MYO: Orange Vinegar Cleaner

A couple weeks ago, a friend on Facebook (I don't remember who) posted a picture of a mason jar full of orange peels (I don't remember from where) with instructions on how to make Homemade Orange Vinegar Cleaner. 

Just the day before a friend (I actually remember who) had given me a gigantic mason jar that I had high hopes of doing something cool with. We also had a huge bag of oranges in the refrigerator, so I knew that Homemade Orange Vinegar Cleaner and I were meant to be. 

The instructions were simple: 1) Place orange peels in a jar. 2) Fill jar with white vinegar. 3) Put lid on jar. 4) Let jar sit for 20 days. 5) Pour liquid into bottle. 6) Clean with it. 

So...that's just what I did. 

 I'm no stranger to cleaning with vinegar. I've been using it for years for a variety of things (Mental Note: Write post about the many uses of vinegar.). But this, adding orange peels to vinegar, was completely new to me.


20 days later I am pleased to report that my Homemade Orange Vinegar Cleaner is marvelous. It smells fantastic and works really, really well. I'm loving it!

We had a bunch of grapefruits that had been hanging out in the fridge for longer than I care to admit, so after I bottled my cleaner, I cleaned out my giant mason jar, filled it with grapefruit peels and vinegar and it's sitting on top of my kitchen cabinets waiting for it's day to come (which is April 11th, in case I forget).

Shepherd's Pie (Made Easy)

Shepherd's Pie is one of my favorite dishes to make when I've got ground beef that I don't know what to do with (it's also one of my oldest son's favorite dinners). It's super easy to throw together and you probably have everything you need already on hand. My Irish ancestors are probably rolling over in their graves, but here's my recipe for Shepherd's Pie Made Easy...

Here's what you need:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. of lean ground beef
1 onion (white or yellow), diced
1 can of beef broth (which is about a cup and a half)
2-3 tablespoons of minced garlic (from a jar of course, who has time to mince garlic themselves?)
1 bag of frozen peas, carrots & corn (about 2 cups)
1 box instant mashed potatoes (this is the main reason my ancestors are ashamed)
Salt & pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg

Here's what you do:

1. Cook ground beef (seasoned with salt & pepper) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Just before the meat is fully browned, add onions and garlic and continue to cook until the meat is done. If you're not using lean ground beef or if you are and there's still excess grease, drain the meat, onion and garlic mixture before continuing. Return ground beef, onions and garlic to skillet and add beef broth. 1 can of beef broth is about 1 1/2 cups. If you're using 2 lbs. of meat, you'll want to use the whole can. If you're using less meat, you'll want to use less broth. Some of it will cook off, but not much. You want enough broth so that the meat is wet, but not drowning. Something like this:

2. After you've added the beef broth, add frozen vegetables. Bring to a boil. It looks a little prettier after you add the veggies. :)

You can use whatever frozen vegetables you have. Traditionally it's peas, corn and carrots. I use a mixed vegetable medley that includes those as well as green beans. Transfer meat mixture from skillet to a 13 x 9 baking dish. I use a slotted spoon so as to not have too much broth. Spread evenly in pan. You can add a little extra juice (broth) if you feel like it needs it.

3. Next prepare the instant mashed potatoes as per the directions on the box. I use these:

You'll need both pouches. These loaded mashed potatoes give your Shepherd's Pie a little extra flavor kick. When the potatoes are finished, let them sit for 5 minutes to help them stiffen up a bit. Then add an egg, beaten, to them and stir well. The egg will help stiffen the potatoes while it bakes.

Spread the mashed potatoes in the baking dish on top of the ground beef. I use a fork to make a design of sorts so it looks nicer than just mashed potatoes plopped on top of meat. Break 2 tablespoons of butter into tiny chunks and sprinkle sporadically on top.

4. Place baking dish in the oven, preheated to 400 degrees, for 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

The finished product:

No need for a side, your meat, starch and vegetables are all in one.

Homemade Oven-Fried Pertater Chips

Really, really yummy and really, really easy to make, I give you Homemade Oven-Fried Pertater Chips....

Here's what you need:

(4) Baking (Russet) Potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced as thin as you can get them
1/2 stick of butter, melted
Course salt to taste

Here's what you do:

1. Wash potatoes.  Peel potatoes. Slice potatoes as thin as you can. A mandoline would be realy helpful for this. I don't have one. Pat the potatoes dry between paper towels. Butter a cookie sheet (this is in addition to the 1/2 stick) or use non-stick cooking spray. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the cookie sheet. With 4 decent sized potatoes you'll probably have enough for two batches.

2. Brush the potatoes with melted butter. Bake them in a preheated oven at 500 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle them with course salt (I use sea salt).

Before:

After:

They're not exactly real potato chips hence the "pertater", but they're definitely just as addicting!

Tuity Fruity Bananas

We struggle with breakfast at our house. The boys want toast every. single. day. I'm about to have a "Mommy Moment" with you, that moment where you bare your farfromperfect mommy soul to another mother, a mother you know (or at least hope) will understand.

There have been days, several of them if I'm being honest, where I've sent Sean off to school with as many as 6 pieces of toast in his belly. That's so much bread. Too, too much bread. Plus bread at lunch most days and almost always a starch with dinner. Somethings got to give with the damn toast.

My kids are hard to feed. In the morning anyway.

They both despise eggs, which throws a lot of traditional breakfast options out the window. Sean has always hated eggs. Sine the first time I tried to feed him scrambled eggs when he was just a little guy. He won't even eat homemade french toast because he knows the bread is dipped in egg. Daniel previously LOVED eggs, like really loved them...which was super exciting given that my first born wanted nothing to do with them. About a year ago, he suddenly decided he would no longer eat eggs under any circumstances. And that's been that.

Pancakes, waffles, french toast and anything else that would require the accompaniment of syrup is out on school days as we get our baths/showers in the evening before bed and my kids require soaking and scrubbing after consuming syrup.

They eat cereal, but only dry cereal in a bowl - no milk - and they only eat specific parts of different cereal. Only the marshmallows in Lucky Charms, only the certain colored squares in a box of Chex.

You get the idea. It's rough.

I've been trying to come up with new and healthier breakfast options for them and this one has been a big hit. 

It makes a great breakfast or after-school snack. It's fast, it's fun, it's nutritious and it's so easy that your kids can do it themselves.

Step 1: Pour cereal (we've been working with a big bag of imitation Fruity Pebbles) into a small plastic bag and seal. Let your child use their hands to crush up the cereal. Pour contents of bag onto a plate or in a bowl.

You can use any type of cereal you like.

Step 2: Have your child peel a banana and use a butter knife to cut it up into chunks. Dip banana chunks into cereal and get your breakfast on. You have the goodness and nutrition of a banana and the hint of sugary cereal deliciousness.

My Taco Noodle Casserole Recipe

Yesterday I shared my recipe for how to make your own taco seasoning. I use taco seasoning in my kitchen quite often and for way more than just plain old tacos. This recipe is one of my favorite uses for taco seasoning, it's a family favorite for sure.

TACO NOODLE CASSEROLE

Here's what you need:

1 package of egg noodles
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup milk
2-3 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning OR1 packet taco seasoning mix
Shredded Mexican cheese blend
Corn chips (like Tostito's), crushed up


Here's what you do:


1) Cook noodles to al dente, whatever the package says, usually 7 or 8 minutes. Drain, dump in large bowl.

2) While you're waiting for the water to boil, season ground beef with salt and pepper and brown, add onion a few minutes before beef is done. Drain excess grease, return to frying pan.

3) Add taco seasoning, tomato sauce and milk to ground beef and onion, stir, bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

4) Pour meat mixture into bowl with noodles and mix it all up. Pour a layer of noodles/meat into a casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, spread evenly, top with cheese. Spread remaining noodles/meat into casserole and top with more cheese. You can never have enough cheese, right? Right.

5) Put crushed up corn chips all over the top and bake uncovered for 20 -30 minutes at 350.

Serve with salad or corn. You can use additional taco seasoning to give it a stronger taco flavor. I use a little less than I might otherwise like so doesn't have too much bite for the kids. 

Tomorrow's Cinco De Mayo! - Make Your Own: Taco Seasoning

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo and White Moms all over America will be making tacos for dinner because tacos are the only Mexican food we know how to make.

It doesn't get much easier than browning ground meat in a pan, draining the grease from the pan, opening a packet of taco seasoning mix, sprinkling it on the meat, adding water and heating it up. 

What's in that taco seasoning mix? It's just spices and herbs, right? Wrong. Here is the list of ingredients from a packet of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix:

*Maltodextrin
Salt
Chili Pepper
Onion Powder
**Spice
*Monosodium Glutamate
Corn Starch
Yellow Corn Flour 
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
*Silicone Dioxide (anticaking agent)
**Natural Flavor
*Ethoxyquin (preservative)

*=Say what?
**=Can you be more specific? 


Are you ready to make your own taco seasoning and never spend $1.00 on one of those sodium stocked, preservative filled packets again?

Here's what you need (and you probably already have all of it in your kitchen):

4 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Cumin
2 Tablespoons Paprika
2 TBS. Garlic Powder
1 TBS. Onion Powder
2 TBS. Dried Minced Onions
1/2 TBS. Cayenne (red) Pepper
1 teaspoon Oregano or Cilantro
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt 

Here's what you do:

Dump all ingredients into a jar. Put lid on jar. Shake vigorously. Voila, homemade taco seasoning mix. Store in an airtight container (I use an empty spice bottle). Add 2-3 tablespoons of seasoning per 1 pound of ground meat and 3/4 cup of water.

Shroom Fly Pie

Last night for dinner, we had Mushroom Pie, first cousin to a quiche. If you're anti-shroom, this recipe is obviously not for you...but if you are a fungi fan, read on...

Here's what you need:

(1) ready-made pie crust shell, if you wanted to be fancy you could make your own
2 tablespoons butter
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, any variety you like, sliced
(1) onion, I used a white onion because that's what I had, sliced (If you're not a fan of onions, you could leave them out...but I'd venture to say that if you don't like onions, you probably don't like mushrooms either.) :P
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup milk
1/3 sour cream
2 eggs
A pinch or two of nutmeg
A handful of fresh chopped parsley
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Here's what you do:

1. Follow the package directions to bake your pie shell. This generally involves letting the dough come down to room temperature, laying it in a pie dish, using your fingers to make a pretty scalloped edge and baking it for 10 minutes or so.

2. Melt butter in a large frying pan, add mushrooms and onions, stir to coat them with butter, Kick the heat up and stir constantly. You will not believe the amount of moisture the mushrooms will release. You'll need to cook it off and let most of it evaporate, it'll take about 10 minutes. Lower the heat back down to medium and add garlic, stir it around for a few minutes, then kill the heat.

Mushrooms, onions and garlic lovin' on each other

3. Spread the mushroom mix into the bottom of the pie crust. Beat eggs, sour cream, milk and cream together in a bowl. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to your liking...a little nutmeg goes a long way. Stir in cheese and parsley. Pour the cheese and cream mixture over top of the mushroom mixture. 

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400. Remove from oven and allow to cool and set for 10 minutes before serving. 

This is a delicious meatless meal that's great for breakfast, brunch or dinner.

Crack For A Snack

Warning: Crack is dangerously delicious.

Here's what you need:

40 saltine crackers
2 sticks of butter
1 cup of light brown sugar
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

I said it was good, I never said it was good for you.

Here's what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange 40 saltine crackers on cookie sheet like so:

2. Put butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat:

As it starts to melt, it will look like this (and smell like Heaven on Earth):

Bring the butter and brown sugar to a boil and then continue to boil for 5 minutes. Stir, fast and furious.

3. Pour the butter/brown sugar mixture over the crackers and do your best to cover them evenly.

Put the cookie sheet into the oven and watch it like a hawk. You want to remove it just when it starts to bubble. It will take 4 or 5 minutes.

4. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips all over the top.

The chips will start to melt, use a butter knife to spread the chocolate all over the top.

5. Pop the cookie sheet into the freezer and leave it there for 20 minutes. The crackers will form one big sheet.

6. Break it into pieces and store in an airtight container. You'll think  it's good the first day...you won't want to live without it the second day. Enjoy!

Super Simple Chocolate Monkey Bread

Here's a recipe for a sweet treat that's super simple to make and only requires three ingredients, Chocolate Monkey Bread.

Here's what you need:

(1) tube of crescent roll dough (if they have the seamless dough that is not perforated, get that, it'll be easier to work with)

Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Here's what you do:

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Spray the inside of a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spread a piece of wax paper over a cutting board. Spread the crescent roll dough into one flat rectangle on the wax paper.

2. Use a butter knife to spread about a 1/2 cup of Nutella onto the dough in thin layer. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips over Nutella.

3. Next, roll the dough into a log, starting by rolling in one of the long sides. Cut the log into 1" chunks.

4. Arrange the dough chunks side by side all around the bundt pan. It may look sparse, but they'll expand upon baking. Pop the pan into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the dough has risen and is nice and brown.

5. When it comes out of the oven, let it sit for 10 minutes and then dig in. This recipe makes the perfect snack for our family, but you can easily double or triple it to feed a larger crowd. Just pop the dough pieces on top of each other and increase the cooking time to make sure the dough cooks all the way through.

YUM!

How To Make Cookie Bark

It doesn't get much quicker or easier than Cookie Bark. All you need are two ingredients: cookies and chocolate.

I made some Oreo Cookie Bark for the kids for an after school snack yesterday. It's so easy to do that the kids can get in on the fun too.

Here's what you do:

1.  I used Oreo cookies and Vanilla Almond Bark. You can use any kind of cookie and any chocolate you like.

The almond bark is nice because it melts so easily (microwave) and hardens so quickly. Melt the chocolate as per the package directions. Pop your cookie sheet into the freezer for 10 minutes to help the chocolate harden faster when you're done.

2. Put the cookies in a plastic bag (I used 15 Oreos) and use your hands to crush them up. Your kids will be particularly fond of this part.

3. Then combine the crushed up cookies and the melted chocolate in a bowl.

4. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Pour cookie mixture onto cookie sheet and spread it out with a spoon. Crush up a few extra cookies and sprinkle them on top, use your hands to push them into the melted chocolate so they stick. Place cookie sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden.

5. Lift the entire piece of wax paper off the cookie sheet and use your hands to break the bark up into pieces.

ENJOY!

BV/BS Pork Chops

I have a mild obsession with balsamic vinegar. It's one of those things that I have to have in my kitchen and I use it as often as I can.

You may just associate balsamic vinegar with salads or salad viniagrettes, but it has many other delicious uses. 

• I love it drizzled over eggplant parmesan!
• You can add a few tablespoons to just about any dark soup, stew or red sauce to give it a unique zing.
• It's great on fresh and grilled vegetables.
• It's an amazing marinade for meats.
• And, believe it or not, fresh strawberries take on a whole new flavor when they're drizzles with a little balsamic vinegar and sugar. Trust me, just try it.

I've done a recipe for grilled flank steak (otherwise known as London Broil) for a while now, where I season the meat with a little salt and pepper, throw it in a Ziploc bag with balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and rosemary, let it marinate in the fridge for a little while and then slap it on the grill. Delicious!  


I adapted that recipe and made Balsamic Vinegar/Brown Sugar Pork Chops for dinner last night and they were so tasty I had to share it. It may just be my new favorite way to make pork chops.


Here's what I did:

I used boneless, thin cut pork chops. Gave them a rinse, patted them dry with paper towels, trimmed the little bits of excess fat off, seasoned them with a little salt and pepper on both sides and placed them in a 13"x9" glass baking dish.

Then I poured balsamic vinegar over the pork chops. I was pretty generous with it, but I think a few tablespoons over each pork chop would be fine. Next I sprinkled brown sugar and rosemary over each pork chops. Maybe a teaspoon or two of brown sugar on each pork chop? And maybe a teaspoon or two total of rosemary divided over all the pork chops (I made 8)? I'm an eyeballer. I don't do a whole lot of measuring. 


When I was done, it looked like this:

I popped the whole dish in the fridge for about 20 minutes, then flipped the pork chops over and put it back in the fridge for another 20 minutes. Before I put it in the oven, I flipped them back over again. You could probably skip all of that, but I never seem to be able to leave well enough alone. It's a recurring theme in my life.

I baked the pork chops for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Your cook time will depend on the thickness of the pork chops, the thicker the longer. 

They came out absolutely delicious, the perfect combination of tangy and sweet. I served them with scalloped potatoes and broccoli. 

Let me know if you try it. :) 

Toad in the Hole

Toad in the Hole is a traditional English dish. It consists of sausages cooked in a Yorkshire Pudding batter. This recipe jazzes it up a bit by adding onions and grainy mustard to the batter. It's quite tasty and a little different than your average American dinner. It's also really cheap to make and really easy to make, which is always a plus. :)

Here's what you need:

8 sausages (about a pound total) *I used chicken sausages. You could use turkey sausages or sausage sausages. :P

2 onions, quartered *I used yellow onions because that's what I had on hand.*

2 tablespoons butter *If you're looking to make it healthier, use 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil instead.*

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt *Again, if you're looking to make it healthier, you can easily reduce or even eliminate the salt all together. You'll get plenty of flavor from the sausage and onions.*

2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons grainy mustard *I used Grey Poupon's Country Dijon with coarse ground whole mustard.*

Here's what you do:

1) Cook the sausage. I put mine in a frying pan, covered them with water and let them simmer 10 minutes. Cook yours however you like. You could do the sausage and onions in the same pan if you wanted to...I was concerned about things getting too greasy so I opted to do them apart.

2) Place the sausages in a 13 x 9" baking dish. Melt butter in pan, add onions, cook them a few minutes, just long enough for them to get soft and start smelly yummy. Scatter onions over sausages in dish.

3) Next, whisk flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk eggs, milk and mustard together in another bowl. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour the batter over the sausage and onion. Bake @ 475 until puffy and golden for 30-40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes and serve it up.

I'm never sure what kind of vegetable to serve with it, so I go with raw carrot and celery sticks. 

This recipe serves 6 (at least). I averaged it out to about $1.00 a serving.

Nutella's in the House

Who doesn't love Nutella? You simply can't go wrong with it's chocolate-y, hazelnut-y, perfect combination of savory-sweet goodness. It's incredibly versatile, much more so than you might, and it's DELICIOUS.

I recently received a Nutella Party Pack full of goodies from Nutella to share with friends. I was surprised that several recipients of my Nutella swag bags had never tried Nutella before! A few others hadn't had Nutella in years and had never thought to pick it up for their kids to try. The rest, like myself, were already big-time Nutella fans. 

I picked up a jar of another brand of hazelnut spread at the store, we did a blind taste test and Nutella won hands down. Sometimes there's just no substitute for the real deal. Here's what you need to know about Nutella:

*It's made with simple, quality ingredients, including roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a hint of cocoa.

*Each 13 oz. jar contains more than 50 hazelnuts.

* It does not contain any hydrogenated oils or trans fat and it's lower in sodium compared to other nut butters.

*It contains no artificial colors or preservatives.

*It does not contain peanuts or peanut ingredients and is not exposed to peanuts during the manufacturing process, so it's safe for kids with peanut allergies.

*It retails for around $3.50 for a 13 oz. jar and $6.50 for a huge 26.5 oz. jar and can be found at grocery stores nationwide. 

*It's incredibly versatile! There's way more to Nutella than the peanut butter and Nutella sandwich that I've enjoyed myself for years. 

You can get more information on Nutella, The Original Hazelnut spread on their website at http://www.NutellaUSA.com. On their website you can print a coupon for $1.00 off your Nutella purchase, enter to win a case of Nutella, get nutrition information and tips for Moms. They also have a fun breakfast builder tool to help you customize your own Nutella breakfast.

Remember me saying how versatile Nutella is? Don't believe me? Ha, click here for a list of more Nutella recipes than you could ever know what to do with!!

In the meantime, here's (3) super simple, yummy Nutella breakfast treats you can whip up in a hurry:

Breakfast Roll-Ups - Spread a whole wheat tortilla with Nutella, sprinkle with dried cranberries and chopped apricots, roll it up and enjoy it on the go. You can also use other dried or fresh fruit.

Breakfast Sandwich - Toast a whole grain honey oat english muffin, spread one half with Nutella, top with strawberries and make a unique breakfast sandwich.

Waffle Sandwich - My kids LOVED these when we tried them! Toast two whole grain waffles, spread one with Nutella, top  with strawberries and bananas, put the other waffle on top and cut in half like a sandwich.

One of the things we noted about Nutella is that a little bit goes a long way, so you can keep a healthy breakfast healthy, adding just a touch of sweet, without adding unwanted calories. 

SO, jot Nutella down on that shopping list and see what you (and your kids) have been missing!! 



**Thanks to Nutella and Mommy Parties for the Nutella Party Pack!**

Slow Cooked Bolognese Sauce

This rich, slow cooked sauce makes for a hearty supper. It's what we had for dinner last night and it's always a crowd pleaser. It requires a little more prep. than your average crock pot recipe, but the results are worth it. You can save yourself a little time in the kitchen by chopping up your veggies the night before. The prep. time is about a half an hour, the cook time is 8 1/2 hours, the recipe serves 8. The best part is that it's about $1.50 a serving.

Here's what you need:

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter (The recipe calls for unsalted butter.If you don't have unsalted butter on hand, don't run out and buy it. A seasoned chef could probably give you a long list of reasons why unsalted butter is required...I am not a seasoned chef, I'm just a Mom and I use what I have. I've used plain old salty butter in this recipe a number of times and it's worked out just fine.)
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped (I generally use 3 or 4)
1 carrot, finely chopped (Again, I generally use 3 or 4)
2 lbs. lean ground beef (You'll want the leanest beef your budget can afford since you're not draining the grease after the meat is cooked.)
Salt and pepper as per your taste buds
Pinch or two of nutmeg
1 cup whole milk
1 cup white wine
2  28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes 

Here's what you do:

1) Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrots. Saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Crank the heat up to high and add ground beef. Cook until no longer pink. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

2) Pour milk and wine in and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.

3) Transfer to crock pot. Stir in crushed tomatoes, cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. Remove lid, stir and continue to cook an additional half hour with the lid off to let the sauce thicken a bit. 

Serve sauce over pasta with grated Parmesan cheese. I made Perciatelli for the first time last night with this sauce. Think a drinking straw come to life as spaghetti. It's fun to eat. And by all means, dinner time should be fun. :)

What can I do with a can of black beans?

Last night I assigned myself the task of cleaning out and organizing the cabinets in our kitchen that house our pantry items, cans and dry goods. Not what the average person decides to do at 9 o'clock at night, no. I do weird shit at weird times. It's all part of my charm. Or so I'm told. Or so I tell myself...

I digress. 


At any rate, I found many hidden gems in the cabinets, including (7) cans of black beans. Yes, really. I know what you're thinking: What white girl in their right mind has that many cans of black beans in their pantry?

Black beans are really versatile and can be used in so many ways. They're very inexpensive (I've paid as little as 25 cents a can) and can be used to replace meat in some meals. Not that I've got anything against meat. :)


And here's your quick health lesson for the day: Black beans are also really good for you! Black beans are a great source of dietary fiber which has been shown to naturally help lower cholesterol. Black beans also have a high fiber content which helps keep blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making them a great choice for people with diabetes or hypoglycemia. They're also virtually fat-free and a high quality source of protein. New research proves that black beans are rich in antioxidants as well. Antioxidants destroy free radicals and when eaten regularly, have been shown to offer the body protection against heart disease, cancer and aging. All that from a can of black beans. 

Sooo...if you've got a can or two (or 7) of black beans sitting in your pantry, here's some ideas on what to do with them! 

Photo courtesy of Paul Goyette: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pgoyette/

BEEF AND BLACK BEAN CHILI
You can use this recipe to stretch a cheap pound of ground beef into a big meal for the entire family. 

Here's what you need:

1 Tablespoon oil
1 large onion, chopped (about a cup and a half) 
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 Tbs. chili powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup sofrito tomato cooking base from a 12 oz. jar (Goya)
1 CAN BLACK BEANS, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
Optional: Fresh cilantro and tortilla chips

Here's what you do:

1) In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, pepper and garlic. Stir frequently and cook until they've softened and really start smelling fabulous, about 7 or 8 minutes. Add ground beef to pot, break it up and give it a minute to hang out with the onions, pepper and garlic before adding chili powder, salt and cumin. Cook until browned and fully cooked through, about 5 minutes.

2) Next add the tomatoes with their juice and the sofrito to the meat mixture and bring it up to a boil. Stir in black beans and turn the heat down from medium to low. Put a lid on it and give it a stir every now and again until the tomatoes have softened and the flavors have all gotten acquainted, about 25-30 minutes. 

3) In the mean time, cook your rice according the package directions (can't beat Minute Rice). Serve beef and black bean chili over rice and garnish with cilantro and/or tortilla chips if you so choose.  

CROCK POT BLACK BEAN STUFFED PEPPERS
Delicious, healthy alternative to traditional Stuffed Peppers.

Here's what you need:

Non-stick cooking spray
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 CAN BLACK BEANS, drained and rinsed
6 tall green bell peppers, tops removed, seeded and cored
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
Fresh chives, chopped

Here's what you do:

1) Generously spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Saute onions until golden. Add cayenne pepper, oregano, cumin and chili powder. Remove from heat.

2) Transfer onions to mixing bowl, add half the black beans to onions and mash using an old fashioned hand masher or a fork. Then stir in the other half of the beans into mixture. Do not mash further.

3) Spoon black bean mixture into bell peppers, then place bell peppers in crock pot. Sprinkle cheese over peppers, then pour salsa over cheese. Cover and cook on Low for 6 - 8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours. Serve each pepper with a dollop of sour cream and chives.

BLACK BEAN BURGERS
A little over 50 cents a burger. Much more cost effective than the frozen black bean burgers found in the grocery store. This recipe makes 4 burgers, it can easily be doubled or tripled. 

Here's what you need:


2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 CAN BLACK BEANS, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs (try Panko, it's the bomb)
Salt and pepper to taste


Here's what you do:


1) Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with non-stick cooking spray. Warm oil in skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion, cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.


2) Pour beans into a large bowl and use a potato masher and/or a fork to smush beans into a thick paste. Put veggies from skillet in bowl with bean paste. Stir in egg, cumin and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. I add a glug or two of hot sauce as well. Use your fingers to form bean mixture into 4 patties. Be careful not to over mix.


3) Place patties on baking sheet and bake until firm and set, about 8-10 minutes on each side. Serve on a bun with lettuce, tomato and red onion.


CROCK POT BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH SAUSAGE 
Cheap, easy and yummy.You can change it up by using a combination of black beans and another type of bean if you like (navy beans, kidney beans, etc.) You can also add a can of whole kernel corn or a can of diced chilies just before the end of cooking time to add some color and flavor and/or a few shots of hot sauce.


Here's what you need:


2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 CANS BLACK BEANS (do not rinse or drain)
1 16 oz. jar salsa
1 cup chicken broth
2-3 hot italian sausage links
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper


Here's what you do:


1) Warm olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Combine onion and garlic mixture, black beans (with their liquid), salsa and chicken broth in crock pot. Stir well, cover and cook on Low for 5 hours.


2) Add sausage and cook for 1 more hour. Use tongs to remove sausage. Slice sausage into bite-sized pieces and return to crock pot. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Serve soup hot, garnish with sour cream.


BLACK BEAN FILLING FOR ENCHILADAS 
Throw some extras in with filling before wrapping up your enchiladas, like cheddar cheese or green onions.


Here's what you need: 


2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 CANS BLACK BEANS, drained but not rinsed
1 tsp. cumin
2 Tbs. tomato paste (look for tomato paste in a tube at the store, it's the greatest invention since sliced bread)
Salt and pepper to taste


Here's what you do:


1) Heat garlic in oil in skillet until it starts to pop around and make a little noise. Use a hand grater and grate onion right into skillet. Add jalapeno pepper, cook for two minutes. Add black beans and use the back of a fork to smash them up. Stir in cumin and tomato paste and season with salt and pepper to taste.  


2) Use filling for enchiladas as you would meat. I'll def. have to do a post devoted to Enchiladas at some point. Remind me. Love them.



Get on out to the kitchen and dig out that can of black beans hiding in the back of the cabinet. Hopefully you've got some new ideas for what to do with it. :) 

RUBBER CHICKEN

 Rubber chicken? It doesn't sound too appealing, does it? I call cooking a whole chicken in a crock pot "rubber chicken" because you're able to cook one chicken and stretch it out into two meals, plus some healthy homemade broth. 


Buying a whole chicken is one of the best ways to get the most bang for your buck and stretch your budget at the grocery store. You'll want to buy the chicken when it is on sale, of course. I like the Extra Meaty Oven Roaster Chickens from Perdue...it really is extra meaty. :) The chicken I cooked last night was just over 6 lbs. and cost $5.98, under a dollar a pound. If you're feeding less mouths (mine is a family of five) or using the chicken for only one meal, you could get a smaller bird and get it even cheaper. I got a smaller chicken a few weeks ago and paid three dollars and some change for it. 


There was a time, a few years back, when I was totally skeeved over the idea of handling a whole chicken. In fact, the first time I cooked a whole chicken I wore plastic gloves and used two sets of tongs to manipulate it when it was raw. Once you do it once, you'll get over it. It's really not bad. Pinky promise.


It takes a whole chicken 2 days to thaw in the fridge, so you're going to want to take it out of the freezer 2 days before you intend to cook it. I double bag mine in plastic grocery store bags before putting it in the fridge. Then when I go to get it ready to put in the crock pot, I untie the bags, cut the top of the plastic the chicken is packaged in and rip it down the sides to get the chicken out. This way all the blood and gross chicken goop is contained in the bags and not all over the sink or counter. 


Don't forget to remove the bag of whatever chicken guts are inside the cavity of the chicken. Drop it right into the plastic bags. I then transfer the chicken to a colander in the sink. It's easier and less messy to rinse and then season the chicken that way. Give the chicken a thorough rinsing. Be sure to "fill and spill" the cavity to rinse that out as well. After you've cleaned the chicken, it's time to season it.


If you're just cooking the chicken to use the meat and not eating it for dinner that night, you can season it with just good old salt and pepper. If you're eating the chicken for dinner that night, you might want to use other seasonings too. Garlic powder and paprika works. I like to use seasoned salt, rosemary and thyme (gives the broth a nice, rich flavor.). 


Set your crock pot up, mist it with non-stick cooking spray (to make clean up easier) and turn it on Low. Place the chicken in the crock pot, put the lid on and forget about it for at least the next 7 hours. There's no need to add water or any other liquid to the crock pot. The chicken has plenty of it's own juices that will keep it moist while it cooks. 


7 hours later you will have a delicious chicken that's ready for eating. If you're not going to serve it for dinner, let it cool down a bit then remove all the meat from the bones. Gotta pick that chicken clean to get the most out of it.(Leave the liquid in the crock pot to make broth.) You can use the meat for anything else you would use cooked chicken for: soups, casseroles, pot pie, etc, etc. 


After you've removed the meat from the bones, put the bones back in the crock pot with the liquid that's there from cooking the chicken and add 5 cups of water to the crock pot. We don't eat the chicken skin so I throw that in there too to add flavor. Put the lid on the crock pot, set it on Low and cook the broth overnight. I throw a splash of vinegar in as well. It helps draw the minerals and nutrients from the bones. When you wake up, your house will smell like a combination of Boston Market and a Chinese Buffet. It's all good, spray some Febreze. Use a slotted spoon to strain out the bones and other little bits that may be floating around. 


You now have homemade chicken broth! Not only did it not cost you anything, it doesn't have the preservatives and crazy crap that store bought chicken broth has. Pour the broth into tall containers. Leave an inch or two of space at the top of the containers. Put the containers in the fridge to cool. When the broth has cooled completely, there will be a big layer of fat at the top of the containers. Scrape it off with a spoon and you're broth is ready to go. You can use it right away or freeze it for up to 6 months. I got roughly 70 ounces of broth from the chicken I cooked last night. 


Here's what last night's dinner cost:


I'm going to use 4 people instead of the 5 in my family since the average family is 4....and since my two year hasn't eaten dinner in a year, so he really doesn't count. :)


The chicken was $5.98, so we'll say $6.00. Divided by 4 people that's $1.50 a person.


I served the chicken with Stove Top Chicken Stuffing that I got on sale when it was 10/$1.00. I bought 5 boxes and used a $3.00 off when you buy 5 coupon, so I paid $2.00 for 5 boxes of stuffing. That's 40 cents a box 1 box divided by 4 people is 10 cents per serving. (You have to stock up on Stove Top when it goes on sale 10/$1.00 in the summer. They don't put it on sale that low during the colder months when people are more likely to want to buy it.)


We also had corn, which was 40 cents from Shop Rite's Can Can Sale, which is also 10 cents a serving.


That's a $1.70 a person for dinner. $6.80 for dinner for a family of 4. It doesn't get much cheaper than that. Plus I got 70 ounces of broth from it and 1 1/2 cups of left over chicken. I'll be using half the broth and all of the chicken to make chicken and rice soup tonight for tomorrow's lunch and then I'll freeze the remaining broth to use later. 


6 bucks for one whole chicken and I'm getting a dinner, a lunch and leftover broth to freeze out of it. :)