Rice and Beans and Other Fine Things

Turnip Green Pot Pie

This recipe ran in this month's edition of Today in Mississippi and I made it for dinner last week.  I always check out the recipes in this little publication and have cut out more than a few over the years.  I also cut out the turnip green soup recipe, but haven't made it yet. 

I was really pleased with the outcome of this pot pie.  That said, I did change a couple of things:   

-I swapped out smoked turkey sausage for the ham. 

-I added an extra 1/2 cup of chicken broth because the mixture was supposed to simmer for 10-15 minutes, but it was so thick I basically just cooked it while stirring frequently until the turnips thawed out. 

-And last, I was lazy and used a package of Martha White Cotton Pickin' Cornbread Mix, which was good, but I definitely could have used two packages.  Next time I think I will make the cornbread topping as directed in the original recipe.

A similar recipe ran in this month's Southern Living, but with collard greens.  I love turnips, though, so this recipe spoke to me.  This would make a good main dish or side dish, depending on how much meat is added. 

The only clear picture I took was a close-up of a bite; I know it looks a little messy.  The original recipe is here.  My changes are below. 

Turnip Green Pot Pie

(Adapted from Porches Turnip Green Pot Pie)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound diced smoked turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup red bell pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

2 (1-pound) packages frozen chopped turnips

1 (15-ounce) can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 packages cornbread mix, plus ingredients to make the cornbread

4 tablespoons melted butter

1.     In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the smoked turkey sausage and cook until golden brown around edges.

2.    Add onion, celery, and chopped red pepper and cook until soft.

3.    Add flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. 

4.    Add chicken broth. Cook, stirring often, until thickened.

5.    Stir in frozen turnips and cook for 10-15 minutes or until heated all the way through, stirring often.  Stir in peas and crushed red pepper.  

6.    Transfer to a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish and smooth out top.

7.    Mix cornbread according to package instructions.  Spread over turnip mixture. 

8.   Drizzle with melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  If top is not golden brown, place under broiler for a few minutes.

Crockpot Tamale Pie

First off, let me shout this out...

I PAID $1.91 A GALLON FOR GAS IN MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI THE OTHER DAY!!!  WOOHOO!!!!

This makes me especially happy because I am going on a road trip to Missouri this weekend to see my snuggly-wuggly-cutie-patootie little niece who will be three years-old on Saturday.  This is my little precious right here:

 

Aunt Lorie can't wait to see you, sweetie!

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I just can't get enough use out of my crockpot.  I love knowing that I've got an entire meal cooking and I don't have to babysit it, that way I never miss my rigorous workouts that I'm so fond of.  This recipe has been adapted from the Fix-It and Forget-It cookbook.

The ingredients will seem very watery when you mix them up, but that's okay.  In the crockpot, they will bake and form a crust that tastes similar to a tamale.  I found that it only takes about three hours on the low setting for this to be done.  Also, I have a hot spot in my crockpot.  One side cooked a little faster than the other and I would have benefited from rotating the crock.  This is not noticeable in my other crockpot meals that have more juice.

I made some slight changes to the recipe.  I decreased the meat to 3/4 pound and added a can of pinto beans.  I also added chopped onion and taco seasoning instead of chili seasoning, but either would work.

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Crockpot Tamale Pie

3/4 cup cornmeal

1-1/2 cups milk

1 egg, beaten

3/4 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 envelope taco or chili seasoning

1 (14.25-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

1 (15.25-ounce) can corn, drained

1 (14.25-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup grated Colby jack or cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Chopped cilantro

1. Combine the cornmeal, milk, and egg in a large mixing bowl.
2. Brown the ground beef with the onion.  Drain well.  Stir into the cornmeal mixture along with the taco seasoning, canned tomatoes, corn, and beans.  Transfer mixture to the crock.
3. Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours.  The top will be slightly puffy and dry looking on top.  Sprinkle with cheese and put lid on until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.  Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped cilantro.

Even though ground beef is cheap, it does have a lot of fat when it cooks up.

To remedy this, I put the cooked meat in a colander and run hot water over it.  This removes almost all the extra fat and grease.

 

The casserole will be slightly puffed and dry looking on top when done.

 

Sprinkle with cheese and put the lid back on.  It should melt within about five minutes.

 

I like to top mine with sour cream and chopped cilantro.

Daring Baker's October Challenge-Pizza Napoletana

Today is my debut as a member of Daring Bakers which is an online group of bakers who all bake the same assigned recipe, then post their results on the same day.  This month's challenge was hosted by Rosa at Rosa's Yummy Yums and for the challenge recipe, she chose Pizza Napoletana from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice.  I don't think I've ever made pizza dough from scratch, but you can bet I'll be making this again.  The actual pizza dough turned out great.  I did, however, have a coma-inducing tastebud disaster with my choice of toppings for one of the pizzas.  I will not post that dreadful recipe, but I will say that it involved bratwurst and it seemed like  a good idea at the time.  I did get a couple of very tasty pizzas out of my challenge though, which I have posted below, and I still have some dough left which I have big plans for.

Also, part of our challenge was to take a picture of ourselves tossing the dough in the air, but that didn't work out for me either.  I did try, but no one is ever home when I need them and it's hard to photograph yourself doing something like that.   I hope Daring Bakers doesn't fail me because of this and take away my badge.

A big thanks to Rosa for hosting the challenge this month.  You can find the recipe here.  You can also find the blogroll of  Daring Bakers here.  We're  like a secret society that comes out once a month, then goes back into hiding.  Not so secret, though, that you couldn't be part of it, too, if you'd like.  You don't have to have a blog, either.

Onto the pizza...

According to the instructions, the first step was to mix together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of my electric mixer.  Okay, easy enough.

Then I added the oil, sugar, and cold water and mixed with my paddle attachment just until a sticky ball was formed...

...like this.  Then I switched to my dough hook...

...like this.  This was the first time I have used my dough hook since I got my Kitchen Aid a year ago.  I vow to use it more.

 

According to the instructions, the dough was supposed to clear the sides of the bowl, but stick to the bottom.  That is exactly what mine did.  It was a very happy moment for me.

The instructions also stated that the dough was supposed to be sticky, not just tacky.  I think this qualifies.

 

The next step was to plop the dough onto a floured surface.  So far, so good.  Plopping is one of my special talents.

 I cut the dough into six pieces, per instructions...

 

...then shaped into balls...

...then put them onto a prepared parchment lined pan.  I gave them a dusting of flour, a sprinkling of oil and pronounced them baptized.  No, I mean I covered them in Saran wrap and put them in the fridge.

 

The next day, I took my dough out of the fridge EXACTLY 2 hours before I baked them and shaped them into disks and let them rest.

It is at this point my camera was switched off of the macro setting without my knowledge, resulting in terrible, unpostable pictures.  But I rolled out the dough and I topped one of my pizzas with pesto, mozzarella, and sliced tomatoes.  I made homemade pesto from a basil plant in my backyard that had been miraculously revived in the last month.  I picked every single eligible leaf off of that plant and had just enough to make a small batch.  I would have loved to have had fresh mozzarella and I came very, very close to buying some in Sam's the other day.  I held the package in my hand, I gently squeezed and caressed the milky white rounds, then I looked at the price of $11.00 and I had to put it back.

I used regular shredded mozzarella instead, but it still turned out really good.

 

Simple, yes, and not very creative, but it hit the spot.

But my dessert pizza was our favorite.

 

I challenged myself to ONLY use what I had in my pantry and I hit a homerun.  I brushed the crust with melted butter, then sprinkled with a little cinnamon-sugar.  I drained a can of peach halves, then diced them up and spread them all over the crust.  I then opened a box of yellow cake mix and sprinkled about 3/4 to 1 cup of it all over the top, then dotted with butter pats.  I baked it for about 15 minutes...

 

The end result was a peachy dessert pizza that everybody loved and I'll definitely be making again.

I think I'll substitute another kind of fruit next time.

Sunday Pot Roast

I know some of you have noticed that my comments were turned off on my last post.  But why?  Why would I do this?

No, no, no!  No one has offended me or written a negative comment.  Quite the contrary.  I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed the comments and the new friends I've made through blogging!

It's just that in my silly little mind, I've let my stat count and the number of comments I get become a measure for "how well I'm doing" and it's taken some of the fun away from my blogging.  Maybe by turning comments off, I can relax and go back to blogging for the fun of it.  Does this make sense to anyone or do I sound like a horrible person? 

I'm a horrible person?  Oh.  Okay.  I'm going to work on that so please don't leave me...

Another reason it that takes some of the pressure off of people who visit my blog.  You all are free to just click in, take what you want to take, then click out;  HOWEVER,  and this is a big however, if you do want to leave a comment or just say hi, my email is just a click away!  I think it's actually faster to do it this way.  AND, I might add, it would make my day to hear from you!  Really.  It would.  I'm very lonely now that my daughter is in college.  Don't you feel sorry for me?  No pressure, though...

Okay, so now a recipe.

This is my go-to slow cooker recipe for pot roast and I love it.  I think the wine adds tons of rich flavor and makes a wonderful gravy.  I layered all of it in my crock pot insert on Saturday, put it in my refrigerator overnight, then on Sunday morning I placed the crock in the slow cooker on high for about six hours.  When we got home from church, the house was filled with the smell of pot roast and I was really, really happy because I had prepped and cooked the rest of my meal the day before, so there was very little for me to do. 

About the wine.  Probably most of America doesn't understand what it's like to live in a dry county, but people, they do exist!  I happen to live in one and I cannot go to  the local wine store and get a bottle for cooking because, hello, there is no local wine store.  If you happen to live in a dry county, you have my permission to use....yes...I'm going  to say it...cooking wine.

I realize some of you foodies out there are cringing and developing a rash at the thought, but hey, I've used cooking wine before in this recipe and it was good.  I used Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon this time, but I have used cooking wine many other times and you know what?   It's not THAT big of a difference.

This recipe is by Paula Deen and again, I've only slightly changed it.  Click here for her printable recipe.  My version is below.  And please ignore the pictures.  They do not do this pot roast justice.

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Sunday Pot Roast

1 (3-pound) rump or chuck roast

Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

4 beef bouillon cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (10-3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup red wine

1. Season roast with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom.  When oil is hot, brown the roast on all sides.

2. Place the roast in a slow cooker.  Add the onion, bay leaves, bouillon cubes, garlic, soup, and wine.  Add just enough water to cover the roast.  Cook on low for about 8 hours or on high for 6 hours or until tender.  When done, whisk the gravy until smooth.

It all  started with a 2.79 pound rump roast.  I seasoned it with kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

I heated the oil in a large skillet, then browned the roast on all sides...

 

...then I put it in my crock pot that I lined with a slow cooker liner for easy clean up.  I really like those things.

 

At this point, it was just a matter of layering the rest of the ingredients...

...then adding enough water just to cover the roast.   After everything was added, I refrigerated mine overnight, then cooked it the next day.

 

I cannot tell you how moist this was.  The gravy was most excellent over my mashed potatoes, too, but I forgot to take a picture of it.  I can be so scatterbrained.

Loaded Enchilada Casserole

I know there are hundreds of versions of Mexican casserole out there.  This is my version and I incorporated a few of my favorite ingredients, rice and beans, to make it a little more filling and a little more wholesome. 

As I've said before, I usually make a big batch of brown rice at the beginning of the week, so it's ready when I need to throw it into something.  I also always have several different types of canned beans, as well as dried beans in my pantry.  Beans are just plain healthy AND cheap.  And versatile.  They can be thrown into soups, stews, and casseroles.  They can be made into dips and even used in salads.

Throwing beans into my meals helps me cut down on our meat consumption.  It's not that I don't love meat--I do--but meat can be an expensive protein. 

I do usually use ground beef because of the price, but you can certainly substitute ground chuck.  When I cook my ground beef, I drain it, then I add a little hot water to the skillet and swish the meat around, then drain again.  This will really help get most of the fat and grease off the meat.

Use any type of cheese you like in this casserole.  I used Colby jack.   Don't forget to add the cilantro and lime;  they both add a lot of fresh flavor.

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Loaded Enchilada Casserole

1 pound ground beef (can decrease to 1/2 or 3/4 pound)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove minced garlic or 1 teaspoon preminced

1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups cooked rice

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

12 corn tortillas, quartered or torn into fourths

1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce

3 cups Colby jack cheese

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 (4-ounce) can chopped black olives, drained

About 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Lime juice for drizzling

1. Brown the ground beef, onion and garlic in a large skillet.  Drain off grease, then stir in the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, black beans, rice, canned tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. 
2. Place half of the tortillas in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan, then drizzle with half of the enchilada sauce evenly.
3. Spoon half of the beef mixture on top, then half of the cheese.  Repeat layers, ending with the remaining cheese.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese melts and it's bubbly. 
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with the chopped tomatoes, black olives, and fresh cilantro.  Squeeze some lime juice on top.

Brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic in a skillet.

Stir in the beans, rice, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, and salt and pepper.

Place half of the corn tortillas in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.

Drizzle with half of the enchilada sauce.

Spoon half of the meat mixture over the tortillas.

Top with half the cheese, then repeat layers...

...ending with the cheese.  Bake at 400  degrees for about 30 minutes.

This is what you'll end up with.

Top with chopped tomatoes...

...fresh cilantro...

...and sliced black olives.

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with White Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Onions

For the first order of the day, Lisa at Jersey Girl Cooks gave me this award last week :

I would like to pass it on to Mary at One Perfect Bite.   Mary is brand new to the blogging world, but already has a site that is full of delicious dishes.  I personally have learned a lot about ethnic cooking just from reading her recipes.  Well done, Mary!

(As easy as everyone makes it sound, I still can't just insert this award in my sidebar.  I'm working on it though.)

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I love having a healthy meal cooking in my crock pot.  It makes me feel so in control and allows me to have extra time in my day to tackle the really important things in my life  like organizing my make-up and giving myself a pedicure.

This meal is especially easy and nutritious, not to mention cheap, too. Chicken thighs are one of those items that go on sale often.  I usually stock up when they do, freeze them separately on a baking sheet, then put them in a big bag.

Also, I can't sing the praises of canned beans enough.  They boost the nutritional value of any meal and since they're full of protein, they help reduce the amount of meat we consume.  Cannellinis would work great in this recipe, but I just can't get them here, so I used Great Northern.  You can substitute just about any white bean.

This simple meal is a big hit with my husband and daughter. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with White Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers and Onions

About 10-12 chicken thighs, skin and fat removed

Salt and Pepper to season meat

1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

3 (15.5-ounce) cans Northern Beans or other white beans

1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried thyme or several fresh thyme sprigs

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large skillet; add chicken and cook until browned on both sides.  Set aside on a platter.  Chicken does not have to be done.
2. Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until soft, scraping the bottom to get all of the chicken bits.
3. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans and add to the crock pot.  When the onions and peppers are done add them to the beans.  Stir in the can of tomatoes and dried thyme, if using, and season with salt and pepper.  Place the chicken on top of the beans.  If using fresh thyme, place the sprigs on top of the chicken. 
4. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken is done.  Remove thyme sprigs before serving.

Remove the skin and fat from about 10-12 chicken thighs.  I like to use my kitchen shears for this.  This is definitely on my top ten list of least liked kitchen actions.

Season with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large skillet...

...and add the chicken.  Brown on both sides.  Meanwhile...

...chop an onion.

I kind of like a larger chop in this dish.  You would also need to chop your bell pepper at this point.  I've already done this.  I am using some frozen bell peppers that I put up a few weeks ago.

Remove the browned chicken from the pan onto a platter.  There should be enough fat in the bottom of the skillet to cook the veggies.  If not, drizzle in some more olive oil.

Add the onions and peppers.

Cook until soft, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom.

Add the drained and rinsed white beans to the slow cooker.  Pour in the tomatoes.  I used a slow cooker liner for easy clean up.

Add the cooked onions and peppers.  Season with salt and pepper.  If using dried thyme, add it now, then give it a stir.

Nestle the chicken thighs on the beans.

Since I used fresh thyme, I put it on top.  When it was done, the leaves fell off and I pulled out the stems. (Stalks?  Twiggy remainders of the thyme?  What are they called?)

Cook for about 4-5 hours on low.  It doesn't take long for the chicken thighs to cook.  Add some crusty bread and a salad and it's a well rounded meal.

Shredded Pork Fried Rice

A big thank you to Lisa at Jersey Girl Cooks for giving me this award:

Lisa is not only a fellow blogging buddy, but also one of my talented contest cooking friends.  I am thrilled to pieces to be the recipient of this award and it is going in my sidebar just as soon as I can figure out how to get it over there.  I'll also be passing it on soon.  Thanks, Lisa!

Another thing I am soooooo thankful for is shredded, cooked meat in my freezer, which is a complete time saver.  Here's another recipe I made with the shredded pork I froze last week.  Throw in just about any vegetable you'd like and it will still be delicious and healthy. 

As always, white rice can be substituted for the brown, but we're brown rice eaters around here.   I usually make a big batch of brown rice at the beginning of the week to have on hand for meals.  Cooking rice is not one of my favorite things to do, so I like to get a lot done at one time.

Shredded Pork Fried Rice

1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

2 beaten eggs

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2-3 cups shredded cabbage

1/4 cup chopped red pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups shredded pork

4 cups cooked rice (brown or white)

1/4 to 1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Sliced green onion

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the bottom of a wok or a large pot until hot.  Add the eggs and cook in a single layer, turning once, until done.  Chop into thin strips and set aside. 
2. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the wok and add the onions, celery, red pepper, and cabbage.  Cook over high heat until slightly tender.  Add the garlic and cook for about another minute. 
3. Add the pork and rice.  Stir until combined.  Cook until everything is hot.
4. Add the soy sauce, then stir in the peas, reserved eggs, and the chili flakes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Top each serving with sliced green onion.

Start by beating some eggs in a glass measuring cup.

Add some oil to a hot wok or very large skillet or even a pot.

Pour in the eggs.

Cook them in one large patty OR you can scramble them.  It does not matter.  I made an omelet type thing, sort of.

Chop it into strips and set it aside.

Chop an onion, some celery, and some cabbage and add some more oil to the wok.

Add those vegetables along with some red bell peppers .  Mine were already chopped and in my freezer.  Cook until they are crisp-tender.

Add the shredded pork...

...then the rice...

...then the soy sauce.  Then stir it.  Cook until hot through and through.

Add the frozen peas, the chopped eggs, and the red pepper flakes.  Stir it up until well combined.

   

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Then you've got fried rice.

I don't know how to eat with chopsticks.  Do you?

Barbecue Pork and Baked Bean Tostadas

I don't usually buy pork roast, but I was at the grocery store the other day and it was on sale for $1.69 a pound.  Sold.  I grabbed an almost four pounder and brought it home and thought about how I would cook it.  Since I was extremely lazy busy the other day, I seasoned it with salt and pepper, put it in my crock pot with a couple of tablespoons of water, turned the knob to low and went about my day polishing my toenails deep cleaning my home.  A few hours later I had this:

A pile of tender pork meat.  I pulled the bone out, removed the chunky hunks of fat, and then I....

...shredded it all.  I got about six cups of shredded pork.  I took two cups and set it aside for dinner that night and I divided the rest into two cup portions and put them in the freezer for future dinners.

At this point, I felt really good about myself because I had shredded, ready-to-use meat in the freezer.  But I was tired from all the physical exertion from the shredding process, not to mention the toenail polishing deep cleaning I had done earlier, so I wanted something quick and easy for dinner.  This meal made good use of what I had in my fridge.  It went over quite well.

Barbecue Pork and Baked Bean Tostadas

2 (16-ounce) cans baked beans

2 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups shredded pork

2-3 tablespoons barbecue sauce

3 cups shredded cabbage

3-4 tablespoons ranch dressing

8 corn tortillas, fried flat until crisp

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped green onion

1. Drain most of the liquid from both cans of beans.  Pour into a medium heavy saucepan and stir in the brown sugar and mustard.  Heat over medium heat until hot, stirring often.  Keep warm or warm again right before using.
2. Place 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large skillet and heat over high heat.  Chop the pork into small bits and add to the oil.  Cook until meat gets slightly brown and crispy, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the barbecue sauce just until moistened.   Remove from heat.
3. Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl and add the ranch dressing.  Stir to evenly coat.
4. To assemble, spread each tortilla with some beans.  Sprinkle with the pork, then top with a spoonful of slaw.  Top with chopped tomatoes and green onion.

First thing was to fry up some corn tortillas.  I used a small skillet and poured some canola oil to about 1/4-inch depth.  When the oil was hot, I fried them until golden brown and crispy, turning once.  I placed them on a paper towel lined plate and set them aside.

Canned baked beans need a little doctoring to me.  I added 2 tablespoons each of brown sugar and dijon mustard.  I drained the beans of most of their juice beforehand so they wouldn't be too wet on my tortillas.

I dumped out the pork on my cutting board...

...and chopped it up.  This makes it go a little bit further. 

Then I heated a couple of tablespoons of canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat.  You could certainly use vegetable oil, though.

I cooked the pork until it was crispy in places, then poured some barbecue sauce over it and gave it a stir.

Then I sliced up some cabbage that I had in my fridge.  I estimate it was about 3 cups, give or take a little bit.

I drizzled some ranch dressing over it...

...then gave it a toss to coat.  Suddenly, I had slaw!  WOW!  I amaze myself sometimes.

I layed out a crispy tortilla...

...spread some beans on it.  Then I topped with a little bit of pork, then a spoonful of slaw, then chopped tomatoes and green onions.  I'm not sure what happened to all my pictures.

In the end, this is what it looked like.  We were all happy and full and that's the important thing.

Green Chile Venison Crock Pot Tacos

Deer meat.  Naturally organic.  Untainted by hormone injections.  Biodegradable.  Huh? 

Completely free.  COMPLETELY FREE?  I like those words.  A lot.

My husband is an avid deer hunter, as many men are here.  (Yes, even some women.  Not me, though!)  He keeps my freezer full of deer meat so we won't starve to death in the harsh Mississippi winters.  He tans the hides to make clothes and blankets to keep his beloved family clothed and warm.  He fashions tools and weapons from the horns.  Letting no part of his kill go to waste, he grinds the hooves to make medicine and gun powder...

Just kidding about most of that.  We do eat deer meat, though, and yes, I do have a deer hide in my freezer because my hubby IS interested in tanning hides.  Why?  Well, he has a real pioneer side to him.  More on that in another post.

Since deer season starts in November, I've got to use what I have to make room for more.  Venison is much leaner than beef.  There's not a whole lot of marbling and fat to add moisture, so it can be dry.  One of the best ways I've found to cook it is in my crock pot on the low setting.  When I use it in soups and stews, we really can't tell the difference between it and beef.

If you don't have a freezer full of venison, just substitute a chuck roast for this recipe.  I have lots of different recipes that I use for tacos, but this one is quick and easy.  Putting something in my crock pot early in the day makes me feel like I have a handle on everything.  I like feeling that way.

Green Chili Venison Crock Pot Tacos

2-1/2 to 3 pounds venison ham OR the equivalent amount of a beef chuck roast

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup water

1 beef bouillon cube

2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chilies

1 (10-ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

Fajita size flour tortillas

Shredded Monterey jack, pepper jack or Colby cheese

Chopped fresh cilantro

Chopped fresh radishes

Lime wedges, if desired

1. Season deer with salt and pepper. 
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the deer meat and brown on all sides.
3. Place the meat in a crock pot and add the onion, garlic, water, and bouillon cube.  Turn on low and cook for 6 hours or until tender.
4. Remove meat and let cool until easy to handle.  Shred the meat.  To the liquid in the crock pot, add the chopped green chiles, the enchilada sauce, and the cumin.  Stir until combined.  Add the shredded meat back in and turn on high.  Cook for another hour or until hot.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. To make tacos, heat the tortillas in the microwave until warm.  Using a slotted spoon, place a small amount of the meat in the tortilla and top with the cheese, cilantro, and chopped radishes.  Squeeze lime juice on each taco, if desired.

Start with about 2-1/2 to 3 pounds of deer ham.  At least I think this is ham.  I'm really bad about not labeling my freezer bags.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet and brown the meat on all sides.

 

I really like these slow cooker liner bags.  They are a splurge, but they do make my life so much easier.

Put the meat in the slow cooker.  By the way, is it called a slow cooker or crock pot?  I use both interchangeably.

Add the onion, garlic, a cup of water...

...and a beef bouillon cube.  Or you could use a cup of canned beef broth.

Put the lid on and cook on low for about 6 hours or until the meat is tender.

Take the meat out of the liquid and set aside to cool enough so that it can be handled.

To the liquid in the crock, add 2 cans of chopped green chiles, a can of green chile enchilada sauce, and a teaspoon of cumin.  Or maybe slightly more than that.

Shred all the meat...

...and add it back to the sauce in the pot.  Turn it on high...

...give it a stir and let it warm back up for about 30 minutes to an hour.  Use a slotted spoon to put it in the tortillas.

Top with your favorite toppings.  These are what I had on hand. 

Homemade Tomato Soup

There has been a slight break in the heat and I saw five leaves fall over the weekend.   That can only mean one thing.  Fall is on the way.

Okay, I know I'm rushing it because it's only the middle of August, but I would love a cool, early fall this year.  It's my favorite season, by far.  Please, Lord, send fall quickly and make it last a really, really long time.

I made this tomato soup over the weekend, and even though it's still very much summer, I love the warmth and richness it provided.  Plus, my basil has made a come-back and I just had to use some in something.  Plus, I was stranded at home all weekend with no way to go, and I had all the ingredients on hand.

I use bouillon cubes because canned broth is up to five times the cost.  Also, I don't have a lot of storage space in my kitchen and bouillon cubes take up so much less space.  You could certainly substitute canned broth, though.  I also use canned tomatoes, which are always readily available, so this soup can be made anytime.  And it's healthy, too.  The perfect soup to dunk crusty bread in.  I made the Pioneer Woman's Thyme Bread and it was the PERFECT accompaniment.  My thyme has done well this year.

If you have an immersion blender, good for you.  You will want to use it for this soup.  It will make your life a lot easier.  I don't have one, so I had to use a blender.  If you're using a blender, let the soup cool somewhat and MAKE SURE to process the soup in small batches on low speed.  Take the small drizzling cap off the lid and cover with a paper towel instead to allow for ventilation.  If you cover it tightly and add too much soup at one time, the steam will build up and the lid will fly off and soup will go everywhere.  Just trust me when I say this.   

Homemade Tomato Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups of water

2 chicken flavored bouillon cubes

2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup heavy cream or half and half

1.      Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Sauté the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic until vegetables are soft.  Add the water, bouillon cubes, tomatoes, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cooking for about 15 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf.

2.      If using an immersion blender, blend the soup in the pot until smooth or the desired consistency.  If not, then process the soup in a blender in small batches on low speed until desired consistency, making sure to let steam escape.  Return the soup to the pot.

3.      Place over low heat and add the salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the cream until hot.  Stir in the basil.  Serve with crusty bread for dipping.    

Take an onion, carrot, and a stalk of celery...

...and chop them up.  Don't forget to chop...

...the garlic like I had to go back and do.

Heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add the vegetable mixture and cook until vegetables are soft.

Add 2 cups of water to the pot...

...then drop in 2 bouillon cubes and a bay leaf.

Now add the tomatoes.

Give it a stir and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

Now would be the time to remove the bay leaf.

Puree with an immersion blender in the pot or process in a stand blender until desired consistency.  I like mine relatively smooth.  Since I'm using a stand blender, I'm transferring the processed soup to a new pot as I do it in batches.

Season with salt...

...and pepper and turn the heat on low.  Stir in the cream or half and half.  Heat until warm.

Now chop some basil.  About 2-3 tablespoons.  My basil has made a comeback.  I think it was all the rain we've gotten.  Yay! 

Stir it in.  I like to see the green flecks in my soup.  You could certainly use dried basil if that's what you have.  I would say about 2 teaspoons.

That's it.  Much better than canned tomato soup.

 

Rice and Beans. Two very fine things.

This is one of the cheapest meals on earth to make, especially this version.  It probably doesn't add up to more than a couple of dollars for the whole meal.  And really, it is very tasty.

I switched to brown rice about eight years ago.  I almost never make white rice because brown rice is so much healthier.  A bag of brown rice is a bit more costly, but still very cheap.  It has a nuttier flavor and a bit chewier texture, but it is very nutritious and simple to prepare.  It just takes a little getting used to.  But if you want to use white rice, go right ahead.  I want nothing but the BEST for MY family, so I make WHOLESOME brown rice.  And cookie dough-filled cookie cups made from prepackaged mixes.

I am making pinto beans today without any animal fat for a couple of reasons.  My husband and daughter are both getting over a nasty stomach virus and I want this to be super healthy with no grease that would aggravate their stomachs.  Also, I want to show you that beans don't have to have fat in them to taste good.  I use bacon or sausage many times when I'm making beans; I don't have anything against it.  But I think these pintos are just fine without it.

In case you've never used dried beans, most people will tell you that they need to be presoaked.  I agree with this, but I use a quick-soak method, not an overnight soak.  The soaking breaks down the starches that can cause gas.  Some people debate this, but I am definitely of the camp that says that beans need to be soaked.  Yes, I've learned from experience.

I love topping my beans with raw white onions and jarred sliced jalapenos, especially the liquid from the jar.  My grandmother finely chops fresh jalapenos and onions together and puts that on her beans.  I love that, too.  Add a wedge of cornbread and some tomato slices and you've got a really great meal. 

Imagine how your food bill would go down if you made a big pot of beans once a week?  And you would be healthier to boot.

Pinto Beans and Rice

For the beans:

1 pound dried pinto beans

Water

2-3 slices bacon, finely chopped (optional)

Garlic salt to taste

Kosher or regular salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the rice:

2-1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon Kosher or regular salt

1 cup brown rice

1. To make the beans, sort through the beans handful by handful and pick out any rocks or questionable looking beans.  Place them in a colander and give them a rinse.
2. Place the beans in a Dutch oven and cover with water by about 2-inches. There’s no need to measure.  Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat and boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for at least 1 hour.
3. Drain all of the liquid from the beans and cover with fresh water by about 2-inches.  Add the chopped bacon if using it.  Place over high heat and bring to a boil.  Cover; reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until tender. 
4. Remove lid and season with garlic salt, salt, and black pepper.  If there is too much liquid, leave the lid off and continue to cook until enough has evaporated.  Smash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the juice.

For the rice:

1.        Place 2-1/2 cups water in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.

2.        Add 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Add the brown rice, stir once and cover with a tight fitting lid. 

3.        Reduce heat to low and cook for 35-45 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

   

Here sits a humble bag of pinto beans.  It weighs 4 pounds.  It's from Save A Lot.  I think it was under two bucks for the whole bag.  Now that is cheap.

The first thing to do is to grab handfuls of beans and carefully examine them for small rocks, discolored beans or tiny frogs.  I am just kidding about the frogs.  Often beans will have small rocks in them that can break your teeth if you bite into them.  This may cause you to have to have a crown, thus using up any money that preparing rice and beans would have saved you.  And then some.

Since I started with a 4-pound bag, I only sort about one-fourth of the bag or 1 pound.  It's not necessary to be precise.  We're not measuring here.  You could sort more or less than this if you want.  I have sorted about 1 pound of beans just hoping to find a rock for a visual aid.  Can you believe that when I want to find a rock, I can't?  But what I did find were two questionable looking beans.  Can you tell the difference above?  I will get rid of those.  Don't let this sorting process overwhelm you.  It really doesn't take long.  Just throw away anything that doesn't resemble a bean.

Give them a rinse in a colander.

Put them in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water by about 2-inches. 

Place a tight fitting lid on the pot and bring to a boil.  Boil for 3-5 minutes, then remove from heat and let them cool down for about an hour.  Or longer if you forget about them like I did.

Drain all the liquid from the beans.  Add some more water, slosh them around, and drain that liquid.  Now cover them again with fresh water by about 2-inches.  Bring back to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer.  Let cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until the beans are tender.

   

When the beans are tender, that is the time to season them.

Add the garlic salt...

...salt...

...and pepper.  Add it to taste or to your liking.  However much you want.  These are terrible pictures, I know.  I need a new camera.  And some photography lessons.

Now, at this point, I usually find that I have too much liquid in my beans.  There are two ways to remedy this.  After seasoning, cook the beans for say, 10-15 minutes longer, with the lid off.  This will  help to evaporate and reduce the amount of liquid.  I like my beans a little liquidy when I am serving them over rice.  The rice absorbs the bean juice and it is quite delicious.

The other thing you can do is this:

   

Smash some of the beans against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon.  This will thicken up the liquid and make it into a gravy-like consistency.  I like my beans with a thick juice.  And my pictures are getting worse and worse.

And now for the rice:

Measure 2-1/2 cups of water into a  saucepan.

Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

 

When the water boils, add 1 cup of rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Give it a stir and put a tight fitting lid on it.  I forgot to take a picture of the salt addition, but I'm sure you can use your imagination.

 

Reduce heat to low and cook for 35 to 45 minutes...

...or until all the liquid is gone.  This took me 33 minutes.  But I wish I had made more.  A larger amount will likely cook longer.

This method works with any dried beans.  I like them all.  And yes, I use canned beans, too.  But that is the subject of another post.