Showing posts with label Black Beans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Black Beans. Show all posts

Friday, June 24, 2016

Dang Good Black Beans


My family likes beans.  They always have and we eat a lot of beans.  I know some diets don't allow for beans and this recipe won't be for you.  I am going to assume that if you are reading this then you CAN eat beans and this recipe might just work.

I make this all the time when time is short and I want a dish that will fill my belly with food.  Rushing to and from school, I find myself, needing to eat before I go.  This can be made in a few short minutes.  I personally like it the next day.  With that in mind, I will make a batch the day before and have it pre-portioned in the fridge.  Labelled: MINE.  Just kidding.

One of the reasons we love Newport so much is this beautiful bridge.  When we left Annapolis a year ago we were always amazed by the Bay Bridge that went over the Chesapeake Bay.  To our delight we have an equally stunning bridge that crosses over the Yaquina Bay.  What we find on the other side of this bridge is amazing beaches, my school, the aquarium, and a fabulous little hole in the wall for Fish-n-Chips. 


Look at the picture above.  The cloud picture was taken just as I came out of the arc.  This image just blew me away at how glorious our world is.  The clouds reminded me of brush strokes on a painting.  They were placed almost too perfect.  The whole sky was filled with these wispy white clouds.



South Beach is a favorite of ours.  We will often take friends and family there.  The beach is long and great for walking.  It produces some great agates and sand dollars.  The views are breath taking. Many times we will get a chance to watch surfers tackling the rough seas. I would never have guessed that Oregon had so many surfers.  We do!  They come from all over to surf our waves.


Oh, and here we are again back at the Black Beans.  ENJOY!

  Dang Good Black Beans

1 can rinsed black beans
2 teaspoons oil (I use Ghee for everything)
1/2 bell pepper, any color, sliced
2 tablespoons red onion, diced medium
1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8-1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 raw jalapeno, sliced for garnish and diced small to include (if you want it spicy)
garnish-Cilantro
lime juice, to taste

1.  Be sure to rinse your black beans.  Add at the very end!  If you don't do this, they will become mushy.

2. In a saute pan, warm oil.  Add red onion and bell pepper. Saute until soft.  Add spices.  When combined, turn off heat.  Add black beans and gently fold together. Do not over stir or you will end up with mortar paste.

3.  At this time you can add jalapeno and lime juice.  Taste and adjust.  Garnish with cilantro.

4.  Refrigerate any left overs.  Good for 3-5 days.  Reheat in the microwave.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Cowboy Caviar


I love this side dish, relish, snack, appetizer or salad topping.  It has many uses. 

The obvious way to enjoy the Cowboy Caviar is with tortilla chips but I also like to use the left overs for salads and sandwiches.

Honestly, you can add anything to this wonderful array of color served in a bowl or take out what you don't like.  

I think these are some of the best recipes because they are so easily adaptable to your own families likes and dislikes.   I know that when I make it when my Mom is in town to leave out the black-eyed peas--she hates them.  I know that if I am going to be eating it I have to make a small batch for myself without the peppers.  I just learned that I am very allergic to bell peppers (and here I thought it was the eggs--LOL)

Do you see how this can be altered and recreated a ton of different ways.  I think adding jicama to this would also be really good.  I just thought of that so next time I will change it up a bit.

I like to serve this dish warm instead of cold.  My teeth are really sensitive to cold things. I just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, enough to take the cold edge off.

I think we will be making this soon, I smell a good football game right around the corner.

ENJOY!





Cowboy Caviar

Prep Time:  15 minutes
Serves: 6-8

1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz can of black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 cup of orange bell pepper, chopped small
2/3 cup red onion, chopped small
1 15 oz. can white or yellow corn, drained
2 medium tomatoes, chopped small
1/2-1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1.5 cups of your favorite Italian salad dressing
Salt to taste
Jalapenos (optional--not pictured)

Combine all ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir well

Serve with chips, as a salad topping, over fish or by itself.

Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.




Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Chorizo and Black Bean Nacho's





I cannot resist a good cheesy nacho.  In my quest to find things to eat at restaurants I tend to lean towards nacho's because the chips are made of corn, the cheese and meat are gluten free and it's a meal that my kids will usually help me eat.  I have a hard time eating a full meal the older I get. To be honest I am not quite sure why that is.  I noticed with my Mom that she also found her appetite decreasing the older she became.

Last year was the year I discovered Chorizo and we have been eating it ever since in a variety of prepared ways.  I had the clever idea of incorporating it into a nacho blend when I was struggling to find a quick meal for dinner.

I had purchased the chorizo to use in another dish but quickly reached for it when my time was hastily escaping me due to an appointment I needed to keep.  I find chorizo sausages fry up quickly.  I added a can of black beans and a few diced red onions.  The meat mixture was done in a matter of minutes.


This meat mixture also freezes well.  I recommend adding a bit more meat and beans and have the storage containers on hand for you to quickly bundle it up for a later date.  I know that my kids enjoy nacho's after school and this makes an easy snack for them to reach for when they return home.

Nacho's can be customized by adding additional ingredients to the mixture.  Jalapeno's would be a great addition to simply bring some heat to the dish.  There are a number of combinations to use for the toppings.  We enjoy lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, olives and Mexican Cheese that can be crumbled on top.  A huge dollup of sour cream usually doesn't go unnoticed either. 

With the fixings or not, this will remain a family favorite not only for the ease of the dish but also because the spicy bean combination that the black beans and chorizo offer the dish.



I would love to hear what your favorite types of toppings are when you prepare your nachos.  Do you have a secret ingredient that sets your nacho's apart from the rest?

This was my plate (see picture below) last week and it disappeared right before my eyes into my hungry belly.

ENJOY!




Recipe:  Chorizo and Black Bean Nacho's

4 Chorizo Sausages, uncased and fried up
1/2 cup of red onion, diced
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed

Combine the three ingredients together in a fry pan and fry until hot.

The sausage adds a lot of flavor simply because it is Chorizo.  If you would like to add your own combination of spices, go right ahead.  I would suggest garlic and cumin as a place to start.

Serve meat over a bed of corn chips with melted cheese .  Finish the dish with your favorite toppings.


Written by Sherron Watson

  

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