Barbie's Favorite Chili

BEANS:

2 cups dry beans (red kidney are favorite but I think this time I used soldier)

½ cup sugar

½ ketchup

¼ cup molasses

2 tsp. dry mustard

½ cup chopped onion

¼ lb. salt pork

Salt and pepper.

Soak beans overnight, drain, rinse, and put in crock pot with just enough water to cover.  Add ingredients and cook on high for 3 hours, turn down to low and cook 5-6 more hours.

CHILI

1¼ lb. ground beef

1 pkg. hot sausage links, removed from casing

1 lg. can diced tomatoes (I used roasted red pepper)

1 cup tomato sauce

1 lg. green pepper, diced (didn’t have green pepper so used 5 jalapeno’s from garden)

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. chili powder

1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. basil

1 tsp. celery salt

1 tbsp. paprika

Cook burger and sausage and drain off grease. Add onions, garlic and green pepper and cook until aromatic. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices and beans. Simmer on medium heat, stir often, 1-2 hours.

Great chili bowls, taco salads, burrito’s, nachos. 

Elephant Stew

ELEPHANT STEW

1 Elephant (medium sized)

2 Rabbits (optional)

Salt

Pepper

Brown Gravy

2 cups white beans, soaked overnight

6 cups water

1 tsp. salt

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 stalks celery, diced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

½ tsp. fresh ground pepper

1½ cups chicken broth

Cut the elephant into small bite size pieces.  (Plan ahead, this should take about two months.)  Add enough brown gravy to cover.  Cook over kerosene fire for about four weeks at 465º. About two hours before the elephant is cooked, combine beans, water, ½ tsp. salt and bay leaf in Dutch oven or kettle.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer until the beans are tender (about 1- 1½ hour).  Drain the beans reserving ½ cup liquid.  Discard bay leaf.

Combine reserved liquid and ½ cup of the cooked beans in a bowl or food processor and mash until it forms a paste.  Stir the bean paste into the cooked beans and set aside.

Add olive oil to the kettle to heat.  Stir in onion, carrots and celery, garlic and cook 10-15 minutes until tender crisp.  Stir in salt, pepper, beans, elephant, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer until the stew is bubbling and thick.  Serve with croutons. If more people are expected, two rabbits may be added, but do this only if necessary because most people do not like to find ‘hare’ in their stew.

This is a great recipe when company comes unexpectedly.  If an elephant is not available, simply use the rabbits, or one venison neck roast and instead of cooking over kerosene fire for four weeks, simmer in Dutch oven for 2-3 hours until cooked and tender.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: I would never cook an elephant!

Interesting Facts about Elephants

• Elephants are capable of human-like emotions such as feeling loss, grieving and even crying. They remember and mourn their loved ones, even many years after their death. When the "Elephant Whisperer" Lawrence Anthony died, a herd of elephants arrived at his house to mourn him. 
• Elephants are avid eaters. Daily, they can be feeding for up to 16 hours and consume up to 600 pounds of food. 
• The average life span for an elephant in the wild is about 50 to 70 years. The oldest elephant ever was Lin Wang, an Asian elephant, who died on February 2003 at the age of 86. 
• Elephants use mud as a sunscreen, protecting their skin from ultraviolet light. Although tough, their skin is very sensitive. Without the regular mud baths to protect it from burning, insect bites, and moisture loss, their skin suffers serious damage.
•  Elephant females undergo the longest gestation period of all mammals - they are pregnant for 22 months.
• Elephants recognize themselves in a mirror, the same as magpies, dolphins, and toddlers.

Welcome to the 2018 A-Z Blogging challenge.  This will be my fourth year. Every year I take on the challenge with hopes of disciplining myself to keep writing throughout the year as much, if not more than just through the monthly challenge. (It certainly is a challenge.)  Some years are better than others.  Some I just lose track of time.  This year I have decided to put my favorite hobbies together. A recipe that is tried and true as well as some thoughtful insight.  Please note some of these recipes have been shared before, however they have gone through years of testing and this is the perfected recipe.  I really hope one of my recipes or “Food for Thought” inspires you to do something great.  Enjoy the read and the photos, try the recipe, share your thoughts or comments, and most of all, have FUN with the challenge this month!

Cheers,

Baked Chili Casserole

Baked Chili Casserole

2 cups red kidney beans

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1 medium onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 cup chopped carrots

1 medium green pepper, chopped

2-3 oz. bulk sausage

2 slices cheddar cheese

Preheat oven 350º

Sauté onion, celery, carrots, and green pepper. In large bowl combine kidney beans, and vegetable mixture. Brown sausage until no longer pink. Add to beans with spices. Spoon into lightly greased casserole dish. Lay cheese over top. Bake 350º for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

© Crackerberries 2014

Crock Pot Baked Beans

Crock Pot Beans

Saturday is beans, bath and tail day in this house. In the summer time it’s just too hot to have the oven on all day, so these crock pot beans are a real treat. And easy.  You can use any kind of bean you like.

2 cups dry beans

(I used Soldier this time.) Cover with water and let stand overnight. Next morning, drain, rinse and place beans back in crock pot. Add enough water to just barely cover beans.

½ cup sugar

½ ketchup

¼ cup molasses

2 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. liquid smoke

½ cup chopped onion

¼ lb. salt pork

Salt and pepper.

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and stir gently. Turn on high for three hours. Do not remove cover. After three hours, turn to low. Do not remove cover. After 4-4½ hours cooking time, remove cover and stir.  Return cover, cook 3-4 more hours.

© Crackerberries 2014

Stewed Beans and Dumplings

STEWED BEANS & DUMPLINGS

Dumplings:

3 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

2/3 cup frozen corn

½ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup Italian style bread crumbs

¼ cup corn meal

1 egg

½ cup cottage cheese

2 tbsp chicken broth

3 Chile peppers, thinly sliced

Mix all ingredients and use small ice cream scoop to make mini dumpling balls.  Place in single layer on large plate and set in fridge until ready to cook.

Stewed Beans:

3½ cups of various beans*, drained

1 cup chopped bell pepper

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp vegetable oil

¼ tsp pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

12 oz tomato sauce

Sauté pepper and garlic in hot oil for about 5 minutes; add remaining ingredients and heat to boiling.  Reduce heat.  Carefully slide dumpling balls onto beans in simmering stew.  Do not drop directly into liquid.  Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.  Gently shake pot to prevent sticking.  Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes until dumplings are firm.  Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

• I make this recipe using up all the leftover beans that I have.  At the end of a package I put them in a jar until there is enough for a whole pot of beans.  (Red kidney, pinto, great northern, Jacob’s cattle, soldier, yellow eye, etc.).

© Crackerberries 2013

Three Bean Salad

Lucky Number 7 Bean Salad

 

This was always my favorite summertime salad.  I’ve doctored it up a little, added a few more beans and gave it a little kick.  Try it out and see what you think.

½ cup red kidney beans

½ cup great northern beans

¼ cup soldier beans

¼ cup black beans

¼ cup pinto beans

¼ cup lima beans

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

1 bay leaf

½ tsp black pepper

Combine above ingredients in slow cooker/crock pot and cook on high for four hours.  Do not remove cover during cook time unless more water needs to be added.  Drain, discard bay leaf, rinse and cool completely (about 3 hours in fridge). 

Measure 5 cups of beans and place in large bowl.  Sprinkle with ½ tsp kosher salt and toss.

*2 cups pickled green beans cut into 1 inch pieces, drained, reserve liquid

1 tsp minced garlic

1 cup largely diced onion

3-5 sliced Chile peppers

½ cup reserved pickled green bean broth

½ cup Italian salad dressing

2 Tbsp sugar

½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp parsley

¼ tsp celery seed

Combine pickled green beans, onion and peppers in bowl with mixed beans and toss gently.  In small bowl combine garlic, dilly bean broth, sugar, pepper, parsley and celery seed and mix well.  Slowly add Italian salad dressing while whisking.  Pour mixture over beans and toss to coat.  Let stand in refrigerator for an hour to chill and incorporate flavors before serving.

© Crackerberries 2013

*Note: usually I would use my own dilly beans but I tried making this recipe from BHG and didn't care for them much by themselves, but they are perfect for this recipe.

Bean Hole Beans

Famous Bean Hole Beans

 Saturday night was always famous for Baked Bean night served with steamed brown bread or hot Johnny Cake.  Summer time is the best time for bean hole beans.

2 lbs State of Maine Jacobs Cattle dry beans (preferably from Green Thumb Farms in Fryeburg, Maine)

½ lb. salt pork (not fat back)

½ to ¾ cup sugar

½ cup molasses

½ cup ketchup

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 onion

1 tbsp vinegar

Soak the beans the night before you plan to cook.  Cover them with cold water and pick out any that look bad or continue to float to the top.  Some people will parboil them in the morning.  Parboil until the skins crack when blown upon.  I find that parboiling make the beans mushy and therefore I do not parboil.  Each person has their own taste when it comes to beans.

Dig a hole in the ground at least 3 feet deep and 2 feet wide, larger if your kettle takes more space.  Get a special iron kettle with legs and a cover that fits down over the top of the kettle at least 2 inches, with slots at the two opposite sides to allow the kettle handle to be raised. 

The chances are that your first beans will not be as tasty as later cooking until after the hole is “burned out” and used a few times.  Place a flat rock at the bottom of the hole; add any old scrap iron or good size rocks.  Lacking these, the woodsmen used old logging chains.  Fill the hole with hardwood and keep a fire burning for a half a day (this is called the “burning out” process).

After good coals are formed, the hole is ready for cooking the beans.  Slice the onion and salt pork and place on the bottom of the kettle.  Drain and rinse the beans, place them in the pot and add enough water to barley cover the beans. Combine the sugar, molasses, ketchup, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and vinegar together with one pint (two cups) of boiling water.  Pour over the beans.  Place the cover on the beans.

Now remove all the scrap iron, rocks and chains from the hole.  Lower the kettle of beans into the hold.  Surround the kettle with the hot coals, rocks, scrap iron, chains and fill the hole with earth.  Pack the earth tightly and tread on it to seal the hole.  One tiny opening could allow air to get in and result in burned beans.  The following day, dig off the earth, pull out the kettle and enjoy old fashion bean hole beans.

We have also tried cooking them on a fire pit such as this.  They suck up too much water and are not as good  as cooking them in a hole.  We just wanted to try it and see how they came out. 

NOTE:  This is for the adventurous at heart. If you feel the task of preparation inhibits your appetite for your own homemade bean hole beans, take a drive to Maine or any old New England town during the summer time months.  Look for highway signs that say “BEAN HOLE BEANS”.  Many churches have Saturday night dinners and several of the Old Home Days feature them. 

© Crackerberries 2013



Turkey Bean Enchiladas

½ lb ground turkey

1 cup red kidney beans, drained, reserve juice

½ cup bean juice

1 cup tomato sauce

2 tsp cumin

4-5 jalapeno or hot peppers, chopped (save one for garnish)

3 large flour tortillas

1½ cup shredded Colby Monterey cheese

Preheat oven 350º.  

Cook turkey in skillet until brown, stir in beans and peppers and mix well.  Put equal portions in each tortilla and sprinkle each with ¼ cup of cheese.  Wrap and place seam side down in greased baking dish. 

Combine bean juice and tomato sauce together with cumin.  Pour over tortilla wraps and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Slice jalapeno for the top and bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly.  Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving with your favorite sides.

© Crackerberries 2012

Chili

2 cups red kidney beans

10 oz beer

2½ cups strong black coffee

1 Tbsp dry mustard

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

½ cup ketchup

1 onion, chopped

Bacon pieces, cut up

Fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 8½ hours, stirring once after the first 4 hours.  Once beans are cooked add the following ingredients:

1 lb stew beef, sautéed

1 lb bulk hot Italian sausage, cooked

1-2 jalapeño peppers, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp chili powder

1-2 tsp cumin

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Cook on low for 1-2 hours to incorporate flavors.  Serve with fresh baked bread or tortilla chips, sour cream and more jalapeño peppers if desired.

© Crackerberries 2011

Weenie In A Beanie Wrap

I am forever trying to use up leftover Saturday beans. Chili is good, but sometimes tedious. Who doesn’t love beans and hotdogs? This is sort of a take on pigs in blanket but different. First, spice up the leftover beans with some red pepper flakes, cumin and garlic powder. Then make up a batch of garlic herb dough in the bread machine. Use your imagination ooh, doggie.

4 hotdogs

1 medium onion

1 cup baked beans

Bread dough

Ketchup

Mustard

Garlic Herb Dough

 

1 cup water (70º-80º)

2 Tbsp butter flavored Crisco

1 egg

3¼ cups flour

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp basil

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp tarragon leaves

Select dough setting. When finished, divide dough in half and freeze half for another meal. Divide into 4 portions and roll out into 6x4 inch rectangles. Place one dog on each blanket; slit dogs down center, not cutting all the way through; fill with ketchup or mustard. Sprinkle with chopped onion, spoon ¼ cup beans over dog and roll up. Press seams together to seal. Place on greased baking dish and let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake 375º for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with a dill pickle and more ketchup or mustard if desired.

© Crackerberries 2011

So, You Like It Hot? White Chicken Chili

2 cups Great Northern dried beans
32 oz. chicken broth
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
2 tsp chili powder
¼ tsp red cayenne pepper
1 cup water, if needed
¼ cup lime juice
1 13.4 oz can diced jalapeño peppers
½ cup mozzarella cheese
Salt and Pepper

Prepared salsa, guacamole & tortilla chips

Everyone says you should soak your beans overnight, wash your beans, pick over your beans, par-boil your beans, and blah, blah, blah. If I’m using the crock pot, I never do. Whatever makes you feel more comfortable is what you should do. My mother always says she can’t make beans like I do … I tell her over and over again … don’t soak them overnight, but she is old and set in her ways. If you try to make a recipe taste exactly like someone else’s recipe without exactly following their recipe, you are just setting yourself up for failure. Sorry but that’s the way I see it.

Place beans, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper, bay leaf, and jalapeño peppers (do not drain) in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for four hours. (DO NOT REMOVE COVER DURING THIS TIME).

Before the four hours are up, prepare the chicken. Wash, and pat dry. Cut into one inch cubes. Brown in non-stick lightly greased skillet until juices run clear. Add lime juice and salt and pepper and cook one minute longer.

Remove cover and stir beans, add chicken and more water if needed. Replace cover and cook 2½-3 more hours, until beans are tender.

Serve with homemade guacamole, salsa and tortilla chips. You may want to have a few slices of bread handy also…THIS IS HOT!


© Crackerberries 2009