Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

I am a huge fan of sweet potatoes, to say the least, so it always baffles me that my kids aren't fans.  They did come from me, after all.  Granny even thinks sweet potatoes are pretty tasty little buggers, so it baffles me even more that the kids don't like them.  Especially since the kids think Granny is so incredibly cool.  My 11 year old has even informed me that she likes her Granny more than she likes me.  According to the 11 year old, her Papa is #1 on her "like" list with Granny coming in a very close #2.  And if I'm lucky, I'm a very, very distant #3.  On a good day.

This Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole was one of my successful attempts to get the kids to eat sweet potatoes and actually like them.

1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable for a vegetarian version)
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large sweet potatoes (about 4 cups), cubed and boiled until tender
1 cup onion, diced
2 cups red enchilada sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
9 corn tortillas, torn into about 8 pieces each
2 cups shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack)

Combine quinoa and chicken broth in a medium sized pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until all the broth has been absorbed.  In a large bowl combine all ingredients except cheese.  Mix well and pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Garnish with cilantro and sour cream, if desired.

Recipe from The Royal Cook - an original!

Linked on Serendipity and Spice and Whisk Away Wednesday.

Brazilian Feijoada - Slow Cooked Pork and Black Bean Stew

I love beans. I love pork. I love my slow cooker. Throw them all together and you have got Brazilian Feijoda. Not only was it super yummy, it made my house smell so good! About the only bad thing I can think of about my slow cooker is that I have to (or get to) smell the yummy food all day, but I can't eat it. I guess that could be a good thing too.

2 cups dried black beans
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt, more for sprinkling the meat before browning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 boneless beef short ribs, trimmed (about 1-2 pounds)
3 cups finely chopped yellow or white onion (about 2 medium)
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (9-ounce) smoked ham hock
1 tablespoon white vinegar
8 orange wedges
Hot, cooked rice, for serving

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Let the bacon cool and then place in a covered container or bag in the refrigerator to use before serving. Sprinkle pork evenly with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Add pork to bacon drippings in skillet; cook the pork 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown all over. Transfer the pork to a 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle ribs evenly with salt and pepper. Add ribs to skillet; cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until browned. Place ribs in slow cooker. Add drained beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt, onion, chicken broth, garlic and ham hock to slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until beans and meat are tender.

Remove and shred ribs. Remove and discard ham hock. Add the meat back into the slow cooker and stir in vinegar and crumbled bacon. Serve with hot, cooked rice and orange wedges.

Recipe from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

Hummus

Now that I am finally on the hummus train (if only the kids would hop on, too.....), I decided to give another recipe a try. This hummus is full of flavor and very tasty on fresh veggies. It would make an excellent appetizer for your Christmas party.

1(15.5 ounce can) garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
1/3 cup tahini or sesame paste
4 cloves minced garlic
1/3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon dashes hot sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons salt

Place all ingredients (with 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid) in a food processor and process until coarsely pureed. Add more reserved liquid or lemon juice if needed. Hummus should be thick.

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I just tried a sample of hummus for the first time last week at the grocery store. I know, I know. I'm a little late jumping on the hummus train, but better late than never, right? Anyway, it was absolutely delicious and so I decided to try making some. It had to be red pepper hummus, because that's what I tried, so I spent a while looking for the perfect recipe. I came across this one at MD School Mrs, and decided it was "the one". It turned out excellent!

1 can garbanzo beans (drain, but reserve the liquid into a separate bowl)
1/3 cup roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste - find it in the international foods aisle or by the peanut butter.)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Place ingredients into blender or food processor. Add in about 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid. Begin to pulse the mixture, scraping down the sides. Gradually add in more reserved liquid, if needed, until mixture becomes creamy and smooth. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. I served mine with tortilla chips, but would also be fantastic with fresh veggies or pita chips.

Bean Casserole

I grew up on a farm and my kids love to go back to the farm to visit Granny and Papa. My mom and I cook quite differently, and the kids will often ask for "farm food" (the kind of food that Granny cooks). This is one of the things that my mom made while I was growing up. When my kids ask for farm food, this is one of the things that I make. It is so simple and all of the kids eat it so well.

Just a little word of warning. Do NOT eat this with pink lemonade and laugh while trying to swallow a mouth full of both. The result - funky, unappetizing stuff spewing from your (my) nose. Yes, I know that one from personal experience....

1 pound ground beef
2 (15 oz) cans pork and beans
2 (15 oz) chili with beans
2 cups shredded cheese

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Add chili with pork and beans to the ground beef. Heat through, sprinkle with cheese and cover to melt cheese. Mom would pour the casserole into a baking dish and top with cheese and bake to melt. Either way works well, but I prefer doing it in the skillet - fewer dishes to wash. I also will sometimes leave off the cheese and let the kids sprinkle it on while they have the casserole on their plates. My 2 year old will end up with cheese with a small side of casserole when we do it that way.

There's A Mouse In My House!!! And Green Chili, Black Bean Quesadillas

AHHH!!! There is a mouse in my house!! Or could that be my sweet little 2 year old? Like I have said before, she is a very efficient taster girl!



I asked my 4 year old what she wanted for lunch.
"Quesadillas!"
Silly me, I don't even know why I bothered to ask. She wanted quesadillas, and I wanted something a little different. I looked in the fridge and this is what we came up with.



1 (3 oz) package cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons diced green chilies
1/2 cup black beans
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas

Mix together cream cheese and shredded cheese. Stir in green chilies and black beans. Divide the mixture between 4 of the tortillas and spread. Top with the remaining tortillas and cook in a flat bottom frying pan on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until cheese is melted.

Baked Beans

This has got to be the BEST baked bean recipe ever! I absolutely LOVE it!! I made these baked beans for our family Thanksgiving dinner and they were a hit! My brother in law couldn't stop eating them. I will usually use a green bell pepper in them, but had a red one when I made them for Thanksgiving.



2 (15 ounce) cans pork and beans, drained
½ bell pepper, diced
½ onion, diced
2 squirts mustard (about 2 tablespoons)
2 squirts ketchup (about 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup brown sugar
8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Mix all ingredients together. Let sit 30 minutes then bake at 375 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

So, I have been on a little bit of a healthy food kick lately. I am determined to loose this baby weight by Thanksgiving (okay, I will be honest for a minute. There is no way in the hot place that will be happening, but it is a nice thought. It will most likely hang around until I stop nursing. It will stay like flies on honey, white on rice, or, fat on me). You see, the problem with healthy food is, it tends to be a bit boring. I have been drinking green smoothies. Yes, green in color - think Shrek. Even has stuff in it that only Shrek should be eating. I would share a recipe, but honestly, I just throw a little of this weed, and a little of that weed in it (the stuff really looks like weeds - the stuff you DON'T want in your garden - dandelion greens....), add a little fruit and Voila! I even got my sweet hubby to try it. He admited that it was quite tasty, just as long as he closes his eyes while he drinks it. My 2 and 4 year olds love it too. They taste just like normal smoothies, but the color is a bit unnerving.

Apparently I got off on a bit of a, something.... Anyway, this chili was actually quite tasty. I loved the flavor the red pepper gave it. My 11 year old and hubby loved it. The girls didn't say much (I skipped out on dinner with the family for Bunko), but I was really impressed. I adapted this recipe from one I found at the Taste of Home site.

Please excuse the picture. It was taken after my sweet little 2 year old got hold of a wisk. What a great little helper I have. I also couldn't figure out how to get my camera to work. I don't seem to get along with much that is hi tech.....



1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (12.5 oz) cans chicken
1 (15 oz) can solid-pack pumpkin
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, saute the onion and pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

Refried Beans

I LOVE refried beans! They are so easy and versatile. I like to eat them just plain or topped with salsa, but they are also great in burritos. My sister married a guy from Mexico and this is how she makes his beans.



1 pound pinto beans
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic

Put beans in a pot with at least 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil and let boil 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit 2 hour with the lid on. Drain beans and then cover again with water. Add salt, onion and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, or until tender. Drain off liquid and save to add back into the beans. Mash the beans - I use a potato masher. Gradually add in liquid while you are mashing to get the consistency you want.