Rude

Posted on October 28, 2008 by Momzoo

Punk #3 was reading a book with Dadzoo tonight.It was about Predators.

Dadzoo asked punk #3 if she knew what a predator was.

She said “Oh yes, they are animals that are really rude to other animals.”

I guess you could say that!

Three Bean Soup

Posted on October 28, 2008 by Momzoo

Monday I made Three Bean Soup for dinner.

I already had some Great Northern and Kidney beans cooked and in the freezer so I needed to cook some black beans so my soup could be a true “three beans”.

I decided to demonstrate the “quick cook” method for cooking beans.
(note: when cooking dry beans nothing is truly quick)
I started by measuring my beans, dumping them in a big pot and covering them by several inches of water, you will cook off a lot of water, so don’t be shy, start out with lots of water.

I needed 2 cups for the recipe, so I measured out one cup of dry beans.

I brought them to a boil, then turned the heat down so they would simmer.
It took about 4 hours of simmering for the beans to become soft. Be careful to watch the water level, it is easy for the water to simmer off, and burnt beans smell really bad!

When following recipes you need to take into consideration your altitude. If I was closer to sea level it would have taken less time, if I was higher, more time. The higher you get the lower the boiling point of water becomes. Therefore you are not cooking your beans as at high of temperature. I am at about 4700 feet, and it took about 4 hours.

Once they were done I rinsed them off and sat them to the side while I got my other ingredients together.

Here is the cast of characters:
4 cups cooked beans (any kind)
4 cups stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn
1 can chili peppers
1 Onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1-2 Tbsp Chili powder (depending on your taste)

Chop your onion….

And dump everything into a pot….

Bring everything to a boil and let it simmer for an hour.

and that is it

I served this with Cheese and Corn Bread.

It is soooooo good!

and so low fat!
Unless you count the cheese, and the corn bread…
This would also be good with tortilla chips…there are so many possibilities.

This could be easily be made in the crock pot.
Also if you don’t want to to the trouble of cooking the beans, four small cans of whatever beans you like would work, along with 2-15 oz cans of stewed tomatoes and a can of corn.

I figure minus the cheese and corn bread this meal cost me 4$, the tomatoes did come out of my garden, so if you added the cost of those it would be more…even then it would still be super cheap, and it fed my family of 7 with enough for left overs.

(p.s. I am going to blog my corn bread recipe soon. Actually, it isn’t my recipe, it is my good friend Katie’s recipe and it is really, really good…my all time favorite!)

If you would like some more recipes and kitchen tips, check out Tammy’s site

Refried Beans

Posted on October 23, 2008 by Momzoo

Refried beans are one of the easiest and yummiest ways to prepare and serve beans

Here is our cast of character:
Cooked beans

some sort of fat

and seasonings

easy peasey

Start by heating up whatever fat you would like to use.
I used Canola oil this time
and to be very honest it is my least favorite I don’t really love the taste of the canola oil with beans, but it worked and it was still good.
I like using shortening better and my very favorite it bacon grease, it gives the beans a wonderful flavor.

Once it is nice and hot dump your beans in

I would advise you to wear an apron of some sort
(here is a link to some cute vintage aprons)
the grease will splatter a bit, and nothing bugs me more than a nice shirt ruined by grease!

(side note, isn’t that itty bitty measuring spoon so stinking cute!)

I add my spices, anything works, whatever floats your boat.
A spoonful or two of salsa is really yummy.

Once the beans start to warm up you and start smashing them. If you like them really chunky just use the back of your spoon.

I use a potato masher, it is quicker.

and if you like them really smooth, put them in your food processor
whatever you preference it

There you have it
Refried Beans

Typically I use my beans in two different ways,
I will make bean Quesadillas and Burritos.

My Burritos are really simple

Just plop a glob on a tortilla, sprinkle on some cheese…

…roll ’em up

pack them in a pan as tightly as possible
and smother them with cheese

Served with Salas and Sour Cream….
a family favorite.

Now tell me please, my bloggy friends, are you finding this series helpful? It is interesting to you? Would you like me to keep going…or should I move on to other things?

Brains, Blood and Hearing Voices

Posted on October 22, 2008 by Momzoo

Punk #4 is in that stage where kids say the funniest things. She is 4 and a half and is really trying to figure this world out

Good luck kid

Figuring the world out….

Anyway

Yesterday I was in the bathroom doing her hair for school. The girls tell me all sorts of things in the morning while I am combing and curling and fluffing their hair, I think it is because they know they have a captive audience. As I was putting an elaborate pony tail thingy in her hair she announces that she knows why Sarah (her older sister) had blood coming out of her foot (Sarah had a toe nail that got caught on something and started bleeding the day before.) Here is our conversation:

“Mama I knowed why Sawa had blood comin‘ outta her foot.”

“Why?”

“‘Cause she’d have too much blood in her foot and it leakeded out….knowed how I knowed ‘dat?”

“No, how?”

“Cause I berry smart, I hab a gweat big bwrain in my head….it knowed lots of stuff.”

Later that day she was throwing a major, major fit, and I trying to be a loving Christ-like mother said to her, very calmly: