Card #53

Boston Black Bean Soup

2 15-ounce (425 g) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups (1 L) chicken stock or water
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter
2 Tbs (30 ml) all-purpose flour
2 Tbs (30 ml) finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dry mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry sherry (optional)
4 - 6 thin slices lemon
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and chopped for garnish

Combine the beans and chicken stock in batches in an electric food processor or blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a large pot and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan over moderate heat and stir in the flour. Add the onion, mustard, salt, and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and heat until the mixture has thickened, stirring constantly. Add to the bean mixture and heat just to the boiling point. Stir in the optional sherry immediately before serving. Garnish with lemon slices and chopped egg. Serves 4 to 6.

 

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

2 lbs Raw Chicken-boneless-skinless cut into chunks
2-4 cups Stuffing (of choice)
2 cups White Sauce (as follows)
16 oz Sour Cream


Make a white sauce with 6 Tbs butter, 4 Tbs flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 cups milk, 1/2 cup chicken broth. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, and dash white pepper. Add milk and broth all at once. Cook quickly, stirring constantly, till mixture thickens and bubbles. Let cool. Meanwhile place chicken into a casserole dish (9x13) mix stuffing, spread on top of chicken. Stir sour cream into white sauce, spread over top of stuffing. Bake uncovered 45 minutes at 350* F. Great with a mixed green salad and light dessert.

  

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Creamed Spinach Gratin

1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach
Cooking spray
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup tub-style light cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 T salsa
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1(1/4-inch-thick) sliced tomato
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 375. Remove large stems from spinach. Tear spinach into 1-inch pieces; place in a colander. Rinse spinach under coldwater; drain. Set aside. Place a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Add onion; saute 3 minutes. Add spinach; cover and cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Add cream cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper. Uncover and cook an additional minute or until cream cheese melts. Add salsa and sunflower seeds and mix well. Spoon spinach mixture into a 8in x 8in square casserole coated with cooking spray. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on top of spinach and sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

  

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A touch of cinnamon adds a new twist to these beans.

Ranch Beans

2 Tablespoons Oil
1 medium Onion, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic
1 medium Green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 Tablespoon Jalapeno, diced
1 1/2 cups Tomatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 can Pinto beans (with liquid)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook until just soft. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 4

  

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CHOCOLATE BILLIONAIRES
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup semisweet chocolate mini morsels
1/3 cup sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg white
Vegetable cooking spray


1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine water and next 3 ingredients; add to flour mixture, stirring until well blended (dough will be dry)

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 7 or 8 times. Shape dough into a 16-inch long roll. Place roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and flatten roll to 1-inch thickness.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the roll from the baking sheet to a wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes. Cut the roll diagonally into 24 (1/2-inch) slices. Place, cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 more minutes.

4. Turn cookies over and bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in the center but will harden as they cool). Remove cookies from the baking sheet and let cool completely.

Yields 2 dozen.

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DIPPED COOKIES

1 package white or chocolate Almond Bark

1 package generic Oreos, Nutter Butters, or other cookies (can be homemade sugars, chocolate chip, whatever)

sprinkles

waxed paper

1. Melt almond bark carefully in microwave. When hot, carefully dip cookies, one at a time, into almond bark, covering half of cookie.  Place on waxed paper and shake on sprinkles.

2. Repeat for all cookies. Recommended combinations: white almond bark with Oreos,chocolate almond bark with Nutter Butters.

  

I hope you will enjoy these recipes.  As I have told you before, should you be looking for a special or "forgotten" recipe, please let me know and I will join the search with you.

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