Sweet & Savory ~~ Painted Desert Chili

Painted Desert Chili will not disappoint even if you don't live in the desert!  It makes enough to almost feed Coxey's Army, so this is the perfect recipe for Sunday Dinner or your upcoming Super Bowl Party. Serve it with green-chile cornbread and butter. Double yummy!


QUART JAR INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 2 Tbsp. cumin
• 2 Tbsp. paprika
• 2 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 2 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 cup dried pinto beans
• 1/4 cup small dried white beans
• 1/2 cup small dried black beans
• 1 cup dried kidney beans

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:

• 16-20 cups water
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 - 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1 - 12 oz. can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 48 oz. tomato juice or V-8
• 2  lbs. ground beef

DIRECTIONS:

• Brown ground beef with diced onion in skillet.  Drain and add to 12 quart stock pot along with all other ingredients.
• Bring to a boil; simmer for 3-5 hours or until beans are fully cooked.
• You may need to experiment with the total amount of water you add to the recipe.  Some folks prefer a chili that sticks to the wall while others desire it with much more broth.  I happen to fall into the second camp.  In addition, if you have extra liquid, the cornbread can be added to the bowl of chili.
• The beans do not need to be soaked prior to cooking; however, it's a good idea to rinse them in a colander before adding to your stock pot.

Happy Dining, stay warm, & enjoy your chili!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ Refried Bean Dip

With all of those football playoff games and the Super Bowl right around the corner, here's a great suggestion for your fans!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 - 16 oz. can refried beans
• 1 cup medium Picante sauce
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 - 4 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temp.
• 1 tsp. cumin
• Tortilla chips, scoop variety; crackers; or artisan bread of your choice.

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl.
• Transfer to a medium sized slow cooker (crock pot).
• Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until mixture is heated completely through, stirring occasionally. 
• Once the mixture is hot and melted together, turn to warm or low setting on your crock pot.
• Serve with chips, crackers, or bread.

Enjoy & may your favorite team win!

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Sweet & Savory Thursday ~~ "1/2 & 1/2 Hummus"

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 - 15 oz. can Garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 - 15 oz. can Cannellini beans, drained 
• 1/2 cup lowfat plain yogurt
• 1 tsp. hot sauce (I used Cajun Sunshine)
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. garlic pepper seasoning
• Balsamic vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Drain and thoroughly rinse beans in colander.
• Place beans in food processor.
• Add yogurt, lemon juice, hot sauce and garlic pepper seasoning.
• Puree until smooth.
• Place in serving dish.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Drizzle with slight amount of balsamic vinegar.
• Serve with veggies, apple slices, pita bread, flat bread, chips, dill pickles, green olives, or other items of your choice.
• By adding a swirl of balsamic vinegar before serving, it seems to provide a tasty balance.  
• On a personal note, the flavor of this hummus was more enhanced when eating it on apple and veggie slices.
• This is a great dish to serve at the start of an evening with family or friends as the 1/2 and 1/2 hummus seems to disappear much quicker than the normal variety.
• Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

Here's to happy dining & healthy eating!

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Sweet & Savory Thursday ~~ Zucchini Boats

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large zucchinis 
• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1 - 15 oz. can Italian diced tomatoes or use fresh tomatoes 
• 1 - 15 oz. can cut green beans, drained, or use fresh green beans
• 1 - 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup minute rice
• Grated cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS: 

• Wash zucchinis and pat dry with paper towels.
• Brown hamburger, season to taste with salt and pepper (optional), drain and rinse.
• Return hamburger to skillet and add tomatoes and both kind of beans.
• Add 1 cup of water.
• Bring mixture to a boil and add 1/2 cup of minute rice.
• Cover and cook until rice is tender.
• Cut zucchinis in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
• Fill zucchinis with beef mixture.
• Place a small amount of water in bottom of baking pan before placing zucchinis inside to bake.
• Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
• Sprinkle with grated cheese.
• Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Can be served with or without the outside zucchini skin.
• This is a great way to make use of zucchini that has grown too large if you normally prefer them in a smaller size.
• Very tasty with garlic or regular french bread.

I grew the zucchinis in my horse trough and my friend Bobbie contributed the recipe. Teamwork makes it happen!

For additional information on horse trough gardening, please check out Straight From The Horse's Trough in my Etsy shop.  Thanks!

Happy cooking & dining!

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Sweet & Savory Friday ~~ Navy Bean Soup & Cornbread

      
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cups Dried Small Navy Beans
• 1 - 8 ounce package diced ham
• 2 - medium onions, chopped
• 1 - Tsp. freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

• Sort through dried beans to remove gravel and debris
• Sprinkle 1 tsp. baking soda over beans and mix together in large bowl
• Cover beans with water and soak over night
• Drain and rinse beans with water in colander the following morning
• Place in crock pot or in large saucepan on stove top
• Add diced ham
• Chop onions and add to mixture
• Add pepper 
• Cover with water and cook 6 hours on high setting on crock pot or cook on stove top until beans are tender

HELPFUL HINTS & SUGGESTIONS:

• If preparing the bean soup in a crock pot, add just enough water so that it covers the beans by about one inch.
• I process the onions in my food processor until they are the puree stage, and this seems to help them blend into the soup nicely.
• If possible, stir the soup several times during the day while it is cooking.
• This soup is delicious if served with cornbread.  I add a 4-oz. can of diced mild green chilies to the standard cornbread recipe.

BEANS ARE BENEFICIAL!

• Aside from fresh meat, beans are one of the least expensive sources of protein.
• Beans contain a boat load of nutrients including antioxidants, along with vitamins and minerals such as copper, folate, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.
• You can prepare a healthy, inexpensive meal for your family using beans as the main course.
• Several varieties of beans are grown within our great state, so you will be helping to support your local economy while feeding your family.

Happy Eating & Reading!

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