Refried Beans in a Slow Cooker

You’ll need a 6 quart slow cooker (Crock Pot) for this recipe, or cut it in half for a smaller pot.  If you’d like fat free refried beans, leave out the lard.  Just throw the raw onion pepper and garlic in the pot with the beans and cook as directed.  The result won’t be quite as creamy, but will taste just as good.

• 8 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced
• 2 medium Onion, chopped
• 2 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 4 tablespoons Lard
• 6 cups Dried Pinto Beans
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper
• 4 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• Water

1)  In a 10 inch skillet heat 4 tablespoons of lard on medium heat. Once hot add the chopped onion, jalapeno. Sauté for about 8 to 10 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

2) Rinse the dried pinto beans sort through them to remove anything suspicious looking. Add the beans, cumin, salt, pepper and sautéed vegetables to your slow cooker. Pour in enough water to reach about 1/2 inch from the top of the pot.  Cover and cook on High for 8 hours, undisturbed.

3) After the 8 hours, (I cook mine on high for 6 hours and then turn it to low for the last two) remove and drain the beans with their liquid into a colander set into a large bowl. Transfer the beans to a clean bowl and use a potato masher to mash.  If you like a creamier beans, you can use an immersion blender but I don’t have one and prefer the “rustic” product anyway.  As you’re mashing, you can add in some of the cooking liquid until you get the desired consistency.

These freeze well! 

Grilled Margarita Fajitas

The marinade for this fajita meat is a cinch to make and so, so good.

Also? 

It gives you an excuse to have tequila in your house.

• 1 1/2 pounds round steak or boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 3-4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 small onion thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper seeded and sliced into strips.

1) Place meat in freezer bags with the marinade ingredients.  Close bag securely and let stand overnight OR you can stick it in the freezer for another day.

2) Remove meat from bag and discard marinade.  Grill over medium heat until beef has reached desired temp (I like medium - about 7 minutes on each side) or chicken is cooked through.  Remove from grill and let stand a few minutes.

3) Meanwhile, cook onion and peppers in a little oil in a skillet until soft and a little browned.

4) Slice meat against the grain into strips, and serve with grilled onions and peppers on flour tortillas.  Other toppings that are great: cheese, sour cream, avocado, tomato or salsa.

Green Chile Cheesecake Spread

1 cup tortilla chips, crushed

3 Tbsp melted butter

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1 4-ounce can diced green chiles

1 fresh jalapeno cored, seeded and diced

8 ounces shredded Colby-Jack cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

Chopped tomatoes, green onions, black olives and/or avocado

Preheat oven to 325.  Combine crushed chips and butter.  Press into the bottom of a greased 9 inch pie plate.  Bake 15 minutes, remove from oven.

In a large bowl, blend cream cheese and eggs.  Add green chiles, jalapeno and shredded cheese.  Pour over crust and bake 30 minutes.  Top will be turning golden brown and sides will just begin to pull away from the pan.

Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes.  Spread sour cream over top and sprinkle your choice of toppings over the sour cream.  Serve with chips.

Southwestern Black Bean and Rice Salad

This recipe serves 12 which is great for a potluck.  If you’re making for just your family, you’ll want to halve the amounts.

1-1/3 cups uncooked white rice

2-2/3 cups water

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese**

2/3 cup sliced green onions

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup vinegar

1/2 lime

2 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers

1 teaspoon white sugar

salt to taste

2 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced (optional)

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temp.

In a large bowl, mix together the rice, beans, tomato, cheese and green onion.  Stir in chili powder and cumin.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, juice of 1/2 a lime, peppers, sugar and salt. Pour over the rice mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate salad for 30 minutes. Top with avocado just before serving.

**Notes: 

-The cheese isn’t absolutely necessary for flavor here so if you’d like to reduce fat or go vegan, you can take it out.  For color you could use a yellow bell pepper or corn instead.

-This is a great side, but you could add cooked chicken breast or shredded beef and serve on a bed of lettuce for a terrific main dish meal.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I desperately want to add a can of drained black beans to this. However, if I did so, I would be eating it by myself. Also, you don’t have to make your own tortilla strips to go on top. You can just buy some tortilla chips (thicker is better).

* 1 pound frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 cups water
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
* 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
* 7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
Cheddar cheese and/or sour cream for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Place chicken, tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Remove chicken and shred or chop it into small pieces. Return the chicken to the soup.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.
To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup. Add cheese and/or sour cream if you’d like.