Sweet & Savory - Chipotle Chile Pepper Pinto Bean Soup

'Tis the season for delicious soups and stews. This one is sure to warm you from head to toe!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups pinto beans (I soak 2 cups of dry pinto beans overnight with 1 tsp. baking soda and water.  Drain in colander before placing inside crock pot, stock pot, or sauce pan.)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. garlic, diced
• 1 cup boiled, diced bratwurst or smoked sausage (place sausage in medium saucepan and simmer gently for about 15 minutes which helps to remove some of the excess calories.)
• 2 tsp. Chipotle Chile Pepper
• 1 tsp. ground kosher salt, optional
• 1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 - 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
• Add water to achieve desired consistency

HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS:

• This recipe can be prepared in a stock pot or saucepan on top of the stove or in a crock pot.
• If using a crock pot, cook on high level for approximately 6 hours to assure that beans are thoroughly cooked.
• Serve with bread or rolls.
• Diced potatoes can also be added to the recipe, if desired.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Bake a pan of diced green chile cornbread and serve with this delicious soup.
• Cooked rice is also a tasty accompaniment. 

Soup's on, so enjoy!

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Sweet & Savory Tuesday ~~ Pomegranate Pasta Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce or use fresh tomatoes from your garden
• 1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste or use fresh tomatoes from your garden
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 4 cloves diced garlic
• 2 medium sized onions 
• 1 - Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning or use fresh basil, oregano, and rosemary
• 1 - Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 - tsp. salt, optional
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Puree onions in food processor
• If you are using dried herbs for Italian seasoning, grind them in your mortar and pestle

• Combine all ingredients in a medium sized sauce pan
• Stir until smooth
• Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for at least 45 minutes. The longer you allow the sauce to simmer, the better the flavor will be.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with spaghetti noodles or pasta of your choice
• Pair with tossed green salad and garlic french bread

Pomegranates are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. For additional information, here is a link:

https://authoritynutrition.com/12-proven-benefits-of-pomegranate/

I have such fond childhood memories of my maternal grandmother, Lenna Grace, sending a box of yummy pomegranates to our family each year for Thanksgiving.  The area in which she lived was very conducive to growing ones with exceptional color and flavor.

If you happen to give this pasta sauce with a new twist a try, I would love to hear from you.  So would my blog readers!

Happy eating in Pomegranate's Presence.

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Sweet & Savory Friday ~~~ Retro 50's Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 6-8 pork chops or thin loin chops
• 2 cups rice
• 3 3/4 cups water
• 1 - 4 oz. jar diced pimentos
• 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
• Seasoned pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Lightly brown pork chops and sprinkle with seasoned pepper, optional
• Place rice in bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking pan
• Heat water to boiling and pour in baking pan
• Add package of onion soup mix
• Add jar of diced pimentos
• Mix thoroughly
• Place pork chops on top
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Since I just harvested fresh tomatoes from my horse trough gardening receptacle yesterday, I sliced some of those to serve with the pork chop and rice casserole.

• No pork chop dish is complete without a little applesauce.  Pork chops and applesauce. That's sort of a tongue twister along the lines of Sufferin' Succotash!
• A nice summer salad is a tasty compliment with any dinner.

When I was a young girl being raised on Sage Creek Farms, I have fond memories of my sweet mother, Rita, preparing this dish which is a family favorite. A variation of it first appeared in some type of farming magazine in the 1950's; ergo, I have titled my blog post Retro 50's Casserole.  I just thought that wording would add a little extra pizzazz.  What say you?

Happy Dining & Retroing!

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