BEANS: Healthy, Good
for our pocket books and sitting in our food storage needing to be used!
Easy method: dump beans in crock pot fill with
water until well covered and cook 8 hours. Divide up and freeze in zip lock
bags until needed.
Anti- gas method: Cover with water and boil for 15
min with 3-4 Tbsp baking soda. Water
will be greenish color when done. Rinse
thoroughly, add new water and boil 30 min- 2 hours until soft.
Preferred Hot Soak and Quick Soak
Methods — Hot
soaking helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances, making the beans
easier to digest. For each pound beans, add 10 cups hot water; heat to boiling
and let boil 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for at least
one hour (Quick Soak), or up to 4 hours (Hot Soak).
Traditional Overnight Soak — For each pound (2 cups)
dry-packaged beans, add 10 cups cold water and let soak overnight, or at least
8 hours.
Cooking Dry-Packaged Beans: Drain soaking water and rinse
beans; cook in fresh water. In general, beans take 30 minutes to 2 hours to
cook depending on variety. Check bean packaging for specific cooking times and
instructions.
Spice up beans while they cook. Seasonings such as garlic, onion,
oregano, parsley or thyme can be added to the pot while beans are cooking. Add
acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, vinegar, wine or citrus juices, only at
end of cooking, when the beans are tender.
Add salt only after beans are cooked
to tender. If
added before, salt may cause bean skins to become impermeable, halting the
tenderizing process.
To test for
doneness, bite-taste a few beans. They should be tender, but not overcooked.
When cooling, keep beans in cooking liquid to prevent them from drying out.
Cooking With
Canned Beans: Canned beans are a great convenience since they are already
presoaked and precooked. Always drain and thoroughly rinse canned beans before
adding them to a recipe. It is not necessary to recook canned beans, just heat
them if a recipe calls for it. Canned beans, like dry-packaged beans, absorb
flavors from other ingredients in a dish because their skins are completely
permeable.
Storing
Beans: Uncooked dry-packaged beans can
be stored in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry area. If kept for more
than 12 months, dry-packaged beans will lose moisture and may require longer
cooking times. Nutrient value is not lost with age.
Canned beans may be stored up to 12 months in their original
sealed cans.
Cooked beans may be refrigerated, in a covered container,
for up to five days.
Cooked beans may be frozen for up to six months.
Counting Beans
One 15-ounce can of beans = one and one-half cups cooked
beans, drained
One pound dry beans = six cups cooked beans, drained.
One pound dry beans = two cups dry beans.
One cup dry beans = three cups cooked beans, drained.
White Chicken Chili
1 lb
boneless chicken breasts, cubed 2
(4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
1 med. Onion
chopped 1
tsp salt
11/2 tsp
garlic powder 1
tsp cumin
1 T. veg.
oil 1
tsp oregano
2-3 cans
navy beans, drained and rinsed ½
t. pepper
2 c. chicken
broth 1
c. sour cream
½ c.
whipping cream
In a large
saucepan, sauté chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no
longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies
and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce
heat and simmer uncovered 30 min. Remove from heat and add sour cream and
whipping cream.
Calico Beans
1 can kidney
beans (drained) 1 can butter or lima beans (drained)
1 Lg can
Pork and Beans (do not drain) ½ c.
brown sugar
½ c. catsup 2
Tbl. Vinegar
1 Tbl.
Prepared mustard 1
tsp salt
Brown, drain
and add to mixture:1 lb. bacon (cut in 1” pieces) and 1 lg onion cut
round(don’t chop!)
Combine and
bake 11/2 hours @325 deg. Or put in crock pot for 3 hours.
Taco Soup
Brown 1 lb
ground beef with 1 chopped onion. Drain
fat. Add
1 can kidney
or pinto beans (do not drain) 1
can corn (do not drain)
1 can tomato
soup 2
cans tomato juice (Campbells)
1 packet
taco seasoning.
Heat until
hot and enjoy with corn bread.
Lite Guacamole
1 c. cooked
white or garbanzo beans ¼
yellow onion
1 clove
garlic 1
avacado
2 stalks
celery
In food
processor, blend all ingredients with “s” blade until smooth. Add fresh salsa if desired. Can also add broccoli or peas if you want to
hide other green veggies.
Campfire Pork and Beans
2 c. dried
pinto or navy beans (rinsed and soaked overnight)
1 T. cumin
seeds ½
c. chopped yellow onion
1 c. diced
uncooked salt pork or bacon 1
tsp. chipotle chili powder
4 cloves
chopped garlic 1
tsp. dried oregano
2 T. tomato
paste 2
T. brown sugar
1 tsp kosher
salt
Drain the
beans and place them in a deep pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by 3
inches, cook at a low boil until the beans are just tender, about 1 hour,
covered during the final 30 minutes.
Drain the
beans and transfer to a bowl. In the pot, add the cumin and saute briefly until
fragrant. Add the onion and salt pork or bacon. Cook until lightly browned,
about 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the
beans, chipotle powder, garlic, oregano and enough water to just cover the
beans. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook for another 1½ hours, or until the
meat and beans are tender.
Stir in the
tomato paste, brown sugar and salt. Uncover and cook until the sauce is
slightly reduced. Adjust the seasonings.
Cozy Night Winter Delight Soup ( Ann
Jenkins)
1 lb ground
beef ¼ c.
dried chopped onion
1 (28 oz)
can diced tomatoes 2 tsp dried
Italian Seasoning
3 QTS water ½ brown
or white rice
Pepper and
salt to taste 2 bay
leaves
1/3 c. beef
bouillon granules ½ c. dry
small pasta, any shape
½ c. dried
split peas 2
tsp dried chopped garlic or 2 cloves fresh, minced
¼ c. pearl
barley ½
c. dry lentils, any color
In large
pot, brown ground beef with garlic (if using fresh) and drain excess fat. Add tomatoes, water and all other ingredients
except pasta. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 min. Add pasta, cover and simmer 15-20 min.
