Green Tomato Relish AKA (Chow Chow)

12 large green Tomatoes (cored)
(I used about 20 small to med size)
4 - green bell peppers, seeded
4 - medium yellow onions (I used one very large one)
1 - red bell pepper, seeded
1 - tablespoon + 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed
1 - tablespoon celery seed
2 - cups cider vinegar
2 - cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Chop the tomatoes and peppers very finely. Either by hand or in small batches in a food processor. I diced up all my veggies only because I like a chunkier relish. Put the chopped vegetables in a large pot (heavy bottom non reactive pot) add the mustard seed, celery seed, vinegar, kosher salt and sugar. Stir well and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook stirring often and skimming as needed. ( I did not have to skim off anything) Simmer until the relish/chow chow cooks down and thickens into a relish, about 2 hours. Turn into hot sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath.

Yummy Pinto Beans

3 1/2 cups dried pinto beans
1/2 cup  brown sugar
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. molasses
12 oz. lean bacon (I have made this dish without this)
3 cups tomato juice ( I have used my own home canned tomatoes, 1qt. or equivalent amounts of canned stewed tomatoes or whatever I had on hand.)
1 tsp. dried mustard
1/2 large onion, finely chopped

Put beans in large pot and cover with water and salt well ( I have read that you should not salt beans before you cook them because they will not cook completely, they will still be hard. I have never found that to be true and always salt my beans. It gives them so much flavor.). Cook beans until soft. Check often as you may need to add more water. When beans are completely cooked drain them, setting aside a few cups of the bean broth, and add tomatoes, spices, brown sugar, molasses. Slowly cook onion and bacon in frying pan. Drain. Add to beans. Add enough of the reserved bean broth to cover beans by one inch. Let this simmer slowly and watch carefully as beans seem to scorch easily, for about one to two hours to allow flavors to blend. This dish is excellent with cornbread or home made bread and a salad.

Spicy Beef and Beans over Brown Rice

This is a recipe i also got from  my friend Crystal ..

 
2 cups dry pinto beans
1lb. beef stew meat
8 cups water
1 T salt
1 onion, chopped
Jalapeno peppers, chopped (as many as you like..  the more you add the spicier it will be)
Olive oil
1 cup of your favorite salsa
Cooked Brown Rice
In a large stock pot combine pinto beans, stew meat, water and salt.  Let cook and simmer for 2 ½ hours or until beans are soft and meat is tender.
 After  beans and meat have finished cooking heat a frying pan and add olive oil, chopped onions and peppers.  Cook until onion is soft.  Add this to the bean/beef mix.  Add salsa and mix and let sit for a little bit so flavors can blend.

Southwest Stew

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb boneless pork cut up into cubes
1 large onion diced
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
1/2 cup beef broth
1 can corn
1 can pinto beans

Brown your pork cubes in olive oil along with the garlic and onion. Put this in your crockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.  Serve this with tortilla chips and garnish the stew with a dollop of sour cream.

 You can  sub beef or chicken for the pork

Mexican Hamburger Rice Bake

 This recipe is a family favorite..It belongs to my friend Crystal she has a ton of recipes on her blog.. check it out and enjoy ..

5 to 6 cups of cooked brown rice (a great use of leftover rice)
1 lb hamburger
½ small onion
1 10oz can Rotel tomatoes
8 oz. tomato sauce
½ cup water
salt or seasoning salt to taste
1 cup or more cheddar cheese

Cook hamburger and onion in fry pan till hamburger is no longer pink and onion is soft.  Add rice, rotels, tomato sauce, water,  and seasonings and mix and simmer everything for about 5 to 10 minutes.  Put this in a 9x13 inch pan (I sprayed mine with Pam) and top with cheese.  Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes until everything is hot and bubbly.

Fabulous Baked Beans

4 cups cooked navy beans (aka small white beans), save liquid from cooking the beans
½ c ketchup,
½ cup  or brown sugar
2 T white vinegar
1 T dried minced onion
½ t dry mustard
1 t minced garlic
Salt, to taste..  if you cook your beans with salt then you may not need to salt them any more
Pepper to taste

Combine all of the above ingredients and add reserved bean liquid to make it soupy.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are of a desired thickness and the flavors have blended well

Spicy Stuffed Bell Peppers

1 cup rice

1 cup coarsely chopped peeled and seeded tomatoes

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. dried cilantro (or 2 t. fresh cilantro, chopped)

1 t. minced garlic

½ t. garlic salt

Salt and pepper to taste

4 jalapeno cheddar sausages

4 large or 6 small bell peppers

2 ounces Velveeta cheese

4 – 6 T. prepared salsa

2 T. ketchup

1/3 cup water

Cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, set a large of pot of water to boiling. Add the peppers and the tomatoes (about 2 medium). Remove the tomatoes after a minute with a slotted spoon. Immediately run under cold water and then remove the peels. Remove the seeds with your thumb and chop tomatoes into large chunks. After 5 minutes, remove the bell peppers and allow to cool. When cool, slice off the tops and remove the seeds and white membranes inside. If necessary, slice a small bit off the bottom of the peppers so they stand upright. Place the cleaned peppers in a greased baking dish.

When the rice is done, add the chopped tomatoes, green onion, Worcestershire, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper. If desired, you can also chop up any extra bits of bell pepper from the sliced off sections and add these, too. Thinly slice the sausages and add them to the rice mixture.

Fill the peppers with rice mixture and top with a slice of Velveeta cheese. Top each with a tablespoon of salsa, allowing it to drip over the sides. Mix the ketchup and water and add to bottom of baking dish.

Bake peppers uncovered in 375 degree oven for about half an hour, until the peppers are softened and the cheese is melted.

Serves 4.

Note: If you like more heat, add a couple tablespoons of chopped hot green chile or jalapenos to the rice mixture.

Healthy Stuffed Bell Peppers

½ cup brown rice

4 medium-sized green bell peppers

1 pound ground chicken breast

1 T. red bell pepper, minced

1 clove garlic, minced (divided)

2 green onions, minced (divided)

1 ½ T. green chile, minced (divided)

1/3 cup canned corn, drained

½ t. each: oregano, garlic salt, paprika, dried parsley, black pepper, dried cilantro and cumin powder

1 can condensed cheese soup (divided)

¼ cup fat free half and half

In a saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups water to boil. Add half cup brown rice. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Remove from heat.

Remove the cap of the green peppers and clean out seeds and membranes inside. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each, if necessary, to make them stand up straight (good posture for peppers, ha!). Spray a baking pan with cooking spray and stand peppers within.

In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook ground chicken over medium heat. Add red bell pepper, half of the minced garlic, the white parts of the green onion, and half of the green chile. Sauté for another two minutes, until veggies are soft. Add corn, rice, seasonings and ¼ cup of the cheese soup. The rice should have a small amount of unabsorbed water in the bottom of the pan; if not add a tablespoon of water to mixture to chicken mixture to thin it a bit.

Stuff each pepper with one quarter of the chicken/rice mixture. Cover the baking pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour, until bell peppers are soft.

While the peppers are cooking, mix together remaining cheese soup, reserved vegetables and half and half. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until heated through.

To serve, place one pepper on a plate and spoon a quarter of the warm cheese sauce over the top. Goes great with a hot bowl of soup or a crisp, fresh green salad.

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp butter or oil
• 2 cups cubed chicken (you can use leftover roast chicken as well, but it will ‘shred’)
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp dried minced garlic or garlic powder)
• 2 cups chicken broth (or more depending on how thick/thin you like your chili)
• 2 Anaheim peppers, chopped and seeds removed
• 1-3 jalapenos, chopped and seeds removed (depending on ripeness they vary from mild to spicy)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 cups cooked cannellini beans (or white northern)
• 12 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
• optional: red pepper flakes (for added spice if the jalapenos don’t give it enough kick!) sour cream, and salsa

Method of Preparation

1. Pour the oil into a hot pan and cook chicken until done. (drain if it gets really greasy)

2.  Add onions and cook over medium until onions become tender. Add the garlic and and peppers, simmer for an additional minute.

3. Add in the chicken, broth, beans and additional seasonings, simmering for at least 20 minutes. Taste and add red pepper flakes if needed.

4. Stir in about 8 ounces of the shredded cheese, simmer for another 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.

5. Top with the rest of the cheese, sour cream, or salsa and serve.

This recipe is easily doubled and can be made in the crockpot and left to simmer all day as well. (though leave out the cheese until the last 15 minutes of cooking)

Enjoy!