"Spanish" Green Beans

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks!. Entertaining directions at the link.

Pioneer Woman recommends her recipe as a Thanksgiving side dish.  It can be prepared in advance and holds for hours in a slow-cooker or electric skillet.  Recipes to serve 10 and to serve a crowd of 20 (more at a buffet) are below. Leftovers are good, too.
 
This dish would also be good served in individual bowls for a light supper (or breakfast or brunch) with a nice roll or some toast. Reminds me of Grandma's farm breakfast of stewed tomatoes and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Or serve over a little brown rice, over drained and heated canned corn or with some good tortillas.

Recipe for 10 servings (as a side dish)

I prefer slightly-sweet stewed tomatoes for this dish, especially if you're a little short on time to cook the beans after adding the tomatoes. This dish tastes best if simmered for at least 45 minutes.

Ingredients
5 slices bacon (or 1/3 to 1/2 pound)
1 medium onion, diced
4 cans (14.5 oz. ) whole or cut green beans (or 1 1/2 to 2 Pounds fresh or frozen)
2 cans (14.5 oz.) stewed, whole or diced tomatoes (or one 28 oz. can)
Cayenne pepper to taste (Up to 1/8 teaspoon, or 1/4 teaspoon of regular red pepper)

Preparation
Slice the bacon into pieces  one inch wide or less and start cooking them in a deep skillet or Dutch oven. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until bacon startes to turn brown, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, dice the onion. When the bacon is beginning to brown, drain off most of the fat and then add the onions. Cook, stirring now and then, until bacon and onions are both turning a nice  color, but do not cook until bacon is crisp.

Add the two cans of tomatoes with their juice.  Stir, loosening browned bits from the bottom of the pan and breaking up the tomatoes a little if you wish. Drain the green beans and add them to the pan.  Stir gently.   If you add the cayenne pepper to the pan with the bacon and the onions now, the heat may increase as the dish cooks.  You can also add the pepper just before serving, when it will be easier to adjust the flavor to your preference.

 If you wish to take this dish to a potluck, you can heat it through at this point, then transfer it to a 3 to 4 quart slow cooker to finish cooking.  Or if you are starting several hours in advance, combine the onions, bacon and tomatoes with the drained, unheated beans in the slow cooker and stir gently).  Start cooking on "high" heat then turn to the low or warm setting when you think the dish has cooked long enough. 

If not transferring to a slow cooker, cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Recipe for a Crowd 

Your chance to use a restaurant-size can of green beans.  This double recipe serves about 20, more at a buffet or potluck, where you might want to serve this dish with a slotted spoon.  Save the soupy part in the bottom of the pot or skillet to eat later with crackers, toast or a grilled cheese sandwich.

Ingredients
10 slices bacon (I sometimes use a 12-ounce package)
1 very large onion or two medium onions, diced
1 food service-size can (6 lb. 5 oz. ) whole or cut green beans OR two 50-ounce cans, PLUS one 14.5 oz. can.
2 large cans (28 oz.) whole, stewed or diced tomatoes (or four 14.5 oz. cans)
Cayenne pepper to taste (up to 1/4 teaspoon or up to 1/2 teaspoon regular red pepper)

Prepare as above, in a large electric skillet, Dutch oven or kettle with a heavy bottom. For a potluck or buffet, a 6 to 8 quart capacity slow-cooker or large, deep electric skillet is easy to transport.

Some Other Ideas
For a meatless dish, consider the following:

1. Increase the amount of chile. Brown the onions slowly in a little oil.

2, Substitute 1/4 teaspoon (or more) of whole celery seed for the cayenne and add two medium diced potatoes and some fresh-ground black pepper with the tomatoes after browning the onions slowly in a little oil. The Crab Cooker's wonderful red clam chowder - a Newport Beach tradition - contains a LOT of celery seed.  Well, green beans and clams are not exactly interchangeable, but there is some similarity in the flavor of the finished products.

Family Green Bean Gardening Traditions and Preferences

David called this dish "Okie beans" at a branch party, but I think of "Okie beans" as big, fresh green beans - "beany" ones like the ones his mother prefers - cooked for a long time with onion and some ham or bacon. She likes varieties like Kentucky Wonder and Pinto (picked as green beans, with seeds developed), but both have strings. Contender is her choice for a stringless, "beany" bean, but it will get fibrous in cool fall weather. It's for spring planting. The Blue Lake-type beans you find in cans are the kind David's Mom calls, "just green, not beans", along with filet beans and other delicate types. The kind my Mom likes. Fortex is her favorite. Great choice. David's mom and my mom both like Romano-type beans, too. But my mom picks them when they're still young, before the seeds develop.

Even though this recipe, as written, is made with beans that taste more "green" than "beany", Pioneer Woman does live in Oklahoma. So David isn't too far off in calling this dish "Okie beans", even when it's made with skinny, city-slicker beans. I expect that David's mom could make this dish wonderful with fresh Kentucky Wonders or her home-canned "beany" beans, too.  Wouldn't work as well with Mom's ultra-tender baby beans.

You could also use flat Italian green beans, using one or more cans of Italian-style stewed tomatoes in place of regular stewed tomatoes.  Don't over-do the Italian seasoning.  You might want to use black pepper rather than cayenne for an Italian variation.

Allergy information: Tomato sauce and some canned tomatoes may contain corn products. Check the label. Some bacon contains corn products. Some people get headaches from cured meats.

Stocking up: You can keep the beans, tomatoes and cayenne pepper for this recipe on hand all the time. In a pinch, you can leave out the bacon.  Use dried, minced onion if you don't have fresh onions (don't try to saute them), and a touch of vegetable oil.

Fluffy Rice

Adapted from The Best Recipe.

This recipe is for fluffy, separate white rice - not for rice to be eaten with chopsticks. You may also cook long-grain rice in a rice-cooker without oil for a more delicate flavor. This recipe uses techniques for preparing rice pilaf.

1 cup rice
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, unsalted butter or a combination
1 1/2 cups water (proportionately less water for more rice: 2 3/4 cups water for 2 cups rice, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Place oil in a heavy-bottomed 2 to 2 1/2 quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and heat over medium heat. Add rice and saute for one to three minutes, depending on the amount of nutty flavor you want. I go for one minute unless preparing a pilaf-like dish.

Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Swirl pan to distribute rice evenly. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to sit for an additional 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

How I do it: I usually add a little more water than called for in the recipe above, and cook for 18 minutes before allowing the rice to sit for the additional 15 minutes to finish cooking. For example, for 4 cups dry rice, I have used almost 3 Tablespoons oil, 6 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt, cooking in a kettle for 18 minutes after bringing to a boil, then allowing to continue cooking after turning off the heat. On my stove, the heat setting must be a notch above "low" in order for the rice to cook completely.

You may also need more water than the recipe above specifies if the lid to your pan does not fit tightly. You may need both a longer cooking time and more water if preparing rice at high altitude. If you are planning to serve rice for a crowd, do a trial run in advance to be sure that your rice will be thoroughly cooked at the heat setting and in the pan you choose. Rice cookers give reliable results as long as you are at a relatively low altitude.

Old-Fashioned Coleslaw with Celery Seed Dressing

An old-fashioned coleslaw dressed with oil and vinegar. Good for buffets or potlucks, as it can be served at room temperature. Adapted from an old Betty Crocker cookbook. Makes 6 servings.

The recipe may be easily multiplied for large groups, but you would really want a food processor to shred or chop your cabbage.

Allergy Information: Some people are allergic to celery. Contains no corn, wheat, milk, soy or egg.

1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. celery seed*
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup chopped green pepper or Ancho or Pasilla chiles (optional)
1 Tablespoon chopped pimento or red bell pepper (optional)
2 Tablespoons minced scallions or 1 tsp. instant minced onion
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup cider or white vinegar
4 cups finely shredded or chopped cabbage.

Mix dry seasonings and sugar in the bottom of a large bowl. Add other ingerdients in order listed, mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Drain just before serving. Garnish with watercress if desired.

You may also mix the seasonings, sugar, onion, oil and vinegar together and allow flavors to blend before adding to cabbage and other vegetables. This is a good option if you wish to make less salad at one time or if your electricity is out and you cannot refrigerate the salad to blend the flavors. Most of the ingredients, other than the cabbage, can be kept in the pantry for emergencies. Cabbage keeps in a cool place longer than most vegetables.

* If whole celery seed is a little too strong for you or if you're short on time to blend the flavors of the salad, substitute 1 1/4 teaspoons celery salt for salt and celery seed.

Food Safety and Storage Life

Answer to questions on shelf life of foods, proper storage conditions and food safety here.

Rice Pilaf for a Crowd (corn-free)

Whether or not you are allergic to corn, this original Near East rice pilaf is a good choice for feeding a crowd. While it is one of the few prepared foods that doesn't contain corn products, it does contain wheat (pasta).

People love it - even KIDS. They served it for breakfast at our stake's girl's camp one year. But get the restaurant-size box from Smart & Final, Sam's Club or Costco. Makes 18 one-cup servings. The small boxes are much more expensive per serving.

Uses a cube (1/2 cup) of butter (more than a teaspoon per serving). That's one thing that makes it good. Add one large or two small grated carrots, some finely diced scallion tops and/or parsley partway through cooking if you want to add some color. Throw on top of rice mixture and stir in when fluffing rice after cooking. Some diced fresh or dried bell pepper will give a different flavor - nice with diced chicken or ham added.

To enhance the flavor further, brown the butter slightly in your heavy kettle before adding the water. To use oil instead of butter, consider caramelizing a big diced onion in the oil or in a mixture of oil and butter. Or sautee some mushrooms in part of the oil. Veggies should be added on top of the rice while cooking. Or lightly mix some diced, cooked meat into the prepared pilaf for a main dish, maybe with some cooked, frozen peas.

To make a substitute for HOLIDAY DRESSING, saute 2 or 3 big diced onions in oil or oil and butter until translucent, adding a generous amount of diced celery part way through cooking. Add minced celery leaves, parsley and a little minced fresh sage, dried sage or poultry seasoning. Season with fresh-ground black pepper. Use chicken or vegetable broth in place of part of the water (watch that you don't get your mixture too salty - the pilaf mix contains plenty of salt). Some of the new boxed "natural" brands of broth contain no corn products and come in reduced-sodium versions. Pile veggies on top of rice while cooking so they don't burn, like they might if they touched the bottom of the pan.

If you're serving more than 18 people, you can stretch the mix by adding 2 cups of "converted" (parboiled) rice. Add an extra 4 cups water and celery salt/salt to taste or add 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth. Add converted rice to the boiling water/broth when you add the contents of the box. Or, cook brown rice separately according to package directions (it takes longer than white rice) and mix in when you fluff the pilaf. Add some veggies or caramelized onion as above.

For a FRIED RICE facsimile for a crowd, add 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce OR 1/3 cup shredded, peeled minced fresh ginger to water for the pilaf. Omit butter and add 1/4 cup oil. Stir-fry vegetables such as diced onion, carrot, celery, squash mushrooms, julienne water chestnuts or jicama and frozen peas in 1/4 cup oil. Add diced cooked chicken or ham if desired. When rice is cooked, lightly mix in stir-fried veggies and meat plus two or three bunches of finely sliced raw scallions and, if desired, egg scrambled, seasoned and cooked in a thin layer, then shredded. To stretch recipe, add parboiled or brown rice as above, using part soy sauce or chicken broth in place of part of the added water.

"Boiled" ham - better than it sounds

Mom introduced me to the idea of boiled ham, which she prepared for some holiday (I don't remember which).  Over the years, I've decided that for busy holidays and for potlucks or buffets, "boiled" (actually, gently simmered) ham makes a lot of sense. It frees up the oven for other foods, and the ham is a little less salty than a baked ham.  You run less risk of over-cooking or of scorching a glazed ham in the holiday rush.

A "boiled" ham generally doesn't look as impressive as a baked ham. If you're a fan of glazed ham, try turning your favorite glaze ingredients into a sauce and serve it alongside the ham to partially compensate for the missing sight of a gloriously glazed ham. Then people who want their ham "straight" have a choice. And the leftovers are useful in more ways. You might even throw caution to the wind and offer two different sauces or condiments.

You could hardly pick an easier choice for a buffet or potluck. You can start a slow cooker on high heat and turn to low heat after the ham has heated through, or cook overnight on low heat.  For holidays, you can even cook your ham in a slow-cooker a room other than the kitchen if you need to. Same with one of those large electric roasters that go on sale just before Thanksgiving.

Types of ham to choose:  Spiral-sliced ham DOES NOT work out well when simmered like this. Though I prefer natural, bone-in hams, I have had good luck doing inexpensive (but not the very cheapest) formed hams in an oval slow-cooker.  All the hams I have prepared this way have been pre-cooked.  For saltier "country" hams, typical directions call for covering the ham with water in a pot just larger than the ham, simmering for several hours then turning off the heat and leaving the ham in the liquid.  Look up the full directions before doing a country ham.

Directions:  To simmer a bone-in ham on top of the stove, choose a shank or butt portion which fits into a heavy-bottomed kettle which you already have. You can cut off a piece and place it to the side if the ham is too wide, but it's difficult to accomodate a shank bone which is too tall for your pot. Place cut-side down in about 1/2  inch to an inch of water and simmer gently for several hours. Check and replenish water occasionally. The key to a tasty, tender result is to cook it slowly for a long time, but not to use too much water.  About 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of the pan is usually about right to start.  The ham may release more liquid as it cooks.

I've done small formed hams in a 3-quart slow cooker in half an inch of water, and a small butt portion of a natural ham in an oval 6-quart slow cooker. The natural hams I've cooked this way have been wonderful, and the formed hams have been better than baked formed hams.   Always turn off the heat completely at least half an hour before serving.

I have simmered a 22 pound pre-cooked natural whole ham in an 18-quart electric roaster for 6 hours at 265 degrees, leaving the ham in the roaster with heat turned off for an additional hour and a half. I added just a pint of water.  But remember Mark Twain's definition of eternity as "two people and a ham" and plan your quantities accordingly.

If you let the ham it cook too long, it can get TOO tender, so be prepared to turn the slow cooker or roaster to "warm" after several hours, say, if you cooked it overnight and you're serving it at noon. If you let the ham boil or simmer too long, it could become a little stringy.  It is particularly important in this case to let the ham "rest" in the pot with the heat turned off before trying to slice it.  A too-tender ham is better sliced warm than hot.

Save the liquid and leftovers for bean, lentil or potato and ham soup and other dishes.

Migraine and allergy information: Many migraineurs are sensitive to cured meats, which often contain vasoactive compounds. Don't overdo it with ham even if you've never noticed a problem before. Some people get migraines from all pork, especially when eaten more than once within a few days. Many hams contain corn sweeteners. Check the label.

Stocking up: Hams keep quite well in the refrigerator and can be left out in a cool location for a little while during winter. Fully cooked hams can be served without cooking if the power goes out. Though you might think that hams would keep practically forever in the freezer, long freezer storage is not recommended by sources I have read. They may lose quality in the freezer faster than some fresh meats (not that the ham would become unsafe). Check recent recommendations from authoritative sources.

Blackeyed Pea Confetti Salad (and variations)

Above:  Confetti Salad and "In the Pink" variation

Happy New Year!

Blackeyed Pea Confetti Salad
Amounts of ingredients can be varied to taste.
The honey in this recipe seems to go especially well with blackeyed peas and mild chiles.  Feel free to use sugar instead if you're in a hurry. 

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt with regular salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup salad oil or olive oil
1/4 cup honey

1/4 to 1/3 cup diced onion or scallions, or up to 3/4 cup diced sweet red or white onion
1 pound frozen blackeyed peas, cooked until firm but tender (about 3 cups)
  (or substitute canned blackeyed peas - up to two 15 oz. cans, drained)
about 1/3 to 1/2 cup diced red and/or yellow bell pepper, diced
about 1/3 to 1/2 cup diced Pasilla chile (or Ancho, Poblano, Mulato Isleno, Anaheim
   or other mild green to brown/black chile)

Combine vinegar, seasonings, oil and honey (measure honey in the same cup as the oil). Add onion and allow to sit while cooking blackeyed peas according to package directions - but just until you can mash a pea easily against a spoon with your finger - as little as 5 minutes after bringing to a boil. Watch carefully that you don't cook them too long or they will be mushy. Drain and rinse to cool peas to lukewarm.

Remove seeds and membranes from chile and taste to be sure it isn't too hot for the people who will be eating it. Vary the amount of chile depending on spiciness. Pasillas or Anchos are normally quite sweet with a fruity taste and just a little heat. You can substitute green bell pepper if necessary.

Mix all ingredients. Allow to sit for two hours at room temperature to blend flavors, or refrigerate overnight, stirring a couple of times. Serve over salad greens or steamed vegetables. If you really want to impress people, try using a good raw apple cider vinegar from a natural food store.

Update 2011 New Years Day - Canned garbanzo recipe:  I couldn't find frozen blackeyed peas this year.  I made half a recipe with a can of organic (no sulfite) garbanzo beans and all Ancho peppers.  Traded confetti appearance from red bell pepper for more picante zing.  The garbanzos were quite crunchy.  The Ancho peppers were a little hotter than expected.  I served the salad over greens with shoestring beets and black olives.

Leftovers:  Added a can of green beans and a little more onion and chile to the leftover marinade with remaining garbanzos - a remembrance of "three bean salad" for tomorrow.

Variation:  In-the-Pink Salad
This is a good recipe to make if the power is out, as it requires no cooking or refrigeration.
Add some diced celery before serving if you want more crunch. Serve over greens. A good way to shake off holiday sleepiness, but this salad is good all year.  Try black beans and shoestring beets at Halloween for a spooky-looking salad

1/2 cup distilled white or apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt with regular salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
Up to 1/4 cup sugar (beets add some sweetness)
1/2 cup liquid drained from beets (below).  See notes.  

1/4 to 1/3 cup diced onion or scallions, or up to 3/4 cup diced sweet red or white onion
Two to 4 cups cooked light-colored beans  - up to two 15-oz cans, rinsed and drained.
     (Lima, Peruano or Pinto for soft texture, Cannellini or garbanzos for firmer texture)

About 1/3 to 2/3 cup diced Pasilla, Ancho, Poblano, Mulato Isleno, Anaheim
   or other mild green to brown/black chile.  Or use green bell pepper.  Or omit peppers.
One 15-oz can sliced or shoestring beets, drained.  Cut sliced beets in quarters or sixths. 

2 Tablespoons to 1/4 cup salad oil or olive oil

Combine marinade ingredients.  Add onions (allow to soak for a while if onions are strong) then the beans, chiles and beets.  You can cover and refrigerate at this point.

When ready to serve salad, remove from the marinade to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon and toss with a little oil.   If you are not refrigerating the salad, waiting until serving time to add the oil is a good idea for food safety. 

NOTES:  To serve after just 2 or 3 hours, leave out the beet juice and leave salad on the counter.  Stir occasionally.  Use liquid from canned beets to increase volume of marinade if you want to leave the salad in the refrigerator for several hours unattended.   Marinate should almost cover bean mixture.  You can add more marinate ingredients proportionally if you need more marinade.   

Stocking up: If the power is out, this salad can be made without cooking if you use canned beans in either of the salads above. The salads will keep for a few hours without refrigeration and it tastes good at room temperature. Don't push the unrefrigerated storage time too long in hot weather.

Vinegar, honey and oil are standard storage items. In place of frozen blackeyed peas, you can use 3 or 4 cups of firm, canned or cooked dried blackeyed peas, small white beans or pink beans - or whatever beans you have. You may not need added salt in the salad. Drain well any beans you use. Rinse canned beans.

If you make the salad with regular beans and bell peppers instead of chiles, try using a tablespoon or two of sugar in place of the honey and adding some Italian seasoning. You can mix green or wax beans with cooked or canned dried beans for a multi-bean salad. In a pinch, dried onions and bell pepper flakes or dried, flaked or powdered hot red pepper can be used instead of the fresh ingredients, though they won't taste the same. Serve this salad with a grain product for a complete protein, or add some drained, canned hominy.

Background: In much of the South and among the Okies of California, it's traditional to eat blackeyed peas (usually as Hoppin' John, -- or at least with ham) on New Years Day, as a good-luck dish. The peas are supposed to resemble coins. I think the original European tradition called for the eating of lentils, which actually do resemble coins a little. I don't place much stock in the power of legumes to help me make money in the coming year. But you could eat worse things than blackeyed peas or lentil soup on New Years Day.

This is a takeoff on three-bean salad. It looks sort of like confetti, making it appropriate for a New Years celebration, and has a little zing and a little sweetness as a way to start off the New Year. Try it with garbanzos, limas or butterbeans, too.   Or maybe light-colored lentils (slightly sprouted or not, cooked until tender but still firm).  Blackeyed Peas, small white beans or lentils would give the most confetti-like appearance to the salad for New Years Day.

Food Sensitivities, Migraine: Blackeyed peas are not really my thing, though David's family is attached to them. The whole cowpea family is a problem for me, especially if I eat the pods. If I eat too many of them, I get a migraine. Same with some other legumes (especially if eaten two days in a row). Migraineurs are warned to watch their reactions to snow peas and Italian beans, but not regular garden (English) peas or green beans. I say, watch your own personal reactions. Somehow, I am OK with a small serving of this salad.