Simple Artisan Bread

This is one of Natalie's favorite breads.  It isn't hard to make at all, just need to have your time planned.

Ingredients-

Bread flour - 425g (plus a little for dusting)

2 tsp Rapid Rise yeast 

2 tsp coarse salt

360 ml tap water

What to do-

• In a large un-greased mixing bowl, whisk the flour, yeast, and salt together. Pour in the cool water and gently mix together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The dough will seem dry and shaggy, but keep working it until all the flour is moistened. If needed, use your hands to work the dough ingredients together. The dough will be sticky. Shape into a ball in the bowl as best you can.

• Cover the bowl of dough tightly with plastic wrap and set on the counter at room temperature.  Allow to rise for 3 hours.  The dough will just about double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and have a lot of air bubbles.

• Lightly dust a large nonstick baking sheet with flour (or use parchment paper that can withstand high heat). Turn the cold dough out onto a floured work surface. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut dough in half. Some air bubbles will deflate as you work with it. Place dough halves on prepared baking sheet. Using floured hands, shape into 2 long loaves about 9×3 inches each (doesn’t have to be exact) about 3 inches apart. Loosely cover and allow to rest for 45 minutes. You will bake the dough on this prepared baking sheet. 

• During this 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C).

• When ready to bake, using a very sharp knife or bread lame, score the bread loaves with 3 slashes, about 1/2 inch deep. (“Score” = shallow cut.)

• For a slightly crispier crust: Add a cast iron skillet to the bottom of the oven as it preheats. Carefully and quickly pour 4 cups of boiling water into it. Place the scored dough/baking pan on a higher rack and quickly shut the oven, trapping the steam inside. The steam helps create a crispier crust.

• Place the shaped and scored dough in the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Gently tap the loaves– if they sound hollow, the bread is done.

• Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

This is an adaptation of an original recipe from allrecipes. It is hailed as my bride's favorite of all stews!

Ingredients-

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, mince (I use the jarred minced garlic)

1 lb of sweet potato, peeled & cubed

1 bell pepper, seeded and cubed (colored is best for presentation, but green will work too)

1 lb cooked chicken breast, cubed.  (left over chicken works well here, or a couple boneless breasts cubed and browned too.)

1 or 2 cans of diced tomatoes. ( I like two myself)

2 cups of water

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin ( I make it a heaping teaspoon)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cocoa powder, unsweetened of course

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp red pepper flakes (heaping again)

1½ Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp water

1 cup frozen corn

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I prefer the dark in this stew)

What to do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Stir in onion and garlic cooking until the onion has softened and becomes translucent (5 minutes or so).  Stir in sweet potato, bell pepper, chicken, tomatoes, and 2 cups of water.  Season with salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Dissolve the flour with the 2 Tbsps of water and stir into the boiling stew - mix well.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and allow to simmer until the potatoes are tender but not mush (10-20 minutes) Stir occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom.

2. Once the potatoes are tender, stir in corn and kidney beans.  Cook a few more minutes until heated completely.  

ENJOY!!

Cheese Pennies

 A wonderfully easy appetizer for parties or a light snack with drinks. 

Ingredients:

2 cups grated sharp cheddar (227g) (or other cheese such as pepper jack for added "BAM")

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ cups (180mg) of all-purpose flour

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp dry mustard

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

water as needed a little at a time

Directions:

1. In a medium-size mixing bowl or electric mixer, combine all ingredients to make a cohesive dough. Sprinkle in water as needed to make it all bind together. Once it comes together divide it into two balls.

2. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll each into a log about 1 inch in diameter.

3. Wrap each in wax paper and/or plastic wrap and place in the freezer for thirty minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 4ooF.

5. Removing one log at a time from the freezer, cut into ⅛ inch rounds. Arrange rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They don't spread much so half an inch spacing will be enough.

6. Bake pennies for 11-12 minutes until they start to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for several minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week - if they last that long....

**Recipe adapted from King Arthur Baking

Enjoy!

Nana's Raisin Bread

This is a family traditional Christmas-time recipe that just the smell of this bread baking stirs so many wonderful memories to fill my heart.  Great memories of sitting in the picture window of 34 Graystone Lane, Levittown, Pennsylvania as my Nana sliced and buttered raisin bread to eat with our hot tea.  Also the memories of my mother’s kitchen with her mother-in-law supervising the kneading and baking of the bread.  These two women were extreme influences of who I am today because of the love they showed me. (If it weren’t for that great love they’d killed me long ago!)  

This raisin bread recipe was always used at some point during the Christmas season.  My cousins in the north know this bread as "kern bread" shortened from "currant bread" that it was originally made with. We didn’t leave milk and cookies for Santa when I was growing up; we plated raisin bread with eggnog! Christmas breakfast almost always included sliced kern bread around the tree while opening gifts. 

The aroma this bread distributes while baking in the house is absolutely heavenly.  This bread recipe is an ALL-DAY work of love, maybe which is why it tastes so wonderful! 

The ingredients:

5lb bag all purpose flour

½ lb light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp for yeast mixture

1 Tbsp salt

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

1 heaping tsp allspice

1 heaping tsp ground cloves

½ cup of molasses

½ cup of milk

2 Tbs instant coffee

3 packs dry yeast (rapid rise)

1½ lbs raisins

3 eggs

4 cups water, divided  (1½ for yeast, 2½ for dough)

1 cup of Crisco shortening

The Directions:

1.     Soak raisins in a large bowl with hot tap water for 30 minutes then drain.

2.    In a small bowl put yeast a teaspoon of sugar and 1½ cup of water (check yeast instructions for water temp - usually 110-120) Let this sit for about five minutes.  It should begin foaming if the yeast is active.

3.    In large mixing bowl pour half of the flour, and mix in other dry ingredients making a hole in the middle of the flour.

4.    Add 2½ cups water, eggs, milk, shortening and yeast mixture.

 

5.    Add flour and raisins a little at a time. (an extra set of hands will reduce the mess) Mix by hand- squeezing, turning, folding, swirling - until it won’t stick to fingers.  At this point I move it to a lightly floured surface and continue to work the dough folding, and pushing away, then quarter turn and repeat until the dough is springy to touch. Form into a ball and place in a grease bowl

6.    Cover bowl and keep warm until doubles in size (about 2½ to 3 hours).  This seems a long rise for bread, but due to all the fruit, and other ingredients the yeast needs more time to work. I use my oven on PROOF setting, but sometimes use my laundry room when washing with hot water and drying towels. The small room stays warm.

7.   When the dough has doubled, punch it down in the bowl to flatten out the air.  Pour out onto a lightly floured surface.  It's important to NOT knead at this point, but to press the dough down. It's okay to fold it once or twice, and press down, not the kneading motion as earlier.  Now, cut into separate loaf sizes, then roll into loaves and place into greased and floured pans.

8.    Cover with plastic wrap (spray the bread side with non-stick spray) and let rise to double in size again. (about an hour)

9.    Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes.  Remove from pans and spread tops with Crisco or Margarine.  Make sure you have an oven thermometer to set or hang inside the oven.  (Every make and model heats differently and changes over time.  I have over cooked one batch due to the control setting and actual heat not matching by about 40 degrees!)

10. Allow to cool completely on wire racks before slicing.

    

Enjoy!

Raspberry Chiffon Pie

 Ingredients:

Crust- 

2 cups crushed ginger snaps (about 44 small snap cookies)

6 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temp 

¼ cup granulated sugar

Curd-

12oz fresh raspberries

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup orange juice

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks (save whites for meringue)

2 Tbsp water, hot tap

1 ½ tsp unflavored gelatin

Meringue-

¾ cup of granulated sugar

2 large egg whites (reserved from curd)

⅛ tsp regular salt

Topping-

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar 

Instructions:

Crust:

1. To make the crust: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, and butter.

2. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of 9" deep-dish pie pan.

3. To prebake the crust: Place it in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes, just until set and you smell the cookies toasting. Remove the crust from the oven, cool on a rack. (Or refrigerate overnight)

Curd:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar, juice. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring the berries to a simmer. Cook until all the berries have burst and softened.  Smashing/pressing as you stir; about 10 minutes total.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and pass the cooked raspberries through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or measuring cup. Be sure to press the solids to extract as much of the smooth sauce as possible; you should be left with about 1 ½ cups (400g to 425g) of sauce.

3. Stir the butter into the warm sauce until it’s melted completely.

4. Clean and dry the saucepan, then add the eggs and egg yolks to it. Slowly pour the cranberry sauce back into the saucepan with the eggs, whisking to incorporate.

5. Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook the curd, stirring constantly, until it’s thick enough that the lines made by your spoon or spatula as you stir take a second or two to disappear.

6. Remove the curd from the heat and pour it into a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup. If you see any small bits of cooked egg, pass the curd through a fine-mesh strainer to remove them.

7.  In a small bowl, combine the hot water and gelatin. Add a spoonful or two of the hot curd to the gelatin, stirring to incorporate, then stir the gelatin mixture back into the curd, mixing thoroughly. Set aside while you prepare the meringue.

8. Meringue: In a large heatproof bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together (briefly) the sugar, egg whites, and salt.

9. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (you should just barely see some lazy bubbles coming up) and whisk gently and continuously until the mixture reads 160°F to 165°F on a digital thermometer.

10. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat the meringue with a whisk or your stand mixer's whisk attachment until stiff.

11. Fold about a quarter of the meringue into the curd to lighten it, then fold the curd back into the meringue, mixing gently until no white streaks remain.

12. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and refrigerate the pie (covered with a cake cover or large overturned bowl) until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

13. Topping: Whip the cream and confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form.

14. Spread the whipped cream on top of the pie or serve it in a bowl alongside. Garnish with sugared raspberries

**A version from the King Arthur Baking Company

Zesty Peach BBQ Sauce

 

Zesty Peach BBQ Sauce

6 cups finely chopped peaches (pitted & peeled)

1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 cup finely chopped onion

3 Tbsp fresh minced garlic

1¼ cups honey

¾ cup of cider vinegar

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp salt

 

In a large stainless steel, heavy-bottomed saucepan/pot combine ALL ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil “gently” stirring often until mixture is thickened to the consistency of a thin commercial BBQ sauce. (about 25-30 minutes)

 

Ladle hot mixture into hot jars leaving ½ inch of headspace.  Place jars in a canner making sure they are covered with 1-2 inches of water.  Bring to a boil, then start a timer for 15 minutes. Remove jars to cool completely and seal.

 

*This is great with grilled chicken and pork loin

Chicken Noodle Soup

 Very few things warm the soul and the body like a bowl of chicken noodle soup on a cold winter's day, or when you're under the weather.  

Ingredients:

4 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs (patted dry)

1 onion, chopped

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

4 ribs of celery, sliced

2 qts chicken broth

2 cups water

2 Tbsp oil (canola or olive)

1/2 tsp thyme

3 bay leaves

1 clove garlic, minced

8oz (half a bag) of wide egg noodles

1 Tbsp parsley

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Over medium high heat, add oil to a Dutch oven, or heavy bottomed soup pot.  Then place the thighs skin side down in the oil.  Cook thighs until golden browned skin (3-5 minutes) and then flip for an additional two minutes.  Remove to a plate.  Discard the majority of the drippings reserving 2-3 tablespoons.

2.  Add onion to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, 25-30 minutes.

3.  Remove chicken to a plate or cutting board to cool.  Add noodles; covered, over low heat until noodles are tender, 20-22 minutes.

4.  When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones. Shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Return meat to stockpot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Adjust to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves.

Serve with some crusty bread and ENJOY!

Welsh Cakes

    As a child and on into adulthood, these simple, not very sweet, yet tasty treats were often in our home.  They were almost always in the cookie jar at Nana's when we went to visit too.  At home, my mom usually cooked them around Christmas to go to neighbors along with other treats such as, lemon bars, Michigan Rocks, peanut butter kiss cookies and raisin bread.  In my youthful days, I despised the welsh cakes with raisins!  I once thought they were chocolate chips in the cake, and it ruined those for me until well into adulthood.  I'm glad my mom taught me to make these before her stroke.  I can't make a batch without thinking of her now, and even as I prepare this post.  Miss you mom!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of shortening 
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1¾ cups granulated sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 egg, room temp and beaten with the milk below
• 1½ cup milk (room temp)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients with your hands as if making a pie crust.  Next add the beaten egg and milk combination.  Stir with a spoon, don't beat.  Once blended, drop from a teaspoon onto greased cookie sheets.

My cousin, Kathy Peter, recently taught me to try a few cookies as a trial run to make sure the oven temp is right.  If it's right, you will bake the batches for about 13-15 minutes.  Browned, crisp bottoms are what you're looking for.

** after I cook half the batch, I add raisins to the batter and fold in.  Cook the same, but the teaspoon drops are a little bigger for these.

Enjoy!

Ginger Snaps

Ginger Snaps

One of my dad's favorite cookies was a ginger snap.  Although it took me many years to appreciate the flavor of a good ginger snap, my eldest son had affinity to these baked goods at a very young age.  This recipe is one that my father would have enjoyed immensely.  

Ingredients:

• ⅔ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup molasses (No moles are harmed in the making of these cookies)
• 1 egg, room temp
• 2 tsp. fresh gingerroot, peeled, minced
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 3⅓ tsp ground ginger 
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream brown sugar with butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in molasses, egg and fresh ginger. 
2. In another bowl, combine flours, ground ginger, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves; gradually add to the creamed butter bowl and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle (1 to 1½ hours) 
3. Preheat oven to 350◦F.  In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Place dough balls 3in apart on parchment lined baking sheets
4. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes.  Cool for a couple of minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks to finish cooling.  Store in airtight containers.

Enjoy!

Welsh Tea Biscuits

 The tea wafers are perfect for a holiday confection, or an anytime treat!  

Welshies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 2 Tbsp cognac, brandy, or apple juice (I prefer Hennessey's cognac!)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 
• 1¼ cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2½ tsp ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ⅓ cup (approximately) sliced almonds (I just stick a two or three into the top of each cookie prior to baking)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven - 375*F.   In a medium bowl combine cognac (or choice of liquid) with raisins to soak for about ten minutes.  Stir every couple minutes to soak up the "juice".

2. In a medium bowl add dry ingredients of- flour, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cloves.  Stir to combine.

3. In a large bowl add 1 cup of sugar and butter.  Beat until light and fluffy, then beat in egg.  Gradually add the flour mixture a little at a time until well blended.  Stir/fold in fruit and cognac mixture with a spoon using a spoon - not the beaters! 

4. In a small bowl or saucer combine the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and teaspoon of cinnamon.  Shape teaspoonfuls of dough into 1 inch balls; roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture to coat.  Place balls on ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart.

5. Using a smooth bottomed glass dipped into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, press each ball to ¼ inch thickness.  Press almond slices into the flattened cookie dough. 

6. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely, then store in air tight containers.  These treats can be frozen for up to three months.

Enjoy!

Versatile Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup with turkey bacon

    This hearty soup is versatile.  For example, it is great served as a main dinner with some crusty bread, or it can be part of a soup & salad/sandwich offering.  You can also vary the ingredients.  This time I used turkey bacon, but next time I will be using a smoked turkey sausage sliced thin.  Instead of kale, substitute chopped spinach. Like most soups & stews, it's much better the next day!

Ingredients:

• Slices of turkey bacon, or thinly sliced smoked turkey sausage
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2-3 carrots, peeled, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp. cumin powder
• 3/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1lb bag of lentils, rinsed
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 quarts of chicken broth, or vegetable broth     (I used one of each)
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped (about 4 cups)
• salt & pepper to taste (a dash of red pepper flakes when serving is nice too

Directions:

In your soup pot or dutch oven, cook your bacon or sausage with a Tbsp of olive oil for a couple of minutes.  As it starts to brown, add remaining oil and onion, carrots, celery and salt & pepper.  Sauté over medium high heat for a 5-6 minutes to soften veggies.  Turn down heat if they start to brown to soon.  Next add the garlic, cumin, coriander and turmeric, cooking another 2-3 minutes stirring to blend.

Add lentils, tomatoes, broth and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.  Increase heat bringing soup to a boil.  

While soup is heating up, chop the kale and add to the pot. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30-40 minutes.

The soup is now ready to serve this way, but to make a thicker broth, I use an immersion blender for a few pulses in the pot and stir to mix.  If you don't have an immersion blender, remove a cup to cup and a half to a blender and puree.  return to the pot and stir.

* Not everyone in the house likes the same level of "heat".  I add a few shakes of red pepper flakes and a teaspoon of sour cream to my bowl.

Enjoy!

 

Nana's "Bott boi" or Pie in a Pot

Bott boi

    Growing up in South Carolina I didn't get to see my Nana in Pennsylvania very often.  When we did make the trip north it was always an exciting time as a young boy.  Shoot! It was even exciting when I took my own boys up to Pennsylvania when they were smaller.  One of the special parts was that Nana's house was usually the "hub" of family gatherings and that meant feeding large numbers.  Bott boi, a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe, was one of those crowd-pleasers that also went a long way to feeding large groups. It's basically a "pie in a pot" instead of a pot pie.     

    I can remember Nana giving my mother the 'recipe' and how-to's even though my mother was a great chicken pastry maker!  Bott boi -- chicken pastry....  two slightly different variations of the same meal.  The differences lie in some of the additional ingredients of bott boi.  Bott boi, can be made with ham, beef, lamb, turkey, chicken and usually contains potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions.  Chicken pastry is made with... well... chicken and pastry strips.

    This year is the first time I have attempted the recipe.  I have now made it twice in the last two months of 2020 - a year to remember, or forget!  I think it's one that I'll work to teach my daughter and daughter-in-laws if they wish to keep with some family tradition comfort food. 

"Noodle" Ingredients- (prepare noodles first so they can dry)

3.5 cups all purpose flour

3.5 Tbsp. shortening

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1.5 cups of water

Allow noodles to 'dry' for at least an hour

Mix together flour, salt and shortening as preparing a pie crust - (little crumbles)

Beat egg and mix with water

Add liquid to dry ingredients a little at a time and keep mixing.

Separate into three portions, and on a floured board or surface roll out to 1/4 inch thickness (think Kraft singles) then cut into squares.  Use wax paper or floured cloth to allow these to 'season' (dry)

Pot Ingredients-

2 split chicken breasts (skin and bone)

4 thighs (skin and bone)

*** (I used a small fryer whole)

1 onion, peeled, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 yellow potatoes, peeled and sliced

salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot place chicken parts, onion, celery and carrots, add water to cover.  Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce and allow to simmer about 30 to 45 minutes.  

Remove chicken from the skin and bones. Cut up chicken and return to broth. Discard skin bones.

Alternately add potato slices and 'noodles'.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Cover tightly and cook at moderate boil until potatoes are tender and noodles are fluffy.  Add parsley flakes, give it a stir and serve!

Remember, make plenty because stews and soups are ALWAYS better the next day.

Enjoy!

Leftover Chicken Chili

Last night I baked an extra bone-in chicken breast for our supper - intentionally for leftovers.  There are so many versatile uses for leftover chicken that I usually try to cook an extra bone-in breast when I can. (e.g. casseroles, salad, chicken salad sandwiches, soups, and stews)

I used my extra chicken tonight for a simple version of partially homemade chili.  I know you're thinking "partially homemade?".  Many of the ingredients are canned, jarred, or previously prepared, so it's not a homemade dish, but it's good for cleaning out some of the pantry items!

Ingredients (for tonight anyway...)

2 cans of navy beans (drain & rinse)
2 jars of picante sauce (medium, mild or mixed)
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (peeled & chopped)
2 jalapenos (seeded, chopped)
1 can of chicken broth
Salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste
Shredded cheese, chopped green onions for topping

Directions- 

Heat a heavy bottom pot, or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil, onions, and jalapeno and saute until softened. (4-5 minutes)

Next, add all other ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring often.

Serve with toppings and tortilla chips or corn bread.

Enjoy!

Black Bean and Turkey Sausage Stew

A wonderfully delicious and easy low calorie stew that simmers in a crock-pot throughout the day.  It also makes the house smell delightful.  This base for this recipe an old magazine for Crock-Pot recipes. 

Ingredients-

3 cans black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 onion(chopped)
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
¼ cup frozen corn
2 jalapeno, finely diced
1½ cups chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tsp dried oregano
1½ tsp cumin (or more to taste)
¼ tsp red pepper
6oz cooked turkey sausage, thinly sliced

Directions-

First, spray the inside of your crock with a non-stick spray.  Next, combine all ingredients except for the sausage in the crock-pot. Give it all a good stir, then cover.  Cook on low for 7 hours. 

Finally, add the sausage and allow to cook for another 25 to 30 minutes.  Serve with toppings of your choice: sour cream, green onions, shredded cheese, or all of the above.