Ma Whats For Dinner?» beans

Salad Week – Tuscan Bean Salad

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:00:14 +0000

This is a quick and easy salad to throw together.

I love white beans and if you’re avoiding starches

say for bikini reasons…

This is a great side dish to serve with grilled chicken or shrimp!

The boys eat the beans first.

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 bag baby arugula (you can use baby spinach or mixed baby lettuce if you want)

1/4 red onion, sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 can cannellini beans

4-5 basil leaves, torn

handful of italian parsley, chopped

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 T extra virgin olive oil

S&P

WHAT TO DO:

In a large bowl combine, arugula, onion, tomato, basil and parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then drizzle with vinegar and olive oil. Toss to coat and serve.

Game Day Chili

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:00:55 +0000

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour

1 T Canola Oil

2 pounds ground beef (or you could do 1 lb beef/1 lb ground pork)

1 large onion chopped

1 clove garlic chopped

1 pablano pepper seeded and chopped

1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped

1/2 T dried oregano

1 T ground cumin

1/2 T chili powder

1 t cayenne pepper

1 t corriander

S&P

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1/2 can Guinness stout (or other dark beer)

1 14 oz can pinto beans, drained

1 14 oz can kidney beans, drained

1 can beef stock

For Garnish

chopped red onion

chopped tomato

chopped avacado

chopped cilantro

shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

tortilla chips

Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat and add in your oil. When the oil is hot toss in your ground beef and allow to brown. Once browned add in your onions and peppers and allow the veggies to soften, about five minutes. When the onion and pepper is soft, toss in the garlic and cook for an additional minute or so.

Add in your spices and toss to coat well. Season with S&P. Next add in your beans and allow to heat a bit. Deglaze the bottom of your pot with the half a can of Guinness. Be sure not to let the other half go to waste! Pour yourself a glass and enjoy while you scrap the bottom of the pan for all the stuck on goodness. Stir in your tomato sauce and beef broth and allow to come to a boil. Once it boils turn the heat back to a med-low and allow to simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with garnishes and allow people to build their own bowls. This one is a touchdown!

Franks n’ Beans

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:00:01 +0000

Serves: 6 Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

6 slices bacon, diced

1 large onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup dark beer (I like to use Guinness)

1 cup water

1 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup mild molasses

½ t dry mustard

1 t paprika

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

S&P

4 (28-ounce) cans pork and beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 link kielbasa.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy. Add onions and garlic and sauté until soft with S&P. Allow to cook for a few minutes. Add the beans, water, beer, bbq sauce, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, soy sauce, mustard and paprika, and S&P, to taste.

Place the kielbasa onto a baking sheet to cook alongside beans.

Cook both for 30 minutes at 350. Remove from oven. Slice kielbasa and serve onto of beans.

Terrifying Turkey Chili

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:26:01 +0000

Terrifying Turkey Chili

Serves: 8-10 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 6 hours

2 pounds ground turkey

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 large white onion chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped (to keep the vampires away)

1 can white cannelini beans drained and rinsed

1 can butter beans drained and rinsed

1 can ranch style pinto beans drained and rinsed

1 can black eye peas drained and rinsed

1 can diced green chiles

1 can fire roasted tomatos

3 T chili powder

2 T ground cumin

1 T salt

½ T ground black pepper

½ t cayenne pepper

1 t dried oregano

pinch cinnamon

½ cup dark beer

2 T masa flour

4 T water

2 cups frozen corn

Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 T olive oil to the pan. Once the olive oil is hot place in your ground turkey and brown the meat. Meanwhile get out your slow cooker and gather the rest of your ingredients.

Once your meat has browned place the turkey into the slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients except for the masa flour, water, and corn and mix to combine well. Place the top on your slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Half an hour before serving combine water and masa flour in a small bowl. Whisk well to form a slurry. Slowly stir slurry into your pot and then add your corn. Mix well and cover. Cook for an additional half hour and call in the troops.

Serve this up with lots of fun toppings…sour cream, shredded cheese, olives, avocado, sliced scallions, chopped tomato, and plenty of corn chips!

Meatloaf Cupcakes