Red Beans & Rice
Use a Crock Pot
Low 10 hours -or- High 8 hours
1 16-oz. bag dried Small Red Beans or Kidney Beans
2 16-oz Tomato Sauce
1 16-oz Whole Tomatoes (I use diced, if you like it spicier use the Mexi-Tomatoes)
1-2 cans low sodium Beef Broth (Make this cheaper by using Water & Beef Bullion)
1 Ham Hock or Ham Bone
1 C Diced Ham
1 Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
2 stalks Celery, chopped
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
Soak beans overnight and then rinse thoroughly and drain. Add to Crock Pot. Add all ingredients (except Bell Pepper and Celery -- I even add these). Add seasonings to taste. If you want a spicy batch add extra Cumin and Chili Powder. In the last hour add Bell Pepper and Celery. Serve in bowls over cooked White or Brown Rice. Great with Cornbread!
It's Walnut Harvest time, and believe me, I sure was glad I that had started this in my crockpot this morning! You see, I got a call from my husband at 1 pm, requesting that the boys head over to the Orchard just as soon as they could after school, as he needed them to help pick sticks out of the windrows before the nuts could be picked up with the harvester. So I made a quick call to the school, requesting that their homework be completed in the free period before PE (not often that the boys get the Principal popping in to tell them that Mom called, wanting them to be prepared to go straight to work!). 2:30 came, I picked up the children and we ran home, grabbed a snack and changed clothes, then off to the Orchard. I ran back home, started the Brown Rice, mixed up and baked the Cornbread, grabbed the left-over Melon from the night before and the girls and I were back in the van and off to the Field with supper. I tell ya, I'm sure loving that Crockpot of mine! What a time-saver! Here are a few snapshots from the Field and Dinner.
My hard-working Husband!
Nice, neat Windrows
Dinner's Over! Back to Work!
What is your busiest season, and how do you prepare for it, meal-wise?
Darling kids!!
ReplyDeleteWheat harvest in June is definietly our busiest season. Sometimes I prepare food ahead and have it in the freezer, sometimes I use my crockpot, sometimes I just sorta wing it! Eating supper in the field is fun, although it can be exhausting hauling everything back and forth!
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