Marvelous Mini Meatloafs

This is sure to be a new favorite. My family loves them!

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup water
1 box stove top stuffing (I use chicken flavor)
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup of bbq sauce
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Mix meat, stuffing mix, and 1 cup water and garlic powder until well blended. Press into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray; make and indentation in the center of each with a spoon. Spoon in the bbq sauce into the center of each meatloaf. Bake 30 min. (check at 25 min, some muffin tins cook these fast) and top with cheese and bake 5min or until cheese is melted.

*Ketchup works fine instead of bbq sauce if your kids prefer that. ;)
Kraft foods magazine fall 2005

Chicken and Broccoli Braid

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced, cooked chicken meat
• 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 egg white, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees F).
2. In a large bowl, toss together chicken, broccoli, red bell pepper, garlic, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, dill weed, salt, almonds and onion.
3. Unroll crescent roll dough, and arrange flat on a medium baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough. Using a knife or scissors, cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the chicken mixture along the center strip. Fold the side strips over chicken mixture, alternating strips from each side. Pinch or twist to seal.
4. Brush braided dough with the egg white. Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown.

Tuna Cakes

Wanted to find a recipe like samon patties/ crab cakes that was cheap and easy. 

Big hit in my house!!! We have almost once a week. I have also snuck in some shredded zucchini to it once or twice.. but you may need to adjust the water so its not too soggy.

2 cans (5 oz. each) light tuna in water, drained, flaked

1 pkg.  (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese

3/4 cup  water

1 carrot, shredded

1/3 cup  KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. CLAUSSEN Sweet Pickle Relish (i use dill)

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate 10 min. 

Heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat.  

Using ice cream scoop (i use my hands but it gets messy) ass 1/3 cup portions of tuna mixture, in batches, to skillet. 

Flatten into patties with back of spatula. Cook 6 min. or until golden brown on both sides, carefully turning patties over after 3 min.

Matzoh Ball Soup

Like homemade chicken noodle soup? Especially with homemade egg noodles? This is just as good if not better, and way easier and faster to make!

4 eggs
1 t salt
a few teaspoons favorite dried herbs, if desired
1/3 c plus 1 T water
1 c matzoh meal (found in a box or cardboard canister in the international aisle)
1/4 t black pepper
6 c poultry stock or chicken broth
1 1/2 c chicken
chopped carrots and onions, if desired
salt and pepper to taste

Beat eggs and salt for one minute. Stir in herbs, water, matzoh meal, and pepper until well blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put in fridge.

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Cook chicken in broth at a low simmer until cooked (if you boil it too hard the chicken will become tough). Remove chicken from pot and set aside. Heat broth to boiling. Add chopped carrots and onions to broth. With wet hands, shape the matzoh mixture into 1 or 2 inch blobs. Drop gently into boiling broth. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add cooked chicken and salt and pepper.

Flaky Pastry Dough

Flour-4C
Salt-1tsp
Unsalted butter-1 1/2C plus 3 Tbl, cut into cubes
Ice water-3/4C

This is what the recipe says to do-
In a food processor, combine the flour and salt and pulse briefly to mix. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse just until the mixture forms coarse crumbs about the size of peas. Drizzle the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Transfer to a work surface, divide into 3 equal portions, and press each into a flat disk.
 Can be stored in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer  for up to 1 month. If freezing, wrap in plastic then place in a heavy duty resealable plastic bag; thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

What I do-
 Just use my Kitchen Aid mixer. With the above instructions. My food processor is so LOUD!! I think the next county over can hear the squeel of horribleness. It prompts my children to pull out the heavy duty construction worthy ear muff protectors.
 If you don't have either of those tools, I am sure that a hand mixer would work just as well. That's what I used to do before I had my mixer.

Classic Quiche

From William-Sonoma Food Made Fast-Baking

Flaky Pastry Dough-1 disk, at cool room temperature
 Bacon, 8 strips, chopped
Gruyere or Swiss cheese, 1 1/2 C, shredded
Eggs, 4
Half and Half or milk, 1 3/4C
Ground Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp
Salt-1/2tsp

Partially Bake the pastry shell.
 Preheat to 425. Roll out dough to 12in round. Transfer to pie dish, create a high edge with the rim of the pan. Use a fork and prick the bottom a few times. Freeze for 5 minutes. Bake until lightly golden, about 10minutes. Let cool. Reduce oven to 375

Prepare the Filling.
  Cook bacon. Set aside, then chop. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly on the bottom of the pie shell. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Whisk in half and half, nutmeg and salt. Stir in bacon and the remaining cheese. Pour into pie shell.

Bake the Quiche.
 Bake until the filling is set and slightly puffed and the vrust is golden brown 30-35 minutes. Let cool briefly. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Yummyness!

Our favorite breakfast/snack/dessert around here lately:

Bowl-any size and 1 for each person eating
Granola-however much you want in your above mentioned bowl
Organic whole milk french vanilla yogurt from Trader Joe's (Or whatever other kind you like)-1-2Tbl
Fruit-raspberries, blueberries, strawberries

Mix well or barely at all in your bowl. Enjoy!

We have been Loving this around here!!!

Ruote with Tomato, Basil, and Fresh Mozzarella

From William-Sonoma Sauce

Ripe Plum (Roma)Tomatoes 1 1/2lb, peeled and seeded then diced
Garlic-2 cloves, minced
Fresh Basil leaves-10-15, torn into small pieces
Fresh Mozzarella-1/2 lb, diced
Olive Oil-2/3C
Kosher Salt
Ruote Paste-1lb (shaped like wagon wheels-other shapes like penne, farfalle, or fusilli work too)
Balsamic Vinegar-1tsp

In large bowl combine tomatoes and any juices from the cutting board, garlic, basil, 1 1/2tsp salt, pinch of pepper, the cheese, and olive oil and stir to combine. Cover with plastic and let stand at room temp. for 2 hours to allow the flavors to marry.


Cook the pasta (with the kosher salt) until al dente. Reserve 1/4C of the cooking water. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce and toss to coat evenly (do not let stand before tossing, or the cheese may melt together into large lumps) Add reserved cooking water and stir. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve at once.

POrk Satay with Thai Peanut Sauce

From William-Sonoma Sauce
Ingredients:

Peanut Oil 1/2C
Sesame Oil 1 Tbl
Thai green curry sauce paste 1Tbl
Salt and ground Pepper
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
Boneless Pork Loin, cubed 1 1/4 lb

For the Sauce:
Peanut Oil 2Tbl
Raw or Roasted Peanut Halves 3/4C
Garlic 1 large clove, minced
Shallots 2, minced
Salt
Asian Fish Sauce 4tsp
Cayenne Pepper 1/4tsp
Brown Sugar 1/2tsp
Soy Sauce 1 1/2 tsp
Coconut Milk 1 1/4 C
Lemon juice 1Tbl

Soak bamboo skewers in water 30 min and drain, or use metal skewers.
In a large bowl combine the peanut oil, sesame oil, curry paste, 1tsp salt, 3/4tsp black pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes. Whisk to blend. Add Pork and toss to coat evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.


Make Sauce-
In a wok or frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add peanuts and fry, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, about 3 min; do not let them burn. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and let cool 5 min. Grind in food processor (blender) finely and set aside.

Return pan to low heat, add garlic, shallots, and 1/4tsp salt and saute for 1 min. Add fish sauce saute 1 min. Add cayenne, brown sugar, soy sauce, coconut milk and bring to simmer. Stir in the peanuts and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce us thickened 6-7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.

Thread pork onto skewers and pat dry. If using bamboo, wrap about 2 inches of the blunt end with aluminum  foil for a handle. Preheat broiler (grill). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, shiny side down, and top with a wire rack. Place in the broiler 4 inches from the heat source to preheat for 5 min.

Place the skewers on the rack, handles outward. Broil (grill) turning to sear all 4 sides, until well browned, about 2 minutes on each side.

Baked Ziti

1 lb. dry Ziti (Can use Penne or another fun similar type Pasta)

1 onion, chopped

1 lb. lean ground beef

2 (26 oz) jars spaghetti sauce (Can use less, I just like my saucy!)

6-8 oz Provolone cheese, sliced

1½ C. sour cream

2-3 8 oz bags of Mozzarella cheese(just depends on how cheesy you like it!)

2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add ziti and cook until al dente, about 8 min.; Drain.

In large skillet, brown beef and onion over medium heat. Drain oil. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer 15 min.

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 11x13 baking dish (sometimes I use two 9x9’s) with a bit of cooking spray and layer as follows:

½ Ziti

All the Provolone cheese

Sour Cream

½ Sauce Mixture

Remaining Ziti

Mozzarella cheese

Remaining sauce mixture

More Mozzarella if you want

Top off with Parmesan cheese(shaved works the best!)

Bake for 30 min. in the oven, or until cheeses are melted. You broil for a min or two if you want to brown the top!

Beef Stroganoff

1 – 1 ½ pounds Round Steak (I use Top Round more than Bottom, but both are ok!)

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup onion, chopped

5T Flour

½ t pepper

1 ¾ t salt

1 t paprika

2T Oil (I use EVOO)

1 Can Beef Consume

½ cup water

½ cup sour cream

2T green onions, sliced

Cut fat off of meat and then rub with minced garlic. Heat oil Medium heat in frying pan. Cut in 1/2” x 1” strips cutting against the grain of the meat. Combine flour, pepper, salt and paprika. Roll meat in flour mixture, then brown in the oil. Add onions and cook until transparent. Add remaining flour, consume and water.

Cook 1 ½ hour covered until meat is tender. Then remove some of the juice into a small bowl and whisk in the sour cream. Then add this mixture back into the pan stirring quickly as to not curdle the sour cream. Stir in green onion.

Serve with Egg Noodles or White Rice.

Crockpot directions:

Prepare meat the same way. Add Meat and onion into the frying pan and brown the meat. Then add to the crockpot with all other ingredients EXCEPT the sour cream and green onion. Cook on Low for 4-8 hours (try not to let it go for more than 6). The more it cooks the more tender and fall-apart the meat will be. If the mixture is not thick enough take some of the juice out and put in a sauce pan and add in ¼ cup of Corn starch, adding more is necessary. Combine the mixtures and whisk in sour cream and stir in green onion. Yummy!

Sour Cream Pork Chops – Slow Cooker

• 6 Center Cut, Thick Sliced Pork Chops
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Garlic Powder to taste
• ½ Cup Flour
• 1 Large Onion, cut 1/4” thick
• 2 Cubes of Chicken Broth (or 3 Cans)
• 2 Cups Boiling Water
• 1 oz Sour Cream

Season Pork Chops with Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder. Dredge in ½ Cup Flour. Lightly brown in skillet with small amount of oil.

Place Cops in slow cooker and top with sliced onions. Dissolve Bullion in boiling water and pour over Chops. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours.

After Chops have cooked, pre-heat oven to 200°. Transfer Chops to oven to keep warm. They will be tender and fall apart.

Blend 2 T Flour and Sour Cream in a small bowl then mix into meat juices in cooker, adding some juices to sour cream mixture before adding to cooker. Turn on high for 15 – 30 mins or until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve over Pork Chops. *I have never had consistent luck with the sauce thickening…try doing this in a sauce pan to get a nice sauce for sure!!!

Serve with mashed potatoes! Yummy

Zesty Cream Cheese Chicken

Can be prepared in the crockpot or in the oven or stovetop

4-6 chicken breasts or equivalent

8 oz cream cheese

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 packet of dried zesty Italian salad dressing mix

Crockpot: Sprinkle each piece of chicken with salad mix and put into crockpot with ¾ cup of water. Cook about 4 hours on low. Leave water in and take out the chicken. Into the water, whisk the cream cheese and the chicken soup. Add the chicken back in and cook for one more hour. Serve over rice or noodles.

Oven: Sprinkle each piece of chicken with salad mix and put into 9x13 glass pan with ¾ cup of water. Cook about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Leave water in and take out the chicken. Into the water, whisk the cream cheese and the chicken soup. Add the chicken back in and cook for 20 more minutes. Serve over rice or noodles.

Stovetop: Cut up chicken in bite size pieces. Using about 2 tsp of olive oil, sauté chicken in skillet with Italian dressing. Add 3/4 cup of water. When boiling take out chicken and whisk in the cream cheese and chicken soup. When it starts bubbling add the chicken back in and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice or noodles.

Taco Soup for crock-pot

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

Brown Beef with or with out the onion; drain. Just remember to add the onion later if you did not cook with the ground beef!

Put all the following items in the crock-pot with the cooked meat mixture and Cook on Low 4-6 hours.

28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

15 ¼ oz. can corn, undrained

15-oz. can black beans, undrained

15 ¼ oz. can red kidney beans, undrained

1 envelope dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

1 envelope dry taco seasonings

Garnish with chips, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, what ever you like!

From: Fix It and Forget It!

Orange Beef Stir-Fry

12 oz beef top round steak

1 t finely shredded orange peel

½ cup orange juice

1 T cornstarch

1T soy sauce

1 t sugar

1 t instant beef bouillon granules or 1 cube mashed

2 T cooking oil, divided

4 green onions, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 clove, garlic, mined

5 cups coarsely shredded fresh spinach (5 to 6 oz)

½ of an 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained

3 cups hot cooked rice

1. If desired, partially freeze beef for easier slicing. Trim fat form beef. Thinly slice beef across the grain into bite-size strips. Set aside. For sauce, in a small bowl sir together orange peel, orange juice, cornstarch, soy sauce, sugar, and bouillon. Set aside.

2. In a wok or large skillet heat 1 T of oil over medium-high heat. Add green onions and garlic; cook and stir in hot oil for 1 minute. Remove green onion mixture from wok using a slotted spoon. Add remaining 1 T oil to wok or skillet. Add beef to hot wok. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or to desired doneness. Push beef from center of wok.

3. Stir sauce. Add sauce to center of wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return green onion mixture to wok. Add spinach and water chestnuts. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cover and cook for 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

From Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, 12th Edition

Honey-Lemon Chicken

• 6 – 8 pieces Chicken, whole or cubed (for cubed see the note at bottom)
• 2 T. butter, melted
• 1/3 Honey
• ¼ Cup Lemon Juice
• 1 T. Soy Sauce

Wash Chicken and roll in flour, place on baking pan. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake chicken at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Mix together honey, lemon juice and soy sauce. Pour over chicken and bake another 30 minutes. Serve with Rice and steamed vegetables like snap peas, broccoli and carrots for a yummy and healthy dinner!

*If you cube the chicken cook 15 mins instead of each 30 mins or it will be dry and burned!

Yummy Yellow Squash

Slice yellow squash and then cut in half or quarters.

saute in olive oil, purple onion, and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Quick and Easy Boneless Buffalo Chicken

Bag of Aldi Chicken Nuggets (I think they are actually called ...chicken breast, but they are chicken nuggets :).
Bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's Buffalo wings Sauce
cook as many nuggets as you want
Put cooked nuggets in a bowl, cover them with a decent (not lots) amount of sauce, and toss it up so that all the nuggets soak up the sauce.
Serve with Celery and Blue cheese dressing (I also like to add a potato side dish or french fries to the meal).

Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce (I think it feeds about 4-6), I usually double for my family, then I have left overs).

1/2 cup cream cheese
1 cup milk
3 tbsp of Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp dry parsley (1/2 cup if fresh)

Use a blender or food processor. put cream cheese, milk, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, pepper, and salt in blender. Blend until there are no clumps. poor sauce into pan on medium heat, cook for about 10min.

Add whatever you want to sauce. I like onion, chicken and mushrooms. (recommends two cups of chicken for this recipe) Can garnish with fresh parsley and fresh Parmesan cheese if you want.

I liked to serve broccoli and maybe garlic toast with this meal

Apple Butter Pork Loin

• 2 (1 ½ pound) pork tenderloins

• Seasoning Salt to taste

• 2 cups apple juice or cider

• ¼ cup brown sugar (we use dark brown sugar)

• ½ cup apple butter

• ¼ teaspoons ground cloves

• ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons water if needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Season the pork tenderloins with seasoning salt, and place them in a 9x13 inch baking dish or small roasting pan. Pour apple juice/cider over the pork, and cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 1 hour. While pork is roasting, mix together the apple butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Add water as needed to get to consistency of a thick sauce. After the hour, remove pork tenderloins from the oven, and spread the apple butter mixture over them.

Cover, and return to the oven for 2 hours or until fork tender.

This is yummy served with Rice or Potatoes. It will be fork tender, so let it sit a few minutes after you pull it out to be able to slice.

Baked Ziti with prosciutto & peas

This is a great forearm workout! Get out your best whisk. =)

From William-Sonoma Food Made Fast  Series One Pot


Prosciutto can be found at Meijer with deli meats, in the bakery area.  More for your money and better quality can be found at Trader Joe's.


Ziti, penne or other tubular pasta 1lb
Unsalted butter, 1/2 C
Flour, 1/2 C
Milk, 4 C
Nutmeg, 1/8 tsp
Parmesan Cheese 2 C-NOT the Powdered garbage!! ( I usually buy the shredded packages)
Frozen baby peas, 1C---I always add extra
Prosciutto or ham, 1/4 lb
Fresh bread crumbs, 1/2 C

Preheat oven to 425. Butter a 2 qt baking dish

1-Cook the pasta. Cook until al dente, or about 2 minutes Less than the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water, set aside.

2-Make the sauce:
 In the same pot-melt the butter. Add flour, cook stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming, and cook until the sauce is thick and creamy, 5-10 minutes.
 Stir in nutmeg, cheese, peas, and prosciutto. Return Pasta to sauce and toss to combine.

3-Bake the pasta-
 Transfer pasta to prepared dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake until crumbs are golden and sauce is bubbling. About 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Mom's chicken enchiladas

1 can green enchilada sauce (the big one)
1 can whole tomatoes (14 1/2 oz)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 C)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (15-16 oz)
1 C low-fat or regular ricotta cheese
1 tsp ground cumin
1 package Chihuahua cheese (mexican cheese. look in the "specialty cheeses" it's round and white)
tortillas of your choice.
some cooked chopped chicken. ( just boil some, de-bone it, and chop)

Drain the can of tomatoes. Mix all (except enchilada sauce) ingredients together.
Cut Chihuahua cheese into rectangles.
Scoop mix onto tortillas, add a rectangle of cheese to each before rolling.
Pour sauce over top of enchiladas in pan. Place any left over cheese on top.
Bake. Probably 20-25 minutes. Until tortillas edges are crisp and sauce is bubbly.

Great Freezer meal!

Fish Tacos

This is from The petite appetit cookbook.  Tastes just like being in southern California!

4 oz ono or other white fish
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 C shredded cabbage
1 lime, quartered
6 (6in) corn tortillas
SAUCE:
2 Tbl plain whole milk yogurt
1 Tbl minced fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tsp minced onion

Preheat oven to 400. Season fish with salt and pepper and place on greased rack over foil lined baking dish. Bake fish for 10 minutes,  or until it flakes.

Make Sauce:
 Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until creamy.

Arrange fish, cabbage, sauce, lime, and tortillas on a platter and let each person build their own masterpiece.

Tuscan Potato Soup (Zuppa Toscana)

Ingredients

• 3 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 9 cups water
• 3 -5 pieces bacon
• 1 lb Italian sausage, loose-ground
• 4 large russet potatoes, skin-on and cut into bite sized chunks
• 1 large white onions, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2/3 cup half-and-half
• 1/2-1 1/2 teaspoon salt ( to taste)
• 1/2-1 tablespoon black pepper ( to taste)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder, ground
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground (optional)
• 2 cups kale leaves, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. In a large stock pot combine the water, chicken broth, salt, and potatoes and set to a low boil.
2. In a separate pan fry up the bacon until slightly crispy and set aside; save the bacon grease.
3. In the same pan used to cook the bacon add the Italian sausage, onion, and olive oil and simmer on low until the sausage is browned and the consistency of hamburger.
4. Chop the bacon into small shreds (use a specialty mincer or food processor to save time) and add to the cooked sausage, then add everything into the soup pot.
5. Mix the garlic, powders, and half-and-half into the soup pot and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
6. 5 Minutes before serving mix in the chopped kale leaves.

Black Bean Chili with Cilantro Rice

Ingredients:

CHILI:

· 2 cans black beans

· 2 cans diced tomatoes

· 2 jalepeno peppers, minced

· One onion, chopped

· One pound cooked ground meat (optional)

· Chili powder to taste

· Salt and pepper

CILANTRO RICE

· 1 ½ c white rice

· 1 c chopped cilantro

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· Olive oil

Directions:

CHILI:

1. Put all ingredients (including juice from canned items) in a large stockpot; add more water if necessary

2. Simmer uncovered until chili is the thickness you like; I like thick chili and simmer mine for 2-3 hours

3. NOTE: if you opt to use dried beans instead of canned, make sure your beans are fully cooked and completely soft before mixing with tomatoes (I have cooked mine in a crockpot overnight). Otherwise the tomatoes prevent the beans from cooking and you will end up with crunchy beans that never get soft.

CILANTRO RICE:

1. Put cilantro, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend until it’s the consistency of pesto (keep adding a little more olive oil until you get it where you like it)

2. Mix cilantro paste in with your rice and cook rice using your preferred method

3. To serve, top cilantro rice with chili and eat either with a spoon or tortilla chips