Conference turris::cooks

    a few notes back i entered a recipe for just beans chili.  its very
    good and everything you are looking for.
    
    cj
    

    You might want to check out the Vegetarian notesfile
    (SAFRON::VEGETARIANISM).  There are great recipes in there with no meat
    and lots of ideas about what to do with beans.
    
    >>>Ken

    And yet another version of bean soup, this one without any added fat!
    
    1 1/4 cup dried beans (can be a mix of your favorites or just one type)
    6 cups water
    2 sticks diced celery
    1 large chopped onion
    2-3 medium diced carrots
    1-2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
    1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
    1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
    1-2 finely diced fresh jalapenos (optional)
    1 tbsp chili powder or cayenne pepper
    1/4 cup each of ketchup and barbeque sauce
    salt and pepper to taste
    
    Soak beans in 6 cups of water overnight or use the quick cook method.
    Place the soaked beans in a large pot and bring to a boil, adding the
    garlic and ginger. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 45 min, or
    until the beans are mostly cooked. Add all other ingredients and cook
    another 30+ min until vegetables and beans are tender.
    
    Note: If you use a mix of beans and include black beans, the whole soup
          is likely to be, well, black. I love 'em but don't use them for
          this recipe. The recipe is easily changed to accomodate other
          vegetables and is good served either hot or cold.
    
    Keith
    
    

    I made this lentil soup over the weekend and it was
    incredible!  No salt, no fat!  Being a vegan it's
    perfect for me.  It has vinegar in it but I didn't
    find it had a distinct vinegar taste.
    
    Lentil Soup with Rosemary
    
    1 medium onion chopped
    2 stalks celery sliced
    3 medium carrots sliced
    2 T olive oil (I use Light Olive Oil)
    1 T fresh rosemary chopped or 1 t dried rosemary (I used dried
      and cut rosemary and then ground it myself with a mortar it
      tasted and smelled fresher than the already ground)
    1 bay leaf
    4 cups water
    1 cup lentils
    1 tsp red wine vinegar (I used apple cider)
    
    
    Saute the onion, celery and carrots in the olive oil until
    soft then add the rest of the ingrediants and simmer for
    30 minutes or until lentils are soft.  Remove bay leaf and serve.  
    Makes 4 to 6 servings. I had a big salad and fresh bread
    with it.
    
                               

    I am looking for the recipe to make my own bean soup mix.  Amounts of
    beans and the dry spices to add.  I have seen them in magazines but
    didn't want one until now sooooo I am coming begging.  Hope someone can
    help me.
    
    Thanks, Julie

			Lentils and Carrots with Marjoram

2 tbs olive oil
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 lg carrots, sliced into rounds
2 lg garlic cloves, minced
1 c  (rounded) dried lentils
2 c or more canned chicken broth
1 tsp dried marjoram, crumbled
Salt
Fresh ground pepper


Heat oil in heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and saute
until soft, about 8 minutes.  Add carrots and garlic and stir 2 minutes.
Add lentils, then 2 c broth.  Cover and simmer until lentils are just tender, 
and broth is asbsorbed, uncovering at end if necessary to evaporate liquid,
or adding more broth if too dry.  45 minutes to 1 hour.  Mix in marjoram.
Season with salt and pepper.

**If there is any of this dish left over, turn it into a soup by adding
broth or cream.

    Any additions to this note, pretty please? I practically live on beans. 
    My standard dinner is beans and rice.  Common concoctions are:
    
    1 cup of canned pinto beans (or better yet, Old El Paso Mexe-beans)
    sauted onion + garlic
    a little cumin, chili powder, all-spice, pepper, Tobasco
    1 cup cooked rice
    top with an ounce or two of grated chedder or jack cheese and baked
    till cheese is bubbly
    
    or
    
    1 cup canned black beans
    sauted onion + garlic
    chopped tomatoes 
    cilantro
    oregano, marjoram, thyme, maybe a little worcestire
    1 cup cooked rice
    top with an ounce of mozarella, etc...
    
    Variations on the above, or entirely NEW things to do (I have a can of
    black-eye peas at home...I've never done anything with those) welcomed.
    
    Diana
    

    For a little more fiber, substitute brown rice for the white; I find
    now that I prefer the taste of brown rice.
    
    	/Harry

    Brown rice is great!  I wish it didn't take 45 minutes to cook, tho,
    since the whole purpose for me of these whip-em-together bean dishes
    is that I can have a full meal on the table in under a half hour.
    
    I use basmati rice because I love the stuff... mmm!
    
    D!

    If you "free boil" brown rice like pasta and then drain it it cuts
    about 10 mins off the cooking time.. the grains are lovely and separate
    as well.  This is especially nice when cooking brown basmati rice which
    I love.. the smell is gorgeous!

    I boil up a few pounds of rice then divide into zip lock bags and
    freeze - in the morning just take the bag out of the freezer - by
    dinner it is thawed and ready to stir fry, mix with beans, etc.

    I highly recommend brown risotto rice.. it makes the creamiest risottos and
    even white rice eaters never complain about it!

    gailann

    Re: .8
    
    Minute Rice has a Brown version that's ready in 10 minutes; once it's
    mixed with beans I find it every bit as good as the stuff I used to
    take the better part of an hour preparing.
    
    	/Harry

    I pre-cook rice in large quantities, and then freeze the cooked
    rice in one-serving containers.  When I want hot rice, I nuke the 
    frozen rice for three minutes, and it's ready.
    
    					andrew

    re: the last few...
    
    You guys (and gals) are obviously rice heathens. Nuked rice? Minute
    rice? Yucko!
    
    I have one of those electric rice cookers and it takes about 30 minutes
    for white rice and 45 minutes for brown rice (not that I eat much brown
    rice). The first thing that I usually do is put the rice on, then start
    doing the other cooking...
    
    	Marty Sasaki

    Frozen rice?!?!  What a wonderful idea!  This is great because one of
    my favorite breakfasts is rice "pudding" (for lack of a better word.) 
    I don't have time to make fresh rice in the morning, so I generally
    only have this on mornings when I happen to have leftover rice - but if
    I make a whole bunch and freeze it, I could have it all the time! Wow!
    
    I wonder if the whole pudding would freeze (milk, eggs, rice...probably
    not.)
    
    D!

    
    re: the last few
    
    I cook basmati rice on stove-top all the time.  It takes about 20
    minutes to cook 1 or 2 cups of rice.
    
    Rinse rice in a saucepan.  Add water (2 cups for 1 cup rice).  Bring to
    a boil on HIGH stirring a couple of times.  Reduce heat to WARM. Cover
    and let it cook for about 15 minutes.  Don't check often.  
    
    Adjust the amount of water a bit if you like your rice drier or
    moister.
     
    ...Shubha
                                                                     

    No, I'm not a rice heathen -- there are simply times when I don't have
    45 minutes to cook, and getting rice from frozen to ready to eat in
    three minutes works for me.
    
    					andrew

    No, the "rice heathen" suggestion was the instant rice, not the frozen
    rice.  Egads!
    
    (I found the instant brown rice to taste "empty".  Hard to describe,
    but I never bought another box, and never finished the first.)
    
    D!

    Actually, the "rice heathen" label was for both the instant rice and
    the frozen rice. ;-)
    
    I just like fresh rice so much, that I usually throw away left over
    rice unless it is going to be put into soup or a casserole or
    something similar.
    
    	Marty

    Make a rice salad with it.  Put in a few peas, mayonaise and curry. 
    It's delicious.
    
    Mary Lou

    I think I read that instant rice was just freeze-dried cooked rice.
    
    ed

re: leftover rice...

	     My mother takes cold, leftover rice, and mixes it with
	     Ranch dressing and eats it like that (cold).  I never
	     tried it but she seems to love it.

	     Karen

    Combine a chopped, sauteed onion, 3 chopped sauteed garlic cloves, one
    can of chopped green chillies (mild), one cup of cooked black eyed peas
    and three cups of cooked rice.  Layer in a casserole with ricotta
    cheese and grated jack cheese (rice, cheeses, rice, cheeses, rice, jack
    cheese on top).  Bake for 45 min at 350.
    
    This is from either Diet for a Small planet or Recipes for a Small
    Planet and my family has enjoyed it for years.
    

    There's a traditional southern (U.S.) dish called Hoppin' John that's
    made with cooked blackeyed peas, peppers, onions, and maybe garlic.
    A friend of mine from Florida used to make it.  It's supposed to be
    good luck to eat it on New Year's Day.  Does anyone have a recipe?
    
    Peigi

    I have a recipe.  I will bring it in tomorrow.  It's one
    of my favorites!
    
    with love,
    chey

    Here is the Hopping-John recipe.  This recipe is vegan (uses
    no meat) and is loved my many of my friends that prefer meat
    dishes.  You can add meat of course.  Also, this is a great
    cookbook (_American Harvest_), each recipes comes with a bit
    of history and a story.  I'll put the history and story first
    and then the recipe.
    
    Hopping-John (Black-eyed Peas and Rice)
    
    This is a famous Deep South dish, which in its original form always
    takes a piece of salt pork.  It was traditionally eaten as a "good
    luck" dish on New Years Day.  My adaptation of this simple but
    delicious recipe is close to the Creole-influenced variety using
    tomatoes and herbs, thus adding flavors that more than make up for the
    absence of meat.
    
    Now, Hopping-John was F. Jasmine's favorite food.  She had always
    wanted them to wave a pile of rice and peas before her nose when she
    was in her coffin, to make certain there was no mistake; for if a
    breath of life was left in her, she would sit up and eat, but if she
    smelled the Hopping-John, and did not stir, then they could nail down
    the coffin and be certain she was truly dead.
    
    			- Carson McCuller
    			  A Member of the Wedding, 1946
    
    
    2 Tablespoons safflower oil
    1 cup chopped onions
    1 clove garlic (I use three or four %-)
    2 cups ripe, juicy tomatoes, chopped, with 1/4 cup water
    	or one 14-ounce can imported tomatoes with liquid, chopped
    1/2 teaspoon dried basil
    1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
    3 cups cooked brown rice
    2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
    Salt and freshly ground pepper
    (I also add a cup of chopped celery)
    
    Heat the oil in a very large skillet. Add the onions (and celery) and
    saute over low heat until (onion) is translucent.  Add the garlic and
    continue to saute until the onions are golden. Add the tomatoes and
    herbs and cook until the tomatoes have softened a bit, about 5 minutes.
    Add the peas and rice and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Stir
    together well and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.  Add a bit of
    water or cooking liquid from the peas if the mixture needs more
    moisture.  Serve at once.
    
    Serves 4 to 6
    
    with love,
    cheyenne                                                          

    There is a special black bean soup the brazilians call Feijoada (from
    "feijao"= black bean). It is usually served on restaurants on 
    Thursdays and then, everybody goes for siesta!

    As side dishes they have farofa, which is made of tapioca flour - 
    I think.

    This is a very hearty and recommended dish for some winter Thursday, 
    if a siesta is possible...

    Does someone have a recipe for Feijoada and Farofa?

    Regards, 

    Juan-Carlos Kiel

    
                             BARBEQUED BEANS
    
    1/4 pound bacon - cooked half way - remove and place on paper towels
    
    2 Pounds Ground Beef 
    1 Spanish Onion
    
    Saute (in separate fry pan) till beef is browned and drain off fat
    
    Add 1 Bottle of Kraft Barbeque sauce and simmer for 5 minutes
    Add 2 cans (drained) kidney beans
    
    Place in casserole dish and place bacon on top - cook uncovered
    in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.
    

    Red Beans & Rice
    
    1 lb dry red kidney beans
    1 bay leaf
    4 cube-sized peices of salt pork 
    1 green pepper diced
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp black pepper
    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
    
    4 cups of cooked rice
    
    Soak beans overnight in large lidded pot with about 2 inches of water
    on top of beans. Drain beans and add just enough fresh water to cover
    beans. Add bay leaf and salt pork and seasonings and simmer, covered
    for 2 hours. Add green pepper and cook for another 1/2 hour or until
    beans yield their meat and pot begins to thicken. Adjust seasonings to
    taste. Serve over rice. Serves 4 - 6. Yummy!
    

re -.1

er, ah ... just what size cube are you refering to?

    "lazy boston baked beans"
    
    For those who like Boston baked beans, but sometime doen't have the
    time or desire to bake-em-fresh.... here is a way I have done them that
    has worked well..
    
    For those lazy days - try this!
    
    1 large can B&M baked beans (I know, yuck a can)....
    1 small white or yellow onion
    1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
    3/4 cup dark malasses
    
    Cut "tic-tac-toe (#)" style slices into onion. Place all ingredients
    into microwavable dish. Stir.... Cook (covered), in microwave for 10 
    minutes. If you do not have a "carosel(s)", stir every 2.5 minutes, 
    turning dish each time (carrosel(SP) works well!
    
    This method works well, in summer, when you don't want the oven on for
    a long period of time.....
    
    Enjoy!
    
    Bob G.
    

    re .30, on the molasses measurement, you stated 3/4 cup.  In another
    note you put in the same recipe and for an 8 oz. can you had 2 tbsp
    molasses.  Is it really only 4 tbsp molasses for the 16 oz. can?
    
    and what temp in the oven...I don't use a microwave...and how long to
    cook?
    
    thanks!
    
    I hope you see this note.
    
    karen

    
    I made 15 bean soup the other day from a bag of dried beans (Ham Bones
    brand or something like that).
    
    I soaked the beans 24 hours, then cooked them for 4 hours and still
    the beans did not become mush.  In fact, some were almost hard still.
    
    I don't know what I did wrong.  I've made this recipe several times
    before and always, the consistency was like pea soup!  Did I soak them
    too long?  Were the beans too old (the bag was about 1 year old)?
    
    Any ideas?
    
    Karen
    
    

   Acidity of the cooking liquid will prevent beans from softening
   and I've heard of adding a little baking soda to the water to
   help them soften though I've never tried that experiment.

   Did you do something different like put in something like tomatos
   that you never added before?

   - Jim

    
    I added stewed tomatoes and lemon juice for the last hour of 
    cooking.... according to the recipe I've followed many times before!
    
    Actually, the recipe said to cook the beans 2-1/2 to 3 hours before
    adding the tomatoes and lemon juice, then cook 1/2 more.  I added
    the tomatoes at 3 hours then cooked another hour since the beans
    were not soft.
    
    Perhaps, I should have waited until the beans got soft before adding
    all that acid stuff!  
    
    Karen

    karen,
    
    The beans must be soft before you add the tomatoes, or they do stay
    hard.  I soak beans overnight if they've been around a while, and then
    start them adding all seasonings after the start to soften up.  Mom was
    very superstitious about salt in with beans and peas although Frank
    makes the best split-pea soup I've ever eaten, and he cooks them in
    broth made from hambones.  YMMV.  
    
    meg

    
    
    	I'm looking for a baked bean recipe made with molasses and can be
    cooked in a slow cooker.  I've found some notes in here but weren't
    really what I want.  Any help would be great.
    
    	Eric