Hamburger Bean Dish

This is an easy dish to put together. It makes a hearty meal that your family is sure to love. Serve it with coleslaw, creamy cucumbers and sourdough biscuits for a complete meal. 

You can use any beans that you like best, even baked beans. Fresh tomatoes, onions, and peppers from the garden gives this dish a great flavor.

Ingredients

1 1/4 lbs. hamburger, ground sausage, or half hamburger and half ground sausage
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion sliced
1 sweet pepper, diced
1 can kidney beans
1 (24 oz.) can tomatoes
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked

Directions

Heat oven to 350°.   

Brown the ground beef in a cast iron skillet until it is no longer pink. Drain off excess fat. The beef does not have to be fully cooked. You just want most of the grease out of the dish.

Place hamburger in a casserole dish or leave it in the skillet if it is oven safe. Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine.

Next, layer the sliced onions over the top of the ground beef. Then add a layer of sweet peppers, kidney beans, tomatoes, and finally, the cooked bacon. Cover with a sheet of foil, or a lid.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Notes:

You can also make this on the grill by cooking it over medium low coals. You can also use the slow cooker as well.

Moist Yellow Cake

Forget about buying a boxed cake mix at the store.  This cake is so easy and so good, you will never want to buy a mix again.  

You can save a lot of money and is just as easy to make!

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter
2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
4 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. vegetable oil

Frosting

2 sticks butter, softened
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
2 to 4 Tbs. milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or  one 13 x 9-inch cake pan. You can also just grease the pans and then line them with parchment paper for easy removal from the pans. If you want to make cupcakes, this recipe is perfect for those as well. Just line with paper baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder.  Mix for 30 seconds.  Be careful to start on low speed, otherwise you will have flour all over the kitchen. 

Add milk, eggs, vanilla, and vegetable oil. Beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute.

Pour batter into prepared pan or pans.

For 8-inch pans, bake 20 to 25 minutes. A 9 x 13-inch baking pan, bake 30 to 38 minutes.  If you are making cupcakes, check them after 15 minutes.  Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

Remove from oven and cool.  If you are using the round cake pans, allow them to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully turn them out and cool on wire racks.  Frost when cool.

Prepare frosting by beating butter for 1 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. 

Gradually add powdered sugar. Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.   

Mix in the vanilla.  

Beat in the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you have the consistency that you want.  Frost the cake, cut, serve and enjoy.

Easy Barbecued Spareribs

Ingredients

3 lbs. spareribs, cut in serving size pieces
3/4 c.  ketchup
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. honey
2 1/2 Tbs. soy sauce
3/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. mustard
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper

Directions

 Preheat oven to 350°.  You can also grill the ribs as well.

Put the spareribs on a rack and place it in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan or roasting pan with the meaty side up. Season both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper.

Cover with a lid or a sheet of foil.  

Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until the meat is tender.

Remove the racks and drain the grease out of the pan.

In a bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, salt, mustard, garlic powder.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Pour the barbecue sauce over the ribs.   

Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes. Baste the ribs with the sauce occasionally. If grilling, grill over medium-hot heat. The spareribs are done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat away from the bone registers 145°.

Roasted Garlic Potatoes and Green Beans

Roasted Herb Potatoes and Garlic Green Beans

 

Potatoes and fresh from the garden green beans go very well together. Season them with garlic, and herbs for a great tasting side dish.

Ingredients

2 1/4 lbs. potatoes
1 1/4 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 to 3/4  Tbs. garlic powder or granulated
3/4 Tbs. Italian seasoning
3/4 Tbs. paprika
3/4 tsp. salt 
1/3 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 lbs. green beans, yellow beans, purple beans, trimmed
3/4 Tbs. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Wash the potatoes. You can peel the potatoes, but it is not necessary. Cut them into bite size cubes and place them in a large mixing bowl. 

Add olive oil.  Stir so that each potato cubes haves a coating of olive oil. 

Sprinkle oregano, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Mix thoroughly, so each potato has some spices on it. 

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Spread them out evenly.

Bake for 15 minutes, stirring them occasionally, so they do not burn.

Snap or cut the tips  off from the green beans. Cut or snap them in half or in pieces about 2 inches (ca. 5 cm) long.  Place them in the same bowl you mixed the potatoes in.

Add olive oil. Stir so the beans have a coating of olive oil. 

Stir in garlic, salt, and pepper. 

Add the beans on top of the potatoes. Mix the two together carefully because the baking sheet will be hot. 

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the beans and potatoes are tender.  It is a good idea to stir them at least once or twice during the baking, so they do not stick to the baking sheet.  Season  with more salt and pepper if desired.

Fiesta Lime Chicken with Spanish Rice

Chicken breasts that are tender, juicy, and full of flavor.  You can easily make this on the grill, in the oven or on the stove top.  Served over Spanish rice and a salad on the side, and you have a complete meal.

 Ingredients

1/4 c. water
2 to 3 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. liquid smoke
1 Tbs Worcestershire
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. chili powder
4 chicken breasts, skin removed
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. sour cream
2 Tbs. salsa
1 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp hot sauce
2 c.  Spanish Rice

Directions

In a glass bowl, or a large sealable bag, combine water, lime juice, soy sauce, liquid smoke, Worcestershire, cumin, garlic, and chili powder.

Add chicken breasts. Place the bowl or bag in the refrigerator.  Marinate the chicken for 60 minutes or more before cooking. Be sure to turn the chicken over at least once when close to the halfway point before cooking.

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, salsa, milk, cajun spice, parsley and hot sauce. Mix until smooth and creamy.  Cover with a lid or a sheet of plastic and place in the refrigerator. 

Heat the g to medium heat. Grill until the chicken is cooked through. You can also bake or pan fry the chicken if you don't want to grill. To bake the chicken, pour about 2 tablespoon cooking oil into the pan or or cast iron skillet. Add the chicken breasts. Bake the chicken at 350° for about 30 minutes.  Turn the chicken over after 15 minutes.  To fry the chicken breasts, pour 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Place the chicken breasts into the skillet and cook 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown. Turn the chicken over and cook another 6 to 8 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 165° with a when it is inserted into the thickest part of the breast. 

Drain excess grease from the baking sheet or cast iron skillet.

Spoon the mayonnaise sour cream sauce over the top of each piece of chicken. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Broil or grill until the  chee4se is melted. 

Serve over Spanish rice.

Italian Seasoning

Italian Seasoning Blend

Making your own Italian seasoning is so easy, and it uses ingredients you already have in the pantry.  By making your own, you control the ingredients and the texture of them. If you want chunks of spices in your Italian blend or if you prefer a finer consistency. 

Ingredients

1/2 to 1 Tbs. bay leaf, broken into small pieces
1 Tbs marjoram
1 Tbs. rosemary 
1 Tbs. sage
1 Tbs. thyme
1 Tbs. savory
1 Tbs.oregano
1 Tbs. basil
1 Tbs. parsley
1 Tbs. chives
1/2 Tbs. garlic powder
1/2 Tbs onion powder
1/2 to 2 tsp. red chili flakes

Directions

Place the broken bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme in a mortar and pestle.  Hold the mortar in place with one hand, while your other hand uses the pestle to push down on the ingredients and roll it against the mortar while applying firm pressure.  You can also use a blender or a spice grinder to do this task as well.  Grind or process the herbs until you have the consistency you want for your spice blend. If you want your spice mix to be fine and powdery in texture, adding all the dry spices into your food processor or spice grinder.  Simply blend them until you have the consistency you desire.

Add the bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme into a small jar that has a tight-fitting lid.  Add in the sage, savory, oregano, basil, parsley, chives, red chili flakes, garlic powder and onion powder. 

Note

If any of the spices are already powder form, you do not need to use the mortar and pestle.  

The spice blend is yours. As an example, we really don't like to eat whole pieces of rosemary because they are like little pine tree needles. So we do use a spice grinder for some of our spices.

Cool Rise Maple Pecan Ring

This maple pecan ring is a delicious treat served warm from the oven. Mix it up the day before and cook in the morning for breakfast. This is a cool rise way to do yeast rolls.  You simply mix everything up early in the day or the night before and let it rise in the refrigerator instead of a warm location. 

You can add more brown sugar and pecans to the filling if desired. I usually don't measure the ingredients on this. Instead, just sprinkle brown sugar over the surface, making sure it is covered. I also do that with the pecans. Use more or less to suit your tastes.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbs yeast or  2 pkg. yeast
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. hot tap water (110° to 115°)
1 c. warm milk
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 1/2 c. hot tap water (110° to 115°)
2 eggs
3/4 c. chopped pecans
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. maple flavoring
softened butter

Glaze

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring
3 to 4 Tbs. milk

Directions

Grease 2 baking sheets.

In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar and hot water. Place in a warm location for about 10 minutes, so the yeast can bloom and become active.

Add the warm milk, 2 cups flour, salt, and softened butter or margarine. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.

Add eggs and a 1/2 cup flour.  Beat at high speed for 2 minutes.  

Stir in additional flour to make a soft dough. Use a wooden spoon or a mixer with the dough hook attachment. If using the mixer, continue to knead the dough for 8 minutes or according to the manufacture's directions. If doing this by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface when it becomes too hard to stir it with a wooden spoon.  Knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic. This takes between 8 and 10 minutes. 

Cover the dough with a sheet of plastic and let rest for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar and maple flavoring. Set aside.

Punch dough down and divide into 2 equal pieces.  On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out into a 16 x 8-inch rectangle. Brush the surface with softened butter. Sprinkle half of the pecan brown sugar mixture over the dough.  Starting with the long side, roll up the dough into a jellyroll. Pinch seam to seal.

Place the dough rope onto the prepared baking sheet and form into a circle. Seal edges together firmly, so it does not come apart.  With a knife or scissors, cut 2/3 of the way into the ring at one inch intervals. Do not cut the dough on the inside of the ring. Leave that intact.  Turn each section on its side. 

Repeat with the other half of the dough. Brush the rings with butter or cooking oil. Cover loosely with a sheet of plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until done.  Remove from the baking sheets and place on wire wracks to cool.  

In a bowl, combine powdered sugar, and maple flavoring together.  Slowly add the milk, stirring as you pour, until the glaze is the desired consistency. Pour over the maple pecan rings.   Serve and enjoy!