Baked Chimichangas

1lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can refried beans

1 batch chili rice
cheese

10 8inch flour tortillas
1/2 stick butter, melted

Brown and cook beef and onion, add taco seasoning and beans. I do this in the crock pot on high. Refrigerate filling and the chili rice to make it firm enough to wrap tortillas tightly. Mix beef bean mixture and rice. Add about a 1/2 cup filling to tortilla with a little cheese. Wrap the burrito tightly. Brush melted butter on bottom and lay on a lined sheet pan. Brush the tops and sides of burritos generously with butter. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Serve with chopped lettuce, taco sauce, and sour cream on top. Can be frozen once baked and reheated. Makes 10.

Red Lentil Sloppy Joes

1 cup red lentils
2 cups stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
3 tbsp ketchup
1 cup homemade barbecue sauce

Bring stock to a boil. Add lentils and simmer on low until the liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender.

Saute' onion & pepper in olive oil until tender. Add to cooked lentils. Then, add ketchup and bbq sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve on buns. Makes 4.

Hummus

This recipe makes about 20 cups of hummus. It could easily be divided. It can be frozen for up to 6 months, but it won't last that long because it's so delicious! It's made with white northern beans instead of chick peas. This give the hummus a creamy texture like the brands from the grocery store.

2lbs dried white northern beans- cooked (I use the crock pot method)- makes about 14-16 cups OR 8-10 cans beans, drained
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled
6oz. Tahini
1 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups bottled lemon juice- this reduces the chances of spoiling
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
3tsp. salt- more or less to taste

Measure out all of your ingredients. Add 2 garlic cloves to the processor and mince. Add about 4-6 cups of beans to the processor with garlic. Add about 1/3 of each of the other ingredients and run processor until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Dump contents into a large mixing bowl.
Repeat until you've used up all of the measured ingredients.
Mix all of the batches well in the large mixing bowl. It will seem a little thin but it will firm up when it's refrigerated.
Divide into appropriate serving containers.
Refrigerate or freeze. Lasts in the refrigerator about 2 weeks.

You can experiment with different amounts of the ingredients- more lemon, more tahini, etc. or add flavorings just like the store brands. Go here for some ideas!

You can also leave out the tahini and it will be white bean dip.

Rice & Bean Bake

This makes a really flavorful rice & beans dish. I like it a lot better than making a batch on the stove top, and it's a bonus that you just dump it all in the pan and it comes out beautiful! Easy and delicious!

1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
3 1/3 cups cooked black beans (or 2 15oz. cans, drained)
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
1/2 cup salsa
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
2 1/2 cups stock, heated to boiling in a saucepan
1 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix rice, beans, tomatoes, salsa, onion, garlic, & pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add hot stock and stir. Add the shredded cheese.

Pour mixture into a greased 13x9 baking pan. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for approximately 70 minutes or until rice is cooked through.

*sometimes I crank the temperature up to 400 to make things cook a little faster, and sometimes it takes up to 90 minutes…it just depends on the day.

Serve with salsa & sour cream.

Crock Pot Beans

Cooking beans in a crock pot is an easy and affordable way to prepare a large amount of beans. Here's how I do it:

• 2 lbs of dried beans sorted and rinsed. Any kind of bean will do, except red/kidney beans. Here's why- "Kidney beans contain the toxin phytohaemagglutinin, which will make you extremely ill and in some rare cases has killed. The beans MUST be boiled for 10 minutes before cooking, and that includes slow cooking. These beans become five times more toxic when heated to the temperatures used in slow cooking than they are when raw, so never just add them to a stew or chili without boiling them first." excerpt from this article.
• Room Temperature water
• 1/8 tsp baking soda- This has the same effects as Beano. Don't add anymore than 1/8tsp though of the beans will taste "soapy"
• 1-2tsp. salt

Put the beans in the pot and cover with water, just about to the top. Add baking soda. Cook on high for 4 hours. Reduce to low for another 4 hours. Add salt and gently stir. Adding salt in the beginning can make the skin on the beans a little tough. You can check for doneness after 3 hours on low. Lift the lid as little as possible, it'll just make it take longer to cook. 
Once cooked and cooled a bit, divide into freezer bags or containers. 1 2/3 cups cooked beans equals 1 can from the store (that's how much is in the can minus the liquid). Use thawed beans in recipes as you would canned. Place the frozen beans right in a pot of soup or chili. 
One pound of cooked beans will make you about 4 "cans" worth. A bag of beans costs about $1, and a can of beans costs about the same. You'll be saving 75% by making them yourself, plus you've "Beano-ed" them already and controlled the amount of salt. 


A few facts about beans:
-One serving of beans (1/2 cup of dried beans) supplies about 120 calories and lots of complex carbohydrates. 
-Beans offer a low-glycemic index value. In other words, the carbohydrates in beans do not cause as quick or as steep a rise in blood sugar as do many other carbohydrate-rich foods.
-Beans are a good source of B vitamins including folic acid. Beans also provide the minerals iron, potassium, selenium, magnesium and even some calcium.
-Dried beans are a good source of insoluble fiber, which promotes digestive health and relieves constipation. Beans also provide soluble fiber, which can help reduce fat levels in the blood.
-Beans provide little fat and absolutely no cholesterol.
-Beans are an incomplete protein, yet researchers believe that the particular amino acids in dry beans may help prevent various diseases. Complete proteins contain ample amounts of all essential amino acids. Combining grains and legumes gives you a complete protein, so eat some rice with all these beans you've cooked! (Source Source)