Easy Meals - Spicy Pinto Bean, Corn and Ham Soup

Crock Pots, slow cookers and even cast iron Dutch ovens work for making soups or stews.
When I was growing up, we just had a big old enameled pot that held lots of soup, beans or even ‘macaroni’.  We had macaroni noodles with tomatoes and sometimes beef stew meat.  That was one dish, I really liked then.  I will probably never make it now.  I remember when one of my sisters couldn’t say ‘macaroni’ and would call it ‘wackawoni’.


Although I try to cook for two, I always make a full crock pot of brown beans when I make them.  It is so much easier to freeze and thaw than to cook them when you want them.  When I had beans at home, most of the time they were great northern  with ’fat back’ or ‘salt pork’.  Most of the time there is no meat in my beans.  If I have pork shank or ham, I add a small amount. Only when I really am making bean  and ham soup, do I add  meat other than for seasoning.

I made this recipe by accident about two years ago.  One of my sisters came by and I looked in the fridge to figure out what to fix for lunch.  I had about a half-cup of beans  and half-cup of corn.  I put them in a small pot, dropped a small amount of ketchup and some cubed ham.  That was the quickest lunch I had made, so it became a keeper.

Normally, I add diced chili peppers, but this time decided to use salsa which is milder.

Spicy Pinto Bean, Corn and Ham Soup


Ingredients

3 cups pinto beans, cooked, seasoned, including any juice
2 cups ham, cooked, cubed
1 12-oz bag  frozen corn
1 15-oz can  diced tomatoes
1/2 cup medium heat red salsa
1 tsp ginger, ground
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely ground (used Gourmet fresh ginger in a tube)
1/2 cup water (if beans have no juice)

Procedure

Place beans in a large crock pot.

Add ham, juice from tomatoes.

Puree the tomatoes in a food processor until chopped. Add tomatoes to crockpot.

Microwave corn according to package and add to crockpot.

Add salsa to crockpot.

Stir to mix. Set crock pot to low.

Allow to cook 2 hours, occasionally stirring..

Serve hot

with a corn muffin



Servings: 6
Yield: makes 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 267 calories, 3.6g total fat, 1.4g monounsaturated fat, <1g polyunsaturated fat, 1g saturated fat, 25.7mg cholesterol, 39.3g carbohydrates, 10.9g fiber, 28.4g net carbohydrates, 5.9g sugar, 13g starch, <1g fructose, <1g galactose, <1g glucose, 1.5g sucrose, <1g maltose, 1077.7mg sodium, 644.9mg potassium, 21.7g protein, 47mg calcium, 201.1IU vitamin a, <1mg vitamin b6, <1mcg vitamin b12, 9.6mg vitamin c, 0IU vitamin d, 1mg vitamin e, 3.2mcg vitamin k, 3.1mg iron, 1.6g lysine, 17.7mcg selenium, <1mg thiamin, 2.3mg zinc, 0mg caffeine.

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Pinto Beans

Cold Weather equals Brown Beans with Cubed Ham AND Corn Muffins -Gluten-Free Option

As soon as it begins to get cold,  I begin thinking about how long before Spring. Actually December and January tend to be the coldest months.  Or maybe by February, it just doesn’t seem so cold

Remember that song intro “I’m a little bit country…”.  Well, I am cooking Country!


It took me a while to create a really good gluten-free corn muffin.  Now, I modify by what extra ingredients I want to add. This version comes out very light and fluffy, almost like a cake muffin. I posted my first version on Better Recipes: Gluten Free Corn Muffins. I have a holiday themed corn muffin: Holiday Corn Muffins GF and a spicy corn muffin: Spicy Salsa Corn Muffins.  The Spicy corn muffins can use red or green salsa.  I have used Cilantro and regular red in the mild to medium range.

Corn muffins and a pot of brown beans go hand in hand for weekend dinner.  It can be hard for  “empty nesters” to cook a small amount of beans, so most often too much gets cooked. 

Canned beans are great in a pinch, but that pot of real cooked beans has the best taste.  I always cook more than can be eaten in a few meals, so some gets frozen for later.  It is nice to then have a meal simply by either microwaving or heating on low about 30 minutes on the stove top.

Beans  and corn muffins provides a complete protein.

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Gluten-Free Corn Muffins II

Ingredients

1/2 cup stone ground yellow corn meal

1/2 cup fine corn flour (or Maseca)

1/3 cup 0% fat Greek Yogurt (used FAGE)

1/4 cup fine non-fat dry milk

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

2 Tbsp oil

1/3 cup water or more as needed

Procedure

Mix all ingredients thoroughly with a wire whisk or hand mixer.  If batter is too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.  If too loose, add another tablespoon of Maseca.

Spray a 6 cup muffin pan with an oil spray

Divide batter among the 6 cups

Bake at 350 F oven until browned around the edges and top begins to brown (about 30 minutes).

Servings: 6

Yield: Makes 6 full-sized corn muffins

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 148 calories, 6.1g total fat, 3.8g monounsaturated fat, <1g polyunsaturated fat, 1g saturated fat, 36.3mg cholesterol, 18.4g carbohydrates, <1g fiber, 17.7g net carbohydrates, 3.2g sugar, <1g fructose, <1g galactose, <1g glucose, <1g sucrose, <1g maltose, 205.1mg sodium, 158.6mg potassium, 5.7g protein, 138.2mg calcium, 191.6IU vitamin a, <1mg vitamin b6, <1mcg vitamin b12, <1mg vitamin c, 2.9IU vitamin d, <1mg vitamin e, 2.8mcg vitamin k, 1.3mg iron, <1g lysine, 5.6mcg selenium, <1mg thiamin, <1mg zinc.

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a best guestimate recipe  --- a general listing of ingredients

Large Crockpot (slow cooker)

4 cups brown beans washed picked and soaked for 2 hours.

Spices

2 tbsp dehydrated onion

1 tbsp Dehydrated herb & Garlic mix

2 tbsp Turbinado (raw) sugar

1 tbsp ginger - a must for no toot beans

2 tbsp Cajun spice (low-sodium)

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp red pepper sauce (used Trappey’s)

2 cups cooked ham, cubed or cut into bite sized pieces

Place beans and spices in the Crockpot, covered with 4 cups hot water.

Cook beans on high for 1 hour, reduce  to low for 1 hour.  Check for seasoning and doneness.  If beans are tender, add 1 cup ketchup and 1 cup hot water, warmed ham cubes and additional seasonings to taste.. Stir to mix all ingredients.

Keep setting on low for another hour or additional time before ready to eat.

Serve up in bowls with corn muffins.  Serve corn muffin on side or on top of beans

This makes  8 to 10 large servings

 

Yellow Cake with Bean Fudge Frosting

I have developed a habit using beans in dishes other than soups or entrees. Beans are very versatile for making desserts. I have made a few brownies, corn muffins and now a cake with chocolate bean frosting.

Yellow Cake with Bean Fudge Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 box Jell-O Instant Vanilla Pudding and Pie Mix
1 tsp Authentic Foods vanilla powder ( I do not recommend extract)
1 stick (8 tbsp) butter
3 eggs
2/3 cups water + 1 tbsp
Bean Fudge Frosting - courtesy of the Idaho Bean Commission (Idaho Bean Fudge)
1/2 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 Tbs Vanilla Extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
Procedures
Cake

1. Combine all cake ingredients and stir to mix. Beat for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl to include all batter.

2. Pour 1/2 of batter into an 8 - 9 inch Oil (Pam)sprayed shiny pan. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.
3. Bake for 28 minutes in a 350 F oven (2nd rack from bottom), rotating pans after 10 minutes. Move pans up to next rack (2nd from top) after edges are browned. This is assuming that your oven has five rack positions. Remove from oven when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or if top is pressed and it springs back.
4. Place one layer on a serving plate. Place the other top down on parchment paper or a wire rack. Allow to cool about 1 hour on counter top.

Bean Fudge Frosting

1. While cake is cooling, puree beans with butter in a food processor until smooth; transfer to a bowl.
2. Add cocoa, cayenne pepper, powdered sugar and vanilla; beat 3 minutes until thoroughly mixed. Stir in nuts. If it will not be used within 1 hour, keep in refrigerator.

3. Cool cake layers until barely warm (about 1 hour). Spread 1/3 of frosting over the top of the bottom layer.

Place the next cake layer over the frosted layer and press down to secure it. Spread the remainder of the frosting over the top of cake.
4. Optionally spread it around the sides, if desired. Sprinkle with Chocolate sprinkles.
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Servings: 12
Yield: 1 2- layer cake
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/12 of a recipe
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.
Amount per Serving
Calories 330.42
Total Fat 17.87g
Saturated Fat 9.12g
Cholesterol 86.75mg
Sodium 133.81mg
Potassium 142.57mg
Total Carbohydrates 40.66g
Fiber 2.36g
Sugar 18.81g
Protein 4.87g