Homemade refried beans

I made my own refried beans the other day. I'm not in love with refried beans, but I thought these homemade ones tasted better than the ones in the can. I used them in seven-layer dip -- a huge win -- and then we ate the dip for dinner. Some nights are just like that.

These refried beans are all-natural and fat-free. They are very easy to make. Most of the work is done in a slow cooker. The beans can be frozen for later use -- tacos, burritos, etc. Making them at home is a good way to use the dried beans you have in your food storage. The recipe came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

THE RECIPE:

1 lb. dry pinto beans, rinsed and sorted for any stones
1 tsp. salt
1 yellow onion, cut into large chunks
4 large cloves garlic, smashed
2 cans diced green chilies
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Chili powder to taste
Cumin to taste

Place beans in large saucepan with plenty of room and cover with water by at least an inch. Bring to a boil and cover, cooking for 15 minutes. Drain beans, then place in slow cooker and cover with water by 2 inches. Add 1 teaspoon salt, onion and garlic. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours.

When beans are tender, ladle out a cup of cooking liquid and set aside before draining remaining liquid. Puree beans and veggies, along with vinegar and green chilies, with an immersion blender OR in a food processor. Add reserved liquid as needed until desired consistency is reached. I only needed about 1/4 cup. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and add chili powder and cumin to taste. The final product has a mild flavor. Makes 5 1/2 cups.

Beautiful blueberries

For Mother's Day breakfast, we ate this blueberry strata, which I got from the Kraft website. It's a breakfast you assemble the night before, and it's a snap to throw together. It was good, and we were all happy to have something new, but I have to say it wasn't as flavorful as I expected. We couldn't really taste the cinnamon and syrup added into the egg mixture. The blueberry syrup poured on top, however, made the dish worthwhile.

I would make this again, but I might fiddle around with the recipe. Let me know if you have any suggestions! By the way, my young family only needed half the recipe.

THE RECIPE:

12 slices white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries, divided
8 oz. cream cheese
8 eggs
2 1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 c. maple-flavored or pancake syrup
1/4 c. packed brown sugar

Spread half of the bread cubes onto bottom of greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with blueberries. Pinch off small chunks of cream cheese and sprinkle around, then top with other half of bread cubes.

Whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon, syrup and sugar. Pour over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake strata, covered, for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 to 35 minutes more, or until center is set. Pour blueberry syrup on individual servings.

Blueberry syrup:

2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 1/3 c. maple-flavored or pancake syrup

Combine blueberries and syrup in small saucepan and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour over blueberry strata.

Sweet potatoes meet ginger

I really loved this sweet potato and ginger soup. It was smooth and creamy and very different from the usual, but it hit the spot on a day when I was in the mood for a change. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. It is fantastic with an Asian chicken salad on the side. Or leave out the chicken and have a nice meatless meal.

THE RECIPE:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. sugar
3 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. milk
Chopped honey-roasted peanuts for garnish


In large pot, heat oil on medium-high, then add sweet potatoes and onion. Saute until golden brown. Add butter, sugar, garlic, ginger, nutmeg and salt, then saute for a couple more minutes.

Pour in chicken broth and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are very tender. Puree using an immersion blender or a regular blender (leave lid slightly ajar and cover with towel to avoid pressure buildup and volcano effect). Mix in milk and adjust seasonings as desired. Top individual servings with chopped peanuts. This soup tastes better the longer it sits.

Always worth it to try something new

We tried a new stuffing this year -- mushroom-artichoke stuffing. It was very good, but next time I make it, I'm going to make some changes. I loved the mushrooms and artichokes, but I used an egg as a combining agent, and it gave the bread a spongy, stick-to-everything texture. I know that's a common way of making stuffing, but you see, it reminded me of regular spongy Stove Top Stuffing. Maybe you'd love it, but I can't have that. I like my bread to be a star and hold its own. This recipe is definitely worth keeping and tweaking, though.

THE RECIPE:

1 lb. thick, crusty bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 c. butter
1 onion, diced
1 c. diced celery
16 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 beaten egg
1 c. shredded Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out bread pieces on baking sheet and cook for about 10 minutes, or until dry and crispy.

In large skillet, melt butter, then saute onions, celery and mushrooms until mostly tender. Add garlic and saute one minute more. Place mixture in large bowl and add bread. Add remaining ingredients one at a time and mix well. Spoon stuffing into 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

An apple a day

When my 7-year-old was little, she used to tell people, "We're apple farmers!" She was right alongside us when we planted our apple trees, and in the past couple of years she has helped thin and harvest. This season, we have been enjoying huge and sweet honeycrisp apples. These babies are 4 inches in diameter. My husband's favorite way to eat them is just plain, off the tree, in all their glory. But, sometimes it's fun to do something different. How about a crunchy, tangy Waldorf salad? Yes, please.

THE RECIPE:

1/2 c. mayonnaise*
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
3 apples, cored and chopped
1 c. diced celery
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, toasted if desired
1/2 c. raisins or dried cranberries

Combine ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.

*I used the reduced-fat olive oil kind.

Pick your colors

I thought this glass block Jell-O looked so cute when I saw it on Our Best Bites. I just had to make it. What's funny, though, is I don't really love Jell-O unless it's been spruced up, like this or this. So, even though the recipe made a festive side dish for St. Patrick's Day, I didn't think the taste was anything special. You Jell-O fanatics out there will probably beg to differ.

THE RECIPE:

4 3-ounce packages Jell-O, any colors
2 packets unflavored gelatin (such as Knox)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Find as many containers as you have colors of Jell-O -- Tupperware or glass baking dishes will do. I used an 8x8 baking dish for my green because I had three packages of it. I used a small square plastic container for my yellow because I only had one package. If you choose four different colors, you will need four small containers. Spray with cooking spray. Clear out a shelf in your fridge.

Mix 1 cup boiling water with each package of Jell-O. That's it. Stir until dissolved and pour into containers so that Jell-O is up to an inch deep. Refrigerate several hours, or until firm.

Mix unflavored gelatin with 1/2 cup cold water. Let stand until thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water and sweetened condensed milk. Allow to cool while slicing colored Jell-O into small squares and tossing together in sprayed 9x13 pan. Pour milk mixture over all. Try to poke down any squares that want to stick out. Refrigerate overnight.

Sunny side up

Wouldn't it make you happy to see colorful flowers on your breakfast table? These fried egg flowers are a fun way to start the day. Slice into them with a knife and fork, and dip each bite in salsa. They taste good, and the bell peppers give them a yummy southwest flair.


THE RECIPE:

Oil
Bell peppers, sliced in 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch rings
Eggs
Salt and pepper
Salsa for serving, if desired

Lightly oil frying pan and bring to low heat. (The right heat was #2 on my electric stove top.) Place pepper rings in pan and crack an egg into each. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cover and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on desired yolk firmness. If your frying pan doesn't have a lid, use foil. Serve with salsa.

Couscous is cool

This was a unique meal for our family. It's always fun to try something new, and even more fun when we like it. This couscous with chicken apple sausage fell into that category. It was easy to throw together, which is a huge plus for me. The different flavors and textures made for an interesting conversation topic at the dinner table. The recipe came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

THE RECIPE:

1/3 c. pine nuts
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
12 ounces precooked apple chicken sausage, cut in 1/4-inch rounds
1/2 tsp. each salt, dried thyme, cumin, coriander, curry powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. chicken broth, divided
1/3 c. dried cranberries
1 c. dry couscous

Cook couscous according to package directions. Cook it in chicken broth for extra flavor.

In large, nonstick skillet, cook pine nuts over medium heat, tossing frequently, until golden. Remove pine nuts and set aside. Heat olive oil, then add onions and saute until tender. Add chicken sausage and brown lightly. Add 1/3 cup chicken broth, along with seasonings. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until liquid is mostly absorbed. Mixture will still be wet but not soupy.

Add cranberries and remaining 2/3 cup chicken broth to skillet. Stir in couscous and let entire mixture simmer for a few minutes, until liquid is mostly absorbed but couscous is not dry. Stir in toasted pine nuts and serve.

Once a decade

Having freshly cooked artichokes with dinner is a fun experience, but I think doing it about once a decade is enough. They're kind of a hassle to eat. I remember having them as a child at my friend Brooke's house. My kids were also very intrigued by them. It's worth introducing your kids to something unique and new, just this once.

Here is the classic version of preparation and method of eating, as given by Better Homes and Gardens.

THE RECIPE:

2 artichokes
Lemon juice
1/4 c. butter or spread
1/4 tsp. dried dill, tarragon OR oregano
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Wash artichokes and cut off stems. Cut off 1 inch from the top of each artichoke, and snip off the sharp leaf tips (see photo). Roll the cut edges in a little lemon juice. In a large pan, bring salted water to boiling and add artichokes. Return to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a leaf pulls out easily. Drain artichokes upside down.

Meanwhile, melt butter and stir in dried herb and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Serve artichokes with butter sauce.

*Note: To eat artichokes, pull off one leaf at a time and dip base of leaf into sauce. Draw the base of the leaf through your teeth, scraping off only the tender fleshly part. Discard the remainder of the leaf. Continue removing leaves until the fuzzy choke appears. Remove the choke and eat the remaining heart with sauce.

Calling all cauliflower haters

I have been feeling bad for cauliflower, because we rarely eat it. So, when I saw this roasted, curried cauliflower on Mel's Kitchen Cafe, I had to give it a try. I love curry. I'd say the recipe was a success. Everyone in my family ate it. Plus, it was something different from the norm.

THE RECIPE:

1 head cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
Up to 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. yellow curry powder

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower with oil. Sprinkle evenly with seasonings. Bake about 18 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Cauliflower is ready when tender-crisp and browned in spots.

Use your food storage

This stuffing chicken bake is just a recipe I got off the back of a Stove Top stuffing box. It's one of those throw-together meals that use food storage ingredients. It tastes pretty good, though. My kids ate it, so that means something.

THE RECIPE:

1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
1 1/2 lbs. raw chicken breast, cut into chunks
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 c. low-fat sour cream
16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare stuffing as directed on package; set aside. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and vegetables in 9x13 pan. Season with pepper. Top with stuffing. Bake for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serves 6.

Sweet seeds

We carved two big pumpkins this year for Halloween. After that, we had a nice pile of sloppy, gooey seeds. You'll see in the picture above how they ended up. Much better, eh? These cinnamon-sugar pumpkin seeds were pretty tasty. Last year, we tried a savory kind. It's fun to experiment.

THE RECIPE:

1 c. pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp. oil or melted butter
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Rinse and drain pumpkin seeds. Just do your best to get the goop off. Lay out on cloth and pat dry. You can leave them to dry, but if you let them dry all the way, they will stick to the cloth a little. Heat oven to 300 degrees. On a cookie sheet, toss pumpkin seeds with oil until well coated. Mix sugar, salt and cinnamon, then toss with seeds. Spread seeds evenly on cookie sheet. Bake for one hour, tossing once halfway through.

Full of fiber

I'm always in the market for good meatless main dishes. I think people eat too much meat. If we're not careful, we could eat it with every meal every day and not think twice about it. This potato chili is a filling way to pack in the nutrients without using meat. It's a slow-cooker meal, which is a bonus. I got the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, and I'd say it's pretty good -- definitely worth making every now and then. The cheese really makes the dish.

THE RECIPE:

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. chopped green bell pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
3 small-medium potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients except for cheese and potatoes in large bowl. Spoon half of bean mixture into slow cooker. Top with sliced potatoes. Spoon remaining half of mixture over potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours. Top individual servings with shredded cheese.

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater

My new 5-year-old got "The Mother Goose Cookbook" for her birthday. It's a cute little book full of nursery rhymes and their coordinating recipes. Olivia wanted to get right to work. She chose Peter Pumpkin's Pumpkin Muffins, and she helped me the whole way. The muffins turned out very moist and yummy. My husband thought they had molasses in them, so the brown sugar must give them a little kick. But they still don't beat my favorite pumpkin muffins of all time. Sorry, Peter. What's up with your poem anyway? Who keeps his wife in a pumpkin shell?

THE RECIPE:

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. plus 6 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 c. pumpkin puree

1/2 c. melted and cooled butter

1/4 c. plain yogurt or sour cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 c. warm honey

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. dried currants (I left these out)

3/4 c. chopped walnuts (I left these out)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter and flour muffin tins. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Add spices. In separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, butter, yogurt, eggs, honey and vanilla. Stir in currants and nuts. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until batter is just blended. Fill muffin cups halfway with batter, then sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top. Bake about 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean. Makes about 15 muffins.

Hidden veggies

Here's a name you've probably never heard -- sweet potato enchiladas. I adapted the recipe from one at allrecipes.com. It is a meatless dish, which I'm always happy about. We're trying to be a little healthier around here. The filling is surprisingly good -- creamy and flavorful. My husband and 2-year-old really liked this meal. I'm still interested in tweaking it. I'm not a huge fan of canned red enchilada sauce, so I've got to come up with an alternative. In the comments on the original recipe, some people mentioned substituting green sauce. We'll see! I actually think this filling might be good in the baked taquitos we love. Let me know if you try it, and if you have any successful tweaks.

THE RECIPE:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

10 corn tortillas

1 10-ounce can red enchilada sauce

1/4 c. reduced-fat sour cream

Shredded cheese

Boil sweet potatoes until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, then mash them with cream cheese, onions and seasonings. Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease 9x13 pan. Heat three tortillas at a time between two damp paper towels in microwave for about 45 seconds. (This way, they won't crack when you roll them.) Place about 1/3 cup of filling in each tortilla, then roll and place seam-side down in baking dish. Whisk together enchilada sauce and sour cream, then pour over enchiladas. Cover with shredded cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cheese is beginning to brown.

Fat-free dessert

If you are counting calories, these chocolate meringue bites might be the dessert for you. It's kind of a melt-in-your-mouth cookie -- very light but still chewy. They are semi-sweet, so a nice dusting of powdered sugar was a must for me. I got the recipe from a health magazine. The cookies are low in carbs and have zero fat, zero cholesterol and only 25 calories each. The magazine boasts, "In fact, you could eat ten of them and still not equal the calories in one piece of chocolate cake!" I thought the cookies were yummy, but I'm gluttonous when it comes to chocolate, so I need a nice helping of fat in order to be completely satisfied. So sad.

THE RECIPE:

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 c. sugar, divided
3 egg whites
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. mint extract (optional)
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, sift together cocoa, salt and 1/4 cup of the sugar. (I didn't sift.) In larger bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time until meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form. Fold in cocoa mixture and extracts.

Drop by teaspoonful about 1 inch apart onto foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Cool completely before peeling off foil.

Edible art

My 4-year-old and I had a blast painting these cornmeal cookies. It is such a fun idea -- use paintbrushes and food coloring to make edible works of art! You could do it with sugar cookies, too. All you need is a cookie that can be glazed so you end up with a flat, smooth, dry, nonporous surface. Use clean craft brushes or makeup brushes, nothing too thick. The fine-tipped ones work great. You only need a tiny dip into the food coloring. The glaze recipe is below, along with the cornmeal cookies.

THE RECIPE:

2/3 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 c. flour

Beat butter and sugar. Add baking powder and salt. Beat in egg, lemon peel and vanilla, then cornmeal and flour. Wrap dough in plastic wrap or waxed paper and chill in refrigerator for a couple of hours. Work it with your hands until it is easy to handle, then roll out dough on floured surface until it's a fourth-inch thick. Cut into shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown very lightly. Dip fronts of cookies into glaze or spread glaze with a knife. The glaze is self-leveling. Let dry before painting.

Glaze:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp. milk

Stir together ingredients until you reach spreading consistency.

Polly want a cracker?

Have you ever thought of making homemade crackers? I hadn't, until I ran across this recipe on Smitten Kitchen. These Parmesan cream crackers are a nice little treat. They are thicker than a store-bought cracker and extremely easy to make. After rolling out the dough, I cut it with one of my kids' playdough accessories to make the crackers look more like the real thing. Feel free to get creative. You could spread something on them or serve them with soup.

THE RECIPE:

1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter*
1/4 c. cream or half-and-half

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly dust with flour. Put flour, salt, cheese and butter in bowl of food processor. Pulse until combined. (You could do it by hand with a pastry blender.) Add cream and mix until dough forms. (You'll probably have to finish combining it by hand.)

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface until it's a fourth-inch thick or less. From into individual crackers -- mine were about an inch and a half long. Place on baking sheet and poke with fork. Bake until moderately browned, about 12 minutes. I think mine took longer. Cool completely on rack before eating so they will be dry and crisp. Makes about 30 crackers.

*If you are using salted butter, reduce the amount of salt in the recipe by half.

Halloween snack

No sense in throwing away perfectly edible pumpkin seeds after carving a pumpkin, right? These are flavorful and crunchy and savory -- a snack my whole family loves.

THE RECIPE:

2 c. pumpkin seeds, rinsed and patted dry
1 1/2 Tbsp. melted butter OR olive oil
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika

Toss pumpkin seeds thoroughly with other ingredients. Spread out on cookie sheet. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour, stirring about every 15 minutes. They will seem done before the hour is up, but the longer they cook, the crunchier they will be, rather than chewy.

Put the lime in the coconut

I had leftover coconut milk frosting after making coconut cake, so I got creative and paired it with these lime cookies. I sang that Harry Nilsson song as I worked: "She put the lime in the coconut; she drank 'em both up... ." I had some good shoulder-shaking going on. Everyone seemed to like the results (the cookies, not the dancing).

THE RECIPE:

3/4 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
2 limes, zest and juice
1/2 c. sour cream
3 drops green food coloring, if desired
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 c. flour

Beat together butter, sugar and lime zest. Add sour cream, food coloring, then eggs yolks and lime juice (it amounted to 4 tablespoons of juice for me). Add dry ingredients, then refrigerate dough at least one hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (this is not required, but the cookies stick otherwise). Shape dough into balls and place on baking sheets. The cookies took about 16 minutes in my oven.

You don't want them to turn golden or they'll be crunchy when they're cool. If you see a golden color creeping out around the edges, get them out right away. They still look puffed and doughy when you pull them out, but they flatten as they cool. This way, they will stay soft even after they've cooled.

Coconut frosting:

1 can coconut milk, well chilled
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Plan ahead, and put the coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight or for at least four hours. The cream separates from the oil and rises to the top. (Reserve oil for another use if desired.) Beat coconut cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until thickened.