Cooking with Basic Food Storage: Black Bean Recipes

Black Bean Soup

1 lb black beans (or 2 cans--15 oz.)
6 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp margarine or butter
1 c onion, chopped
1 c carrots, shredded
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
1 c celery, chopped
1 c potatoes, shredded
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 large cloves, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
3 tbsp lemon juice
sliced lemon, if desired

Soak beans as directed on package, drain. In a large, deep pot, bring beans and chicken broth to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. In large skillet, melt margarine, saute onion, carrot and celery for 3-5 minutes until crisp. Add vegetables and remaining ingredients except lemon juice and sliced lemon. Stir well. Simmer covered for 1 hour. Add lemon just before serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

Source: Michelle Shoemaker

Bean and Corn Salad

3/4 lb. green beans -- trimmed
3 tablespoon. cider vinegar
3 tablespoon. olive oil
2 tsp. honey Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 can black beans (15 oz.) drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked fresh corn kernels or 1/2 10 oz. box frozen corn -- thawed
1 medium red onion -- thinly sliced

Cook green beans in boiling water until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Combine vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Toss in green beans, black beans, corn, and onion.

Bean and Barley Salad

2 cups barley -- cooked
2 cups black beans -- cooked
2 cups garbanzo beans -- cooked
4 medium plum tomatoes -- chopped
3 stalks green onions -- sliced with tops
4 whole roasted red peppers -- chopped
1/2 cup white corn -- or to taste
3/4 cup fresh parsley -- chopped
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar -- or to taste

Mix all ingredients as you add them. Add dressing last. Chill for 2-4 hours at least.
Serving Ideas : as a main dish with whole grain bread

Bean and Pasta Salad

4 ounces rotini (corkscrew) pasta
15 ounces black beans -- canned , rinsed and drained or dried which have been soaked overnight
1/2 cup red pepper -- cut into small dice
1 small red onion -- peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons fat-free Parmesan cheese -- grated
3 tablespoons parsley -- -- finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook pasta until al dente in plenty of boiling salted water. Drain and place in a large bowl.
Add black beans to pasta along with parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano and dressing. Toss well and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Bean Burritos

2 c Cooked black beans -or- 1 can Black beans
1/4 md Onion Minced garlic (to taste)
4 c Steamed rice
2 tsp Black pepper

Bring the black beans to a simmer in their own juices. Use fresh garlic and slice it very fine so it nearly dissappears when you add it to the beans with the pepper After about five minutes, add the onions. When serving, use twice as much rice as beans and about a third as much lettuce, all wrapped in a nice flour tortilla.

Cooking with Basic Food Storage: Chocolate Chip Cookies made with white beans!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
(Made with white beans)

½ cup cooked white beans
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs (1/4 C. Egg Powder + 1/2 C. Water)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ¼ cups wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup pecans (or walnuts) chopped

Beat beans and sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla. In separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add flour moisture to bean/sugar mixture. Stir until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips, and nuts. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°F. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes depending on size of cookies. Makes 4 dozen.

Source: http://everydayfoodstorage.blogspot.com/

Cooking with Basic Home Storage: Another rice and bean recipe

Rice and Black Bean Bake

1 15 oz can black beans rinsed
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 8 oz jar picante sauce
2 cups cooked rice
1 8 oz sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a bowl combine first four, stir in rice, sour cream, 1 cup cheese. Transfer to a greased 13x9 baking dish sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake uncovered @ 350 for 20 minutes.

Source: http://thecrazyshopper.blogspot.com/2008/07/rice-recipes.html

Cooking with Food Storage: Legumes: Another delicious recipe made with beans

Southwestern Bean Salad
1 15 oz. can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can garbonzo beans
2 celery ribs
1 medium red onion, diced
1 diced tomato
1 cup frozen corn (thawed)

Rinse and drain beans. Combine all ingredients and toss with dressing. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. (It's better the 2nd day)

Dressing:
3/4 c salsa
1/4 c lime juice
1 tsp salt
1/4 c fresh cilantro
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin

Cheri Wride

Legumes: More recipes using lentils and beans

LENTIL CHILI
Michelle Harley

Simmer 30 minutes:
1 cup lentils
2 cups water

Sauté:
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced in 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Add with onion and garlic to lentils:
2 - 28oz.cans tomatoes
2 –24oz. cans green diced chilies
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt.

Simmer until lentils are tender. Serve with cornbread (for a complete protein) and salad.

HOMESTYLE HAM AND BEAN SOUP

2 – 15oz. cans great northern beans
2 – 14 ½ oz. cans chicken broth
1 – 16oz. can diced potatoes, drained
1- 16oz. an diced carrots, drained
½ pound ham, diced (OR CANNED)
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup dried parsley flakes
1 bay leaf
¼- ½ tsp. pepper

In a large kettle or Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve. Makes 6 servings. (Can be frozen up to 6 months)

LENTIL STEW
Kathy Ferneau

One package of lentils
2 carrots
2 potatoes
water

Place the package of lentils in a large soup pot and add the appropriate amount of water (1-1/2 cups water to one cup of lentils works best). Peel the potatoes and carrots, and slice to bite size. Add to soup pot. Season to taste. If you have it: Add a ham bone, a bit of leftover beef, bacon bits, bay leaf, or favorite herbs.

Cooking with Basic Food Storage: Legumes

LEGUMES

COOKING BEANS
Soaking and cooking beans before mixing with other recipe ingredients helps to get the right tenderness and can minimize final cooking time.

Preparation: Rinse all beans and legumes in cold water. Remove all dirt, rocks and bad beans.

Overnight soaking: For each 1 pound of beans, dissolve 2 tsp salt in 6 cups of water. Wash beans, add to salted water and soak overnight.

Quick soaking: For each 1 pound beans, bring 8 cups water to boil. Wash beans, add to boiling water, boil for 2 min. Remove from heat, cover and soak 1 hr.

To cook soaked beans: For each 1 pound dried beans, dissolve 2 tsp salt in 6 C hot water, bring to a boil. Add soaked beans, boil gently uncovered, adding water if needed to keep beans covered, until tender. Yield 6 to 7 cups.

To cook old hard beans: Wash and sort to remove and discolored beans or foreign material. For each cup of dry beans, add 2 1/2 c hot tap water and 2 tsp f baking soda and soak overnight. Drain and rinse two times, then add water to cover and cook until tender and soft, about two hours, adding more water as needed.

Adding 1/8 tsp baking soda and 1 Tbsp of oil to each cup of beans while soaking will cut down on foam as beans cook and shorten the cooking time.

Add meat, onions, celery and herbs during the cooking to add more flavor. Add tomatoes, catsup, vinegar and other acid foods after the beans are tender. The acid prevents softening of the beans.

COOKING TIMES:

• Black Beans 1 to 1 1/2 hours
• Garbanzo Beans 2 to 2 1/2 hours
• Kidney Beans 1 to 1 1/2 hours
• Pink, Pinto & Red: 1 1/2 to 2 hours
• White Beans: 1 to 1 1/2 hours
• Black Eyed Peas: 1 to 1 1/2 hours
• Great Northern Beans: 1 to 1 1/2 hours
• Lima Beans: 1 to 1 1/2 hours
• Soybeans: 3 to 3 1/2 hours
• Split Peas, Green & Yellow: 35 - 45 minutes (No soaking required)
• Lentils: 30 -40 minutes (No soaking required)

STORING COOKED BEANS

• Freeze cooked beans in zip lock bags. Will keep 3-6 months.
• Store cooked beans 3-5 days in refrigerator. Beans spoil easily so don't keep too long.

ALTERNATE USES FOR BEANS:

The following are great ways to put more beans into your diet without feeling like you are always eating beans.

Bean Flour:

• Any dry bean can be ground into flour using a hand or electric mill. (Read your instructions carefully, some specifically say you cannot use beans in them.) Baby lima or small white beans are the mildest in flavor
• Bean flour can be whisked into boiling water and seasonings to make an almost instant soup or thickener.
• Bean flour can be used in any recipe calling for flour by replacing up to 25% of the wheat flour with any variety of bean flour. The bean flour combined with the wheat flour creates complete protein.

White Beans Replace Fat in Most Baking:

Method 1: Cover beans with water and cook until very soft. Mash until consistency of shortening (use blender). Replace in recipes cup for cup. Example: Recipe calls for 1 cup margarine: use 1 cup mashed beans. Liquid may be added the adjust the consistency. Mashed beans don't keep long in the fridge, so freeze them.

Method 2: Grind beans in your wheat grinder. Store in air tight container. Replace fat in the recipe cup for cut as above. You will need to add liquid since the ground beans will be part of the dry ingredients.

CHILI
1 lb. Chili beans (about 2 cups)
2 lbs ground beef
3-4 ribs of celery
1can diced tomatoes (use juice)
3-4 tbsp. chili powder
1 large onion, chopped
½ tsp cumin

Soak beans overnight. Bring beans to boil and simmer until tender. Leave the water in the pot that should cover the beans and add the tomato juice to it. Brown ground beef. Add ground beef, onion, celery, chili powder and cumin. Let simmer until flavors blend. Adjust the amt. of chili powder to taste.

REFRIED BEANS
1 c chopped onion
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 c pinto beans
1 tsp garlic powder

Fill crock pot 1/3 full of pinto beans (sorted and rinsed). Fill with water until ¾ full. Cook beans and ingredients on high temperature for approximately four hours. Mash by hand or with a blender. Add oregano and salt to taste. Can be frozen.

PIONEER BEAN SOUP MIX: Yield 4 jars
1 C pinto beans
1 C Black beans
1 C Kidney Beans
1 C Yellow Split Beans
1 C Great Northern Beans
1 C Black Eyed peas
1 C Lentils
1 C Green Split Peas

In clean pint jars, spoon 2 Tbsp of pinto beans in bottom; continue, adding 2 Tbsp of each bean or pea variety in the order given until jar is full.

PIONEER BEAN SOUP
1 pint Bean Soup Mix
7 C Water
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1 -2 tsp salt
1 ham hock
2 carrots, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Grated cheese.

Put all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on medium for 7 hours, or until beans are tender or place in stock pot and cook on stove at simmer. Remove meat from ham hock and return to soup. Before serving, add juice of 1 lemon and top with grated cheese. Makes 6-8 servings.

BAKED BEANS
2 c white beans
1 onion, chopped
¾ c brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 c reserved liquid
1 tsp salt
1/8 lb. bacon, diced
¼ c catsup
1 tbsp soy sauce

Cover beans with cold water and add salt. Simmer until tender. Keep liquid. Add remaining ingredients. Place in greased casserole or bean pot. Top with 1/8 bacon strips. Bake at 275 degrees for 6-8 hours.

PINTO BEAN CASSEROLE
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans (use juice)
1 lb. ground beef
1 C grated cheese
1 (15 oz) can Italian style marinara sauce
1 pkg. Corn tortillas

Butter tortillas and layer and cover bottom of oblong cake pan. Brown ground beef and drain. Put beans over tortillas, then sauce and ground beef and grated cheese. Bake at 350 deg. For 30 minutes.

PIONEER STEW: Yield 8 servings
1 ¼ C (1/2 lb) dried pinto or kidney beans
3 C Cold Water 1 tsp salt
½ to 1 lb ground beef or 1 can of chunk turkey or beef
½ c onion, chopped
½ c finely diced green pepper
1 can (16 oz.) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes, undrained
½ tsp chili powder
¾ tsp salt
½ c shredded sharp American cheese

In large saucepan, place washed and drained beans, cold water and salt. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer 2 minutes. Return to heat and simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes. In skillet cook ground beef, chopped onion and green pepper until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off fat. Add meat mixture, corn, tomatoes, chili powder and salt to taste to beans. Simmer 20 minutes. Combine 1 Tbsp flour with 2 Tbsp water. Stir into stew. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese.

CREAM OF SPLIT PEA SOUP
2 c split peas
½ c celery, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 ½ c milk (2/3 c powdered milk and 2 ½ c water)
4 ½ c boiling water
½ c carrots, diced
2 tsp salt
Season to taste (may add chunks of ham, bacon, etc)

Wash split peas and sort. In large saucepan, combine water, split peas, vegetables and salt. Simmer until peas are soft, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Put through a sieve or a blender. Add powdered milk and seasonings, chunks of meat, then reheat and serve.

BEAN WRAPS
2 lbs. pinto beans (4 cups)
1 qt. tomatoes
1 lb salt pork or bacon (optional)
1 ½ lbs. Ground beef, browned (optional)
3 onions, chopped
½ lb. shredded beef or pork (optional)
4 bay leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 chili brick, warm and drain fat
½ lb. brown sugar
¾ tsp thyme
1 tsp chili (to taste)

Simmer Beans, salt pork, onions, bay leaves and garlic in Dutch oven for approx. 20 hours. Add chili brick, tomatoes, meat and spices. Simmer 2 hours. Add brown sugar the last ½ hour.