Savory Beans and Rice

1¼ cups dry red beans (or dry red kidney beans), rinsed
Water
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
1 cups water
1 (14.5-oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 (4-oz.) can diced green chiles, undrained
Hot sauce (like Tabasco) (to taste; optional)
3 cups cooked brown rice, warm

Preparation:

1. Place beans in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover beans by two inches.    Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; gently boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for one hour.

2. Place beans, onion, celery, garlic, basil, bay leaf, broth, water, and tomatoes in 4-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on low heat for 9 to 10 hours (or on high heat for 4 to 5 hours), or until beans are tender.

3. Remove bay leaf. Add chiles and hot sauce (if desired); cook for an additional 30 minutes.

4. Place ½ cup rice in each of six serving bowls. Top evenly with bean mixture.

Puerto Rican Beef

 3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 lb Grass Feed Beef
1 White Onion (diced)
1/2  red, yellow and green bell pepper (diced)
1 bunch Kale (chopped)
1/2 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 Tbsp Oregano
1/2 Tbsp Tumeric
2 Sweet Potato
1 Avocado


1. Brown Ground Beef
2. Add onions and peppers and sautee until soft
3. Add all spices and stir to combine
4. Add Kale and stir for 4-5  minutes until Kale is tender

Serve on top of sweet potato and topped with Avocado

Cream of Crab, Shrimp and Corn Soup

      

                                Cream of Crab, Corn and Shrimp Soup



1 stick Butter                                                                          1 can cream of corn
1 lb frozen baby shrimp (70/90 count)                                 1 white onion, chopped
1 lb crabmeat (claw or lump)                                               1 clove garlic, minced
1 can cream of potato soup                                                   1 qt 1/2 & 1/2                                          
1 can cream of mushroom soup                                           1 cup milk
1 can cream of celery soup                                                   1 tsp worcestershire
1 can corn                                                                              shrimp/crab boil to taste



Instructions

1.  Melt butter and add onion and sautee until clear.
2. Add shrimp and crabmeat and garlic and sautee for 5 minutes
3. Add all other ingredients and Simmer for 10-20 minutes, then serve
  **DO NOT LET SOUP COME TO A BOIL**

Pumpkin Spice French Toast

After watching Chef Carla make this on "The Chew" (a wonderful daytime cooking show I DVR) I knew I had to try it.  A month later I found the time and it was well worth the wait.  I never made French Toast before so I was a bit worried, but it was super easy and delicious.  I will definitely make this again as Christmas gets closer.

Pumpkin Spice French Toast


1 Loaf Challah or Brioche thick sliced, day old
1 cup Milk (I use fat free/skim)
1/2 cup Half and Half
3 Eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt


For cooking French Toast:

1/4 cup Canola Oil

4 Tbsp Butter

OR you can use Non-Stick cooking spray.

Powdered Sugar for sprinkling on top

1. Combine all ingredients (except bread and powdered sugar, oil and butter) and mix well


2. Dip sliced bread in mixture and coat both sides well, place in glass baking dish and allow
    to sit overnight in fridge (covered), or at least for 6 hours.


3. To cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a non stick pan over med-high heat.  


4. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.


5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 until all bread is cooked.


6. Top with powdered sugar and syrup and enjoy.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Novemeber is a few days away and with the holidays come cooler weather, my favorite!  So when the weather gets cooler I look forward to making lots of different soups.  Today, in preperation for tomorrows cold front, I made some Chicken Tortilla Soup and it was scrumptious!  I urge everyone to make it, as it is so easy my dogs could put it together.

Chicken Tortilla Soup


1 Rotissere Chicken - shredded
2 cans Low Sodium Chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can green chiles
1 can diced tomatoes 
1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
1 10 oz bag frozen corn
1 Tbsp chopped garlic (the kind in the jar is best in this recipe)
1 Tbsp cumin


All you do is combine everything and simmer, it can be ready in 30 min or 3 hours.  The longer you let it simmer the more flavorful it will be.  If you like it with more of a kick to it you can replace the tomatoes and green chiles with a can of Rotel.


You can even do this in the crockpot on low and let it cook all day, its up to you.


Garnish with fresh Cilantro, avocado and corn tortilla strips and enjoy.

Gorp Cookies

I remember in high school, a friends mom made some Gorp and it was wonderful.  It was not a cookie but more like a trail mix.  I can not remember for the life of me what was in it, so I was never able to duplicate it.  When I saw this recipe in a magazine, I was intrigued.  All of the ingredients I loved so I knew it would be an amazing cookie.  And it was!

Gorp Cookies


2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate chunks
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a medium bowl stir together four, oats, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and set aside
3. In a stand mixer bowl cream together butter and sugars.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla
5. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined
6. Add chocolate, pecans and dried fruits on low speed until combined
7. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes.

*This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.  You can always freeze the dough and use it later if needed.

Baked-Eggplant Parmesan

I love eggplant, but my husband does not.  He says it is too mushy.  Since I had gotten some eggplant from the farmers market, I had to use it, so I decided to try this recipe.  I made a few modifications based on what I had in the fridge.  Needless to say, my hubby ate it and wanted more.  He even ate the leftovers the next day.  So in my book, this recipe is a keeper.

Baked-Eggplant Parmesan

parchment paper for baking sheet
2 large eggs
3/4 cup italian breadcrumbs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese 
2 medium eggplant
1 small to medium jar spaghetti sauce (I used Prego Heart Smart Ricotta Parmesan)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
10-12 slices provolone

1. Preheat oven to 375 and line baking sheet with parchment paper (makes or easy clean up)
2. In 1 bowl whisk together 2 eggs and 1 tbsp water and set aside
3. In another bowl add breadcrumbs
4. Peel eggplant and slice into 1/2 inch thick rounds or thiner, dip in egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs and place on baking sheet.
5. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and raise the oven temperature to 400.
7. In a 9x9 square dish, layer the eggplant, a thin layer of sauce, 1/4 of mozzarella, 4 slices of provolone and 1/4 parmesan.  Continue this process for 3 layers and then you should be done.
8. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes.