White Bean Stew with Butternut Squash

 WHITE BEAN STEW WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

We liked this.  It was hearty.  I was in a hurry and added the kale and corn with the butternut squash.  Turned out fine.

• 1 pound dried yellow-eye or navy beans soaked overnight or quick soaked (did black-eyes peas)
• ▢1 large onion chopped
• ▢4 cloves garlic minced
• ▢5 cups water (had some vegetable broth that need to be used did 2 cups rest water)
• ▢4 teaspoons smoked paprika divided (added 2 tsp)
• ▢2 teaspoons dried oregano divided (did one drop essential oil)
• ▢1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin divided
• ▢1 teaspoon dried basil (did 2 drops essential oil)
• ▢1 pound winter squash or pumpkin peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice (I used butternut)
• ▢1 large red bell pepper chopped
• ▢1 jalapeño pepper optional, seeded and finely chopped (didn't add)
• ▢1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes fire-roasted preferred (just used regular)
• ▢1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• ▢1 bunch kale removed from stems and sliced (about 12 ounces,)
• ▢1 cup fresh or frozen corn optional
• ▢1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (didn't add)

Make sure to rinse your beans first and check for rocks and then soak overnight in cold water. Or do a quick soak by boiling the beans in enough water to cover by an inch for one minute, and then cover and allow to stand for at least an hour. Drain before proceeding with the recipe.

Heat a pressure cooker or large Dutch oven. (In an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot, use the Sauté or Brown setting.) Add the onions and a pinch of baking soda (optional but speeds up the browning). Cook until onion is soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the beans, water, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, and dried basil to the pot. If pressure cooking, seal your cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook at high pressure for 8 minutes; then perform a quick release. (Choose the Pressure Cooker or Manual setting on your electric pressure cooker and set the time to 8 minutes; release the steam when the time is up.) If cooking in a regular pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until beans are just barely cooked all the way through, 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Check pot occasionally and add more water to cover the beans if it seems low.

Add the squash along with the remaining seasonings, peppers, tomatoes, and salt, if using. Seal the cooker and cook at high pressure for 8 more minutes. Let pressure come down naturally; after 15 minutes, quick release pressure if necessary. For stovetop cooking, add more water if necessary to cover all ingredients. Cover and simmer until beans and squash are very tender.

Check the seasoning and add more cumin, oregano, or salt to taste. Add the kale and corn and simmer, covered, until the kale is tender. Stir in the basil and cook for another minute before serving.

FAJITAS

FAJITAS
These were very easy and so tasty!  I got the peppers from Costco (red, yellow and orange).

3 peppers (any color), cut up (I used yellow, orange and red)
1 onion
2# chicken
2 T taco seasoning
4 garlic cloves
1-2 limes (I used lime juice)
1 can diced tomatoes
----
tortillas
cut up tomatoes, optional
sour cream
guac (got the individual ones from Costco)
cheese

In crock pot layer half of the cut up peppers and half of the onion.  Add 2# of chicken and sprinkle with 1 T of taco seasoning.  Turn chicken over and sprinkle with 1 T of taco seasoning.  Add four garlic cloves, lime juice and diced tomatoes.  

Cook on high for 3 hours.

Remove chicken and slice or shred.  Return chicken and mix.  Heat up tortillas.  Top with chicken/pepper mixture and add any toppings.

HEARTY BRUNCH POTATOES

HEARTY BRUNCH POTATOES
I have made this several times for the family and to take to people.  It always goes over very well.  Takes a while to prepare.  Plan on 1.5 hours total.  Found in Taste of Home Family Collection Cookbook pg 41.  If there are any leftovers they heat up really well in the oven.  Goes really well with Coconut Toast (same cookbook pg 37), eggs or strata.

Ingredients

• 7 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper

• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper

• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/2 pound smoked turkey sausage links

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper Directions Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, just until tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a skillet coated with cooking spray, saute peppers, corn, onion and garlic until tender. Cut sausage into small chunks; add to vegetable mixture. Cook, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes or until heated through. Drain potatoes; add to vegetable mixture. Add oil and pepper; mix well. Transfer to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 12 servings.

COWBOY OR COWGIRL PIE

COWBOY OR COWGIRL PIE - FREEZER MEAL

http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/freezer-meal-recipes-cowboy-pie-recipe/

We all liked this.  Used stew meat and had already cooked the day before in crockpot with some beef broth.  Was easy to put together.  Would love to try the cowgirl version.  Bet it would be super yummy!  Both Scott and Abagail really like this.  Goes well with cottage cheese and a fruit or veggie.

UPDATE:  My family likes the crust so well, I did a crust on the bottom (cooked for about 10 minutes before adding mixture) and on the top.

1 onion, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 T oil
1 T chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
---
1# cooked roast beef, cut into 1" pieces (or chicken if doing cow girl)
1 can black beans, rinsed (or pinto if doing cowgirl)
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup beef broth (or chicken if doing cowgirl)
2 T cornstarch (forgot to add once and it still turned out okay)
---
1 or 2 pie crust

Preheat oven to 425. Microwave onion, bell pepper, oil, chili powder, garlic, and salt in a large bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

1. Stir in beef, beans, corn, barbecue sauce, broth, and cornstarch. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to 9-inch pie plate.
2. Carefully lay pie crust over top. Tuck over-hanging dough underneath itself to be flush with the rim of the pie plate. Cut three 1-inch steam vents into top of dough.
3. Bake until filling is bubbling and crust is browned, about 25 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool slightly and serve.
Preparing for the Freezer:
4. Before baking, wrap the pie with a few layers of plastic wrap, then cover with foil and label. Freeze.
Prepare after Freezing:
5. Preheat oven to 425. Keep the pie frozen. Unwrap the pie, then re-cover with one piece of foil. Place the pie on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake covered for about 30 minutes, until filling is warmed through. Then remove foil and bake for about 25 minutes, until the crust is browned. Let cool slightly and serve.

Notes

Cowgirl Pie: Substitute 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken for roast beef, 1 can pinto beans (rinsed) for black beans, and 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth for beef broth.

- See more at: http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/freezer-meal-recipes-cowboy-pie-recipe/#sthash.69ShDcyz.dpuf

THAI PEANUT CHICKEN STIR-FRY SALAD

2	small carrots, peeled
8	cups (2 L) chopped romaine lettuce
1 1/4	lbs (625 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2	tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2	tsp (2 mL) coarsely ground black pepper
1	tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1/4	cup (50 mL) dry-roasted peanuts
1	can (15 oz/398 mL) baby corn, drained
1	medium red bell pepper
1	medium red onion
4	garlic cloves, peeled
1/3	cup (75 mL) Thai Peanut Sauce
1/4	cup (50 mL) chopped fresh cilantro (optional) (didn't add)

Directions:

1. Julienne carrots using Julienne Peeler; cut into 2-in. (5-cm) pieces using Utility Knife. Arrange lettuce on serving platter; top with carrots and set aside.
2. On Cutting Board, dice chicken into 1-in. (2.5-cm) pieces using Santoku Knife. Combine chicken, salt and black pepper in Classic Batter Bowl; mix well. Heat oil in(12-in./30-cm) Skillet over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Add chicken; cook undisturbed 4-5 minutes or until browned on one side. Stir chicken usingBamboo Spatula. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, chop peanuts on clean Cutting Board using Food Chopper; set aside. Cut baby corn in half crosswise. Slice bell pepper into strips; cut strips in half. Slice onion into 1/2-inch-thick (1-cm) wedges. Slice garlic using Garlic Slicer.
4. Add vegetables to chicken in Skillet; cook 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove Skillet from heat; stir in peanut sauce. Spoon stir-fry over salad; sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 250, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 80 mg, Carbohydrate 15 g, Protein 23 g, Sodium 510 mg, Fiber 3 g

http://www.pamperedchef.com/recipe_search/recipe.jsp?id=89702

This is a good summer dinner.  Used House of Tsang Bangkok Padang - it was spicy.

PINEAPPLE MANGO SALSA

PINEAPPLE MANGO SALSA

Stephanie from Pacific Yurts gave me this recipe. I really like it. Goes great with pecan crusted fish.

2 cans (8 oz) pineapple tidbits

2 large mango, peeled and diced (mango should be green and hard when bought)

1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced

2 green onions, chopped

1 T red wine vinegar

2 T chopped fresh cilantro (didn't add)

1/4 tsp salt (didn't add)

Combine and refrigerate.

MEAT LOAF

BEST MEAT LOAF
Taste of Home pg. 79
Yum! Yum! Uses bacon and has a relish on top. Tasted similar to the one I got off the food network.  It is fast and easy. Has ingredients I normally have on hand.


DAD'S MEATLOAF WITH TOMATO RELISH

This came from the Food Network - Tyler's Ultimate. This takes awhile to prepare, but is so worth it. If Scott sees me making meatloaf he always asks if this is the one I am making. It it isn't he is disappointed.

Tomato Relish:

olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely diced

2 tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 (12 oz) bottle ketchup

1 T Worcestershire sauce

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

MEATLOAF:

3 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks by hand

1/4 cup whole milk

1 1/2# ground beef

1# ground pork

2 eggs

leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs

salt and freshly ground black pepper

3-4 bacon slices

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a skillet with a 2-count of oil and place over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic and bay leaves for a few minutes to create a base flavor. Throw in the red peppers and cook them for a couple of minutes to soften. Now add the tomatoes; adding them at this point lets them hold their shape and prevents them from disintegrating. Stir in the parsley, ketchup, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the relish for 5 minutes to pull all the flavors together. Remove it from the heat; you should have about 4 cups of relish.

Place the torn white bread in a bowl and add the milk to just barely cover, swish the bread around in the milk and let it sit while you get the rest of the ingredients for the meat loaf together.

This is where you get your hands dirty! In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and pork with 1 1/2 cups of tomato relish, the eggs, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add the soaked bread to the meat mixture. To test, fry a small "hamburger" patty of the meatloaf until cooked; the patty should hold together but still have a soft consistency. Taste the patty for seasoning.

Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Transfer the meat mixture to the center of the cookie sheet and form into a log about 9" long and about 4" wide. Coat the top of the meatloaf with another 1/2 cup cup of the tomato relish. Lay the bacon across the top lengthwise.

Bake the meatloaf for 1 - 1 1/2 hours until the bacon is crisp and the meatloaf is firm. Rotate the meat loaf while it's baking every now and then to insure that the bacon brown evenly. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool a bit before slicing. Serve the remaining tomato relish on the side. Unbelievably moist!!

ZUCCHINI MEAT LOAF

Everyone loved this meat loaf including Jenna who was over for dinner. Got this recipe from Fabulessly Frugal.

MEAT LOAF:

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2-3 cups shredded zucchini (1-2 small)

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1/4 tsp. pepper

1-2# ground beef

TOPPING: (I doubled the below ingredients and thought it was just right)

1 T brown sugar

2 T ketchup

1/2 tsp. yellow mustard

-Heat oven to 350. In a large bowl (used big silver), mix all the meat loaf ingredients until well blended. Press mixture into ungreased 9 1/2" deep dish glass pie plate (used 8x8 pyrex). Bake 35 minutes.

-Meanwhile, mix topping ingredients in a small bowl.

-Remove meat loaf from oven; pour off drippings. Spread on topping and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cooked in center and thermometer reads 160.

-Drain off dripping again.

-Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Miranda Lambert's Mama’s Meatloaf

This was really good. I added 2 cups of shredded zucchini. I doubled the ketchup/brown sugar mixture.  Baked on a cookie sheet on top of tin foil.

MAY 28, 2014 – 5:00 AM – 0 COMMENTS

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By PARADE @parademagazine

The new book Country Music’s Greatest Eats, from Southern Living and CMT, features delectable dishes from musicians’ kitchens. Here’s one of Miranda Lambert’s favorites.

Mama's Meatloaf

• MAKES

  10 servings

• ACTIVE TIME

  25 min.

• TOTAL TIME

  2 hr.

• SAVE RECIPE
• PRINT

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb lean ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork sausage
• 18 saltine crackers, crushed
• ½ green bell pepper, diced
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
• ½ cup ketchup

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 8 ingredients and ¼ cup brown sugar in a medium bowl just until blended.
2. Place mixture in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish, and shape mixture into a 10- x 5-inch loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
3. Remove from oven and drain. Stir together ketchup and remaining ¼ cup brown sugar; pour over meatloaf. Bake 15 more minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160°F.
4. Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Remove from baking dish before slicing.