Bean and Bacon Soup

Vegetables cooking

8 oz. bacon, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 c. carrots, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 c. chicken broth
45 oz. Great Northern beans
salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz. tomato sauce

Cook the bacon in a soup pot. When cooked and crispy, remove to a paper towel lined plate. Add the onion and carrots to the bacon grease. Cook over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.

Vegetables, broth, and beans

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add in the broth and beans. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Bean and Bacon Soup

Remove half the soup to a food processor (or blender, or use an immersion blender). Process until smooth. Return to the soup pot. Stir together. Add in the tomato sauce and cooked bacon. Add salt and pepper as needed. Stir and heat for about 5 minutes more or until heated through.

The canned version of this was my favorite growing up. This homemade version is pretty spot on. I'll be making it again.

Here's a link to the recipe I adapted: http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/homemade-bean-bacon-soup/

Tamale Pie

1 lb. ground beef

Beef mix

1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. taco seasoning
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
15 oz. can black beans, drained
15 oz. can corn kernels, drained
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
3/4 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/3 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. basil
1 lb. bag Marie Callender's Low-Fat Corn Bread mix
1 1/2 c. water
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Cook the beef and onion together in a deep skillet until the beef is browned. While it's cooking, add in the taco seasoning. Add the garlic, and cook 1 more minute. Drain the fat.

Before baking

Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, cheese, and seasonings to the meat and onions. Cook about 5 minutes, adjusting the seasonings as needed.

In a separate bowl, mix together the corn bread mix and water. Make sure all the lumps are gone.

Grease a casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour in the beef mixture. Spread out evenly. Pour the corn bread mix onto the top of the beef mixture evenly. 

Dinner is ready!

Bake for 30-35 minutes. The corn bread needs to be cooked all the way through. Enjoy!

Here is a link to the recipe I adapted: http://www.skinnykitchen.com/recipes/fabulous-skinny-tamale-pie/

Jamaican Stew

2 tsp. oil

Onion, garlic, chicken, and spices

1 c. onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 lb. chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. pepper (I may have added more...)
1/2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1/4 c. red wine
2 Tbsp. capers
1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, not drained
1 c. chicken broth
Hot cooked rice

Stewin'

Saute the onion in the oil in a large pot over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic, and cook a minute or two longer. Combine the chicken and next five ingredients (through the pepper) in a bowl. Mix well. Add chicken mix to the pan, and cook about 4-5 minutes. Add cilantro. Stir in wine, capers, beans, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer about 10 minutes or until tender.



Put about 1/2 a cup of hot cooked white rice in the bottom of a bowl, then spoon the stew over it.

If you don't want as much liquid in your stew, leave out the chicken broth.

Here's a link to the recipe I adapted: Jamaican Stew

Enchilada Casserole

Here is a link to the original recipe: http://www.squidoo.com/enchilada-casserole-recipe

And here is the recipe with the alterations I made. =)

Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
4 oz. can diced green chile peppers
1 can whole kernel corn
Cilantro, chopped
Spices: cumin, coriander, pepper
6 corn tortillas
16 oz. Enchilada sauce
Black olives, sliced
Cheddar, shredded
Pepperjack, shredded
Sour cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a baking dish.

I prefer cooked onions and garlic, so I cooked them in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Combine beans, garlic, onion, tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and corn. I sprinkled the spices over the mix. Stir it up.

Pour the enchilada sauce into a shallow bowl. Dip 3 tortillas in the sauce, then place them on the bottom of the baking dish, covering the bottom of the dish as completely as possible. Layer half of the bean mixture on top of the tortillas. Repeat the process. Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce over the casserole. Sprinkle with black olives and cheese.

Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes or until bubbling and the cheese is melted. I served it with sour cream because sour cream is delicious.

Taco Salad

Beef and onion cooking

1 lb. ground beef
coriander, cumin, black pepper, and garlic powder to taste
1 medium white onion, diced
1 can black olives, drained and sliced
1 4oz. can green chilies, drained
1 15oz can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 8oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
1 head green leaf lettuce, torn
2 large avocados, chopped
8oz cheddar jack cheese, shredded
1 15oz. package fritos corn chips

Dressing:
1 c. salsa mild or medium (I used green)
1/3 c. sour cream

Cook ground beef, onion, and seasonings until cooked. Put in refrigerator to chill.

Mix all other ingredients except salsa and sour cream. Add meat and onions to the salad. Toss. For dressing, mix salsa and sour cream together, and drizzle over salad. Serve at once.

Adapted from recipe courtesy of Mama Hess

White Chili

This is absolutely one of my all-time favorite things to make (and eat).

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped (at least 4, but you can add more!)
3-4 c. chicken broth or 3-4 cubes bouillon (it depends on how soupy you want your chili)
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp. ground cumin (so, I probably add more like 5 tsp, but go by what tastes good to you)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp chipotle tabasco
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
black pepper to taste (I use a lot!)
1 can (11oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15oz) great northern beans, drained
1 can (15oz) butter beans, drained
2 c. chicken breast chopped and cooked (I usually cook the chicken with the same spices I put in the chili)
pepperjack cheese (optional)
tortilla chips (optional)

Onion, garlic, cilantro in oil

Chili with all the ingredients minus chicken

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil (I add the garlic a few minutes after the onion), stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except chicken. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes (while it's simmering, I occasionally taste it to see how the spices are blending, and I'll usually add some more until it tastes like what I want). Stir in chicken; simmer until hot. Serve with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, sliced avocado, etc.

Chili with chicken

Ready to serve!

Adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook