Calico Beans

Today I am sharing a dish that my husband made for a cook-out we went to last weekend. I really have the most amazing husband: he's a great provider, hard-working and ambitious, great with the kids, helps with the housework, and he can cook! Did I get a good guy or what?

This dish is called Calico Beans and the recipe came from Jared's mom Kelly, who, by the way, is undoubtedly one of the major reasons Jared turned out so well. I believe Kelly originally got this recipe from her Grandma Louise. Aren't family recipes fun?

Calico Beans
serves a crowd
printable recipe

3 cans of Pork and Beans
1 can garbanzo beans 
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1 can kidney beans (rinsed)
(you can play around with the kinds of beans, just use 6 cans total)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage

Brown the sausage over medium-high heat in a large heavy pot. Once sausage is cooked, dump all the other ingredients in and simmer over medium to medium-low heat until the onion is tender, about a half hour.

Serve hot alone or with chips or rice.

We had it as a side to hamburgers, which was delicious, but it would also make a great main dish as well.

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What is your favorite family recipe?

Tacoritos

This recipe is a fun combination of tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. The key is to use HOT ground sausage, to give the flavor a good kick. I like to serve it with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream, alongside my friend Amy's Zesty Mexican Rice.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in a Taste of Home magazine last year.

*Note: this recipe can be easily doubled to serve 8, just bake it in a 9"x13" pan. Alternatively, you can double the recipe and freeze half before baking for an easy pull-out-of-the-freezer-and-bake meal for a busy day.

Tacoritos

printable recipe 

serves 4

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb HOT pork sausage
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1/2 cup refried beans
4 flour tortillas (8 in)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. 

Stir in flour until smooth. 

Gradually add water and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute, mixture will start to thicken a bit. 

Stir in chili powder and garlic salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. 

In a large skillet, cook the beef, sausage and onion until the meat is no longer pink, drain off the fat. 

Stir in the refried beans and heat through.

Spread 1/4 cup sauce in a greased 9x9 inch dish, or I like to use my rectangular Corningware casserole dish.

Spread 1 Tbsp sauce on a tortilla.

Spoon a quarter of the meat mixture (about 2/3 cup) down the center of tortilla. 

Top with a handful of cheese (about a quarter cup).

Roll up and place seam side down in prepared dish.

Repeat with remaining tortillas. 

Pour remaining sauce over the top. 

Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 18-22 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. 

Serve with toppings such as shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, olives, sour cream, cilantro or whatever your heart desires! 

 

This recipe is featured in Menu Plan 7.

Smoky Black Bean Soup

Look who cooked dinner for me a couple of nights ago? My awesome husband, Jared! He made his amazing black bean soup, adapted from a recipe on foodnetwork.com. It is a Southwestern-style soup that we garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese and scallions.

 
*Note: with most soup recipes I like to make extra for leftovers but the garlic and onion get pretty strong as this one sits. The recipe serves 3-4, so only double it if you have a crowd to feed!

Smoky Black Bean Soup

printable recipe

5 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup chicken broth or stock
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies (like Rotel)
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a handful of cilantro
1 Tbsp lime juice
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheddar, for garnish

Chop the bacon.

At this point, your dog will run over to see what that amazing smell is. Or maybe that is just our dog.

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute.

Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely.

Stir cilantro into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. Cook until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice.

Serve with the garnishes.