Refried Beans

This recipe for refried beans (which, by the way, aren't really fried at all) is from Recipes for You more a method than a recipe. You can easily adjust the seasonings to your own liking. 

1 lb bag pinto beans
1 tea. salt
1 tea. chili powder
1/2 tea. ground cumin
1/2 tea. garlic powder
1/2 tea. onion powder
1/2 tea. dried cilantro
a few drops of Louisiana Hot sauce
juice of half a lime 


On The Morning the Day Before You Want To Eat Them: Rinse, drain and sort through a bag of pinto beans. Sometimes you'll find rocks and other debris which needs to be removed so you don't break your teeth. Soak them in the morning in a large bowl.

That Evening, the Day before you want to eat them: Drain the water from the day's soaking. Add the pinto beans to a large slow cooker. Pour in enough water to cover the beans with about 2" of water over the top of the beans. Cook on low overnight.
The Next Morning: Turn off the slow cooker. The water will look dirty and the beans should be mushy. Pour off the water and return beans back to the slow cooker crock. Add the seasonings. Mash the beans using a potato masher. You can choose to mash them all or you can leave some beans whole. It's whatever you like. Squeeze the juice lime. Stir well. Divide the mixture into 2-4 equal parts and ladle up the beans into freezer storage baggies. Label and freeze. When you're ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight or heat in the microwave for a minute or so until soft enough to use.

Tofu Aloo Gobi (Cauliflower and Potato Curry)

8 Tab. oil

8 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu

Cornstarch for dusting

4 cups finely chopped onions

4 tea. finely chopped garlic

3 Tab. finely chopped ginger root

1 Tab. ground cumin

2 1/2 tea. turmeric

3/4 tea. red pepper

1 1/2 cups chopped canned tomatoes (or 2 cups fresh)

1 Tab. salt

2 Tab. ground coriander

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets

4 med. potatoes, peeled and cubed

1. First, prepare the tofu. Remove the tofu from its packaging. Cut

    the tofu into 1-inch cubes or slices. Press for at least 20 minutes, or place in the fridge and press for a few hours. Dust the tofu lightly with some cornstarch before stir-frying. 
2. Heat 4 Tab. oil over high heat in a large heavy-bottomed pan. When oil is hot, add the tofu to the pan and spread it into a single layer. Cook without stirring for about 1 minute, so the bottoms begin to brown. Sprinkle the tofu with the salt, then stir-fry, moving the tofu quickly but gently around the pan. Don't worry if some of the tofu crumbles. 

Remove tofu when it is brown and add the remaining oil to the pan. Reduce heat and fry onions until they turn dark brown -about 20 minutes, stirring constantly. 

Add garlic, cumin, turmeric and red pepper and continue frying for about 10-15 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and salt. (You may need to add additional water -check ever so often to make sure there is enough liquid for it not to stick.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. Add potatoes and cauliflower and continue simmering covered until potatoes are tender (about 30 minutes.) Turn off heat and add tofu back to the pan let it sit for at least 30 minutes -preferably 2 hours. When ready to serve, simmer until heated through. Serve over rice

Cazolo

 4 Tab. olive oil

1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tea. liquid smoke
1 small box vegetable broth
1 pkg fresh green beans
1-15 oz. can black beans, rinsed
1 1/2 Tab brown sugar
1/4 tea. Tabasco sauce
1 bag collard greens, chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cook minced onion in the olive oil until clear. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add liquid smoke, vegetable broth and green beans and cook 5-10 minutes with top on. Add black beans and stir. Add brown sugar and Tabasco. Add collard greens, cover pot and cook another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

🍍Thai Pineapple Curry

1 can coconut milk

3 Tbsp red curry paste

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 ½ tsp granulated garlic

1 fresh pineapple, cut into 1” pieces

1 pound of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” pieces

2 green bell peppers, cut into 1” pieces

2 onions, cut into 1” pieces

2 cans of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed three times (or 3-4 cups of homemade beans)

Cooked white or brown rice, for serving (optional)

Cashews, for topping (optional)

Cilantro or green onions, chopped, for topping (optional)

Whisk together the coconut milk, curry powder, salt, crushed red pepper and garlic in a slow cooker.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours. If you want your sweet potato to be more firm, aim for a shorter cooking time.

NOTES

**Turn this into a freezer meal by adding all the ingredients to the freezer bag, removing as much air as possible, labeling and freezing. To cook, thaw the freezer meal in the refrigerator overnight and then cook as directed!

Source: Don't Waste the Crumbs https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/slow-cooker-thai-pineapple-vegetarian-curry/

Crunchy Black Bean Tacos

 Makes 16 tacos; serves 6 to 8

4 cans cooked black beans

4 cups (2 containers) fresh salsa

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tea. taco seasoning

8 to 12 ounces (2 heaping cups) grated pepper Jack cheese

2-4 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

16 corn tortillas

In a medium bowl, add beans along with fresh salsa, and spices. Lghtly mash all the ingredients together.

In a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet, add the 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Try not to overfill the tacos, or you might have issues flipping them without losing filling.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. If some cheese spills out, don’t worry — it will get crispy and delicious.

As the first taco cooks, move it to the side and begin a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three tacos at once. Cook each taco until they are nicely browned and crispy. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out. If your pan is very dry between batches, add another drizzle of oil.

Place the cooked tacos in a warm oven while you finish the rest. If the tacos are very greasy, blot them with a paper towel before moving them to the oven.

Source: modified from the recipe at The Kitchn

Black Beans with Rice and Corn

 1 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup uncooked white rice

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 tea. Cumin

1 tea. Turmeric

1 tea. Seasoned Salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 can black beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

Add oil, onion and garlic to the bottom of a rice cooker. Add the rice vegetable broth. Add the spices, black beans and corn. Cook until done. Stir well and serve.

Bean Stuffed Peppers

 6 green bell peppers

1 cup brown rice cooked

1-15 oz can chili beans

1-16 oz tomato sauce

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped

1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese shredded

chili powder optional

Remove tops, membranes & seeds from peppers. Chop enough tops to make 1/3 cup; set aside. If necessary, cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pepper so they sit flat. In a medium bowl stir together rice and undrained beans; spoon into peppers. Pour tomato sauce into the bottom of a slow cooker; stir in reserved chopped pepper and onion. Place peppers, filled side up, in cooker. Cover & cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 6 1/2 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. To serve, transfer peppers to serving plate, cut in half, if desired. Spoon tomato sauce over peppers, sprinkle w/ cheese and, if desired, chili powder.

Crockpot No-Boil Stuffed Shells

 Filling Ingredients:

2 cups Ricotta cheese (cheese cheese can be substituted)

1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese

1 ½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

¼ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1-8oz. package medium shells (or manicotti)

½ cup mozzarella cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

marinara sauce

Combine filling ingredients in a bowl. Spray crock pot with non-stick spray or line with a crockpot liner for easier clean up.

Spread about 1/2 cup sauce in crock pot.  Fill uncooked shells with filling and place in crock pot.  Add about 1 cup of water to the remaining spaghetti sauce to thin out the sauce just a little bit.  Pour over the shells so it covers them completely. 

Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Cover and cook on high for about 2-3 hours until shells are fork tender.

source: Life in my Kitchen

Ranch Style Beans

 4-15 oz. cans pinto beans (or 1 lb. dry beans, cooked)

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

15 oz. can of tomatoes

10 oz. tomato sauce

2 teaspoon brown sugar

2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Salt and black pepper to taste

Add everything to the crockpot and cook on low until blended (4 hours).

Source: modified from the recipe at Homesick Texan

Black Beans and Cheese over Cilantro Lime Rice

 Black Beans and Cheese

2 cans Black Beans, drained

1 can Roasted Corn, drained

1/2  jar Roasted Red Peppers, rough chop

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, cut into thin slices

1 Onion, sliced

2 Tab. Tomato Paste

1 Tab. Lime Juice

1/2 Tab. Paprika

1 tea. Cumin

1 tea. Garlic

1 tea. Onion

2 cups+ Mozzarella Cheese

Saute yellow bell pepper and onion in olive oil until it softens and gets a little char. Add black beans, corn and roasted red peppers. Add tomato paste, lime juice, paprika, cumin, garlic and onion. Heat until warm and blended. Serve over Cilantro Lime Rice and top with a sprinkle of Mozzarella Cheese.

Cilantro Lime Rice

2 cups white or brown rice, rinsed

2 cups water (or rice-water ratio) according to package directions)

1 tsp salt

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp olive oil

1 lime, juiced

½ bunch cilantro, minced

Put rice, water, salt, minced garlic and olive oil in rice cooker or cook on stove according to package directions.

Once cooked, fluff rice with a fork.

Add the lime juice and cilantro to the rice, stirring with a fork until evenly distributed. Add additional lime juice and cilantro to taste if desired.

Cilantro-lime rice can be served immediately, or refrigerated for later and reheated, or even frozen in ziploc containers.