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Delicious Red Beans and Rice

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Take a trip to flavor town and make a pot of red beans for dinner tonight!!!

This Year My New Year’s Bean Dish Was Red Beans and Rice!

This year for my New Years’ bean dish, I cooked red beans and rice! I usually go with pinto beans because I love them, or the traditional black-eyed peas. Because I had a two-pound bag of red beans in my pantry, I decided, why not! I mean, beans are beans and I already had a bag of red beans that my sister had given me. I checked out a couple of recipes and found that other than adding a few veggies (celery, onion and green pepper) and using andouille sausage, everything else is the same. Pick through the beans, soak overnight, rinse, and cook. Just like you do all dry beans.

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

I was so surprised when I tasted these beans! They were absolutely delicious! First of all, I sauteed the celery, onion and green pepper and added chicken base to the water. I cooked the beans about 3 – 3 1/2 hours until they were perfectly cooked and tender. I sliced and sauteed the andouille and added it to the cooking beans at about the half-way point. In other words, I didn’t start the cooking process with the meat in the pot the way I do when I’m using smoked turkey or hocks. I waited until the beans had cooked about 2 hours before I added the andouille.

A Trip to Flavor Town

Ok, I know that motto belongs to Guy Fieri but we all take trips to flavor town. I personally try to take a trip whenever I can! If you fix red beans and rice, you’ll be packing your utensils for a trip to flavor town too! As I said earlier, they are absolutely delicious! Because I was raised in southwestern Pennsylvania, red beans weren’t available locally in the grocery stores. To get red beans even now, I have to order them online or I might find them at Trader Joes or Whole Foods. If you live in the South, especially in Louisiana, where red beans and rice is as celebrated a dish as gumbo, they can be found everywhere!

I paired the red beans with white rice! Oh course we served this dish with piping hot, buttermilk, biscuits! Yummy for your tummy, for real!

Options

Red beans and rice can be served with an additional meat option like pork, fish or chicken. Don’t forget the hot buttered biscuits with sweet potato butter! Add a tossed salad and enjoy!

Easy Cranberry Sauce

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The Jellied Stuff In the Can!

First of all, let me just say that easy cranberry sauce is the way to go! Homemade is so much better than the canned stuff! Because, like most people, I grew up eating canned cranberry sauce. Yes, the jellied stuff that came out of the can in the shape of the can and was served on a plate sliced, like ham! As a result, we always ate jellied, out the can, cranberry sauce with Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner! Because it was what my mom served as part of our holiday dinners, when I grew up and started fixing my own holiday dinners, I always had that can of cranberry sauce in my shopping cart. Tradition is a wonderful and interesting thing!

Not My Mom’s Cranberry Sauce!

A few years ago, probably while watching the food network, I saw someone make cranberry sauce from scratch or I found a recipe for homemade cranberry sauce. So, I decided to take a walk on the wide side and make my own cranberry sauce! We haven’t gone back to the canned stuff since! First of all, this stuff is bomb! My whole family loves it and it’s so easy to make! Very little work, very big benefits! Yes! 

Easy Cranberry Sauce
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Serves: 1 1/2 – 2 pints
 
Tart, sweet and goes great with your holiday meal. If you love cranberries, you’ll find yourself making an excuse to serve and eat this cranberry sauce year round. Delicious!
Ingredients:
1 bag of fresh cranberries, washed and drained
1 orange, zested and cut in half
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 C toasted walnuts (optional)
Instructions:
  1. Put sugar, zest, ginger and cinnamon in a saucepan with the juice from the orange you zested and cut in half. Bring to a simmer over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
  2. When sugar dissolves, add cranberries and continue to cook until cranberries begin to pop (about 5 minutes).
  3. Turn heat off and let ingredients cool slightly.
  4. Pour into a container and refrigerate cranberry sauce to continue the thickening process and to chill completely (about 3 hours). Serve
 

You’re Gonna Love This Stuff!

Roasted Zucchini and Yellow Squash

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Something special happens to vegetables when you oven roast them and oven roasted zucchini and yellow squash is a perfect example of this.  The food takes on a smoky, sweet, slightly charred taste that is nothing like how the same vegetables taste when steamed or boiled on the stove top  – simply yummy! If you have trouble getting your kids or family in general to eat their veggies, try this cooking method!You’ve got nothing to lose and oh so much flavor to gain!

Oven Roasted Squash

 

 

 

 

 

Oven Roasted Squash
Author: Sweet Mother
Prep time:
Cook time:
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Serves: 1 1/2 qt.
Ingredients
  • 2 lb. zucchini
  • 2 lb. yellow squash
  • 1 Vidalia or sweet onion
  • 1 Tbsp. creole or cajun seasoning
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp melted butter
  • Optional Seasonings
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Italian seasoning
Instructions
  1. Wash and drain the squash. Peel and wash the onion. Slice squash into 1/8 to 1/4″ rounds. Cut onion in half down the core then slice cross wise. Put cut veggies into an aluminum bowl. Sprinkle seasonings, oil and butter over vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Lay vegetables out on a sheet pan that has been fitted with a oil sprayed parchment pan liner. Roast vegetables for 30 mins. Remove pan from oven and toss veggies with a pair of tongs, being careful not to tear your pan liner. Return pan to oven and roast an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve.
Serving size: 1/2 c.
Notes
If you have the time, lay veggie slices out in a single layer, not touching and bake at 200 – 225 for an hour or two to make chips. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve warm – yum!

Curried Carrots

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Ok – this recipe is how I’ve been fixing carrots for the kids where I work.  This preparation gives carrottts an exotic, spicy, sweet, savory kind of vibe. I really love carrots fixed this way, and I’m not a carrot lover. The kids eat them (more or less) too!  It reminds me of sweet potatoes, but I know they’re carrots. My recommendation, if you don’t serve sweet potatoes in some form for your holiday dinner table, try curried carrots. You’ll get the color and some of the flavor! Different and delicious!

Curried Carrots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curried Carrots
Ingredients
  • 2lb bag of frozen diced carrots
  • 1 pt. cold water
  • 2 Tbsp. curry powder
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp. allspice
  • 1/2 c.brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. black pepper
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
Instructions
  1. Bring 1 pint of water to a boil and add frozen diced carrots. Turn flame down to medium and allow carrots to cook five to 7 minutes. Add seasoning and butter. Stir well. Turn flame down to simmer. Allow to simmer 10 minutes Serve.

Scalloped Potatoes

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Creamy, dreamy scalloped potatoes are the stuff that soul food aka comfort food is made of! And as we all know – soul food is the ultimate comfort food! Starting with a roux and a Mother sauce, with smoky ham and bacon flavor – yum! These potatoes are perfect with just about anything but they’re especially good with baked ham – in fact, it’s a perfect pairing! A simple, easy dish that looks and tastes like you spent all day cooking. Sure to become a family favorite – they’re that good!

 

 

Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
  • 5 lb bag of Idaho or russet potatoes
  • 1/2 c butter
  • 1/2 c flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • Sauce
  • 2 c. shredded parmesan
  • 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1/2 c. shredded mild cheddar
  • 1/2 c. shredded Asiago
  • 1 qt. half and half
  • 1pt. milk
  • 1 pt. heavy whipping cream
  • 1 Tbsp. bacon base
  • 1 Tbsp. ham base
  • 2 tsp. onion powder
  • Sprinkling cheese
  • 1/2 c. shredded mild cheddar
  • 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1/2 c. shredded parmesan
Instructions
  1. Peel and slice potatoes into rounds. Rinse potatoes and put in a 4 qt. stock pot with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook about 3 minutes. Pour into a calendar to drain. Butter and spray a 9 x 11 baking pan. Add a layer of potatoes to pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with combination of parmesan, sharp cheddar and mild cheddar – about 3/4 c. total. Add another (final) layer of potatoes. Pour sauce over potatoes to cover. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until top becomes a golden brown crust and dish sets. Remove from oven and allow to set 30 minutes minimum before serving.

Best Ever Mashed Potatoes

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These mashed potatoes are the best ever! What makes these mashed potatoes so good? Simple ingredients, simple preparation and fantastic results! You’re gonna love them!

Mashed Potatoes

 

 

 

 

Best Ever Mashed Potatoes
Prep time:
Cook time:
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Serves: 5 lb
Mashed potatoes are only as good as you make them. Start with good, fresh cooking potatoes like russet or Idaho. One of my secret ingredients is heavy whipping cream. The HWC really adds a lusciousness to the mashed potatoes. I also use half and half as my other liquid. I don’t use as much half and half as HWC. Another secret ingredient is onion powder! Not enough to make your potatoes taste oniony – just enough to ramp up the flavor. Add your S & P and then taste, taste, taste. Always taste you food before you give it to someone else to eat! That was a rule I learned in culinary school. It’s amazing how many people fix food and don’t taste it. Don’t be one of them!
Ingredients
  • 5 lb bag of russet or Idaho potatoes
  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1 c. heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 c. half and half
  • 1 T. salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 T onion powder
Instructions
  1. Peel, cube and rinse potatoes. Add potatoes to a 6 qt stock pot and add cold water to cover about 2 inches over the cubed potatoes. Cook until done. Potatoes will be tender and fall apart. Pour boiled potatoes into a colander. Drain. After potatoes are drained put into a large mixing bowl. Add softened butter and mix into potatoes. Whip potatoes using a hand mixer or potato masher. Add salt, pepper and onion power. Add HWC and half and half in 1/2 c. increments. Once you are close to having enough liquid, add additional liquid needed in smaller amounts so you don’t add too much liquid. Taste potatoes and adjust seasonings.
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Notes
This recipe is for full fat mashed potatoes. The kind you fix every once in a while, so it’s ok to splurge by using butter and HWC if you want to. Everything in moderation. To make a healthier version use fat free chicken broth in place of HWC and half and half. You can also just use less butter, cream and milk.