No Can of Beans

I really wrestled over this one. (and yes, this is a post about those good ole' beans you see there) But that's just the thing... this is anything but your traditional pot o' beans - even though all signs seem to point to a... uh... pot full of beans.

It was really my fault, though. I proudly announced to Chris that I was going to be testing out a new slow-cooker baked bean recipe. And as it happens, in this house, once you make such a pronouncement as "baked beans", you are expected to deliver.

So along I went gathering the incredibly inexpensive ingredients (including my continued obsession, dried beans, this time of the pinto variety) and suddenly I realized that what I had so confidently claimed were going to be baked beans... were surely going to be beans that were baked, but not of the type a certain person in our house was expecting.

Alas, I was convinced these beans were going to be good... different from that ubiquitous can of Bush's baked beans but possibly even more flavorful, just not in the same syrupy sweet way that our dear friend Bush's sometimes is. (and I mean absolutely no harm by that, I love a doctored up can of beans as much as the next)

And thus... after an overnight soak and a day's worth of slow cooking (all the while I barely lifted a finger)... the diced chilies adding their subtle heat, the gently sauteed onions and garlic imparting their savory flavors, and the beer adding just a bit of tang and earthiness... the verdict?

These were no can of sticky-sweet beans that you'd find on any grocery-store shelf. In fact, in both consistency and flavor, they most closely resemble the bean soup that many of our favorite Mexican restaurants serve. But as long as your expectation isn't the beans of "franks and beans", you'll be pleasantly surprised with these, the savory cousin to your favorite baked beans.

Drunken Beans (from The $7 a Meal Slow Cooker Cookbook)
serves 8

1 lb dried pinto beans
3 strips bacon
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. bottle of beer
6 c water
4 oz. can diced green chiles
2 c chunky salsa
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 c chopped cilantro (optional)

Sort through beans and rinse thoroughly. Cover with water and let soak overnight.

When ready to cook, fry bacon in a skillet until crisp; drain on paper towel, crumble, and refrigerate. Cook onions and garlic in bacon drippings until crisp-tender. Drain beans and add to your slow cooker along with the onion mixture, beer, and water. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours until beans are tender.

Stir beans and add crumbled bacon, chiles, salsa, salt and pepper. Cover and cook 1-2 hours longer until beans are very tender.

What? You haven't tried cooking dried beans in your slow cooker? What are you waiting for? Just don't add any ingredients high in salt or acid until your beans have softened.

On the Right Foot

As scary and inconceivable what I'm about to proclaim is, you must believe it because the fact of the matter is that it is indeed possible to be more of a 'black-and-white' person than I am today (which is a feat in and of itself)... just ask the Kara of years-past.

And well... with that proclamation under my belt, and here we are in the midst of the season of resolutions, you'd naturally think I was either going full-steam ahead with a very solid and thought-out itemized and bulletized list or heading in the direction of what seems to be a bit of a trend these days and blowing off the idea of resolutions altogether.

If you're even remotely still with me (yawn - hey, at least scroll to the bottom of my rambling for the recipe so you don't miss the good stuff), I'm about to blow your mind (this is big stuff, folks, really... important, mind-boggling stuff) because I'm here for one purpose today and that's to tell you about my Anti-all-or-nothing, just-the-basics plan, for 2010 for this here, Kara.

It goes something like this... one of my fun blog friends came up with the wonderful idea to gather interested people in her online community and rally together to just get healthy in 2010. There were no prescriptive instructions (which of course freaked this by the rules... there are rules, right? girl out!) except that we'd all commit to trying it for the first 10 weeks (and I suspect a lot of it will be habit by the end of that time period) - so off we went about setting our own goals and figuring out how to hold ourselves and each other accountable.

And wouldn't you know? I think I kinda like this. I started with an initial (albeit draft) list of goals and tweaked them even in these first two weeks already - and it didn't bother me one bit! But in the name of being held accountable (or at least being shamed into trying really hard) - I wanted to let you in on what I'm attempting to follow and changes I'm trying to make, both little and big (okay, mostly little). Your job here is to let me know other ways you go about your daily life making healthy decisions and share them here with the rest of us!

• get to sleep at 10pm (or earlier) one night a week (status: ah-hem, as they say... first is the worst)
• cut out alcohol consumption completely Sunday through Thursday evenings (status: so far so good!)
• only conscious eating, i.e. no snacking while reading the mail, etc. (status: pretty good)
• drink more water (status: this isn't really that fair because I already drink a fair amount but I'd like to drink more)
• go dessert-less 1-2 nights a week (status: good, but I need to be careful not to eat the dessert I know I won't have that night during the middle of the day)
• expand my repertoire of healthy recipes by cooking at least 3 new healthful recipes a month (status: great, thanks to Cooking Light!)
  

And less specifically food-related but still healthy (in my mind at least):

• write two cards to friends and family a month, for any (or no!) reason at all (status: Christmas cards and subsequent thank you notes have consumed my life for the past month but I'm ready to get started!)
  
• stress myself out (especially over little things) less (status: as you might think, if you know me at all, figuring out how to stress myself out less is kind of stressing me out more... so still much work on this to be done)
  

A week and a half in and this challenge has proved to be just that, a challenge. Some of my goals, as miniscule as they seem, are quite lofty for me - but I've decided that they are all worth pursuing, even if I fall short in the end.

One of the easiest and most fun parts of this has been finding new healthy recipes for us to try out. This Turkish Carrots and Lentils caught my eye since I am full on obsessed with cooking with dried beans these days. Between this and the Black Bean Salsa Chili (that we made with slow-cooked dried black beans), we've been happy eating healthy and hearty meals (with left-overs to boot... the best of both worlds - good-for-you and easy on the wallet!).

No Pictures, Please

 Recipe: Whatever-You've-Got-Quesadillas

If for nothing else, this post is dedicated to the fact that I truly do take pictures of (almost) everything that comes out of our kitchen... and that I know it's annoying (sorry?). Though most meals (thrown together using whatever is in the fridge) are immediately deemed too insignificant for the blog, with our strictly formal atmosphere and all. Thus, the sometimes fluorescent-lit - tsk, tsk, I realize, but folks, we eat dinner at night and as such, when there is little to no daylight - photos become just more - and more - practice shots (which I suppose, I'm the better for, though my work might indicate otherwise).

It must be noted, while we're here, that spouses of those of us who do play paparazzi with their dinners should be awarded medals. What else can you say for someone who sits patiently as I photograph each (mundane) step of (any-ole) dinner and then snap even more pictures as the meal sits (getting cold), all the while, certainly anticipating that first bite.

As if that weren't yawn-inducing-enough, what I've got for you today is one of those previously mentioned, thrown-together, weeknight meals. Quesadillas are certainly not a Kara-original. But they are a delicious meal that might just be perfect for a multitude of reasons. None of the least of which because it's Mexican - and as long as I'm eating Mexican, the world is right. And it's ideal for weeknight meals to boot - just grab any protein, vegetables and cheese you've got, along with some tortillas and heat, and dinner's on the table (or at least ready to be photographed).

Whatever-You've-Got Quesadillas
serves 1-2 for dinner, 3-4 for snack/appetizer (can be scaled for your group)

1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c diced bell peppers
1/2 c frozen corn
1/2 c black beans (we cook dried black beans in large quantities using this method and then freeze them in small portions)
1 c chopped, grilled chicken (ours had previously been frozen)
2 TBSP cilantro, roughly torn
1 c shredded cheese of our choice (we used cheddar and Monterey Jack)
2 whole-wheat tortillas

Spray a 10-inch frying pan with cooking spray and cook onions over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add peppers, corn and beans (drained) and cook until heated throughout. Add in chopped chicken, just to warm. Remove all ingredients from pan, leaving the pan heated.

Place one tortilla in your re-sprayed pan and pile half of your chicken and bean ingredients on one side of the tortilla. Cover with 1/2 of your cheese and fold the tortilla in half. Heat the tortilla through, until the cheese has melted and then remove from heat and (take pictures and then) serve!

But if I've bored you... worry not, on the other side of this (i.e. as soon as I'm ready to write another recipe post) is some to-die-for (and absolutely worth every photograph) homemade Key Lime Pie Ice Cream, complete with pieces of homemade graham cracker crust throughout (and perhaps a teaser of some Key Lime Pie Sorbet).

Late to the Party

Recipe: Wheat Berry Salad with Chickpeas, Craisins, Feta and Mint

There are two things you can count on around here... that I'm always going to be the last to do or know about anything - which most certainly applies to new (or once they get to me, old) trends, and that I know nothing, and I mean literally zero, about anything related to pop culture, or that is cool or hip (for that matter, do "we" even say the word "hip" at this point?).

While I'm sure this surprises no one, not the least of which you all - after all, you've been privy to just a few of the recipes I throw around in our kitchen (frittatas? sausage soup? bar cookies? a fruit trifle? and sometimes, two chocolate recipes at once?), it did feel good to wipe yet another embarrassing admission off my chest.

Over two years ago, I read post after post of Susan's (among others) about bulgur, farro, quinoa, and a number of other whole grains that I'd never even heard of (truth be told, at the time, I was cooking whole wheat couscous, calling it a whole grain); and, they sounded not only delicious but each also boasted incredible health benefits. Thus it's fitting, albeit late as expected, that I've finally located (honestly, this was half the battle), cooked, and fallen hard for... wheat berries.

Since then, though, you can be sure that I've seen right through (past, and around) the hour-long cooking time required to transform these once dry and light-as-air pellets into tender little nuggets of chewy, wheaty, wholesomeness. In the very short time that we've been acquainted, our new pal has already met us in two delicious recipes (one of which got unfairly short-changed being served past the bewitching hour of decent photos), leaving us with over half a bag of the little gems waiting for their day to shine. And shine they will... as these low-maintenance guys certainly don't need much help.

How to cook wheat berries:

Add 1 cup dried wheat berries to a medium-to-large sized pot and fill pot with water, covering the wheat berries by at least an inch or more. Bring the water to a boil and then turn down to just simmering for about an hour, or until tender. Drain the wheat berries. From here you can either use them right away or store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator for several days.

Recipes with wheat berries that we've enjoyed:
Wheat Berry Salad with chickpeas, Craisins, feta, and mint (chickpeas were my substitution)
Wheat Berry Salad with black beans, feta, onions, and red onion vinaigrette (black beans were my addition; we loved this vinaigrette!)

Not Photogenic

Both this post and I are feeling a bit under the weather (not that that is in anyway relevant to being able to take pictures) but I would have been remiss to not post these delicious recipes that we've enjoyed recently.

As you will soon see (if it wasn't already obvious enough), I've been on a stew/soup kick lately... which was slightly thwarted by the warm weather we've enjoyed these past few days (I am not complaining that this is a distant memory) but even with the weather at a mild mid-50s, I am already looking forward to making (and eating!) these two recipes again.

Beef Soup (serves 6)
adapted from All Recipes

1 lb cubed beef stew meat
Cooking spray
2 tsp Emeril's essence
1/2 c water
2 cans beef broth
1 can vegetable broth
1/2 c merlot (or any red wine)
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
handful of baby carrots, halved if desired
3-4 small red potatoes, quartered
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, green beans and peas)

1. Cut beef into bite sized pieces and season with essence; in a dutch oven coated with cooking spray, brown beef on all sides. Add water and scrape up any browned bits; then add 2 cans of beef stock, 1 can of vegetable stock, and red wine along with the onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 2 hours or until meat is tender.

2. Add carrots and potatoes and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Add the frozen vegetables and stir; cook for another 15-20 minutes to ensure the veggies are cooked thoroughly.

*I stopped at this point for more of a beef and veggie soup than stew (and I liked it this way - the starch in the potatoes add a little thickness); however, after some feedback from Chris, I will most likely thicken this just a little with a small amount of cornstarch mixed with cold water and then quickly mixed into the soup


Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
adapted from All Recipes

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 TBSP unsalted butter
2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (I always use the Healthy Recipe version)
1 onion, finely diced
2 cans chicken stock
1 c frozen mixed veggies (do you see a trend here... thank you Costco)
1 (10 oz) pkg refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough chicken stock to cover.

2. Cover, and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low. About 1 hour before serving, mix in frozen veggies and place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker, pushing down into the liquid. Finish cooking for about 45 minutes on high until the dough is no longer raw in the center.


OKAY, I lied, I do have a picture (or two) for you... straight from the Westminister Dog Show.

**note: put a black and tan face on that dog and this is Annabelle post-bath

Easy As Chili?

The only thing better than warm homemade soup or chili on a cool pre-winter evening is one that comes together in about 25 minutes (AND, my usual mantra - everything was already in my pantry!)! I know most of you out there are saying that a 25-minute meal can't possibly be called chili - isn't that supposed to sit on the stove for hours (not to mention, include some kind of ground beef)? But since I didn't name this dish, I take no credit or blame, as it may be. If I am permitted, though, to add my two cents, it seems that loosely defined, chili might just be pretty much anything, combined with chiles, used to make a delicious and hearty stew, so with that...

Chicken Chili Blanco
serves 4

6 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts
nonstick cooking spray
1 lg onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 c sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 (15 1/2 oz) can reduced-sodium kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 1/2 oz) can cream-style corn
1/2 c chopped red or green sweet pepper
1/2 c dry white wine
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies, drained
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
dash salt

1/4 c snipped fresh parsley (optional)
freshly grated cheese (optional)

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat saucepan over medium heat.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add chicken, onion, and garlic. Cook about 2 minutes or till chicken is no longer pink. Stir in chicken broth, mushrooms, kidney beans, corn, chopped pepper, wine, chilies, cumin, oregano, and salt. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in parsley (if using); top with cheese (if using) just before serving.

*My quick notes: make sure to use generous amounts of the spices; I didn't have any mushrooms and still had a filling meal; and, I think I'll add a couple of drops of hot sauce next time!