Stay Home.. bake bread and soup recipes here.

Soda Bread


Ingredients
170g/6oz self-raising wholemeal flour
170g/6oz plain flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
290ml/½ pint / 1c buttermilk

How-to-videos: [link to www.bbc.co.uk (secure)]
Method

Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas 6.

Tip the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk, mixing quickly with a large fork to form a soft dough. (Depending upon the absorbency of the flour, you may need to add a little milk if the dough seems too stiff but it should not be too wet or sticky.)

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.

Form into a round and flatten the dough slightly before placing on a lightly floured baking sheet.

Cut a cross on the top and bake for about 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Last Edited by Proud American Supporter on 03/31/2020 02:01 PM

Thank you

How kind to write that up

God bless

I've been doing a lot of baking through this. The apartment smells so good!

Artisian Bread recipe - NO KNEADING

If you love those round crusty french bread types of Artisian breads, hot out of the oven and you have no time. THIS is a recipe for you!

Here is the recipe from the nyt:
[link to www.nytimes.com]

Above is a video on how to make it.

All you will need is a dutch oven (like a big 4 quart metal pot you make stew in)


Get a bowl. Throw in 3 cups of flour
1 3/4th cup of warm water
1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/4th tsp salt

Use a spatula to mix it up or you can mix that all up with your hands. do it fast you don't need to be perfect about it.

Cover the bowl with saran wrap!

That's it then.

Let it sit somewhere warmish for around 24 hours. it really doesn't matter too much if it's 18 hours or 23 hours. just somewhere in there. 24 is easy to remember.

The next day, preheat your oven to 450 F. with the pot IN the oven heating with it. This is an important step because when you pour your dough into the pot then it kind of seals it immediately and stops it from sticking.

You may need something else to stop the bread from sticking to the pan. so throw in at the bottom of the pan in a good covered layer some corn meal, or oatmeal, or muesli, or any course type grain you want on your bread. sesame seeds, poppy seeds whatever.

Can put parchment paper on bottom of pan prior to baking or corn meal.

Take the HOT pot out of the oven and with a spatula just get the dough from the bowl (that's been sitting around for a day bubbling with yeasty tasty goodness) in there fast. don't make a big ordeal about it. don't worry if it's shaped funny, it will all even out when it cooks.

Bake it with the lid on for 35 - 40 minutes - turn oven off -

then take lid off and bake another 10 or 15 minutes.

That's it. it's should pop straight out of your pot onto the counter to cool!

+++

Variations of this recipe where you can add cocoa powder and sugar (it's not like a chocolate muffin but more like a biscotti)

i have made a variation where i added raisins, cinnamon and molasses

i have made one where i have throw in in almonds and sesame seeds and dried fruit like figs or dates.
or sometimes just mixed nuts.

Can substituted flour with cream of wheat!
Can make it with a sourdough starter.

you can do 1/2 wheat and half corn flour
or 1/2 wheat and some rye.
anything goes!

just mix it up, let it sit, and bake.
voila.

These taste great and are a common staple in Hawaii.

Spam Musubi (RECIPE)

Spam - cook until golden brown on each side and crisps
Rice - sticky rice
Futacocki
Aloha soyu or,
Tariaki flavor sauce: sohyu, white wine, sugar
Nori seaweed

[link to www.youtube.com (secure)]
Without the molds

[link to www.youtube.com (secure)]
Spam Musbi

[link to www.youtube.com (secure)]

Instant Pot Chicken Soup

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices 
3 large stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 large yellow onion, cut into a large dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 3-pound whole chicken
One 3-inch piece ginger, halved lengthwise (optional)
6 ounces extra-wide egg noodles (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh dill fronds, roughly chopped  


Directions

Special equipment: a 6-quart Instant Pot®

Turn a 6-quart Instant Pot® to the high sauté setting. Add the oil and once hot add the carrots, celery, garlic, onion, 1 tablespoon salt and a large pinch of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the chicken, ginger, if using, and 8 cups water. Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high for 20 minutes.  

After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid. Remove the ginger and discard. Use a pair of tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and put into a large bowl and allow to cool for several minutes. 

Switch the Instant Pot® to the high sauté setting and bring the soup to a boil. Once at a boil, add the noodles and cook until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes.
While the noodles are cooking, use 2 forks to remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper then add the meat back to the pot along with the dill. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper if needed. 

I made a home made village salad.

Giant chunks of red bell peppers, green peppers, onions, sweet cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, small amout of romain, some baby spinach, Homemade ranch dressing.

And a loaf of really fresh french bread.

Master Scones Recipe (any flavor)

Instructions

Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl.

Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.

To make triangle scones: Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work dough into a ball as best you can.

Ingredients

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands and work surface
1/2 cup (100g) granulated or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream or buttermilk (plus 2 Tbsp for brushing)
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1–1.5 cups add-ins such as chocolate chips, berries, nuts, fruit, etc
optional: 1/2 –

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, coarse sugar, and toppings such as vanilla icing, salted caramel, lemon icing, maple icing, brown butter icing, lemon curd, orange icing, raspberry icing, dusting of confectioners’ sugar

Instructions
Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. See video above for a closer look at the texture. Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.

Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add the add-ins, then mix together until everything appears moistened.

To make triangle scones: Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work dough into a ball as best you can. Dough will be sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons heavy cream. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges. For smaller scones, press dough into two 5-inch discs and cut each into 8 wedges. To make 10-12 drop scones: Keep mixing dough in the bowl until it comes together. Drop scones, about 1/4 cup of dough each, 3 inches apart on a lined baking sheet.

Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and for extra crunch, sprinkle with coarse sugar. (You can do this before or after refrigerating in the next step.)
Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet (if your fridge has space!) and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat(s). If making mini or drop scones, use 2 baking sheets. After refrigerating, arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).

Bake for 18-26 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Larger scones take closer to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before topping with optional toppings listed in the ingredients.

Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1 loaf French bread
1/2 pound butter

1/2 pound sugar
1 tablespoon butter chopped into large slices (white part only)
2 Apples yellow Opal recomended
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce Anglaise:
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean’s a teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint heavy cream

Caramel Sauce:

1/4 pound butter chilled
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Bread pudding instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash, peel, and core apples. Slice apples thin, this works well with a mandoline. Combine sugar and butter in a bowl, mix until well blended. Cut bread into 3/8 inch slices. Spread the sugar and butter mixture on the bread. Make small sandwiches of the bread by using two slices of buttered bread, place 2 or 3 apple slices in the middle with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place the butter sandwiches into the baking dish, between each sandwich add 1 or 2 slices of apple.

Heat up the cream and the vanilla bean on the stove until it almost starts to boil. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk well. When the creams reach the almost boiling point, turn off and remove the pot from the flame. Temper the yolks, by ladling a small amount of cream to the bowl and mixing well. Then add the yolk-sugar mixture to the cream, whisk well so that it does not curdle.

Place over a low flame for 2 minutes whisking until it starts to thicken. Pour sauce over the bread in the baking dish, cover the dish. Place the 9 x 13-inch baking dish into a water bath, and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. 

While the bread pudding is cooking in the oven prepare the caramel sauce by combining the sugar and butter in the pot and cook over a medium-high flame. Whisk well to combine, when sugar is melted and it starts to boil turn off the stove, remove from the flame and whisk in the cream to combine.

Allow cooling to room temperature. To serve place a portion of the bread pudding on a plate and drizzle with the caramel sauce.

Use water bath with the bread pudding. You may want to also place a dish towel into the larger pan, so the smaller pan doesn’t move around in the pan. To make the water bath set the smaller pan into a larger pan and fill about halfway with water.

Last Edited by Proud American Supporter on 03/31/2020 12:57 PM

that is my wife's favorite

Sorry for the messed up text. It's corrected now.

Walnut Bread | King Arthur Flour Recipe

BAKE 35 to 45 mins
2 loaves

Ingredients.

1 1/2 cups (340g) warm water.
1 tablespoon (11g) active dry yeast.
1/2 cup (170g) honey.
1/4 cup (50g) walnut or olive oil.
1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
6 cups (723g, approx.) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour.
2 cups (227g) walnut pieces, toasted until lightly browned.

Instructions

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add 1/2 cup (60g) of all-purpose flour and let sit for 10 minutes to give the yeast a chance to get going.

Stir in the honey, oil, and salt.

Add the flour, a cup at a time, until the dough has formed a shaggy mass.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Knead the dough, adding flour as necessary, to form a smooth and satiny ball.

Put the dough into a bowl and drizzle with a tablespoon of oil; turn the dough to coat it with the oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the dough rise until it is puffy, about 1 1/2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough and knead in the walnuts.

Divide the dough in half and form each half into a ball. Place on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or greased and sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina flour.

Cover the loaves with damp towels and let rise until swollen. This will take 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F; the loaves will burn if the oven is too hot.

Sprinkle flour on top of the loaves, and use a serrated knife to slash a cross in the top of each loaf about 1" deep.

Bake the loaves for 35-45 minutes, until they are well browned and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom; their internal temperature will measure 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Put the loaves on a rack to cool, and let sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting.

Basic Walnut Quick Bread Recipe - Woman's Day

This easy make-ahead quick bread is a great breakfast or snack to have on hand for guests staying over during the holidays. ... Coat an 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 c. sour cream
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. canola oil
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, sugar, oil, and vanilla.
Gradually add the flour mixture into the egg mixture, stirring until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Techniques

TIP: For mini loaves, divide the batter among three 5¾- x 3¼-in. loaf pans and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Make it Ahead: Tightly wrap cooled quick breads and store at room temperature for 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Banana Walnut Bread Recipe

Walnuts star in this easy-to-make Banana Walnut Bread recipe from Food Network Kitchen. Slice it up and serve with coffee or tea. We also put it into cupcake tins to have handy for a quick snack.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for preparing the pan
1 cup sugar
3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer. 

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap. The banana bread is best if served the next day.

OLD FASHIONED ZUCCHINI CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 hr 35 min
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, pecans, coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, milk, vanilla and eggs and stir in the grated zucchini.

Ingredients
Cake: Butter, for greasing the pan

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar 
1 cup finely chopped pecans 
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut 
2 teaspoons baking soda 
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
2 tablespoons milk, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
2 large eggs 
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about 4 zucchini; use the small holes on a grater and pat dry with a paper towel)

Frosting:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, more or less as needed 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
2 splashes milk, if needed
1/2 cup chopped pecans, for garnish 

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, pecans, coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, milk, vanilla and eggs and stir in the grated zucchini. Fold this into the dry ingredients. The batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. If it still seems too dry, just add a little more milk.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and the cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Add the milk if necessary.

Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake. Garnish with chopped pecans.

Gluten is bad for you.

FIVE *

Nothing beats home baked bread straight from the oven and it is extremely satisfying to eat something tasty you've made yourself. I can make a meal of nothing but a loaf of fresh bread a cube of unsalted butter and a quart of milk and be perfectly content.

Great Northern Bean Soup
A family favorite - delicious, quick and easy


1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup onion, chopped
7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 / 4 teaspoon Parsley Leaves
2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 / 2 teaspoon Italian Spice Blend
1 / 2 teaspoon Peppercorns Whole
2 cans Eden Foods Great Northern Beans Organic
 
Grease a large pot with Olive Oil or cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion and kielbasa and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the broth, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, peppercorns and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the soup aside and let cool. Then process in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the pot.

Simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Remove soup from heat and serve.

Last Edited by Proud American Supporter on 03/31/2020 01:14 PM

Mutti’s Poor Man's Soup

This is recipe from a relative who was in Germany during the war. It can be made with broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus or even mushrooms.

Slice the veggies up bite-size and put in pan or soup pot. Just cover with water add salt to taste and set to boil.

In fry pan take 1/4 cup butter, melt it and add 1/4 cup flour... constantly stirring to make a rue.

Slowly add 1 to 2 cups of cold water (depends on how much soup you are making) as you keep stirring the rue to thicken. Rue thickens the soup and gives it flavor.

Once all the water has been dissolved (can add a cup of water from the soup to add in), then pour rue into the soup pan/pot. Take another 1/4 cube of butter and melt it in fry pan, add some cubed bread to toast until golden brown to put on top of soup when serving.

This is another family favorite.

I love scones and know that the secret is heavy cream. I am definitely trying this recipe this week after I finish eating the banana walnut bread.

Easy Black Beans and Rice
Quick and easy black beans and rice with onion, bell pepper, garlic, Tabasco, oregano, and white rice.

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup uncooked white rice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (for added flavor you can substitute roasted red bell peppers or some chopped pimentos)
3 cloves minced garlic
2 16-ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp white vinegar
A few dashes of Tabasco or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 heaping Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish

METHOD

1 Cook rice according to package instructions. White rice usually takes 15 minutes to cook once the water is simmering, and 10 minutes to sit.

2 Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high. Sauté onions and bell peppers for

3-4 minutes, until just beginning to soften, then add garlic and sauté a minute more. Add the black beans, vinegar and Tabasco or cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

3 Stir in rice and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: Serves 6.

Hoppin’ John Recipe
A classic Southern dish to celebrate New Year's. The black-eyed peas are for good fortune in the coming year.

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 50 minutes

Note that many things may affect the cooking times of the peas. They could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to cook to tenderness, depending on their age, where they were grown, the water you are using.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 pound bacon, or 1 ham hock plus 2 Tbsp oil
1 celery stalk, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas, about 2 cups
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 heaping teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Salt
2 cups long-grain rice
Scallions or green onions for garnish

METHOD
1 If you are using bacon, cut it into small pieces and cook it slowly in a medium pot over medium-low heat. If you are using a ham hock, heat the oil in the pot. Once the bacon is crispy (or the oil is hot), increase the heat to medium-high and add the celery, onion, and green pepper and sauté until they begin to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir well and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

2 Add the black-eyed peas, bay leaf, thyme and Cajun seasoning and cover with 4 cups of water. If you are using the ham hock, add it to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes to an hour, or longer if needed, until the peas are tender (not mushy).

3 While the black-eyed peas are cooking, cook the rice separately according to package instructions.

4 When the peas are tender, strain out the remaining cooking water. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the peas for salt and add more if needed. If using a ham hock, remove it from the pot, pull off the meat, and return the meat to the pot.

Serve the dish either by placing a ladle-full of black-eyed peas over steamed rice, or by mixing the two together in a large bowl. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with collard greens, kale, beet or turnip greens.

Yield: Serves 4-6 as a side dish

Jamaican Rice and Peas Recipe
The chile is cooked whole with the rice and is there just for a bit of flavor. It doesn't make the rice hot at all, as it stays whole and you discard it at the end.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups long-grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup water
1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian option)
2 cups coconut milk
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 whole Scotch bonnet chile (can substitute a whole habanero)
Lime (optional)

METHOD

1 Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until they begin to brown on the edges.
2 Add the garlic and rice, stir well and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

3 Add the grated ginger, salt, water, stock and coconut milk and stir well. Add the kidney beans and sprinkle the thyme over everything. Add the whole Scotch bonnet chile (or habanero); it will season the rice much like a bay leaf would. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and cover.

4 The rice should be done in about 15-20 minutes, depending on the type of rice you are using (some long grained rice takes longer to cook). Check after 15 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes. To serve, fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with a little lime juice if you want. Discard the habanero (or eat it, if you dare!)

Yield: Serves 6-8.

Mom’s Chili Beans Recipe
Louisiana style chili beans with ground beef and pinto beans, served over rice

Can be prepared in 1 hour or less. If using dry beans, older beans may take longer to cook to become tender. If you soak the dry beans for several hours ahead of time, they will require less cooking time. Make sure if you do this to drain the soaking water and replace with fresh water before cooking the beans.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Pinto beans (uncooked, can also used canned)
1 lb ground beef (ground round) or ground turkey
2 cups uncooked white rice
1 yellow onion - chopped
2 cloves garlic - chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 to 2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 can of tomatoes (14 oz)
1 Jalapeno pepper (cooked, canned) -sliced (Note concerning the tomatoes and Jalapeno pepper: mom will substitute these on occasion with a cup of Pace brand salsa - works fine)
Salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro leaves

METHOD

1 Start with the pinto beans. (If using canned beans, rinse them and skip to step 2.)
Put the beans into a large pot and cover with at least 3 inches of water (about 3 quarts of water). Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender.

By the way, my mother uses a pressure cooker to cook pinto beans. To cook beans with a pressure cooker, cook no more than 2 cups of beans in a 4 quart pressure cooker, with the water added until it reaches the fill line indicated for the capacity of the pressure cooker. Cook the beans for 35 minutes with 15 pounds of pressure and low heat. After 35 minutes, allow the pressure cooker to cool completely. Make sure that the pressure cooker has completely cooled before opening, and if there is any resistance when opening, do not open it. Follow the directions for your particular brand of pressure cooker. (See safety tips on pressure cookers.)

2 While the beans are cooking cook the rice according to the instructions on the rice package. Add a Tbsp of butter to the rice while it is cooking for flavor.

3 In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic in 2 Tbsp of olive oil until translucent on medium high heat. Move the onions over to one side of the pan, turn up the heat to high, and brown the meat away from the onions in the same pan. (If you do not have a large enough skillet, use two separate smaller skillets for the onions and beef.) Add chili powder to meat as it is cooking. Start with one tablespoon, and add more as needed to taste. Stir in the onions and garlic. Add chopped parsley. Add one can of tomatoes. Add sliced Jalapeno pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes.

4 Once the beans are cooked, drain them. Add the beans to the meat and onions, adding another teaspoon of salt to the beans as they go in. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, tasting and adding more salt if needed to taste. Stir in cilantro leaves right before serving, or sprinkle on top.

Serve over rice or with warm corn tortillas.

Yield: Serves 4.

Red Beans and Rice
A Southern classic, red beans cooked with smoked shanks, onions, celery, bell peppers, and spices, served over rice.

If you have access to ham hocks and not shanks, you may want to make up the difference in meat (hocks have much less meat) with sausage. Just take 1/2 pound of Andouille sausage, slice, brown first before adding to the beans with the ham shanks. If you do not eat pork, you might try making this with smoked turkey sausage, in which case I would replace some of the water with chicken stock.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb dry small red beans
1 1/2 to 2 lbs meaty ham shanks
4 cups water
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons of Cajun or Creole seasoning (Tony Chachere's or Zatarains) or to taste*
Tabasco sauce**
Salt and pepper to taste

Cooked white rice (from about 3 cups raw rice)

*If you don't have access to packaged seasoning, just skip it and add some thyme (fresh or dried), a bay leaf (in with the beans and shanks in step 2), and a little paprika 
**We used a combo of Chipotle Tabasco sauce and regular Tabasco, could also use cayenne pepper

METHOD
1 Place dried beans in a large bowl and cover them with cold water by a couple of inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. (You can quick soak them by putting them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them, covering them by 2 inches, then letting them soak for two hours.) Drain.

2 Place beans, ham shanks, garlic, chopped onion, and water in a large (8-quart) pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover, simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.

3 Remove ham shanks from the pot to a dish. Let cool slightly then shred the meat away from the bones. Return the meat back to the pot. Add the celery, bell peppers, Worcestershire and seasonings. Cover and cook for another hour or until the mixture gets thick. Season to taste with Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper.

Serve over rice.

Yield: Serves 8.

Any bat soup recipes?

damn op you are gonna make me fat