Thursday, September 30, 2010

pinto beans. Chunky Potato Soup, Fiesta Pasta Soup

Hello. I love this time of year.. not to hot and not to cold (yet) A good time to go walking. I took Rocky to the stop sign and back last night. He's a bit rusty on his walking manners. But, all in all he did good. I had someone stop us while we were walking and asked some questions about the trailer that is at the end of the driveway. Questions I was not comfortable answering, even when they told me their reason to ask. Said they were thinking of parking a camper in lot #1. I'm still not comfortable with all their questions, such as how long have they been gone. when are they coming back, how many cars do they usually park there. There are park rules that only 2 cars/trucks per camper. So, even if they are thinking of moving a camper in.. sounds like they already know the rules and are trying to bend them. If not, then maybe they are caseing that trailer for something later. either way. I was not very helpful. I said I thought she was going to be back before the weekend. I have no idea how long she's been gone or when she's going to be back. none of my busness,.

As I said this is great weather to be outside, also great weather for soups, stews or a pot of beans.
I'm making beans and cornbread for our dinner tonight. but I have posted a couple of recipes to my groups that, if we were a larger family I would be making as well..

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Pinto Beans

1 1/2 cups dry Pinto beans
water to cover well
1/2 tsp baking soda
seasoning of choice
Hamburger or other meat to add

Pick through Pinto beans removing bean sized pebbles and beans that don't look good.
Wash well under running water. place in crockpot and add enough water to cover and then some. Beans will swell while cooking. put on lid Turn on Crockpot. about 4 hours later, stir in the baking soda. it helps to reduce the "toot" factor in beans. two hours later, Brown hamburger or cut up some ham ( what every meat your adding to your beans) Season hamburger as it's browning with your choice. Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Rosemary, Orengano, Thyme, Sage, or any blends you enjoy. add to the beans, and let cook at least one more hour. Re season just before serving. I like to bake some cornbread to go with our beans.


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Fiesta Pasta Soup
"From Our Home to Yours"
Ozark First Church of the Nazarene
2004
6 oz Vermicelli Pasta, broken into 1 inch pieces
3 cans Chicken Broth
2 cups Water
1 can diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
2 Tablespoon fresh Cilantro, minced
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
1 teaspoon Chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 pound smoked Sausages
1 (14 oz) can Mexi Corn
1 (14 oz) can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
 
Combine broth,water, tomatoes, cilantro, chilie power, and cumin in a large pot. Bring to a boil. cover, reduce heat, sinner for 10 minutes
While that cooks, cut sausage in half lengthwise and then thinely slice. Add meat, pasta, corn and beans to broth. Cover and simmer 10 t o12 minuts or until Pasta is cooked. Stir in Lime Juice. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.

*****

Chunky Potato Soup
"From Our Home to Yours"
Ozark First Church of the Nazarene
2004
3 medium red Potatoes
black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1 cup Chedder Cheese, (Shredded)
1 small Onion
3 Tablespoons all-purpose Flour
red pepper
3 cups Milk
2 cups Water
1 cup cooked Ham
3 tablespoons Butter
Peel potates and cut into 1 inch cubes. Boil in a large pot until tender. Drain, saving the liquid. Set potatoes aside. Measure 1 cup potatoe juice, adding water if necessary to make one cup. Set aside
Finely chop onion. Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent and tender. but not brown.
Add flour to pan, season with pepper to taste. Cook 3 minutes
Gradually add potatoes, reserved potatoe water, milk and sugar to the onions. stir well. Add cheese and ham. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Store any left overes covered, in refigerator. Makes 12 servings

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

CChile and cornbread, Chicken Brunswick Stew, Chicken and Corn Chowder

Hello. I hope your having a good day. What a difference a couple of days can make. We are finally out of the 90's. We are to have a few 80's but I think we are now in the comfort zone again. That's what happens with the change of seasons. With the change of seasons come a change of diet as well. I fixed chili and cornbread last night. I opened a can of chili and dumped it into a baking dish. then topped it with a made up box of corn bread, using buttermilk instead of the regular milk it called for. I should have added a bit of butter, but forgot.

Jerry went back for seconds. At first he wasn't so sure he would like it as the cornbread closest to the chili looked a bit raw, but it was all cooked. I'm still going through a Church Cookbook and posting to different recipe groups I'm in. I dont' have any reason to make this large a pot of stew or soup any more but they both sure do sound good.

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Chicken Brunswick Stew
"From Our Home to Yours"
Ozark First Church of the Nazarene
2004
1 (2 1.2 lbs)Fryer chicken
Water
1 can Crushed Tomatoes, sweetened with
1/3 cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worceshershire Sauce
Salt and Pepper
Celery Salt
1 Tablespoon Liquid Smoke
1 Onion, chopped
1 can Creamed Corn
1 Cup Ketchup
1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce
Cooked Rice
In a large pot, place the Chicken with enough water to cover, bring to a boil. Cook chicken until meat falls off the bone, approximately 45 minutes. Drain the chicken and keep 2 cups of the resulting stock. Remove the skin and bones and chop the meat.
In the pot, mix the chicken, and remaining ingredients.Simmer slowly for 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add a little bit of stock of the stew becomes too thick. Serve stew over steamed rice.

*****

Chicken and Corn Chowder
"From Our Home to Yours"
Ozark First Church of the Nazarene
2004
1 (3 lb) whole roasting Chicken
2 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine
2 cans Chicken Broth
1 large Onion, pealed and quartered
1 Stalk Celery with leaves, cut up
2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
2 cups Medium sized Noodles
1 pkg Frozen Whole-kernel Corn
2 hard boiled Eggs, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoons Saffron
Rinse chicken well in cold water. Dry with paper towels. Brown lightly in butter in a deep kettle. Add 1 1/2 quarts water, the chicken broth, onion, celery, salt, pepper and saffron. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1 hour or until chicken is tender.
Lift out chicken, allow to cool, then shred, set aside. Strain broth. if necessary, skim fat from broth. Add water, if necessary, to make 8 cups.
Add noodles and corn to the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and biol gently, uncovered for 20 minutes. Return chicken topot and simmer until heated through
Add chopped egg, parsley and if necessary, a little more salt and pepper. REady to serve.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

This and That, Sunday update

Hello, It's a rainy, drizzly day here in Alabama and finally we are out of the 90's. Oh yea!!!!

It's napping weather. I tried laying down for a bit, but kept thinking of things I'm needing to do this week. Jerry laid down on the couch.. don't know how he fit. I got up and now He's gone to his bed.

There is a tiny bit of change in the trees on the hill behind the camper. I am seeing a bit more Yellow and brown that isn't just dead leaves. The Golden Rod has really turned the last couple of days as well. Of course I think part of the reason I notice this is that today is darker than usual.

Jerry is finally off of working nights and back on Days. For how much longer, we don't know. Just taking it one day at a time, right now.

We did go yard saling yesterday, but I didn't find anything. Jerry found a book he wanted to read, and a few computer games as well.

Jerry stopped and talked to the man working on the cable system and the wifi here in the RV park. .. Seems that when the router was stolen, some time back, instead of unscrewing the cables.. they ripped the ends out... So they are hunting for new cable lines or ends for the existing cable in order to fix it. What a bummer. Everyone is being told it's fixed when it's not.

The Tradesman Hot Sheet was in the mailbox Saturday.. first, I'm surprised no one stole it, And second, that was fast. He ordered it Tuesday. We both figured it would take well over a week to get here. Surprise.

 

Friday, September 24, 2010

This is my favorite picture of my Hubby. He's hold the Grandson of one of my Best On-line Friends, Bug. That little boy is now a toddler and has a younger sister.