White Bean and Bacon

The White Bean and Bacon recipe was inspired by this one here, but we tweaked a few things.

Slow Cooker Ham & White Beans
1 lb package dried northern beans (ended up using canned so it would go quicker)
3/4 lb bacon (fried up to a crisp and chopped up before adding to crock pot)
2/3 cup diced yellow onion (or 2 tsp onion powder)
6 cups water (didn't need this much since we were using canned)
salt & pepper to taste (don't need too much salt due to the bacon)

1. Throw it all in a crock pot
2. Set on low for 8 hours
3. Serve up with your favorite cornbread

yum yum yum

Old-Time Beef Stew - Mom's

Serves: 6-8

2 lbs lean stew meat (marinade in red wine over-night or during day before making stew, save marinade for use in recipe)
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1-2 bay leaves
1 Tbs salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
Dash of ground allspice of cloves
6 carrots, peeled, chunked
4 potatoes, peeled, quartered
1 large onion, peeled, chunked

In dutch oven, thoroughly brown meat in 2 Tbs of hot crisco, turning often. Add 2 cups liquid from marinade (add water if needed) and next 9 ingredients. Cover and let simmer for 2-3 hours or until meat is tender but not falling apart. Stir occasionally. Remove bay leaves and garlic. Add veggies. Cover and cook 30-45 min or until veggies and tender.

To make gravy (thicken stew liquid). In a small fry pan melt together butter and olive oil. Add enough flour to soak up the oil, but not allow it to be lumpy. This is called making a rue. Be careful not to burn this. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove about 2 cups of stew liquid and add to the rue all at once and stir vigorously. This should be allowed to get fairly thick. Then pour the gravy into the rest of the stew pot to thicken the whole stew.  If there is a lot of oil or fat on top of stew, skim that off before adding the gravy to the whole pot.

Lamb Stew with Collard Greens

Serves: 6
290 calories per serving. 9g fat

2 Tbs flour
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb lamb meat, cut into 2" cubes
2 Tbs olive oil
6 cups vegetable stock
3 large carrots, cut into 2" cubes
2 large stalks celery, cut into 1" pieces
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
5 red new potatoes, cut into eighths
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
5 large collard green leaves, chopped

In a large plastic bag combine the flour, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt. Close the bag and shake to mix. Add the lamb, seal the bag and shake to coat well. Set aside.

In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb cubes and brown, about 1 min per side. Add the stock, carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes and rosemary. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook 40 min. Add the parsley and collard greens and cook another 10 min.

Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and cayenne.

Lentil Stew

Serves 8-10

2 cups lentils

1 cup onion

1 cup celery

1 cup carrot

2 cloves garlic

2 cups spinach

1 Tbls olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes

8 cups veggie stock

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

2 bay leaves

½ tsp black pepper

sea salt to taste

Sort and rinse lentils in colander.

Heat olive oil in stock pot and add onion, celery, carrots, etc. and sauté 3 min. 

Add garlic, broth, tomatoes, and spices – bring to boil then simmer for 45 min. 

Add spinach, cook for 5 additional mins.  

Add grated asiago or parmesan.