BBQ Cowboy Beans & Biscuits

Mandi sent this in August and I finally got around to making it.  So good and easy!  I made the biscuits in my cast iron skillet...love that thing!!!  

I did throw some quinoa in just because I'm trying to use it up:o)  Oh and an onion with the meat...Texas onions are so cheap right now and yummmmy!

BBQ Cowboy Beans & Biscuits

From: 5 dollar dinners

Ingredients

1.3 lb ground beef
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups cooked black beans or Substitute 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked pinto beans or Substitute 1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup BBQ sauce
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
Drop biscuits (see recipe below)
1/2 bag frozen corn

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef with the crushed garlic cloves. Drain and return to skillet. Add the black and pinto beans, as well as the BBQ sauce, diced tomatoes…and stir through. Let simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes.
2. Make drop biscuits.
3. Prepare the corn as directed on package.

4. Serve BBQ Cowboy Beans over Drop Biscuits with Corn.

Drop Biscuits
-----------------
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup milk

Directions
1. In mixing bowl, combine wheat flour, white flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. Cut in 4 Tbsp of butter with pastry blender or 2 knives.
3. Slowly mix in milk and stir with fork. Mix until thick batter forms.
4. Drop biscuits onto greased cooking sheet or into greased muffin tins. Makes 12 biscuits.
5. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Cool on cooling rack.
6. Serve warm with Cinnamon Honey Butter.

TVP Bean Burritos

I wasn't sure about this but we LOVED it!  Instead of oil I used bacon grease that I'd had leftover and stored in the fridge.  Also I cooked a pound of beans and used them all.  There ended up not being a picture because as soon as it was done I had kids at the table and when I turned around the boys had finished it all!  It looked like beans burritos ;o)

Thanks Hillbilly Housewife!

• 1 cup plain or unflavored TVP granules
• 3 tablespoons dry onion
• 2 tablespoons dry bell pepper (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 2 beef bouillon cubes

Combine the TVP and all of the other ingredients in a resealable plastic container. I like to use zip-lock bags. Label and Seal and the container. Store on the pantry shelf. This is enough for 1 package of mix. Make several at a time for the most convenience.

To Prepare:

• 1 package TVP & Bean Burrito Mix
• 1-1/2 cups tap water
• 15 ounce can refried beans, or 2 cups cooked pinto beans, mashed with a fork or potato masher (they needn’t be smooth)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 8 or 10 flour tortillas

In a skillet combine the Mix and tap water. Stir the mixture over medium heat until it boils. Reduce the heat to low, so the mixture only simmers. Add the refried beans, or mashed pinto beans and the oil. Simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes, or until it thickens up to a good consistency. Spread the filling onto heated tortillas. Add salsa, sour cream, cheese, sprouts, guacamole and anything else that suits your fancy. These are quite good, and very easy. Makes 4 or 5 servings.

Texas Ranch House Beans

These were a great side dish!  I did them in the crockpot and the onions didn't cook very well so I'd do that differently somehow next time.  They were just sweet enough and really good!

Texas Ranch House Beans
1 lb pintos 1 c. chili sauce
2 onions sliced 1 clove garlic chopped
1/2 lb bacon cubed 2 TB brown sugar packed
salt & pepper to taste 1 qt beer (I used chicken broth)
Rinse & drain beans. Brown bacon, then add all ingredients.
Pressure cook for 30 min. This could be done in a crockpot or in the oven or stove top as well. adjust times

Chili sauce

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 Tbs. brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. vinegar
• dash of cloves
• 1 minced garlic 
• 1 Tbs. chili powder

Simmer together for 5 minutes.

Black Bean Pasta Salad

I kinda threw this together to use up things and it was really good!!

8 ounces smallish pasta(I used medium shells)
1/2 cup miracle whip--this was just to use up the last of a jar but could be removed without any effect I think
16 ounces salsa
2 cups cheese--I used half colby jack/monterey jack and half mozzarella
1 can black beans--I used leftover beans from our black bean burrito night

Boil pasta, cool completely then throw the rest in stir and put in the fridge to let the flavors mix.  I left it in an hour but anywhere up to a day would work fine:)

Artichoke Hearts and White Beans with Pasta

This was from this dairy free website.  I am not dairy free but the recipe fit with the beans and artichokes I wanted to use and I'm so glad I did!  Even when it was done I was worried we wouldn't like it but the only complaint came from Justin because he didn't like the artichokes but they were easily picked around :o)  I used dried beans and they were way softer than I'd wanted so with stirring they became mush...tasty mush though:)

Artichoke Hearts and White Beans with Pasta
Serves 4
1 tablespoon garlic
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, with juice
1 can white beans
1 cup cooked pasta shells [use your favorite GF pasta for gluten-free]
Saute garlic and onion in deep skillet over medium heat for five minutes in
olive oil.
Add lemon juice, simmer for two minutes.
Add artichoke hearts with juice and simmer for another five minutes until
sauce is opaque.
Lower heat to medium low. Add white beans and cover skillet, allowing ten
minutes of cooking time. Add cooked pasta shells, mixing well. Serve with
red pepper flakes and [vegan "parmesan"] if desired.

Red Lentil Soup

This was very much like a chicken and rice soup since I used chicken stock.  Hunter didn't like it because of the feta but other than that everyone liked it:)

Found the recipe here:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/red-lentil-soup-recipe.html

Red Lentil Soup Recipe
Be sure to pick through your lentils carefully. I somehow always find pebbles or clots of dirt hiding in their midst. Better to catch them on the front end, before you chip a tooth. And to make this soup vegan, just skip the feta at the end i bet some chopped avocado would be a good alternative.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
6 cups good-tasting vegetable stock (or water)
1 1/3 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/2 cup brown rice, picked over and rinsed
as much fine grain sea salt as you needslivered almonds, toasted
black oil cured olives, chopped
feta, crumbledIn a big soup pot, over medium heat, combine the olive oil, onion, shallots, and red pepper flakes. Let them brown, and caramelize a bit, stirring occasionally.Stir in the broth, bring to a boil, then stir in the lentils and rice. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the rice is very tender, and not at all toothsome. By this time, the lentils will have collapsed into a thick slop of sorts. If you need to add more water/broth at any point do so a splash at a time, until the soup thins out to the point you prefer.Unless you used a salty broth, you will likely need to salt generously, until the the soup no longer tastes flat. Serve each bowl topped with almonds, olives, feta, and a slight drizzle of olive oil if you like.Serves 4 - 6.

Bumblebee Soup

Loved the name of this and the questions from the kids;)  After being assured no bumblebees were harmed they liked it!  I didn't mash at the end but it'd be good that way too for sure!

Bumblebee Soup - A Bacon, Black Bean and Corn Chowder

Makes about 10 cups

4 strips bacon, sliced in 1/4" pieces
1 diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken broth
2 (15-oz) cans black beans, drained
2 cups fresh corn, or frozen sweet corn, thawed
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder, optional
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Add bacon to a cold saucepan, and over medium heat, cook until the bacon is
crisp. Reserve bacon, and leave 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pan. Over
medium heat sauté the onions with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, or
until it becomes translucent.

Add the garlic, sauté for 2 minutes, and then pour in the broth, and half
the reserved bacon. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer,
stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer for 20 minutes.

If a thicker soup is desired, take a potato masher and carefully mash some
of the black beans against the bottom of the pan. This will thicken the
soup. The more you mash, the thicker the soup will get. After mashing some
of the black beans, let it simmer for another 10 minutes to achieve the
desired texture.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with the remaining bacon over the
top as a garnish.

Black bean soup

This came from the food network site and is SO good!  It made a good sized pot and I am totally happy to have some leftovers:)  I loved the cilantro flavor in it!

Ingredients
10 slices bacon, finely chopped
2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed (I cook a pound of dry beans overnight)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheddar, for garnish
Directions
Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. cook until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.

Barbecue pork and beans

2 tsp oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic(2 cloves)

2 cans (16 oz each) baked beans

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 Tbsp each cider vinegar and mustard

1/2 tsp each chili powder and ground cumin

3 1/2-4 inch thick chunk reserved pork loin(I made in last post but any chunk of pork would work)

Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet or saucepan.  Saute onion and garlic 3 minutes.  Stir in remaining ingredients, except pork.

Bring to boil, reduce heat and over, simmer 15 minutes

Stir in chopped pork, cover and simmer 5 minutes more or until pork is heated through.  Serve with coleslaw and cornbread.

Meatless Monday

This was really good!  If you're not used to vegetarian meals or don't like them then I wouldn't try this but if you pay the price for vegetarian premade meals this is really good!  I didn't measure spices and am sure I added more of everything it called for and recommend doing the same.  I realize it looks like cat food but meatloaf never looks beautiful...I put ketchup on top for the fam and the boys even went back for seconds!

This came from Rhonda -frugal mommies group- on cafemom.


REALLY GOOD VEGETARIAN "MEAT"LOAF

2 cups water (I needed more than this)

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup lentils

1 small onion, diced

1 cup quick-cooking oats

3/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar, swiss, jack or american)

1 egg, beaten

4 1/2 ounces barbecue sauce or tomato sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Add salt to water and boil in a saucepan. Add lentils and simmer covered 25-30 minutes, until lentils are soft and most of water is evaporated. Remove from heat. Drain and partially mash lentils. Scrape into mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. Stir in onion, oats and cheese until mixed. Add egg, tomato sauce, garlic, basil, parsley, seasoning salt and pepper. Mix well. Spoon into loaf pan that has been generously sprayed with Pam (non-stick cooking spray) or well-greased. Smooth top with back of spoon. Bake at 350 degrees for 30- 45 minutes until top of loaf is dry, firm and golden brown. Cool in pan on rack for about 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edges of pan then turn out loaf onto serving platter.

Red Beans and Rice

This was from Mandi's week in August and her theme was frugal recipes. Everyone totally loved this! I used spicy sausage and changed the prices to what it cost me. This made a HUGE amount and there were still no leftovers.

Red Beans & Rice

1 lb. smoked sausage (2.42)

1 can (10 ounces) tomatoes and green chilies ($.60 store brand)

2 cans (16 ounces each) red beans or dark red kidney beans, undrained

(I soaked beans overnight, cooked them this morning and then used enough beans for this so .67 for all beans)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of mushroom soup (I'm out of my dry soup mix so I had to buy campbells healthy one to not have msg... 1.15)

3/4 tsp Creole seasoning (have tons on hand)

4 -5 cups cooked white rice (about $.50)

(Total 5.34)

Cut up sausage into 1 inch chunks. Brown sausage in 10 inch skillet. Add tomatoes, beans, soup, and seasoning and heat through. Add cooked rice and heat through again, if necessary.

Redneck Casserole

I picked this for my week on the recipe group a long time ago...I'm guessing I had a frugal theme. Finally got around to making it and we had it with a leafy green salad. Totally a kid favorite meal!

1 (28 ounce) can baked beans
6-8 hot dogs
4 cups tater tots
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Set your oven to 450.

Dump your can of baked beans into a casserole dish. Set the dish aside.

Cut up your hot dogs into bite sized pieces and throw those into your casserole dish and mix until dogs are well coated with baked bean sauce.

Cover the bean and dog mixture with tater tots. We usually use a couple handfuls. Use as many as you'd like. Just make sure to cover the mixture completely.

Place the casserole dish in the oven for 1/2 an hour or until tater tots are golden brown.

When Redneck Casserole is all cooked up, turn off the oven and sprinkle the top with cheese.Redneck Casserole is completely done when cheese is melted and you just can't take it anymore -- dig in!

Succotash Soup

When I put this on the menu I really wasn't sure what we'd think of it... I served it with Pumpernickel bread. The kids ate it too but I don't think either was all that thrilled with it.

I am replacing all my old spices as recipes call for them so the cayenne and thyme were freshly opened and tasted fantastic! My only substitution in this recipe was a green bell pepper instead of red for price sake.

Succotash Soup

1 bag frozen lima beans

1 cup water

2 14 1/2 ounce cans chicken broth

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped green onions

2 1/2 teaspoons dried whole thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash cayenne pepper

1 14 1/2 ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 11-ounce can whole kernel corn

Place beans in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans, bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour.

Drain beans; add 1 cup water and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until beans are tender.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, saute 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and celery, saute 2 minutes.

Add green onions; saute 1 minute. Add onion mixture, thyme, and remaining ingredients to bean mixture; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.