Busy Mommy Media » Appetizers and Sides

Delicious Dry Beans – How to Cook Pinto Beans

Linda — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:07:28 +0000

Beans are very healthy, budget friendly, easy to cook. Beans can be used in many different recipes. Beans are high in protein, fiber, iron and minerals.

Growing up everyone we knew always cooked a pot of Pinto beans. You can serve the beans as a side dish or turn them into a variety of dishes like charro beans, refried beans, bean dip, and chili. Black beans can be substituted in most pinto bean recipes.

Great White Northern or Navy beans are mild creamy-white beans that are very good as a side dish with pork, in soup, or baked beans.

Dry beans store almost indefinitely if they are kept in a cool, dry place. If the beans have been stored for a year or more, you may need to cook them a little longer.

If you want the beans to cook in a shorter amount of time, you can sort through and clean the beans and soak them overnight in enough water to cover them. Drain the water the beans were soaked in and continue with the recipe.

Pinto Beans

Ingredients

1 lb. Pinto beans
1 smoke ham hock or 3-4 pieces of bacon
1 tsp salt
water to cover ham hock

Preparation

Slow Cooker

Sort through the beans and remove any pebbles, or defective beans. Rinse the beans a couple of time to make sure they are clean. Drain the water from the beans.

Put beans in the slow cooker. Add the ham hock or bacon.

Fill the slow cooker with water about 2 inches above the beans and ham hock.

Cover the beans and bring to a boil on high. When beans begin to boil, turn the slow cooker to low. Cook the beans 8-10 hours.

About one hour before the beans are done, add the salt and stir. Taste the beans to make sure they are salted enough for your taste.

The beans should be tender when done. Stir a couple of times while the beans are cooking. Add water as needed to keep the water above the ham hock.

One pound of dry beans makes around 5-6 cups cooked beans. Cooked beans can be frozen and used in other dishes.

Large Pot

Follow the directions above. When the beans begin to boil, turn the stove to simmer.

Cook the beans 5-6 hours on the top of the stove.

Variations

Black beans, Great White Northern beans, and kidney beans can all be cooked using the pinto bean recipe.

Frozen Grapes – A Summer Delight

Linda — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 04:47:00 +0000

I bought some grapes and brought them home, put them in the refrigerator, and forgot all about them…. sound familiar? A friend of mine told me to freeze them and raved about how much better the frozen grapes were than fresh grapes. I gave it a try and I have a new favorite frozen fruit.

The frozen grapes are great healthy after school snacks. The frozen grapes are fun to serve at pool parties, barbecues, and outdoor get-togethers.

It does not matter if the grapes are the red, green, or purple. The seedless grapes are easier to eat. The grapes do not freeze solid and they can replace fresh grapes in recipes since they hold their shape, color, and flavor when thawed. Some people prefer the frozen grapes with the stems left on and some people prefer them with the stems removed. Try it both ways and see what way you prefer. The frozen grapes defrost rather quickly, so take a few out of the freezer at a time.

Frozen Grapes

Ingredients

1 bunch of seedless grapes (red, green, or purple)
white sugar optional
Ziplock freezer bags or airtight container

Preparation

Without Stems
Wash the bunch of grapes and let them air dry on a paper towel. Place the grapes in a bowl and refrigerate until cool. The grapes keep their shape and texture a little better if they are cool before going into the freezer.

Pull the grapes from the stems and discard stems.
Place the grapes on a cookie sheet.
Put in freezer until frozen.
Place frozen grapes in a freezer bag or airtight container.

Alternate method
With Stems

Wash the bunch of grapes and let them air dry on a paper towel. Place the grapes in a bowl and refrigerate until cool. The grapes keep their shape and texture a little better if they are cool before going into the freezer.

Freeze the bunch of grapes, or cut apart some of the stems with scissors and freeze the smaller clumps of grapes.
Place them the grapes on a cookie sheet and freeze.
Place frozen grapes in a freezer bag or airtight container.

Variations

Roll the grapes lightly in sugar before freezing.
For appetizers, stick a toothpick in each grape before freezing.
Use a few frozen grapes as ice cubes in your favorite fruit beverage to give it an interesting look and flavor.
Add a few grapes and walnuts to Spring Mix greens with your favorite vinaigrette or Asian salad dressing.
Celery, apples, cheese, and walnuts or pecans go very well with grapes.
Make an appetizer tray to snack on with crackers or specialty breads.
Add grapes to your chicken salad recipe.
Add grapes to your summertime fruit salad.

Let me know how you and your family like the frozen grapes.

Enjoy!

Cantaloupe with Proscuitto Ham

Linda — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:48:07 +0000

I first tried cantaloupe (actually called a muskmelon) wrapped with Proscuitto ham in an up-scale Italian restaurant that served it as an appetizer. I really enjoyed the combination of flavors. Since then I have served it at home as an appetizer, instead of a dinner salad, and as a party food.

Make sure the cantaloupe is ripe. One way to tell if the cantaloupe is ripe is to smell the stem. If it does not smell slightly sweet like a cantaloupe then it is not ripe. Let it sit on the counter for a couple of days to ripen before serving it.

If you have cut open the cantaloupe and want to refrigerate it, be sure and cover it really well with plastic wrap, or put it in an air tight container, or everything in your refrigerator will smell and taste like cantaloupe.

Ingredients

1 Cantaloupe

8 slices Proscuitto Ham, thinly cut (this will vary on how thick the cantaloupe is sliced)

Toothpicks

Preparation

Cut cantaloupe in half and cut away the rind. Remove the seeds. Cut the cantaloupe into slices. Wrap each slice of cantaloupe with ham and secure with a toothpick.

Servings Suggestions

For finger foods, cut the cantaloupe in half and remove the seeds. Take a melon baller and scoop out melon balls from each half of the melon. Take small pieces of the Proscuitto ham and wrap it around the melon ball, or stack a small amount of ham on top of the ball, and secure with a toothpick. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Put the melon balls back in the refrigerated empty rind if you are having a barbecue, or place in a party dish, and serve.

For a quick snack just cut the peeled cantaloupe into bite-size pieces, wrap them with ham, and spear them on skewers for a colorful easy snack!

I love this time of year when the grocery stores and produce stands start getting in all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables. Nothing tastes better than ice-cold melons served as an appetizer, salad, or snack when it is so hot outside.

Enjoy!

Make It Yourself: Onion Soup Mix

Lorie — Mon, 31 May 2010 23:25:37 +0000

I use onion soup mix in lots recipes from my kitchen. Onion soup mix was first introduced in 1952. It was popular to use it to make gravy. In the 70’s it became popular to use in dips and casseroles. Today it is used as a basic seasoning in a variety of dishes. In 2010, the Kroger brand was recalled for possible salmonella bacteria infection. Also, most store mixes contain milk and people with dairy allergies can’t consume those. So, why not make your own. It is made with ingredients found in most kitchens, so it can save you some money. Here is a basic recipe to get you started.

Homemade Onion Soup Mix

¾ cup instant minced onion

1/3 cup beef bouillon powder

4 teaspoons onion powder

¼ teaspoon crushed celery seed

¼ teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. About 5 tablespoons of mix are equal to 1-¼-ounce package.

Onion Soup Mix Recipes

Now that you have a basic recipe, there are so many things to make with it. Here are a few that my family enjoys.

Soda Pop Pot Roast

3 lb. pot roast

2-10 3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

2-16 oz bottles cola (can use diet)

Place meat in slow cooker. In large bowl mix together mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix, and cola. Pour over roast in cooker. Cover. Cook on high 6 hours. 12-servings

Onion Burgers

1 pkg. onion soup mix

2 pounds ground beef

½ cup water

Combine all ingredients and shape into eight patties. Grill or broil until done.

Note: You can also make these in the microwave: Prepare patties as above; place 4 patties in oblong baking dish and heat at HIGH (Full Power) 6 minutes (Microwave ovens vary, so cooking time may vary) turning patties once. Repeat with remaining patties. Let stand covered 5 minutes.

Crock Pot Meat Loaf

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 egg

1/3 c. oats

1/2 pkg. dry onion soup

1/4 c. ketchup

Spray inside of crock pot with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients. Place in crock pot.

Cook on LOW 7-8 hours or until completely cooked through

Onion Dip

1 package dry onion soup mix

16 oz sour cream (I have used fat free)

Blend all ingredients. Chill.

Note: For a twist add ½ cup salsa.

Roasted Onion Potatoes

1 package dry onion soup mix

4 potatoes cut into large chunks (about 2 pounds)

1/3 cup oil

In a large zip lock bag, add all ingredients and toss. Arrange potatoes in a 13 by 9 inch roasting pan. Bake at 425 degrees, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 35 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Note: You can also use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.

Quick Cucumber Pickles

Courtney — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 03:24:32 +0000

These pickles make a super fast side dish or condiment to all sorts of dishes, but go particularly well with Asian foods. I like to flavor these with a little fresh ginger and a couple of drops of toasted sesame oil, but they are just as good plain. Toss a handful across some noodles or fried rice or have a pile alongside your next sandwich. No matter what you choose to use these for, they’ll add a refreshingly tangy crunch to your meal.

Quick Cucumber Pickles

Ingredients:
2 English cucumbers
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp minced ginger (optional)
1/8 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
pinch of red chili flakes (optional)

Directions:
Slice the cucumbers into 1/8 inch thick rounds (a mandoline is perfect for this if you have one). Combine the sugar and salt in a large bowl and toss the cucumber slices with your hands to coat with the sugar/salt mixture. Add any additional spices or flavoring you wish to use and toss to incorporate. Allow cucumbers to sit for at least 20 minutes and taste for seasoning. If they are too strong you can rinse them a bit, if they aren’t strong enough you can add more salt or sugar.

Notes:
-These should keep for a few days in the fridge, but you will want to check from time to time to make sure they aren’t getting too strong for your taste, assuming they last that long.
-You can scale this up as you so desire, just use a mix of 1 part salt to three parts sugar. If the brine is too concentrated you can dilute it with some water or rinse the pickles to take off some of the excess salt.
-Fresh or dried dill, tarragon and mustard seeds are also good flavorings to try.

Mushroom Almond Pate

Courtney — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:32:16 +0000

This amazing Mushroom Almond Pate is a vegetarian answer to the rich flavors and textures of liver-based pate. The depth of flavor and richness of this spread belies it’s vegetarian (or vegan) roots. This is a great alternative to the more common party offerings such as onion dip and cheese balls or a fantastic treat just because. It doesn’t take much work beyond chopping the onion and mushrooms and the willpower to leave it alone in the fridge (though I won’t tell if you eat it straight out of the processor bowl–it’s pretty amazing before it’s ripened too). Have it with crackers or toast points for parties, or with chunks of french baguettes, apples and brie for a simple dinner with a glass of wine. Once you’ve made this pate it will earn a permanent spot in your repetoire and I can guarantee that you’ll be passing out the recipe afterward.

Mushroom Almond Pate

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 c. whole almonds
2 tbsp. olive, flax or nut oil of your choice
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. mushroom flavored soy sauce, regular soy sauce or tamari
1/2 tsp. coarse ground pepper

Directions:
Saute onion, garlic and mushrooms in butter until onions are caramelized golden brown and mushrooms are cooked through and set aside. Process almonds, oil and vinegar together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the mushroom/onion mixture, soy sauce and pepper to the bowl of the processor and process together until smooth. Taste for seasoning, adjust if neccessary and scrape out of the processor into a bowl, cover, and refridgerate for a couple of hours to allow flavors to meld.

Notes:
-Now, I do say to process until smooth, but don’t stress if you can’t quite get it there. The texture of the ground almonds when it’s not quite smooth isn’t a bad thing. If you need to, you can add a couple of tablespoons of water to the mix to help it blend to a smoother texture, but don’t let it get too thin–the end texture should still be more of a paste/spread and less runny than a dip.
-To make this gluten free, seek out gluten free brewed soy sauce (tamari) and balsamic vinegar. To make it vegan, try making it with just oil or a vegan margarine.
-This is a richer dish than you want to eat all the time, but if you use all flax oil instead of butter or margarine you can amp up the good fats and pretend that the whole thing is really good for you. Which it is, despite it’s rich nature. If nothing else, it’s cholesterol free, which is more than you can say for any of the liver pates.

Baked Kale Chips

Courtney — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:07:34 +0000

This method of cooking kale is my new favorite. Kale chips made by baking the leaves with a little olive oil and salt results in an almost potato-chip like treat that is genuinely good for you. You can season them with whatever spices you like or keep them simple and plain. There is no easier way to eat green leafy vegetables, or at least no way more genuinely enjoyable (and that’s coming from a true salad lover). Make a batch of these today and you’ll probably make three more before the end of the weekend. Even my dog begs for these chips, and I’m pretty sure I could convince my dad to try one too. These more than make up for the minimal effort involved in making them.
A note on the type of kale–I’ve been having a hard time finding the best variety of kale for these–flat, or lacinato kale. The batch I made for the picture is from a bunch of curly kale. I think the result is a more evenly crunchy one when you can find the flat kale, but the chewiness of the center rib and thicker middle of the leaf in curly kale is actually kind of appealing, though you’ll need to watch it closely to make sure you don’t burn the frilly edges. Whatever kind you’ve got, wash it thoroughly and dry it very well and you’ll do just fine.

Baked Kale Chips

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and/or other spices to taste

Directions:
Wash the kale and spin it dry in a salad spinner if you have one, otherwise drain well and finish with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If useing curly kale, break off the bottom third or so of the stem where there isn’t much actual leaf. Rip the leaves into large pieces. Toss gently in a large bowl with the olive oil to coat lightly with the olive oil, using your hands to make sure you get all the leaves. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and scatter the leaves in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and whatever other spice you choose and bake for 10-15 minutes until the leaves are crisp but not brown, keeping a close eye on the pan so that the leaves don’t burn. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before tearing into the chips.

Palak Paneer

Courtney — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:15:25 +0000

I adore Indian food. I don’t cook much of it at home, as even I am intimidated by the ingredients lists sometimes and the time involved so most of the time I’ll just enjoy it in a restaurant. I’ve overcome the fear to learn how to make one of the simplest and in my opinion, tastiest, dishes–Palak Paneer. Palak Paneer is a spinach curry studded with cubes of paneer cheese, a fresh cheese similar to ricotta. Unlike my other favorite dishes Palak Paneer is relatively simple and doesn’t have to contain dozens of ingredients. It can be made restaurant-rich or be adapted to be a bit less of a fat bomb and still come out a winner.
I learned how to make paneer for this recipe after a few years of subbing tofu for the cheese. Tofu works just fine, but every once in a while I want it to be a little closer to the versions I order and for those paneer is required. The traditional versions would also use ghee (clarified butter) and cream, I use a little oil or butter and milk for my version. Some recipes have a list of spices a mile long, and you can definitely adapt the flavors that way to whatever suits you. I use a garam masala blend as the only spice in this version as it’s pretty easy to find these days either in Indian markets or online, as well as in some better-stocked grocery stores. If you can’t find it you can make your own blend or flavor the dish with garlic, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cayenne or chili powder and anything else that you like. This is a very easy dish to adapt to your tastes and preferences in terms of heat and depth of flavor.

Palak Paneer
4-6 servings

Ingredients:
16 oz frozen spinach or 32 oz fresh baby spinach
1 tablespoon oil or butter
1 small onion, small dice
2-3 tablespoons garam masala
1 tablespoon tomato paste or 1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 1/2 to 2 cups milk
8 oz paneer or 8 oz firm regular tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Directions:
First, cook or thaw your spinach. If using frozen spinach, thaw it and squeeze out excess water and set aside. If using fresh, put into a large bowl and microwave for 7-8 minutes until wilted and allow to cool. Drain off excess water and set aside.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add onion, cooking until soft, about 8 minutes or so. Stir in two tablespoons of the garam masala (or whatever spice blend you’re using) and tomato paste, if using. When the spices and paste are evenly distributed stir in the spinach and a cup and a half of milk and bring to a simmer, stirring from time to time to keep from burning. Add the more milk if you want the texture soupier and taste for seasoning, adding salt as desired and more garam masala if needed and the fresh tomato if using. While the spinach is simmering brown the paneer or tofu cubes in a little more oil if desired. Fold the paneer or tofu cubes gently into the spinach and simmer for 3 to 5 more minutes.
Serve over basmati rice, brown rice or with some toasted naan.

Paneer Cheese

Courtney — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:53:56 +0000

Paneer is a fresh cheese used in Indian food. It’s related to ricotta and is super easy to make at home and a lot cheaper than buying it. If you don’t happen to have a well stocked international market or Indian grocery nearby this might also be the only way you can get it for use in your favorite Indian recipes. Fortunately it only takes two ingredients and both are available everywhere. This is also a great way to take advantage if your grocery store marks milk down just before it expires. The cheese is best with super fresh milk, but it’s still pretty amazing made with slightly older milk as well.

Paneer Cheese
Yield: About one pound

Ingredients:
1 gallon whole milk
4 Tablespoons lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar

Directions:
Bring milk to a boil in a large pot. Boil for one minute, then turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Stir for 2-3 minutes until curds form and then let sit for 10 more minutes. Pour into a strainer lined with cheesecloth, muslin or a clean tea towel, collecting the whey that drains off and reserving for another use if desired. Allow curds to drain in the strainer until cool enough to handle, then twist up the ends of the cloth and squeeze out more whey. Form the cheese into a block and wrap tightly in the cloth and press between two plates or cutting boards under a heavy weight, such as a large cookbook or two. Allow to sit weighted for an hour or two. Unwrap and use immediately or store in the fridge for a few days. The texture will be softer and a bit more crumbly if used right away, it will firm up more if it sits in the fridge for a few hours or a day.

Skipping Jack

Courtney — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:03:35 +0000

I don’t have a picture of this take on hoppin’ john as it was gone too quickly. I’d say the recipe makes somewhere between two and four servings depending on the appetites of the people you’re feeding, but either way it will be gone quickly. Hoppin’ john is a combination of rice, black eyed peas and ham hock, but I’ve dubbed mine Skipping Jack as it’s similar in idea but different in ingredients enough to qualify for its own name.

This rice and beans dish is flavored with soy chorizo, though you could use real chorizo if you like. I just tend to lean more vegetarian and recently discovered this alternative and I’m quite happy with it–it’s spicy, crumbly and very highly flavored, lending itself well to uses as a flavoring agent or garnish rather than a centerpiece. I used Trader Joe’s brand, but I’ve seen others floating around in other grocery stores so use whatever type you like. It’s also superb cooked into scrambled eggs and tucked into breakfast sandwiches.

This dish is pretty good eaten just as it is, but if you want to dress it up and make it even better I very much recommend topping it with chopped avocado or salsa and shredded almond cheese (or other low-fat cheese). I plated mine on top of a handful of chopped butter lettuce blend because I like the wilted lettuce mixed with the hot rice but that’s entirely up to you.

Skipping Jack

serves 2-4, scales up easily

Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 15oz can black eyed peas
1 bouillon cube or 1/2 teaspoon bacon salt
2-4 oz soy chorizo
hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
Cook the rice according to package directions. While the rice is cooking, rinse and drain the black eyed peas and place them in a small saucepan with enough water to cover by half an inch and the bouillon cube or bacon salt. Heat to a simmer over low to medium low heat and stir every couple of minutes to keep the peas from burning, but allow them to start to break up a little and get soupy, about 20-30 minutes. Add more water if they start to get too dry and thick. When the rice is done, toss it in a bowl with the peas and their sauce. Remove the casing from the soy chorizo and brown in a non-stick pan for a couple of minutes over medium heat, then pour into the peas and rice and fold to mix everything together evenly. Taste for seasoning and add some hot sauce if you want it spicier and serve.