The down low on BEANS!

Who doesn't remember the rhyme "Beans, beans the magical fruit...."?  *smile*

This may be true but beans ARE amazing and one of my favorite things to eat.  In a salad, in chili, hummus, pork & beans...I LOVE them packed full of protein, low in calories, they are sooo good for you!

While canned beans are great time savers, they can also be expensive, costing as much as $1.89 a can for organic varieties.  Even on sale, I rarely see a 15 OZ. can of beans for less then $.99.  I admit when I am in a rush or if I need a small amount for a recipe, I go for canned and even keep a few in the pantry for an emergency meal.

However, let's talk about dried beans and how with a little bit of planning; you can have beans that are far better then what you get in a can, for a fraction of the cost.

A pound of dried beans generally cost less then ONE can of beans and yields almost triple the amount of beans.  (Today I paid $1.25 for a lb. of dried beans)   So for the pot of chili I have on the stove top right now I saved $4.75!

Not only did I save money but I flavored the beans as I liked and controlled the salt content for a healthier choice.  I mixed two varieties that I like and still have a 1/2 lb. of each left for future use.  Another option would be to cook them all and use the extra on nachos, re fried , in a salad or even freeze them.  HOME-MADE re fried beans are the BOMB!

Speaking of bombs, YES! beans can cause some "gassy" issues however if you can think ahead soak your dried beans overnight and this will alleviate some of those gasses!

Below you will find a link that gives instructions on how to soak beans overnight, quickly and how to use a pressure cooker but if you are in a rush basically it is a quick boil, 1 hour soak and another 1-2 hours of simmer time and you are good to go!  (Depending on size and variety of bean simmer time can be under a hour)

http://www.food.com/recipe/basic-dried-beans-49960

Rinsed

Covered with 3-4 inches of water

After 1 hour quick soak

Finished cooking!

Please DO take note about NOT using salt in your pre-soak and initial cook time, it will slow you down!  However, spice it up!  I add a few crushed garlic cloves and dried chile peppers to mine during simmer time.

OK, let's be real!  I know, some of you don't have three hours to cook dinner, especially if you work outside the home.  This is where a little planning comes in handy. Tossing some beans in a bowl full of water overnight while you sleep is easy sneasy and there are OODLES of slow cooker recipes that utilize beans to finish up your cooking while you are at work!  *smile*

Cooking With Your Kids!
When you buy dried beans you need to do a quick sort to make sure no pebbles or bad beans are in the bag, it is rare but it does happen. 

This is a really great opportunity to involve your children in the kitchen.  Children LOVE to help in the kitchen and involving them teaches them skills and it has been shown that children are far more likely to eat a meal they have helped with, then one they have not.

So sit down with your toddler and practice their matching skills or pass the chore over to your older child as you work on another task.  COOKING and BONDING ~ gotta love it!

One BAD bean! Always sort through beans.

If you need recipes that utilize beans, please feel free to contact me.  For now, please enjoy my "Spice As You Like It Chili".

This recipe is born out of my dads dislike of spicy food.  The man can barely stand a sprinkle of black pepper let alone garlic, cumin, chile powder, etc.  So, this is BASIC bones recipe that is wonderful as it is BUT I encourage YOU to spice it as YOU like it; whether you grab a pre-mixed chili seasoning pack like McCormicks or throw in your own favorite spices such as chili powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon or even baking cocoa.

Packaged Seasoning, great option for new cooks

Spice As You Like It Chili

• 1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
• 1 lb. Ground Turkey
• 1/2 lb. Dried Black Beans or 3/15 oz. cans
• 1/2 lb. Dried Pinto Beans or 3/15 oz cans 
• 1 White Onion~Diced
• 1 Pepper, Green, Red or Yellow~Diced (Green Peppers are a wee bit more bitter when cooked, Red and Yellow retain their sweetness)
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic~Minced
• 1 28 oz. Can of Crushed Tomatoes (Splurge and purchase HIGH QUALITY it does make a difference!  I love San Marzano and Glen Muir Brand)
• 1 6 oz. Can of Tomato Paste (Paste adds a depth of flavor. Again, use a quality brand)
•  28 oz. Water (I fill crushed tomato can with water to get every last drop).
• 1 Bouillon Cube~Chicken or Beef  (I use a Knorr Brand Tomato/Chicken Bouillon that I find in the Hispanic food section at the grocer)
• 1 T. of Honey (A trick my mom taught me, sugar or honey takes a wee bit of the acidic edge of any tomato recipe.  I think honey adds a whisper of flavor that is YUMMY)

If using dried beans-simmer beans together with a smattering red chile flakes and two bruised Garlic cloves. Follow provided link for specific instructions on various ways to prep beans.

On Med/High, Heat 2 TB. of Olive or Vegetable Oil in the bottom of a 6 Qt. Dutch Oven or Heavy Bottom Stock Pan.
Add in Onion, Pepper and Garlic, saute 5-8 minutes.
Next add ground beef and turkey and cook till browned.
Drain vegetable and beef mixture of any access liquid when meat is done browning.
Add beans, the rest of listed ingredients, save for the honey and any spices you decide on. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to med/low and simmer for 30-45 minutes. 
At the end of this time add in honey.

Spice It As You Like It Chili~Ready To Eat!

Serve with: Crackers, Corn Chips, Grated Cheddar Cheese, Salsa, Onions..Whatever YOU want!
ENJOY! 

Let me know what you think and PLEASE let me know if you have any questions.

Making Christmas Last All Year!

I love Christmas time, I love decorating, baking, spending time with friends and family...I LOVE that FEELING that is in the air of "Peace On Earth, Good Will Towards Men".

I know I am not the only one who wishes the "Spirit" of Christmas could last all year.  And so this year I am going to celebrate EVERY month!  In some small way I am going to celebrate the gift of love and grace that God has given to us all. I am going to try to find some way on the 25th of each month to keep the "Spirit" alive in my heart and hopefully the hearts of others.

I hope some of you will join me in this adventure.  Not only do I think it will bring a smile to the face of others but I truly believe it will enrich mine and my husbands life as well.

This month I set a goal to mail out "Thank You" notes for Christmas gifts.  I LOVE getting hand written notes in the mail and I love writing notes to my friends.  Encouragement to complete this task came as we watched the evening news last night;  a human interest story about a man who started writing "Thank You" notes a few years ago and the effect it had on his life, felt like a nudge from Heaven, that I am on the right track.

Whether it is writing a note or letter or one of the other suggestions I have listed below.  I hope you will all go grab your calendars and plan out a year of Christmas.  I look forward to hearing other suggestions of how to "celebrate" and also how your Christmas adventures go!

1. A hand written note to: family, friend, co-worker, neighbor...etc.
2. Volunteering at a local food-bank or soup kitchen.(They need help YEAR ROUND!)
3. Mow your neighbors yard/Shovel sidewalk.
4. Call up a friend and tell her/him you are bringing dinner over. Don't worry if you are not a cook!  Stores now sell great containers of soup in the deli; paired with a loaf of french bread and a pint of ice cream well put a smile on their face!
5. Drop of a box of chocolates at your neighborhood Fire or Police Department.
6. Offer up help with housecleaning.  Two friends+music+fellowship= a good time and a clean house.
7. Coffee or Beverage date with someone you haven't taken time with in a while.
8. Clean your closets~deliver clothes you have not worn in a year to a local men/women's shelter.
9. Babysit for a single parent.
10. Offer up your "Gift" that God has created in you. Example: My husband is GREAT at working on cars and he loves doing it for others.

OK..there are a few ideas.  Finally one that might get you started and for sure will take up 5 months of this year.  A little something that was forwarded to me on Facebook, just cut and paste to your status message:

Pay it Forward in 2011: I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. They must in turn post this and send something they make to the first 5 people who comment on their status. The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011. Come on! it will be fun!

Work In Progress!

Well, here we goooooooooooooooooooo....

OK, maybe not, but I am working on it!

Hang on folks, soon I will be sharing recipes, decorating, organizing and money saving tips.  I am NO Martha and it is my hope that you will realize you don't have to be either, when sharing your talents with those around you: family, friends, co-workers...etc. 

God has created us EACH unique and it is my desire to help women celebrate their uniqueness in ALL their endeavors.  Whether it is a cake that may not look EXACTLY like the picture in the cookbook or a inviting a friend into your home that is YOU not something out of the pages of Crate and Barrel or Better Homes and Gardens (although I do love both of those establishments) *smile*. 

I guess what I am trying to say is...my blog is dedicated to women who may, like me, feel the need to be perfect and apologize if I am, we are, not.  We are not called to be perfect, we are called to love and to delight in the creation God has made us each to be...lopsided cakes, dusty shelves, stained shirt and all!

I look forward to hearing back from you, if you try a recipe and it works or doesn't work for you.  If you try a decorating project or money saving idea and it works or doesn't work for you.  This will help me and others who read my blog.

Thanks for reading!...more to come SOON!