Refried Beans

Confession time: this is not my first go at refried beans.  I've tried them before and they were runny, watery, and just, well, gross.

But this time?  This time they were really good.  Like, good enough that I ate them leftover.  Yeah, that's kind of a big deal.

 

They are simply seasoned - just taco seasoning and a little S&P.  Plus, they are very low maintenance too.  They cook for a few hours, but you don't have to do much besides blend them up at the end.  And, depending on how chunky or smooth you like yours, might not take much time at all. 

We had these on tostada shells for dinner - it was a great meal!

Refried Beans
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
16 oz dried Pinto beans, rinsed and picked through (remove any 'ugly' beans or stones that may have snuck inside the bag)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tbsp taco seasoning
Water or veggie/chicken/beef stock
1 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Place the beans, taco seasoning, onions, garlic and enough water (or stock) to cover the beans by about 1 inch and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the beans are tender - between 2 and 3 hours.  Open the lid to stir every 30 minutes or so and add more liquid if it gets low.

 

2.  Remove the beans from the heat and get to mashing/pureeing!  I used my immersion blender, but a potato masher and some elbow grease would work great too.

 

3.  Once the beans have reached the consistency you like, taste and season with salt and pepper (and more taco seasoning if desired), turn the burner back up to medium and add in the butter.  Stir the beans to melt the butter and warm back up.  Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 Happy Eating!

 

~ Sara :)

Pierogis

Move over, Mrs. T.!!

 

I grew up on frozen pierogis - they're one of the few items that I will still occasionally buy frozen and cook.  But, that may all change now that I've made them from scratch.  These are one of those meals that you never make because you think they'll take too long....but in reality, they don't.

 

Another plus?  You can make a whole lot of them and freeze them.  Just one batch makes a ton.  If you were to double it - well, then you'd be set for many meals!
 

 

 

I tried two different fillings for these - the classic mashed potato and cheddar and some with my fermented sauerkraut.  I was pleasantly surprised with the sauerkraut.  I may have even liked those a bit more than the potato.

 

Sure, these take time, but the nice thing is that you can do a lot of the work ahead of time.  The dough and filling and even the pierogis can be made in advance and cooked when needed.
 

 

 

These are traditionally served with sour cream and/or applesauce.  I like to serve mine with sautéed peppers, onions and garlic.

 

 

Homemade Pierogis
Makes approx. 4 dozen
 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup prepared mashed potatoes combined with 1 cup shredded cheese

Or

1 cup sauerkraut, well drained

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 bell pepper, cut into strips

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp butter

Directions:

1.  For the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together.  Add in the egg, sour cream and room temperature butter until the dough forms a slightly sticky ball.  Use your fingertips and knead the dough until it becomes less sticky, but is still moist (no additional flour should be necessary).  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but up to 24 hours.

  

 

2.  Once the dough has been chilled, remove it from the fridge and cut it in half.  On a well floured surface, roll the dough out to approximately 1/8" thick.  Using a 2"-3" cutter (I used a 2.75" biscuit cutter), cut the dough into circles.  Repeat until all dough (or at least most) has been used.

3.  Fill each dough circle with 1-2 tsp of mashed potato or sauerkraut filling.  Fold the dough over and, using a fork, seal the edges of each pierogi.  Now, these can be cooked immediately, refrigerated for 24 hours or frozen for 2 months.

 

 

4.  To prepare:  Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet.  Sauté the peppers and onions until nice and golden, adding in the garlic for the last 2 minutes of sautéing.  While the peppers and onions are sautéing, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Boil the pierogis in batches until they float to the top of the water.  Remove, place them on a paper towel to drain and repeat until all pierogis have been boiled.

 

5.  Remove the peppers, onions, and garlic from the pan and place on a serving plate.  Melt 2 tbsp of butter in the pan and nestle the pierogis in the pan.  Cook on each side until golden brown, approximately 3-5 minutes per side.  Serve the pierogis atop the peppers and onions.  Enjoy!

  

 

Happy Eating!

 

~ Sara :)

Caprese Quinoa

While making our dinner menu for the week, Jason requested my Eggplant Parmesan Sticks.  We needed something to have with them and I decided I'd do something with quinoa for some protein.  We love my Caprese Pasta, so I decided to change it up just a bit and make it with quinoa!  This is the full recipe, but I cut it in half tonight.

Caprese Quinoa
Serves 6

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tsp olive oil
Kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
8 oz fresh mozzarella, diced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 425.  Cook quinoa as directed on the package. Combine the tomatoes, garlic cloves, dried basil, olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt.  Place in a casserole dish and roast in the oven until the tomatoes begin to burst, about 20 minutes. 
 
2.  Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the peel and add into the quinoa.  Mix until the garlic has been evenly distributed.  Gently stir in the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.  Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Info:  Cals: 200, Protein: 8g, Fiber: 3g, Sodium: 66mg, Carbs: 24g, Fat: 8g