Refried Beans

This episode of The Pioneer Woman was on this morning and I was hoping I would not forget to post this recipe.  Refried Beans is something that I never think about making myself . . . it is so easy to buy them in the cans.  However, making it yourself is much healthier and so much more economical.

The Captain and I buy so much mexican convenience foods like taquitos, chimichangas, burritos that are frozen and so easy to microwave.  Refried beans is an important ingredient in all these items.  They are so easy to make and freeze yourself.  Again, so much more economical.  We are putting forth a huge effort to be more economical with our meal planning and grocery purchasing.

For a delicious variation, I would make a batch that is mixed with black beans that have already been made and seasoned (maybe the leftovers from a meal of black beans and rice with pork).

Recipe and photo courtesy Ree Drummond, The Food Network

SHOW: The Pioneer Woman
EPISODE: Building Pens

Ingredients

• 6 cups dried pinto beans
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch slices (or you can use salt pork, ham hock or diced ham instead)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, plus more if needed
• 1/2 stick butter (bacon grease, lard or shortening will work)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cups grated sharp Cheddar Cheese

Directions

Rinse the beans thoroughly, then place them in a large pot with the bacon. Pour water over the top. Use enough water to cover the beans by 1 or 2 inches.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours. If the liquid seems to evaporate too quickly, add more water during the cooking process. The beans are done when they're fork tender, without much bite.

Add the chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir and taste, adjusting the seasoning as necessary. Add in other seasonings as desired.

Heat the fat in a large skillet and cook the onions until translucent. Add the beans to the skillet and mash them until they're the consistency you want. Stir and cook them until heated, then add the grated cheese. Top with the jalapenos.

Blue Cheese and Chive Dip from Tyler Florence

Tyler Florence always has the best recipes!  I wish they would bring his cooking shows back to the Food Network on a regular basis . . . love his demonstrations.

I never would have thought to make a dip with blue cheese, but why not?  It is my favorite salad dressing and serve it along with one of our favorite chicken dishes, Buffalo Chicken and Roasted Potatoes.  In fact, I may serve this dip the next time I make that chicken.

This dip would make an awesome compliment to spicy hot chips like the Captain likes.  But I still don't buy the sweet potato chips with this dip . . .

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1-1/2 tbsp.honey
• 1 tsp.lemon juice, or to taste
• 1 tbsp.finely chopped chives, or to taste
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• Sweet potato chips

DIRECTIONS

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl and mix. Season dip with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with sweet potato chips.

This recipe is courtesy of People.com's CelebFood section
Photo Credit: Kana Okada

Kentucky Chocolate and Walnut Pie

Yes, please!!  I want some now :)

It is amazing how easy prepared pie crusts make it possible to create gorgeous and delicious pies.  The recipe is easy, the ingredients readily available . . . the only problem I would have is waiting three hours for it to cool . . .

This awesome recipe and photo is courtesy of Pillsbury.com, one of my favorite recipe websites!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons bourbon, if desired
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup broken walnuts
• 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 Pillsbury® Pet-Ritz® frozen deep dish pie crust (from 12-oz package)
• 1cup sweetened whipped cream, if desired

Directions

Place cookie sheet on oven rack. Heat oven to 375°F. 

In large bowl, beat sugar, corn syrup, butter, bourbon, salt and eggs with whisk or electric mixer until well blended. 

Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. 

Pour into frozen pie crust.

Bake on cookie sheet 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set. 

Cool completely, about 3 hours.

Just before serving, top with whipped cream.

Photo and Recipe Source:

Some notes from Pillsbury:

Pecans are also very popular in the South. You can substitute broken pecans for the walnuts in this recipe.

If you don't care for bourbon, omit it and use 1 teaspoon vanilla instead.

Linguine With Shrimp and Artichokes

Yes!  Another Shrimp Pasta recipe!

This recipe, which comes from one of my favorite go to websites for recipes, Real Simple, offers a different perspective to the usual shrimp pasta meals that I've made in the past.  

I have no idea whether or not I like artichokes or not, but I will add them since The Captain likes them and it is great to try new foods.  Who knows?  I always thought I hated broccoli until my first husband introduced me to what is now one of my favorite veggies!

The change I would make is to add large chunks of fresh mushrooms . . . well, I may not like the artichokes!

Vegetarians can obviously omit the shrimp and possibly add some black olives, mushrooms . . . whatever herbs and veggies you like!

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound linguine 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 
• kosher salt and black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
• 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (raw) 
• 12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved (1 1/2 cups) 
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. 

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Mix in the parsley and transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet. 

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes.

 
Add the artichoke hearts and crushed red pepper to the shrimp and cook, tossing, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Add the shrimp mixture and reserved cooking water to the pasta and cook over medium heat, tossing, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Serve the pasta sprinkled with the bread crumb mixture.

Source

By Dawn Perry , April, 2012

Photo by David Prince