Mindy here
and, you know, there’s nothing like change or upheaval to bring on a strong craving
for comfort food. This week, that comfort food came in the form of beans. Low fat,
protein-packed, flavorful pinto beans. Best of all, they’re super easy to make.
Start with a
pound of dry pinto beans. No, you do not have to soak them overnight. All you
need to do is dump them in a pot, cover them with water, bring water to a boil
and boil for 5 minutes. Simple as that.
Drain the
beans and put them in a large pot. Then add a medium onion, chopped, some
chopped bell pepper and 2 garlic cloves that have been minced.
Stir again.
Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 3-4 hours. Sample and add more salt and
pepper to taste.
Sorry, I forgot
to take an after picture, but these beans are great by themselves or served
over rice, perhaps topped with some sliced, smoked sausage. Now that’s a meal!
Last week
was a busy one at the big house. Finally, some changes I could see.
New windows!
I can’t
believe the way they changed the look of the house.
And after a
long day of renovation supervision, Dixie likes nothing better than a good nap.
While Maddie
is always on guard for anything that would dare invade her turf.
Like these
unsuspecting egrets.
Guess she
showed them whose boss.
Now it’s
your turn. What’s one of your favorite easy comfort food meals?
Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband and the last of her five children. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com
I love comfort food! You had me at hello! And the windows are marvelous, what a treat... and what a nice, clear view of the beautiful ranch. Are you so excited to see things happening? this is like my personal view into Fixer Upper, Mindy-style!!!!
ReplyDeleteRuthy, I am beyond thrilled to be on this journey. If only we could skip the boring parts like they do on TV. There's nothing exciting about electrical wiring, air ducts or plumbing. Speaking of plumbing, just like on television, an unexpected problem was discovered last week. We now have to have one of the sewer lines replaced. Very unglamorous, albeit very necessary.
DeleteI was thinking the same thing as Ruthy -- Fixer- Up episodes with host Mindy!
DeleteUgh, having been married for more than 30 years to someone who does this professionally, I know there are always unexpected problems.
ReplyDeleteLove your windows!
A TABLESPOON of salt and then add more salt and pepper. My salt-sensitive self is crying!!!
Otherwise, I'm ready to come to the table.
Mary Cate, you could start out with less salt, if you like, but between the density of the beans and all the liquid, it needs a fair amount of salt. Otherwise the beans end up bland and bland beans are bleck. And just so you'll know, my husband is the first to point out if something is too salty. He's very conscientious of salt, but I heard no complaints, so they must have passed muster.
DeleteSo your hubby does building/remodeling? I don't think I knew that. Let's just hope this is the only unexpected issue. At least of major significance anyway.
Mindy! I just made this!
ReplyDeleteAnd my grandmother always said to buy the package of beans that are the lightest color. They are the softest.
Jana, that's a great tip! Thanks for sharing!
DeleteThat's really interesting, Jana. I'll be sure to look for the lighter ones next time.
DeleteThis looks delicious!!! I'm surprised at how short a time you cook the beans though. That's awesome. Do you think I could do it in a slow cooker, just for a longer time, of course? Otherwise this will have to wait until the fall for me to try. My little house couldn't handle simmering anything for 3-4 hours in the heat of the summer.
ReplyDeleteLOVE the doggy pictures. One flaked out in slumber bliss and the other all taut and wiry guarding her domain. Makes me smile.
The window really do make a huge change, don't they? Lovely to have so many too. Hope you give us a guided tour once everything is finished.
So, the easy comfort food that comes to mind isn't a summer recipe but I can't wait until the fall to get back to making it. And it's one I adapted from a Yankeebelle recipe. Cheesy Corn Chowder. Yum.
Mmm... I could go for some cheesy corn chowder, Kav. Just let me turn down the A/C... ;)
DeleteMy vegetarian friend, I'm sure you could easily substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth without problem. And you know I post those doggie pix just for you. That and the fact that Maddie is such a character I can't help but share.
Comfort food! How I love it!
ReplyDeleteWe've had cooler temperatures for the past week, and I'm craving soups, casseroles...you name it!
I love beans like this - Pintos, Great Northerns, and Navy Beans all would work well for this recipe, wouldn't they? And it's interesting that the farther north you go, the smaller the beans get... Hmmm...
Love the progress on the house! Those windows make a beautiful difference!
Jan, rain had us down in the low 80s the other day and I was almost ready to whip up a batch of chili or some potato soup. Talk about some comfort food. Come on cold weather.
DeleteThat's funny about the beans. Never thought of it, but you're right. Shorter growing season, perhaps? I like great northerns in my white bean chili, but my family loves the pintos, so I tend to stay there.
Wait a minute! I just thought of a small bean folks love in the south. Black Eyed Peas. Okay, so they don't have the word bean attached to them. They're still a bean in my book.
And yes, those windows make all the difference. I'm still in love with them.
Beautiful windows! And I LOVE beans. I usually just used canned, but since I got my Instant Pot, I've done more dry beans. I'll have to try this recipe.
ReplyDeleteMissy, what I like about beans is that once they're on to cook, there's really nothing else you have to do except stir them occasionally. Makes for a good make-ahead meal. Like I've said recently, I haven't done much planning ahead for meals since we moved. Something I really need to correct.
DeleteThis recipe is one I'm definitely going to try! I've never been good at cooking beans from dry, so I'm excited to see if I can make it work ;) Thanks for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDeleteHi, Heidi. I know exactly how you feel, but you can do this. Learning about the 5-minute-soak was an eye-opener for me in terms of cooking time. I can't tell you how many times I wanted beans but thought I couldn't because I hadn't presoaked them. You can even save more time if you can find the Del-Monte "diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions." My store doesn't carry them, so I was forced to chop. Luckily I already had everything on hand. Only cost a few extra minutes.
Delete