Beans-- Just for you Becky

Besides Chili, my favorite recipe with beans is Cowboy Caviar
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1/2 can corn
1/2 jalapeno pepper
A couple green onions
2 or 3 tomatoes
1 ripe avocado
Juice from one lime
Cumin to taste
Eat it with tortilla chips

I love white Chili too

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/simple-hearty-white-chili/


My mom loves Mango-quinoa salad

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/05/mango-quinoa-salad/


We always put beans in our quesadillas or fajitas

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/10/cowboy-quesadillas/


And just incase you need some more ideas

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/?s=beans&submit=

White Bean Salad

2 1/2 cups cooked white beans (drained and rinsed if using canned)*
3 large stalks celery, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 small green or red pepper, diced
1/2 cup black olives, drained
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pinch paprika

Combine beans, celery, onion, bell pepper, olives and tomatoes in a large bowl and mix well. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over bean mixture. Toss well, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours to allow flavors to mix. Salt and pepper to taste.

This makes a big salad, so you might want to cut it in half. Otherwise, you'd better really like it, because you'll be eating it for a week.

White Bean Chili with Salsa Verde

Ingredients
-Salsa Verde-

¾ pound ground raw turkey (may use pork or chicken)
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups water
1 15-ounce can great northern or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)

5 or 6 fresh tomatillos (6 to 8 ounces), husks removed, and finely chopped, or one 13-ounce can tomatillos, drained, rinsed, and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 serrano or jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel
1 Tablespoon lime juice (to taste)
½ teaspoon sugar

1. For Salsa Verde, in a medium mixing bowl, stir together tomatillos, onion, serrano or jalapeno peppers, cilantro or parsley, lime peel, and sugar. Cover and chill up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month; thaw before using.

2. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook ground turkey, onion, and garlic until turkey is no longer pink and onion is tender. Drain fat from pan if necessary.

3. Stir in the 3 cups water, beans, undrained chili peppers, chicken bouillon granules, cumin, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

4. In a small bowl stir together the 1/4 cup water and the flour. Add flour mixture to the chili mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Top each serving with some of the shredded cheese and the Salsa Verde.

White Beans

I'm back with more things to do with the beans you make yourself! First of all, a super easy, no fail, anyone can do it recipe for making white beans.
White Beans (or Canelli, or Navy, or White Kidney)
1 lb dry white beans (any variety)
6 cups water
3 chicken bullion cubes
1 tsp. garlic salt

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours. You might need to check them after around 3 hours and add a little more water (1/2-1 cup) if they seem a little dry. Voila! You're done!

Super Healthy Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup
8 oz. Ham or Canadian Bacon
2 14oz. Cans Chicken Broth
1 Large Clove Garlic, chopped
2 Medium Carrots, grated
1 Large Onion, chopped
2 Medium Stalks Celery, chopped
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
30 oz. Black Beans (a little less than 4 cups)

Cut up the ham, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the onion is tender (about 5 minutes). Stir in broth, carrot, celery and spices. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, divide the beans into equal parts. Mash half with a fork or potato masher. Add mashed and whole beans to the broth and heat through. Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, tomatoes, cilantro and cheese.

Black Beans

Do you want to feel like a rock star? Who doesn't??? I've recently started making my own beans, using the dry ones that you buy in the big can at the cannery. It's so easy and makes me feel like such a Susie Homemaker. Here's the recipe I use for black beans. We put them in soup, salsa, Cafe Rio copy salads, or serve them as a side dish.

Black Beans
1 cup dry black beans
3 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons diced green chilis
1/4 cup diced white onion
1/4 cup picante sauce
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon each garlic, chili powder and salt
1 chicken bullion cube
1/2 tsp pepper

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for around 5 hours. Check it occasionally because sometimes it needs more water. I usually double the batch and freeze half of it.

Easy BBQ Beans

2 Large Cans Bush's Baked Beans
10 Strips precooked and cut up
2/3 Bottle BBQ Sauce (Hickory or brown sugar are best)
1C. Brown Sugar

Drain liquid from beans and remove bacon chunks.  Combine ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low at least 3 hours...the longer the better!

Lime Soup with Tortilla Strips and Chicken

I got this reicpe off of Studio 5. We had it tonight and I really liked it.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbl olive oil
• 1 6-inch corn tortillas cut into strips
• 6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 2 Tbl minced fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbl minced fresh oregano
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1-2 Tbl fresh lime juice
• 1 skinless boneless chicken breast half, thinly sliced crosswise
• ½ cup chopped seeded tomato
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped white onion
• 6 limes

Method:

1. Heat 1 cup oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add tortilla strips; fry until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels; drain.
2. Mix broth and next 4 ingredients in large saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Add lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbl oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add tomato, bell pepper and onion. Saute until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
4. Place 1 lime slice in each of 6 bowls. Ladle soup over. Mound tortilla strips and chicken mixture in center of each.


[ To make Recipe a little healthier ]

Note from Laura: I do not fry my corn tortillas. I let everyone rip there own fresh tortilla into their bowl - I love the flavor! I also like to add 1 (14-ounce) can drained and rinsed black beans to soup; and I leave out the tomatoes. Plus I reverse the order of instructions. I start with sautéing the chicken, peppers (I use red or green) and onion, and then I add the broth and seasonings right into the same pot. Then I ladle all of the ingredients into the each bowl and serve with the lime slice and tortillas on the side. Delicious!

I also added carrot and celery slices to the soup.

Chicken Salsa Soup

This recipe falls under crockpot(as requested)and healthy. This is seriously the easiest recipe and I just throw my chicken in frozen.

4 c. salsa
1 c. low sodium chicken broth
2 cans black beans
2 cans corn
2-3 chicken breasts

Toss in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken before you serve.

"Refried" Beans

Don't let the name scare you, nothing about this recipe is fried. I love this recipe because it is cheap, easy, delicious, healthy, and they are a GREAT recipe to use with food storage. Plus my kid won't eat anything with protein except beans, so it's a new family favorite. Yummy alone, or in anything where you'd normally crack a can of refried beans. Enjoy!

Pinto beans

garlic salt

chili powder

cheese ( I like to use sharp cheddar)

Soak beans in water overnight. In the morning, drain the water and season with garlic salt and chili powder -- use plenty of seasoning. Then place in crockpot with fresh water (about 2-3 inches above the bean line). Cook in crockpot on low for 10 hours. If there is tons of excess water, drain some after cooking but you will need a bit of water still in there. Add cheese to taste and mash with a fork until desired consistancy.

Black Bean Salsa

This is a great summer food. I get requested to bring it to almost every family function. It makes a lot so it is great for big groups.

2 cans of black beans
2 cans of black eyed peas
2 cans of corn
(drain them all)
6 roma tomatoes diced
1 bunch of green onion chopped (use as much as you want to)
1 bunch of cilantro chopped (use as much as you want to)
the juice of 3 limes
Good Seasons Italian dressing mix, make as directed on package. It calls for oil and vinegar.
Mix it all together and serve with tortilla chips. I use the Kirkland brand from Costco. The ratio works out almost perfect. It is best if you make it the day before and let all the flavors blend for a day.