Figured I would post a pic of some of my beans. These two were left overs so they went into the fridge. I know I can pressure can more things with the two jars and if I was pressure canning them I could have used all pints. Anyway I had this much left over once I got my pressure canner full of pints. Had 9 pints in there and then I just put this in these jars and I will make some hummus with it.
Next is to get to canning those other dry beans. WHY can dry beans you ask? Much cheaper to can your own AND you KNOW what all is IN them. No nasty's in my canned beans. Winking smile Plus there is more in these pints than you would get from a can.
I found my recipe on the Homesteading forum several years ago and they said you could use all the spices and can several kinds of dry beans using them. I have been canning them ever since I tried them. The family just loves the seasoning in them as well. They’re not just plain unseasoned beans.
On these chick peas I canned today I only added just a touch of the cayenne pepper and I added sea salt, just a touch of cumin, 1/2 tea. of garlic powder and dried chopped onions as well. Since I will making hummus from them I didn’t want to add the chili powder and black pepper like I do to the other kinds of beans.
I LOVE having these nice seasoned beans in my pantry because I can grab a jar and make all sorts of recipes with them. Just like the other day, I had some left over rice that I needed to use. So I got me a jar or two of my pinto beans and fried some link sausage and made some red beans and rice with them all. Well pinto beans and rice but nobody noticed. ha
Then just a couple days ago I was searching for something to cook for dinner since I seem to get stuck on the same food all the time. I came across this recipe on the web and I can’t recall where I found it now. Someone shared it and they didn’t give the name so I just call it the Mexican chicken dish. I had all the ingredients to make it with and the ones I didn’t have I figured ways around them. But yep you got it, my canned beans came in handy yet again. I served mine over corn chips I’d gotten from the Dollar Tree. I also doubled the recipe because I knew we were going to like it. Hubby doesn’t even like cream cheese and he loved the stuff to. I didn’t have any of the Fiesta ranch mix, mine was just the plain kind and I used it. I knew my canned beans were spicy so it would have been much too hot had I used that kind of the ranch mix. Also the day before I found this recipe I had boiled some chicken legs so I just deboned them and used that meat instead of the chicken breast. I also don’t like the taste of the water in canned foods from the store. YUCK, so I drained the corn and just added fresh clean water, like 1/2 can or so. So you see how handy these canned beans are for meals. PLUS I am trying to put more fiber in my meals since we don’t get enough fiber these days. Please do try this recipe if you haven’t tried it. My family and I really loved it so needless to say it’s a keeper.
Mexican Chicken Dish
4 chicken breast
1 packet Fiesta Ranch mix (by the salad dressing)
1 can black beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can corn (not drained)
1 block cream cheese
On high in the slow cooker for 4 hours or 6 on low. Eat over rice or with tortillas!
EDITED to add: I just found yet another recipe using beans that looks awesome! My link isn't wanting to work so I'll just add it this way. :-) http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/black_bean_salad/
Now to get to canning those other dried beans and figuring out where to store them. Winking smile
Hope you guys are having an awesome summer and got to can a lot this summer.
Rose
