juice. Place arugula in a large bowl; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add warm bean mixture, garlic

mixture, and onion; toss gently to combine. 

**note**  my family did not enjoy this recipe.  My children were not fans of argula or the white beans.  I think that if you enjoy this type of green and beans you will definitely enjoy this recipe, but for us this is not a keeper.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Macerated Strawberries in Honey, Vanilla and Orange Liqueur

• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced 2- 3 T local honey
• 2 T. orange liqueur
• 1⁄2 t. vanilla extract

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, until a syrup forms. 

**note**  I served this one over freshly baked angel food cake, but it would be equally delicious over frozen ice cream or yogurt, or pound cake.  You also don't need to bake your own, store bought works equally wonderful with this.  You can also serve with some fresh whipped cream for added decadence.

Tacos a New Way

We really enjoy eating Mexican or Tex-Mex type food here. So I always keep my eye out for new ways to do something we normally eat - like tacos.  I found this recipe all over Pinterest but I used the recipe on Plain Chicken for Taco Cupcakes.

Taco Cups

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 packet taco seasoning 
2/3 cup water
1 can black beans, drained
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
36 wonton wrappers
your favorite taco toppings - salsa, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, etc
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375.

Brown the meat in a skillet and drain off fat. Return the meat to the skillet; add the taco seasoning, water and black beans.  Mix and simmer for 7-10 minutes, until water is absorbed.

Spray 18 regular muffin pan cups with cooking spray.  Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup.  Divide half of the taco meat between muffin cups.  Sprinkle half of the cheese over the cupcakes.  Repeat layers - wonton, taco meat and cheese.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and wontons are golden brown.  Top with your favorite taco toppings.

NOTES:
* I actually made 20 so I don't think I filled them all quite as full as maybe I should have but they all were still very full.

* I find that wontons wrappers can dry out quickly so I did 6 at a time. I put 6 muffin tins with the bottom layer of wontons, filled them meat mixture and then added the next wonton layer topping with the meat layer and cheese. Then moved on to the next 6 so that the wontons wouldn't dry out.  

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March Question Month: 30 Minute Meals

Jan asked, "I would like to know what is your go to dishes that you can make in 30 minutes for dinner? I have a full-time job, kids, serving Master and I just need some quick go to dinners."


I don't have kids but it seems lately I have so much is on my plate that those quick meals are my mainstay. I would say half of my go-to quick dinners are  prepped-ahead and half is just pulling from the pantry right in he moment.

Prep and Make Ahead

I have been trying to do some more make ahead meals so that I can take them from the freezer the night before so they are thaw and ready to pop in the oven for dinner.  No prep often allows me the luxury of 30 to 40 mins baking.  I usually do cooking for 2 to 3 meals on one day for the make-ahead type meals.  Or try to make a double batch of something so we can eat one and freeze the other.

When I come home from shopping, I also like to try to prep a little so that helps me save time in the long run. Such as if I get big family size package of hamburger - 3 to 5 lbs then I brown some of it right away to use in a casserole or tacos (I often brown burger in the microwave), or bake meatballs, or make hamburger patties. Freeze them so I can pull it out and use without much prep.  Sometimes even defrosting in the microwave to use in minutes.  Boneless skinless chicken breasts are another thing I prep at times - I put what I would need for a meal in ziplock and cover it with a marinade and then freeze. I take them out the night before I plan on using and let them marinade while defrosting. I also bake or grill up a few, chop and add to a labeled ziplock so I can use for chicken tacos , on baked potatoes, in soup, or added to a pasta.

I am going to also share that I have a cheat that makes no matter what I make - look like a real meal.  I can serve a salad or soup from a can but because I often make homemade bread with it - it looks like a nicer meal even though it was quick and easy. I use Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  It is making up a big batch of dough and then using just some of the dough to make a loaf of bread.  It does usually take more then 5 minutes as it doesn't add in the rise time. But it still is fairly quick with little work.

I also use my crockpot a lot so that things can be added in the morning and done for dinner.  I know a lot of time crockpot produces a liquid but I always make sure I add some to begin with too - just so it won't be dry by the end of the day.

Quick and Easy Dinner on the spot

When I need a meal that is going to be quick and easy, I use the microwave and grill.

Such as I want roasted potatoes but normally that would take 40 minutes to an hour to roast in the oven. I chop the potatoes and place in a bowl with some water and microwave so that I am boiling them. I then drain the water, toss with some olive oil and seasonings to add to the oven.

Or I boil sliced potatoes in the microwave to use in a frittata. I do layers of potatoes, veggies and sometimes bacon or ham. I mix up some eggs and pour it over top and bake it.

I microwave baked potatoes too - to help speed up baking time.  I wash them, pierce several times with a fork, wrap in a paper towel and  microwave for 4 to 7 minutes - depending on size of potatoes. After I have microwaved then I bake them for just a bit. I coat them with some olive oil and sea salt, wrap in tinfoil and bake for 15 to 20 mins in the oven.

I steam most veggies in the microwave.  I use frozen veggies often - easy to keep in the freezer and use for meals.

My easiest meals:
* Grilled chicken breasts, baked potatoes, steamed veggies.  Frozen chicken breasts can be thawed in the microwave in minutes.  While thawing those, I prep my potatoes.  After they are thawed, I might marinade for 10 mins while my potatoes or in the microwave. I get the grill warming up.  Then after the potatoes are in the oven, I put the chicken breasts on the grill and add veggies to steam in the microwave.

* Really meat, potato and veggie is my go to easiest meal - I grill burgers, steak,  porkchops or chicken breasts and add a potato and veggies and we have a meal.

* Burritos, nachos or tacos - I either use some ground beef or turkey already browned and ready to go in the freezer or I brown some in a pan or in the microwave.  I drain the meat after browned and then add a can of tomatoes with chili (such as Rotel), heat a can of refried beans up, get cheese and sour cream out and any other fixings .

* Pasta -

• Spaghetti and Meatballs - I usually bake up meatballs ahead of time so I can pull from the freezer to use.  But even making meatballs and baking them in the moment doesn't take too long.  Boil pasta, add meatballs and toss it all with sauce - heat through. If you want some veggies do a side of steamed veggies or add a side salad. 
• Pasta, chicken and pesto - Chicken even if it is not cooked ahead - grill it, chop it up and mix with cooked pasta and then toss it all with pesto. Heat it all through in minutes on the stovetop.   Add in some steamed veggies in with it or as a side.  
• Pasta, white beans, seasoned diced tomatoes - Cook the pasta, drain and then tossed with a can of white beans that are drained and rinsed, a can of seasoned diced tomatoes (such as the Italian or basil and garlic) - heat through and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. It has good flavor and is quick. Add in some steamed veggies in with it or as a side.  
• Italian sausages, pasta and sauce  - I microwave Italian sausage to get them cooked through and then toss on the grill for a few minutes or pan fry so the outside browned,  keep whole or slice them and toss with some pasta and sauce or just a can of diced tomatoes. Add in some steamed veggies in with it or as a side.  

* Salads - making a big thing of salad up and using it for lunches and as a side dish for dinner but I also do them for dinner as the main entree. I add some grilled chicken to salad and serve with some bread - it is dinner.

* Variations of Grilled Cheese - I do grilled cheese with sloppy joe mixture, taco mixture, sliced turkey breast from the deli, apples or pears,  or sauteed veggies - adding in any cheese I have on hand - basically taking what I have available in my fridge and making it into a grilled cheese.  On the same note - sloppy joes or taco joes - ground meat on a burger with any topping you desire.

* Breakfast for dinner - eggs, sausage and toast, scrambled eggs with veggies and/or ham, or pancakes and sausage. I add some fruit and that is dinner. We like breakfast for dinner.

*  I do a variation of Martha Stewart's Cheesy Hash Brown Bake. Instead of making chili - I just take 2 cans of chili beans. Those are the kind of beans that have chili sauce in them so they are seasoned and ready to add to chili.  I add browned ground beef to it and mix up so incorporated well pour into a 9 x 13 pan. I don't do the individual pans. I sprinkle cheese on top of the chili mixture and then add the hash browns. I have used frozen hash browns before and they just don't brown up as well but still are cooked and taste good with the chili that is cheesy and bubbling underneath.

* Sloppy Joe Skillet -  Empty contents of one box of cornbread stuffing in a bowl and add 1 2/3 cups hot water. Mix until just moistened and set aside. Brown 1 lb. ground beef, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups veggies (such as chopped mixed bell peppers, sliced mushroom and chopped onions)  and when they are getting soft and the onions translucent.  Add a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce, a small can of tomato paste, 3/4 cup water, 1 can of  diced tomatoes (don't drain add the liquid in the skillet too) - simmer for about 5 mins until mixture is well incorporated and thick. Then add the stuffing on the top of the mixture and simmer for 3 more minutes covered.  Serve.  I serve with a side salad or steamed broccoli or cauliflower.  This a variation of Kraft's Sloppy Joe Skillet.

I am stopping there but those are on my list of go-to quick dinners. I need them when are so busy with work and I also a chronic illness that makes it at times impossible for me to think about what am I going to make for dinner so going to this list of things - is the best option for me.

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

I know Jen just posted a soup recipe with ham but this one was too good, and too easy, not to post as well.

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

A meaty ham bone or ham hock or about 2 cups diced ham (the ham bone really adds flavor though!)
16oz northern beans
½ large onion diced
2 to 3 stalks celery, sliced
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Bay leaves
½ tsp thyme

Soak the beans overnight in cold water. In the morning, rinse and place in the bottom of a crock pot. Place the ham bone on top of beans. Dump in the rest of ingredients and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (depending on your cooker's cooking time. It could take up to 8 to 10, but mine was done in 6) until the beans are tender. Can be thickened with a little cornstarch and water, if you like a more stew-like consistency.

Plugging this into Calorie Counter's recipe analysis, and roughly calculating that my slow cooker made about 12 cups and a serving size was about 2 cups of soup (as the main course of a meal, 2 cups sounded about right?), it gave me these nutrition facts:


Calories: 130
Total Fat: 3.7g
Saturated Fat: 1.1g
Trans Fat: 0.0g
Cholesterol:20mg
Sodium: 621mg
Total Carbohydrates: 15.4g
Dietary Fiber: 2.9g
Protein: 9.4g

Meatball Soup

"Beautiful soup, so rich and green.

Waiting in a hot tureen!

Who for such dainties would not stoop?

Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!"

~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

We had this soup a couple weeks ago. And from the first bite Master was raving how good it tasted. And I didn't add any extra seasonings. The tomatoes with the basil, garlic and oregano plus my homemade meatballs have Italian seasonings in it were the only seasoning for the soup. And they both created the most flavorful soup.


1 bag (16 oz) frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed or homemade meatballs
2 cups beef broth
1 3/4 cup water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (19 oz) cannellini beans, drained
1 cup frozen carrots
1 cup frozen green beans
1 cup cooked pasta - before serving
Shredded Parmesan cheese - garnish

In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 7 hours. The carrots and green beans can become mushy in a slow cooker so add after 4 hours or 4 1/2 hours instead. Add pasta just before serving.

Garnish individual servings with Parmesan cheese.

Pinto Beans, Chicken Legs, and Strawberry Soup

Growing up we had Pinto Beans quite a bit. I hated them back then, but once I got older and moved away from home I found myself craving them upon occasion - not to mention wishing I knew how to make a cheap, easy, versatile dish. My dad gave me his recipe and told me it was "No fail"...of course I managed to somehow find the loophole in that. I'm a decent cook but for whatever reason simple Pinto Beans escaped me. Finally after trial and error (and browsing through many an online recipe) I succeeded! The dish was so delicious I decided to share it with you all in my first post around here...Hope you enjoy!

I served mine with Chicken legs, cornbread (Jiffy!) & A Strawberry dessert - but obviously you can do whatever your heart desires with yours...(Recipes are after the pictures)

Start out with a package of beans - mine was a little over 4 cups...a colander (for straining & searching for stowaway rocks)...Salt, Pepper, and Bacon or Salt Pork (the bacon/salt pork part is optional - but I would certainly recommend opting in!)



Straining & Rock Searching...



Beans in the pot with chopped up bacon...covered about 2 inches with water



This is about 45 minutes to an hour in - it's also the stage where I always start to panic..."The juice is not going to thicken...IT'S NOT GOING TO THICKEN!(@*@)(! OMG *FLAIL*"



But the little guys soldier on and lo and behold about an hour after that? Perfection.



Chicken Ingredients...I used legs because that's what we had, but any type of chicken (or pork) will do.



I cover my pan in foil because it's just so much easier to clean that way...Lay the onions on the bottom...



Mix up the sauce (Again, Recipe is at the end) and dunk the chicken pieces. Swim little legs! Swim!



Fit them in the pan like little puzzle pieces...& Stick 'em in the oven



After a nice, warm vacation they'll look like this. Slightly browned - crispy skin...unless you remove the skin, in which case just...slightly browned.



Strawberry Dessert time. Cast of Characters. Obviously you can use Sugar instead of Splenda...



Rinse the Strawberries - as an aside if you keep one side of the sink filled with warm soapy water while you're cooking you can just toss everything you use in there one by one - keeps your kitchen cleaner & makes loading the dishwasher (or washing by hand) a breeze.



Lop off their little green heads and throw into a food processor (or mixing bowl, or blender)



Add the sweetener and give it a whirl...



Once it's sweetened to taste - or almost to taste, add the cool whip (The cool whip adds more sugar, so it's better to under-sweeten with the sugar and then add more at the end if need be)



I have a real sweet tooth, so after blending it all together I added more of both...I just love that color pink! Once you have it tasting like you want it, just pour it into dessert cups and stick it in the fridge or freezer until after dinner.



...and the complete meal. I forgot to get a shot of dessert - so just use your imagination there (and if you can, imagine it really, really pretty because that'll make me feel less like a loser for forgetting the picture.)



Click here for Chicken Hurry Recipe

The bean recipe is really too simple for words...

Ingredients:

Bag of Beans
Bacon - a few slices will do, it's really up to how much or how little you like - you can also use Salt Pork
Salt & pepper

Directions:

Rinse beans in a colander, and sort of pick through them to make sure no rocks or anything are mixed in. I don't know that I 100% believe the whole rock thing, I've never found anything in my bags but beans...of course now that I admit that, I'll have rocky pintos from here on out...

Some people like to fry the bacon in the pan before adding the beans, I just chop it up and toss it all in there together. Raw. Uncooked. I figure cooking it all together will let the flavors mingle and learn to really like each other. Bond, ya know?

Cover with water...actually, over cover with water - by about 2 inches or so. Keep checking the water level for the duration of cooking - at times you may need to add more....do not let your beans dry out!

Here's where my Type A personality kicks in...I set a timer and check my beans every 15 minutes, give them a little stir, & check the water level - generally it takes anywhere from an hour and 45 minutes to 2 full hours to really thicken up and become perfect. I ♥ perfect.

At this point you add Salt & Pepper until your heart's content. If you over salt (this dish - or any dish, really) Toss in a raw potato and cook a little longer...the potato absorbs the excess salt. At least that's the theory...

I served these beans with chicken and cornbread...the next day I made nachos...the day after that I threw in some cooked ground beef and a jar of salsa & served with shredded cheese and Sour Cream. Versatility...another thing I ♥.

**************

The Strawberry dessert is really simple too. I use my food processor, but I imagine you could smash them up or use a blender/mixer.

Just take a box of fresh strawberries (more if you're serving a crew), Rinse & cut off the green part...toss them with some sugar (or Splenda!)...the sugar part is totally a matter of personal taste, but keep in mind you'll also be adding Cool Whip, which is sweetened as well. Blend the strawberries and sugar, then mix in some cool whip. Easy Peasy. This can be plated in Parfait cups or pudding bowls for dessert - or served before the meal as Strawberry Soup. Delicious!

Italian Stew - EASY!

It is getting cold and fall is here so soups and stews sound so warm and delicious. Sometimes I just want something easy not a lot of chopping and prep time and this recipe is just the answer. It has great flavor.

Browned and crumbled 2 Mild Italian Sausages (if you want it more meaty add more sausage but there is so many good things in this I didn't need more then 2 sausages)
1 can (14-15 oz)chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) white beans - drained and rinsed
1 can (14-15 oz)diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 package of stir fry peppers and onions
1/2 package of frozen green beans
basil to taste
1 cup cooked elbow noodles

I threw everything except the elbow noodles into the crock and cooked on low for 6 hours. The last 5 minutes I added the cooked elbow noodles and then served in bowls with some grated Parmesan cheese on top.

This could easily be done on the stovetop too but I love my crockpot.

White Beans with Pancetta and Sage

White Beans with Pancetta and Sage
1/2 pound large dried white beans -- corona beans (have used lima beans too...whatever larger white bean I can find)
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup all-purpose flour - for dredging
salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 pound thinly sliced pancetta (when I have not been able to find it as I live in a smaller town I by just regular bacon or some prosciutto)
4 sage leaves - chopped

Prepare beans - put the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak the beans overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain the soaked beans, place them in a large pot and cover with fresh cold water. Put the beans over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Toss in the bay leaves and garlic (I also added some of the sage this time and it really added a good flavor to the beans and extra pop of flavor). Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until tender. Drain the cooked beans and spread them out on a sheet pan to cool slightly and dry off a little.

Put about 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow platter and season it with salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Toss the beans in the seasoned flour to coat completely.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the pancetta, fry for a couple of minutes to crisp it up. Toss in the sage leaves and fry for about 1 minute. Remove the pancetta and sage to some paper towels; now you have a flavor base. Shake off excess flour from the beans and put them in the pan in a single layer. Fry the beans for a good 10 minutes to form a golden crust on the outside of the beans, tossing to cook both sides.

Return the pancetta and fried sage to the pan, stir everything together, and serve.