An Unexpected Surprise

This recipe has been saved for quite a while in my "to try stash". So, the other day when I absolutely could not figure out what in the world to make for dinner, I pulled out my trusty stack of saved recipes.

Sure enough, this caught my eye again, so I decided to dive in and give it a shot. We were so excited that I did because they sure were good!!!! Not only were they good, but they were also extremely easy. We love Mexican food too, so that made them an even bigger hit.

These will be made again real soon around here. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as we did. If you do, please come back and let me know.

Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas:

1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 minced garlic cloves
1 T olive oil
1, 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1/4 cup salsa
1 T chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups cooked brown rice
8 flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
3 T cilantro

In large non-stick skillet, saute onion, garlic and green pepper in oil until tender. Add beans, tomatoes, salsa, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until heated through and mixture thickens. Add cooked rice. Cook five minutes or heated through.

Spoon a rounded 1/2 cup down the center of each tortilla. Fold sides over the filling and roll up. Place in a 13x9 coated baking dish. Spoon remaining salsa over each tortilla. Cover and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

This recipe will be linked to Potluck Sunday at Mommy's Kitchen.

Soup Trio

I've mentioned before how James and I enjoy dining on soup during the winter. Here are a trio of soups that are perfect on a cold winter night!

Hearty Black-Eyed Pea Soup

1 pound pork sausage
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
4 cups water
3, 15 1/2 ounce cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1, 10 ounce can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1, 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
4 beef bouillon cube
4 teaspoons molasses
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

In a large pot, cook sausage, beef and onion until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.


Southwestern Bean Soup:

1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. vegetable oil
2, 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2, 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
1, 16-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1, 15-ounce can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce

In a large pot, saute the onion in oil until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until heated through.



Hearty Navy Bean Soup:

3 cups dried navy beans
1, 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup diced cooked ham
2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chopped parsley

Rinse and sort beans. Cover with cold water and soak overnight. Drain beans and place in a large pot. Add tomatoes, onion, ham, broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender. Add more water if necessary. Garnish with parsley.

Let's Eat!

I can remember my parents making this dish when I was younger. It has long been a family favorite. This is perfect for a Fall evening dinner.

Red Beans and Rice with Sausage:

2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1 16oz. can New Orleans style kidney beans, drained
1 lb. pkg. smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 101/2 oz. can beef broth
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 1/2 cups Minute rice

Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute celery, onion, and green pepper until veggies soften. Stir in beans, sausage, broth, water, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Do you know the way to Santa Fe?

This is a recipe that I was first introduced to about 5 years ago, I guess. Then, it was given to me when James and I were married. It is one of our absolute favorites. I promise that you will not be sorry if you make this. It is still too hot for chili, so we opted for this instead. I also make this whenever I feel a little homesick. James and I live nowhere near our families. When we go home to visit my family, we often will have this for gatherings. This recipe feeds a lot of people. It also freezes well. This is better than any taco soup recipe we have come across.

Santa Fe Soup:

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 onion, finely diced
1 oz. pkg Ranch style dressing mix
2 packets Taco Seasoning
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1 can petite cut diced tomatoes
2 cans white corn, undrained

Brown and drain the meat and onion. Stir in all seasoning packets. Follow with all cans of beans and vegetables. Stir together, cover, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes up to 2 hours. Garnish with shredded cheese.

ODE TO THE CROCK POT LADY

My sister in law is the one who peaked my interest in blogging and also introduced me to Stephanie, aka, the crock pot lady. Amazingly, Stephanie has vowed to use her crock pot every day this year. While my husband and I love the crock pot, we do not use it near enough! This recipe is a family favorite. Hopefully it is something that will peak her interest, as well as yours.

CROCK POT BEANS

2 medium onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 lb. sausage
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 bottle barbecue sauce
1 small bottle Heinz 57
2-64 oz cans baked beans (recipe works with smaller amount of beans too!)
dash of hot sauce

Brown, crumble, and drain the sausage. Drain the juices from the beans. Combine all ingredients in the crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours. Do not stir this but once half way through the cooking process. Excess stirring will make the beans mushy. Hope that you like them.