Slow Cooker Baked Beans

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Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours 6 minutes

Total Time: 9 hours 21 minutes

Servings: 10 cups

Ingredients

3 cups died navy beans

1 pound bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 onion diced

1 green bell pepper diced (optional)

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp ground mustard

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 15oz can tomato sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

4 cups vegetable broth

Instructions

Rinse the beans and then soak overnight (at least 8 hours) or boil for 1 hour. Drain and then add to the slow cooker.

In a large skillet, cook bacon, onion, and bell pepper (optional) over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until bacon fat renders enough to soften the onion.

Stir in the salt, mustard, black pepper, cayenne pepper, tomato sauce, brown sugar, and molasses and then add it all to the slow cooker with the beans. Mix in the vegetable broth and then cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally if possible.

If you want the sauce thicker, let the beans cook on high uncovered for the last 30 minutes.

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#bakedbeans #slowcookerbakedbeans

Centsless Meals

Spinach Ricotta Pie

Yummy and delicious! Easy to make and deliciously paired with salad! I used my pie recipe for the crust.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sheets of puff pastry (thawed out or fresh)
• 500g (2US cups) fresh ricotta
• 120g (4oz) baby spinach (chopped)
• 2 x eggs
• Pecorino cheese
• Salt & Pepper
• Nutmeg
• Oil spray (Or baking paper to line the baking dish)

UTENSILS:

• Round pie dish
• 1 x sharp knife
• 1 x fork
• Spatula
• Large mixing bowl
• Pastry brush

COOKING METHOD:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (350 F).
2. Put the ricotta into the bowl and begin to break it down using a fork.
3. Add chopped baby spinach and a generous handful of grated pecorino cheese.
4. Mix together well and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a touch of nutmeg.
5. Add an egg and mix together once again.
6. Once the ingredients are mixed and the filling looks much creamier, it is ready.
7. Line a baking dish with one sheet of puff pastry and prick the bottom of it using a fork so it helps it to cook through.
8. Fill it using the ricotta mixture and even it out as much as you can using a spatula.
9. Cover the pie with another sheet of puff pastry, angling it so that the edges cover any gaps.
10. Create a crust by gently folding down the edges and joining the two layers together.
11. Press down around the edges using the teeth of a fork.
12. Beat an egg lightly in a small cup and add a drop of water.
13. Brush the egg mix over the top of the pie using a pastry brush.
14. Cook in the oven at 180 degrees celcius (350 F)for 40 minutes or until golden.

HOW TO SERVE

1. Let the spinach ricotta pie rest and cool for up to ten minutes, then slice into triangular serves and place on a wooden board.

Recipe by Italian Food Recipe 

CARRABBA'S SAUSAGE AND LENTIL SOUP

So I had to try this. I've never had Carrabbas' soup. But with all these simple and delicious ingredients, I had to try the recipe. Wow! This hearty soup will certainly become a regular for my dinner menu!
This recipe was given a 5 star rating! I must agree!

READY IN: 1hr 15mins, SERVES: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Italian sausage (You can also use Italian turkey sausage)

1 large onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

6 cups chicken broth

2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 -3 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups dry lentils

black pepper

red pepper flakes

basil

oregano

parsley

thyme

DIRECTIONS 

Brown sausage; drain off fat. In a large pot combine all ingredients bring to boil.

Reduce heat, cover. Simmer for about 1 hour or until lentils are tender. Add water if necessary, for desired consistency. 

I like to puree about 1 cup of the soup and add back to pot to give it a thicker consistency.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Recipe by Boos Mom

Foodie Fran's Note:

When the sausage has almost fully browned and leaving in the fat, add the vegetables and sauté for a few minutes. Stir in lentils, then add the rest of the ingredients.

I highly recommend pureeing the one cup of soup.

HOMEMADE GARLIC CHEESE BREADSTICKS

PREP TIME

1 hour 25 mins

COOK TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME 

1 hour 40 mins

Delicious garlicky and cheesy homemade breadsticks

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoon dry active yeast
• ¾-1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cups Italian Shredded Cheese blend
• ½- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
• parsley for garnish
• Optional: Warm pizza sauce for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, garlic salt, sugar, yeast and slowly add in water.
2. Mix together until dough is created.
3. Using your hands knead for one minute and form a ball.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate bowl and transfer pizza dough to that bowl. Cover with a paper towel for 1 hour or until dough has doubled.
5. Reheat oven to 425 degrees.
6. Roll out dough on your pizza stone or baking sheet.
7. Add butter, garlic powder and Italian seasoning to a small bowl and microwave until melted. Whisk together then brush on dough.
8. Next sprinkle dough with shredded cheese then parmesan cheese. Lastly, sprinkle with parsley.
9. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until dough has browned and cheese is melted and golden.
10. Cut bread into sticks and serve with warm pizza sauce if desired.

Jocelyn Delk Adams of Grandbaby-Cakes.com 

What's that?  You wanna dip these heavenly sticks into something how about my marinara sauce:

Basic Marinara Sauce
4 cups of sauce, enough to dress a pound of pasta (or a bit more)
This recipe is great for anytime you need tomato sauce, but it is a must for pizza!

Ingredients
4 cups (35 oz can) Italian plum tomatoes with juices
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sliced garlic
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tsp salt
1 stalk of fresh basil (or 1 tbsp fresh frozen)
Nice splash of hot tap water from rinsed from tomato can

Directions
Pour the tomatoes and juice into a big mixing bowl. Using both hands, crush the tomatoes and break them up into small pieces.

Pour the oil into a big skillet, scatter in the garlic slices in the oil and set over medium-high heat. Cook for 1-1/2 minutes or so until the slices are sizzling, add and toast the hot pepper flakes for another half minute.

Shake and stir the pan until the garlic slices are light gold and starting to darken. Immediately pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir in with the garlic. Rinse out the tomato can and bowl with water, and dump it into the skillet too.

Raise the heat; sprinkle in the salt and stir. Add basil into the sauce until completely covering it. When the sauce is boiling, cover the pan, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 15 minutes at an actively bubbling simmer.

Uncover the pan and cook another 5 minutes or so. The sauce should be only slightly reduced from the original volume; still loose and juicy. Remove the basil stalk or sprigs from the skillet and discard. Keep at a low simmer until the pasta is ready.

To dress pasta with Marinara sauce, toss and cook them together. Remove the skillet from the heat and toss in the cheese just before serving, or use for pizza sauce.

Pistachio Cheesecake

This is one of those wide eyed, mouth dropping recipies! My next to do dessert!

Prep time 40 mins
Cook time 65 mins
Total time 1 hour 45 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients
* Crust:
* 1 cup flour
* ½ cup ground pistachios or almonds
* ¼ cup sugar
* ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
* ¼ tsp almond extract
* Cheesecake:
* 6 bars (8 oz each) softened cream cheese
* 2 pkgs instant pistachio pudding mix
* 5 eggs
* 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
1. Lightly spray a 9- or 10-inch springform pan.
2. For the crust, place the flour, ground nuts and sugar in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
3. Cut up the butter and add it to the flour mixture already in the food processor along with the almond extract. Pulse until the mixture resembles small crumbs. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and about 1 inch up the sides. Chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Prepare filling by beating the cheese, condensed milk and the pudding mix, mixing well so it’s totally combined.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, on low speed, so they are well incorporated.
7. Pour into the prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 55-65 minutes or until the center is almost set (about the size of a quarter or 1-inch in the center).
8. Cool for 10 minutes on a rack, then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Cool completely to room temperature then refrigerate overnight.

Recipe by Judith Hanneman

Date Cake

Easy and delicious and dates are so underrated! Just tried this today and it was a hit!
This would go well with a scoop of ice cream on the side 🙂 Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup dried dates potted and chopped
1 cup butter
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions
Put the dates and the milk into a casserole and heat until the dates soften a bit then take off the heat.
Add the butter and let it melt then add the sugar and vanilla. Let the mixture cool.
Add the eggs one by one into the cool mixture whisking very well.
Then add the dry ingredients that mixed in another bowl first.
Pour the batter into a well greased (or silicone) bundt cake pan and bake at 350F for about 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean.

Nigella

One-Pot Fajita Pasta

Serves 3-5

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp oil

3 chicken breasts, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

1 onion sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp garlic powder

5 cups milk

4 cups penne pasta

1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oil in a large pot over very high heat.

Add chicken and cook until no pink is visible, then take the chicken out.

Add bell peppers and onion, cooking until the onion is translucent.

Add the chicken back to the pot with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder, stirring until evenly coated.

Add the milk and the penne, stirring constantly to prevent any pasta from sticking.

Cook for about 8-10 minutes until pasta is cooked and the milk has reduced to a thick sauce that coats the pasta.

Add the cheese and mix until melted. Serve!

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