A Good For You 2fer

Let's face it. I want the best of all worlds - flavorful, whole, nutritious, fast, and tasty food. My husband, Neal, is happy when I manage to throw a plate of cooked food in front of him. (I love spinach salads, fruit, hummus, sliced cheeses, and almonds.) Add a little wine and bread, most anything can be elevated to the meal category.
Neal is a great cook. His standards for moderate fat and few preservatives are a little relaxed. Meatless Mondays are a foreign concept to him. Why would someone pass up a chance to eat meat? Unless, it is red beans and rice. I know there is bacon or sausage in the various versions of his favorite dish. Smoked meat, used as seasoning, is exempt from the meat category in his world. I didn't grasp the concept, either. Just walk away.
I like large dried white beans, slow cooked with a whole onion and 2 bullion cubes. I find the texture of the bean hearty and smooth. The flavor is mild. It is perfect for thickening and hiding extra nutrition in a vegetarian dish.
Two of my favorite recipes, using white bean base, are Country White Bean Dip and Warm White Beans, Country Style.
Bean Base:
Start by removing stones and loose skins from 16 oz / 1 lb. of large,white, dry beans. I use a colander to rinse them well under running water. Use hand to sift and lift beans to remove any dirt.
Soak beans for 4 hours. Rinse well.
Place beans into a large pan.
Cover beans with water, plus 2".
Add whole onion and 2 bullion cubes (chicken or vegetarian flavor)
Bring to a vigorous boil on stove top.
Reduce heat to low. Slow cook until liquid thickens and beans are tender. (This will take several hours, add additional water and stir, if needed.)
Throw whole onion, away.
Divide beans into 3 or 6 cup containers. This base freezes well.
Country White Bean Dip, serves 8
Start by removing the membrane and seeds from one jalapeño.




Chop half of a small sweet onion to a similar size as the jalapeño.
In a small, nonstick sauté pan add 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 table spoon of corn oil. Heat on medium, Until oil shimmers. Turn pan to coat pan and combine oils.
Add jalapeño for 3 minutes and sauté over medium heat.
Add diced onion. Cook over medium heat for an additional 3 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Stir in 2 large cloves of garlic. Cook until garlic begins to brown. Stir and watch closely! Burned garlic is bitter!
Remove from heat. Pour into small bowl.




To 3 cups of chilled bean base add:
1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano
freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir.
Using an immersion blender, blend until mostly smooth.
Stir sautéed vegetables into seasoned beans.
Cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate dip for 2 hours before serving.
Just before serving, stir in one to three teaspoons of Smoked Tabasco. (Start with smallest amount and increase if your family likes a kick.)
Taste
If you need more salt add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt. If you are happy with the taste, STOP seasoning. Folks can salt their serving.
To serve surround decorative bowl with pita chips or crisp flat bread. Sprinkle dip,lightly, with smoked paprika.
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Warm White Beans, Country Style - serves 4
Prep:
Warm 6 cups of bean base
Chop one medium sweet onion into a medium dice, set aside.
Remove membrane and seeds from one large jalapeño. Dice fine.
Dice 4 raw slices of lean, center - cut, thick, bacon into large pieces.
Note - Dice veggies before bacon to prevent cross contamination.
In a small, nonstick sauté pan fry bacon over medium heat until crispy.
Remove bacon pieces and all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from sauté pan. (For vegetarian, omit bacon and sauté in 2 tablespoons of peanut oil.)
Add jalapeño to bacon grease. Sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes.
Add diced onion to jalapeño. Cook over medium heat for an additional 3 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add 2 large cloves of garlic to onion / pepper mixture.
Cook until garlic begins to brown. Stir and watch closely! Burned garlic is bitter!
Remove from heat. Set aside.
To six cups of warm bean base add:
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt (adjust for saltiness of bullion and bacon).
2 teaspoons of smoked Tobasco (adjust to family's taste.)
Sautéed veggie mixture
Freshly ground pepper to taste.
Sautéed pepper mixture.
Serve warm soup family style. Provide corn bread, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, crisped bacon pieces, and diced green onions. Enjoy!
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Location:Alvin, TX