Baked Beans

Our poor abandoned blog needs some new recipes!! So here's just one. I hope to add more, because it's not like I haven't been cooking! I've just been to busy to mention it here!

I made this recipe for one of the family Easter lunches. Everyone who likes Baked Beans really liked this recipe and told me to make sure I save it! So here I am.

I used the recipe that I found here. Except for a couple changes noted below.

• 4 slices bacon
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 (28 ounce) cans baked beans
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1/2 cup chopped cooked ham
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place bacon and onions in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine beans, molasses, mustard, salt, tomatoes, brown sugar, dry mustard, ham, onions and crumbed bacon. Mix well and transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 1 hour more.

Ok, my friends. Confession time. I totally skipped cooking the bacon and onion on the stovetop and substituted onion powder and pre-packaged crumbled bacon. I know, I know. BUT have one who lives in my home who (I don't use this word lightly) hates the smell that lingers in the house for the next 2 days. SO, I made the adjustment for him and like I said above, everyone still loved it. Oh, and I also cooked the whole mixture on the stovetop for 1 hour and did the second hour in the oven.

And I'm adding a new category: summer food!! Let's make it a yummy season!

Healthy Quesadillas

We were ALL a bit skeptical about this recipe, but we all ending up liking it. Husband and I REALLY liked it. If you like beans or can at least tolerate beans you'll probably like it too.

1 c. frozen corn
1 c. grated zucchini
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (I used less and it was fine.)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1-2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
flour tortillas (if you want to be really healthy, use whole-wheat tortillas)

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the cheese and tortillas. Place bean mixture in a large skillet and fry until hot. In the meantime, heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan. On half of the tortilla add a few large scoops of the corn/bean mixture and a little cheese. Fold tortilla over, then flip sides. You can top them with salsa and sour cream, but they are good without too.

The original recipe is here.

This soup is super easy and YUMMY! We have made it three or four times since I found the recipe last month! We like to put parmesan cheese on it!

PASTA E FAGIOLI

1 lb ground beef
1 cup diced onion
1 cup julienned carrot
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 ounce) can v-8 vegetable juice
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 lb ditali pasta

Directions
1Brown beef in a large stock pot over medium heat-drain off fat.
2Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and saute for 10 minutes.
3Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
4After 50 minutes boil pasta to al dente.
5Drain well.
6Add pasta to the large pot of soup and simmer for 10 minutes.

(I use 3 cans of V-8 low sodium rather then the regular v8 and the tomato soup)

Original recipe found here!

Crockpot White Chili

This is cooking in my crock pot for dinner. I doubled it to freeze some-it smells delicious!

Crockpot White Chili

-16 oz bag of frozen white corn
--2 cans of White Beans
--1 4 oz can of green chilies
--1/2 chopped white onion
--2 minced cloves garlic
--1 cup vegetable broth
--juice from one lemon
--1 1/2 t cumin
--1/2 t Italian seasoning
--salt and pepper to taste
--mozzarella cheese (optional)

Put everything in crockpot except cheese!