Thanksgiving 2010

We had Thanksgiving at my house this year.  Our kitchen is getting closer to being done, and I am excited to show off my new tile Drew has worked so hard on.  The kids all helped clean up and Moriah helped with lots of the cooking.  Here is what we had and who made it.

The turkey was cooked by Nana.  She had a 12lb Turkey in her freezer so we decided that would be enough.  It was and Moriah's comment on the turkey was "I think this is the first year I have actually liked the turkey, it is not dry like normal."  Coming from a 12 yr old very picky eater, I think that pretty much sums up the turkey.

The dressing always gets made by Nana as well.  I can make Stovetop, but I have never been impressed with my stuffing skills.  Maybe I will try working on that this year and seeing if I can come up with something.  Then again, my mom's is pretty dang good, maybe I will just keep relying on her skills.

Mashed potatoes seem to have fallen into Shauna's court each year, and she does a great job.  I am not a fan of mashed potatoes that are too mashed, I like a few bumps in mine and Shauna does it just right.  She said John added a package of Potato Pearls and I think we had enough mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and Christmas put together, they were in a stock pot, and it was almost full. I loved them!

Gravy--My mom said that came with the Turkey so she got the job and it was good.  It was a chunky gravy--it had...stuff in it, not sure of what all it had in it, but all that matters is that when it is poured over the mashed potatoes and the stuffing you moan and groan, and this gravy had the right effect.

Cranberry sauce.  Moriah got the duty, mainly because I found a recipe I wanted to try and it was easy, so I had her make it.  She does not like cranberry sauce and predicted that it would be gross.  I had a can of cranberry sauce for back-up just in case.  When I went to get that and bring it out it turned out to be a can of beets.  I was really hoping Moriah's prediction was off.  She has informed us that the reason adults like things that kids do not is because our taste buds are damaged and so we can't taste all the crap (her words not mine) in the foods we eat.  Well fortunately for all of our damaged taste buds we enjoyed the sauce, and I was actually kinda impressed by it.  That recipe was from--guess...ok you were right, the Pioneer Woman.

Olives--I went ahead and took care of this.  Didn't want to put that kind of stress on others during the busy holiday season.  They turned out perfect! :)

Deviled eggs--not sure if this is a Thanksgiving requirement in other places, but I just wouldn't feel the same if I didn't get some.  I got to thinking while I was making them that they are actually a pain in the butt to make.  It takes a lot of time to peel the eggs.  I had Nelly do most of them, which had an effect on the overall shape of the eggs in the end, but not the flavor.  Is there an easy way to peel eggs and not take half the egg white with you?  Anyway, while I was eating them I kept thinking "why don't we have these more often?"  The answer of course lies in my thoughts that I had while I was making them.

I also felt bad that we didn't really have a vegetable so I opened up a can of my pickled green beans that I canned earlier this year and we all snacked on those.  They were great.  I will have to get that recipe on here.  My dad liked stacking a green bean on top of an egg and eating them that way.  He thought 2 green beans per egg was perfect.

Of course I have already mentioned my amazing experience with the rolls.  You can read about that on this page.

That just leaves dessert.

Pumpkin pie came from Shauna.  She said it only took John 2 tries going to the grocery store to get the right milk--evaporated, not sweetened condensed. 

Apple pie--Shauna started it, but Naomi finished it and it looked pretty as a pie--oh wait, it was a pie.  Well it was great and Naomi had a good reason to be proud of that pie!

Pecan pie--two words..Pioneer Woman.  Her recipe for the pie that will make you cry was wonderful.  Drew thought is was just a little sweet, but he normally thinks pecan pie is WAY too sweet, so he thought this was a big improvement.  Next time I make it he wants me to use more pecans.  So I will try that.  The important part of this recipe was to chop up the nuts.  Here is the link to her pie on her site.  I also want to mention her amazing pie crust.  I actually liked the pie crust and went in search of it on my kids' plate.  It really was that good--so flaky!

Am I forgetting anything--oh yeah, my Peanut Butter Pie.  I definitely used the wrong recipe.  Check out my post on Peanut Butter pie and read how changing one ingredient can make or break a pie!

The kids were all well behaved.  I got to photograph baby Eli. We all enjoyed the day, and we even took a family photo.  I am no professional, but they are all in there!  Then we raced off to the movies and watched Tangled.  That was fun, and not near as busy as I was expecting.

Perfect Pie Crust

This will be my stand by from now on.  This pie crust was so flaky and good.  I did have a hard time working with it, even after it had been in the freezer about 20-30 min.  But I decided it was worth it.

Sylvia’s Perfect Pie Crust
Added by Ree on June 19, 2009 in Desserts, Pies

Prep Time 45 Minutes Cook Time

Servings 1

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• 1-½ cup Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
• 3 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 whole Egg
• 5 Tablespoons Cold Water
• 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions

In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)
When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.
With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.

Pecan Pie...I cried

Drew saw this recipe and wanted me to make it for him.  The crust was a bit soft, even after freezing it for about 20 minutes, and I thought I might cry trying to put it into the pan, but it turned out to not be so bad.  It tore a little and was easily just pinched back together.  The taste of the crust was well worth any trouble it gave!  Drew thought it might still be a little sweet and wants me to put more pecans in it next time.  I even liked it, and I am not a Pecan Pie eater--just sayin'.  The Pie that will make you cry, step by step.

Pioneer Woman’s Pecan Pie
Added by Ree on August 16, 2009 in Desserts, Pies

Prep Time 15 Minutes Cook Time 50 Minutes

Servings 12

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• 1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust (I Use "Sylvia's Perfect Pie Crust" Recipe
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 cup Corn Syrup
• ¾ teaspoons Vanilla
• ⅓ cups Melted Butter (salted)
• 3 whole Eggs Beaten
• 1 cup (heaping) Chopped Pecans

Preparation Instructions

First, whip up your pie crust using “Sylvia’s Perfect Pie Crust” found on Tasty Kitchen.
Next, mix sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl.
Pour chopped pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.
Pour syrup mixture over the top. Cover top and crust lightly/gently with foil. Bake pie at 350º for 30 minutes. Remove foil, then continue baking for 20 minutes, being careful not to burn the crust or pecans.
NOTE: PIE SHOULD NOT BE OVERLY JIGGLY WHEN YOU REMOVE IT FROM THE OVEN. If it shakes a lot, cover with foil and bake for an additional 20 minute or until set. Required baking time seems to vary widely with this recipe. Sometimes it takes 50 minutes; sometimes it takes 75!
Allow to cool for several hours or overnight. Serve in thin slivers.

*Drew made this again and added a few more chopped pecans.  It was great this time around as well.  This recipe is definitely a keeper!  My pie crust that I made on Thanksgiving made 3 crust and I had stored the two I didn't use in the freeze for later use.  We used one, and it was perfect again!  This crust really is YUMMY!

My Favorite Salsa

We love this salsa!  I am very picky when it comes to my salsa, and this one meets my needs.  It tastes a lot like the salsa you get in a restaurant.  That might be why she named it Restaurant Style Salsa, not sure though.



Step by step for this marvelous salsa.  (This is not really necessary, it is pretty easy, unless you need help opening a can...)


Restaurant Style Salsa
Added by Ree on January 26, 2010 in Appetizers, Salsas
Prep Time 10 Minutes
Cook Time Servings 12 Difficulty Easy
Ingredients
1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice (I used 2 cans 15oz. of diced tomatoes)
2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
¼ cups Chopped Onion
1 clove Garlic, Minced
1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
¼ teaspoons Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
½ whole Lime Juice
Preparation Instructions
Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.
Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

Our Christmas Card 2010

Many Memories Tree Christmas 5x7 folded card

Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Parker House Rolls

For the last two maybe three Thanksgiving's I have tried to make rolls.  Not that I have anything against Rhodes rolls, although I do have something against other store bought rolls, it is just that Thanksgiving is a time (in my opinion), where you make from scratch wonderful food to share with friends and family.  So, I really wanted to make some lovely rolls to share with my family. 

Well, I did it!!
I decided to see what the Pioneer Woman does for rolls, and it turns out that she uses the same recipe for her rolls that she uses for her Cinnamon Rolls, and those are delicious, so, I had to give it a try.


(Mine didn't look like this because I choose her alternative method of folding the dough and putting them in a pan standing up, like tacos, and putting them close together.)

Parker House Rolls (click on the title for step by step w/pictures.)
Added by Ree on November 21, 2010 in Breads, Dinner Rolls

Prep Time 3 Hours Cook Time 15 Minutes

Servings 36

Difficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

• 4 cups Whole Milk
• 2 sticks 1 Cup Butter
• 1 cup Sugar
• 4-½ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
• 8 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• 1 cup (additional) All-purpose Flour
• 2 sticks Melted Butter (additional)

Preparation Instructions

Combine 4 cups milk, 2 sticks butter, (In the Cinnamon Rolls recipe this is oil not butter) and sugar in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, and when the mixture is hot (but not boiling) (oops mine kinda boiled) turn off heat and allow to cool to warmer than lukewarm, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Sprinkle in the yeast and 8 cups of flour. Stir to combine, then cover and allow to rise for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 additional cup of flour. Stir to combine. (Here I put mine in the fridge overnight). (What I really did was put them on my back deck--what, I live in Alaska, the back deck is an extension of my fridge 6 mos out of the year.  Anyway, I just made them again and did the same thing, only difference was the temp outside was about 15-20* colder, my dough froze.  Let me just tell you kneading frozen dough hurts!  The rolls still turned out great and I rolled some into balls after the dough did its rising in the next step...I'll let you know how those turned out.  I also rolled some into cinnamon rolls and froze them without cooking.)  Divide dough in half, then turn out onto floured surface. Knead dough for 8 to 10 minutes, then form into a ball and cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes. (Repeat with other half of dough, or store it for a later use.) (Or use it to make Cinnamon Rolls.)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 2 sticks of butter in a saucepan. (I only used 1 stick and I had more than enough for half the bread.)
Roll out dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut circles with a 2 1/2 inch cutter. Dunk each circle in melted butter, then immediately fold in half and place on a cookie sheet, flat side down. (Or put it a pan with higher sides standing up and put them close together so they hold their shape.  Another idea would be to put them in a muffin tin.) (This time I decided to be a rebel and I put them in a pan shaped as balls.)  Press lightly to encourage sealing. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover with a towel and allow rolls to rise 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately!

Everything turned out perfect for me.  I was so excited by the results, and everyone loved them.  Yeah for me for making my first totally flawless batch of rolls, and Yeah to the Pioneer Woman for leading me safely through this recipe.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ok, these are to die for, and if you keep the whole recipe for yourself--well you may just die...
Here is the step by step with pictures if you want it.


Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls
Added by Ree on September 3, 2009 in Breads, Sweet Rolls

Prep Time 2 Hours Cook Time 30 Minutes

Servings 8

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Plenty Of Melted Butter (not gonna melt mine see 1st tip below)
• 2 cups Sugar (some people use brown sugar here)
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
• _____
• MAPLE FROSTING:
• 1 bag Powdered Sugar (2 lbs)
• 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
• ½ cups Milk
• ¼ cups Melted Butter
• ¼ cups Brewed Coffee (obviously optional)
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt

Preparation Instructions

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.
After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).
When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.
Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.
Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting.
Note: My rolls don’t work for me at 400 degrees anymore. I now bake them at 375 degrees.

NOTES:
Now since she claims these are the BEST EVER, she has had about a million questions on them.  So she did another post answering some major questions. 
Then below that post there are a bunch more comments (about 400 right now), with more ideas for the rolls.  I have copied a few that I thought would be important to me later. 

Tip #1
???Is there a reason to melt the butter? I let the butter soften and then smear it on. Less mess and it melts when it bakes but I’m willing to change if it makes a difference.
Annie B On Friday, October 1 at 11:30 am

I’ve done that, too and it really does cut down on the messiness oozing out. I’ve done it both ways and haven’t noticed any difference. They taste amazing any which why they’re made.

Tip #2
Kirsten is Comfortably Domestic On Friday, October 1 at 9:19 pm

I had never made a cinnamon roll that I liked, until this one. I freeze some unbaked, and before rising (along with a portion of icing in a separate container.) The night before I want them, I take a pan of rolls & some icing out of the freezer right before going to bed. I take off the foil and leave the plastic wrap on loosely, and set them on the counter overnight. By morning, they have thawed, risen, and are ready to bake.
(I have personally frozen them after baking and just made up fresh frosting when I thawed them.  I also saw a tip to bake them mostly, then freeze, then finish cooking when you pull them out.)

Tip #3

Emily On Friday, October 1 at 11:30 am

You forgot to say that the dough makes AWESOME dinner rolls! I swear so yummy. I made just four rolls to try last time and I regret not making a double batch to freeze. Next time I will have two pots going….one for cinnamon rolls and one for dinner rolls!!! THANK YOU PW, you rock.
(OH, this tips so excites me!!  I am making some now that I will use for Thanksgiving day rolls!! :)

Tip #4

Marie On Friday, October 1 at 2:50 pm

I put mine in a pot and covered it well with plastic wrap and it easily lasted for 1 week. I have also kept half the dough in the fridge and froze the other half ( in a air tight container). Once I was ready to make the other half, I took it out of the freezer and let it thaw completely on the counter (do not microwave). Then carry on like normal (make sure to rise well before baking)
You can also make the buns (without baking) and then leave them in the fridge until you are ready to bake them. Sometimes I will place each individual bun in a large size muffin tin. This way I can easily only bake 6 and they are easier to serve neatly.
(This would be like Rhoades rolls--great idea!)

Tip #5

Heather D. On Friday, October 1 at 12:05 pm

P-dub, I’ve been making these at Christmas for a few years, and they are a colossal hit.
I have been combining the melted butter and cinnamon sugar into a paste, which I then spread all over the dough with the back of a spoon. It doesn’t make as much of a mess that way.

Pumpkin Cream Pie

Ok, so Pumpkin Cream pie, not to be confused with Pumpkin Cream Pies, is another Pioneer Woman recipe that we made and LOVED!  I happen to have a 1/2 cup Pumpkin left over and so I was looking for a recipe that I could either half or that only needed that much.  Lucky for me, I found this.  I was surprised, I would have thought cream cheese and cool whip, but that is not what you'll find in this pie.  Oh and the Graham cracker crust is definately one I will use over and over!

Pumpkin Cream Pie
Added by Ree on November 15, 2010 in Desserts, Pies

Prep Time 2 Hours Cook Time 20 Minutes

Servings 8

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• FOR THE CRUST:
• 1-½ package Graham Crackers (about 15 Cookie Sheets)
• ½ cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 stick Butter, Melted
• FOR THE FILLING:
• 1 box (3 Oz. Box) Vanilla Pudding (Cook And Serve Variety)
• 1 cup Half-and-half
• ½ cups Heavy Cream
• Pinch Of Cinnamon
• Pinch Of Nutmeg
• Pinch Of Ground Cloves
• 2 Tablespoons Whiskey (optional) (um yeah, I left this out.)
• ½ cups (plus 3 Tablespoons) Pumpkin Puree
• ½ cups (additional) Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• Extra Graham Cracker Crumbs, For Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Grind graham crackers in a food processor (or, if you don’t have a food processor, place them in a large ziploc and pound ‘em with a rolling pin.) Add powdered sugar and melted butter and process until totally combined. Press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan until nice and firm. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warm and “set.” Remove from oven and allow crust to cool completely.
In a medium saucepan, mix dry pudding mix with half-and-half and cream. Add spices. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thick. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey, if using. Add pumpkin and stir to combine. Place lid on pot and set aside to cool. When cool enough, place pot in the fridge to cool completely.
When mixture is cool, remove from the fridge. In a mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and brown sugar. Beat until very light and fluffy. Fold in pumpkin cream mixture until combined. Pour into cooled crust.
Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. Serve with graham crackers crumbled on top.

Pumpkin Cream Pies

One of my very favorite food sites on the internet is Pioneer Woman.  She has a cooking section that is not only fun to read, but I have never had anything I didn't love on there.  She also has another section called Tasty Kitchen that her readers can share recipes.  They often go through and try out recipes and feature them on there.  One recipe featured on there that I had to make right away was this recipe for Pumpkin Cream Pies. 

I first was introduced to this kind of cookie by someone at church.  It was a DIVINE homemade Oreo cookie.  She wouldn't share her recipe, but I soon found one that I loved just as well.  Well this is the same kind of cookie, but the cookie is pumpkin flavor.  YUMMM!!

Pumpkin Creme Pies

Added by The Deutsch Girl on August 12, 2009 in Holidays, Thanksgiving

4.86 Mitt(s) | 42 Rating(s)

A delicious twist on the traditional oatmeal creme pie. Very easy to make, looks professional, and has the perfect amount of pumpkin flavor without overpowering. Add to your Thanksgiving dinner for a non-traditional pumpkin flavored dessert!

• Prep Time 1 Hour
• Cook Time 15 Minutes
• Difficulty Easy
• Servings
• System US Metric

Ingredients

• For Creme Pies
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 can Pumpkin (15 Oz.)
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Cloves
• _____
• FOR FILLING: (This filling is SOOO good!!)
• 1 package Cream Cheese Softened (8 Oz.)
• 1 stick Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
• 1 package Powdered Sugar (16 Oz.)
• 3 drops Vanilla Extract
• 2 dashes Cinnamon

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pumpkin Creme Pies: Beat together brown sugar, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
Cut 3 inch squares of parchment paper, about 24. Using a pastry bag with a round tip, or a big zip top plastic bag with one corner snipped, squeeze out concentric circles of batter, starting from the middle and working outward until the circles are about 2 inches in diameter. (Note that the squares allow the baker to move the square while keeping the bag in the same spot. Just squeeze for easy circle making!)

(I skipped this step and just used a cookie scoop, the cookies didn't flatten out good enough and so then I had to flatten them with a spatula.  Might have just been easier to do it her way.)

Transfer each square to a baking sheet. Bake for 11 minutes, or until firm, and cool on a rack.
Cream Cheese Filling: Beat together cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Frost flat side of half the pies and top with another piece.
Enjoy right away, or chill overnight. These keep very nicely in the fridge for at least a few days.


Here is the step by step tutorial with pics if you want to read it.

Rice and Beans

So one night Drew wasn't home, and I was being lazy, but didn't want to do fast food.  So I had seen a picture earlier in the day for red beans and rice.  I looked at a few recipes on the internet and this is what I decided on.  Though my recipe was MUCH easier than this one.  I also saw coconut added in lots of recipes--hmmm maybe I'll try it one time.  The funny thing is a few days later I was looking at Moriah's health book and saw a picture of red beans and rice and it said that red beans and rice mixed together has all the essential nine amino acids, and is a good source of protein.  Who knew?--I was cooking something healthy!  This should probably be a side, but only if you feel like it.

All I did was put some olive oil in a pan chop up a green onion and add 1 clove fresh minced garlic.  I let that cook a minute then added the beans.  ( I used black beans.)  Once they were warm, and they smelled so yummy with the garlic, I just put in some fritos (to get me kids to eat it), then some rice and then topped it with beans.  I thought later that corn would be good mixed in as well, even chicken if I wasn't being lazy.
The coconut red beans and rice recipe was over at Crazy Daisy and the recipe follows this one in case I ever want to try it.

Red Beans and Rice

2007, Robert Irvine

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade and minced
1 large red onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and small diced
2 (1-pound) cans red kidney beans
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup white rice
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Saute garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper until tender. Stir in kidney beans, onion powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer slowly while you cook the rice.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil and stir in rice and butter. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Fold rice and beans gently together and transfer to a serving dish. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Black Beans and Rice, by Crazy Daisy

1 (14 oz.) can non-condensed chicken broth or chicken bouillon made equal

1/2 cup coconut

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 (15 oz.) can black beans

1/2 cup sliced green onion

In medium saucepan, combine broth, coconut, and butter and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans and onions, cover and cook for five minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  

General Disclaimer

Most of these recipes are not mine, and I will tell you where I got them from. I just needed a way to keep track of the recipes our family loves, and to be able to note changes that I make to recipes.

Feel free to use them and pass them on, all of them were made available at one point somewhere, that is how I got them. So share away.