Slow Cooked Black Beans and Rice

My slow cooker quit on me over a year ago and I just never bothered to replace it. It was like the time our microwave gave out - it was convenient to have around but not necessary. Eventually I got used to it being gone but then we bought a new one and I was all excited about it.  Same thing here.

My husband decided to give me a new slow cooker for Christmas and I can't quite tell if it was out of his sensing I was beginning to miss having one around or if there may have been a bit of self-interest there. ;) Either way, we're both happy. And the first thing I made in it definitely made our youngest happy - slow cooked mac & cheese, more on that another day.

This black beans and rice dish is what I made for last night's dinner and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out! While we enjoyed this as a taco filling, it would also make an excellent side dish or filling for enchiladas.

2 - 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked

1 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup salsa

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 package crunchy taco shells

Suggested toppings:

cheddar, mozzarella, Pepper Jack cheeses

salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, jalapeño slices

1. Prep a medium size slow cooker with cooking spray or liner.

2. Add all ingredients and stir briefly, just to combine.

3. Cover, cook on low heat for 3 hours. 
Leave it alone - do not stir during this time or you will risk of ending up with mushy rice. 

4. When the cooking time is up, remove lid and then stir. Season to taste.

To serve:

Spoon bean and rice mixture into warm taco shells. Add favorite toppings and serve warm.

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Wild Rice and Garbanzo Bean Soup

It's been wonderfully dreary and rainy here lately.  Normally, this alone is enough to get me craving a hot bowl of soup but, add in the fact that I'm fighting a stubborn cold that just won't go away, and it's pretty much guaranteed there's going to be some sort of comfort food happening here and this was exactly what I needed.

Cooking this soup, I was tempted to add a little heavy cream, mostly out of habit, but after tasting it I realized it was completely unnecessary.  The turmeric really gives a nice Indian flavor and if you're inclined to add some some sort of carb to the meal, I would suggest a garlicky naan bread.

2c herbed wild rice blend, cooked

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP butter

1/4c yellow onion, chopped

1c carrots, diced

1 large stalk celery, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme

1/8 tsp. dried turmeric

1 bay leaf

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

6c vegetable broth

2 - 15oz. cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1.  In a medium size pot, heat olive oil and butter over Medium High heat.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery.  Cook and stir 4-5 minutes, until softened.

2.  Stir in the garlic, thyme, turmeric, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.  Cook and stir an additional 1-2 minutes.

3.  Add the vegetable broth and garbanzo beans.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to Low, cover, and allow to simmer 20-30 minutes.

4.  Remove cover and stir in the cooked rice.  Allow to simmer another 5-10 minutes, or until rice is heated through.  Serve warm.

Red Beans and Quinoa

Southern-style comfort food that just happens to also be high in protein, gluten-free and vegan!  Served alongside Beer Braised Collard Greens, here, and a slice of cornbread, you've got a hearty, delicious meal:

1 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP yellow onion, chopped

1/3c green pepper, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2c vegetable broth

1c quinoa, rinsed

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning, or to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

1.  Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over Medium heat.

2.  Add the onion, green pepper, and celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables have softened a bit.  Add the garlic and continue cooking another 1-2 minutes.

3.  Add the thyme, kidney beans, and vegetable broth.  Increase heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to Low, cover, and allow to simmer 10 minutes.

4.  Stir in the quinoa and season to taste.

Oven~Baked Refried Bean Dip

It's snack time!  Grab a bag of chips and dig in!

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2c plain yogurt

1 (16oz.) can refried beans

3 TBSP taco seasoning

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper sauce

2 TBSP green onions, chopped + a little extra for garnish

1c Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided

1.  Preheat oven to 350*

2.  In a medium size bowl, stir all ingredients together, reserving 1/2c cheese and the extra green onions.

3.  Add to prepared baking dish.  I used two smaller dishes but the recipe works just as well if you put it all in an 8x8.

4.  Top with the remaining cheese.

5.  Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.

BBQ Baked Beans

I have used this recipe for baked beans every summer for the last several years.  Okay, not this *exact* recipe; the previous one included meat.  We've now had this vegetarian version twice and, as always, it's delicious!

2 (15 oz.) cans baked beans

1/2c brown sugar, packed

1/4c yellow onion, chopped

1/2c ketchup

1 TBSP yellow mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

1.  Preheat oven to 350*

2.  In a medium bowl, stir all ingredients until well blended.  Pour into an 8x8 baking dish.

3.  Bake 1 hr, uncovered, until sauce is thickened.

               

Black-Eyed Pea and Cabbage Stew

The first day of 2014 and I'm bringing back this recipe from last New Year's.  So good, we're having it again for dinner tonight!

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It is well known and understood in this house that everyone is required to eat the black-eyed peas and cabbage served on New Year's Day.  In previous years, I have served the peas and cabbage as two separate side dishes and watched as both boys put just the very teensiest amount they thought would be acceptable on their plates.  

So, this year I tried a new approach by putting everything in one big pot and the resulting stew was delicious!

1 TBSP olive oil

3/4c onion, chopped

1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced

2c chicken broth (I used a vegan no-chicken broth)

3/4c brown rice

2 cans black-eyed peas with liquid

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles with liquid

2 cloves garlic, minced

1c cooked cabbage

1.  In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2.  Add the onion, green pepper, red pepper, and celery; cook and stir until tender.

3.  Add the broth, rice, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and garlic.

4.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer approximately 1 hour.  Add the cabbage during the last 15 minutes.

Served with cornbread.  Happy New Year!

Easy Bean and Cheese Taquitos

I like to serve these as an appetizer or side to a Mexican dinner, but really, I would be totally happy just eating them all by themselves!  Dip them in some salsa or guacamole....good stuff!

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can refried beans

2 tsp. cumin

1 TBSP chili powder

2 garlic cloves, minced

salsa

 shredded Cheddar Jack cheese

small flour tortillas

1.  In a medium saucepan, heat black beans,refried beans, cumin, chili powder, and garlic.

3.  Mash the bean mixture - potato masher or fork both work - until you like the texture. (I like to keep some of the chunkiness in there.)

4.  Grab a tortilla and spoon about 2 TBSP of the bean mixture onto it, along with about 1 tsp. salsa, and 1 TBSP cheese; roll it up and set aside on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Repeat until you're out of beans.  I got 16 taquitos with this recipe.

5.  Bake at 375* for about 20 minutes, or until warmed through and slightly crispy.

Bonus:  You can freeze the leftovers!