Friday, February 28, 2014

Refried bean burritos

Ingredients
1lb dry northern beans
1lb dry black beans
4 beef boullion cubes
2c boiling water

1 lg onion
1 green pepper
2T Cumin
1T chili powder

Flour tortillas
Shredded lettuce
Chopped fresh onions
Chopped fresh peppers
Salsa
Grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream

In a large pot or bowl place washed beans. Fill with enough water to double the volume of the dry beans. Soak 24 hours. Rinse beans and soak the beans the same way for another 12 hours. Rinse beans again and place them in a large crick pot. Turn on high. Dissolve boullion cubes in boiling water and mix into beans in crock pot. Cook for four hours in high. Stir and add more water if needed. Continue to cook on low for four to six more hours.

Chop onions and peppers. Heat a large skillet and add olive oil to coat. Saute onions and peppers until softened then mix in spices and mix well. Set aside to cool.

Mash beans in crock pot with a potato masher until at least 50% are broken down and mixture is well blended. Mix in onion/pepper/spice saute. Place in a serving dish.

Serve with warm flour tortillas, lettuce, fresh chopped peppers & onions, salsa, shredded cheese and sour cream.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Double Dark Chocolate Brownies

3/4 c Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1/2 t baking soda
2/3 c melted butter, divided into two 1/3 c containers
1/2 c boiling water
2 eggs
1 1/3 c flour
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
12 oz Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/butter a 9x13 glass baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk cocoa and baking soda.  Add 1/3 c melted butter and blend well.  Add boiling water and stir until well mixed.

Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining melted butter.  Add flour, vanilla and salt and mix.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into 9x13 dish spreading evenly.

Bake 35-40 minutes until edges pull away from dish.


Cool completely before cutting.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Cheddar Bacon Dip

24 oz (2 bottles) dark beer
8 oz neufchatel cheese diced in 1/2" cubes
24 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
1 bunch green onions
12 oz bacon cooked and diced
6 T cornstarch

Clean onions, dice white parts and keep separate. Dice firm part of greens and keep separate.  Saute white parts until translucent.

Put a few tablespoons of chopped bacon aside with diced green onion for garnish. 

Put remaining bacon, sauteed onion and grated cheese in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with cornstarch. Add diced Neufchatel and coat completely.

In a large saucepan heat beer just below boiling. Slowly add cheese mixture, whisking to melt and blend thoroughly before adding the next batch of cheese. Whisk constantly. When all cheese us added heat and whisk creamy.  Serve with crackers and/or bread in a warmed dish with garnish on top.