9 Delicious Dishes for National Bean Day

9 Delicious Dishes for National Bean Day

Happy National Bean Day! If you have never enjoyed a good fresh pot of homemade beans, you are really missing out. Here are nine yummy ways to utilize the humble yet great BEAN!

When my chili pepper addiction expanded to cooking dishes for myself, I was introduced to real refried beans. To my surprise, I learned that there is no real benefit to soaking your bean.

It is absolutely unnecessary and actually, not wise. There is a myth that soaking the beans removes the gasses. Untrue!

When you soak your beans overnight, the natural sugars begin to ferment, thereby producing more gas. In general, people who have very high fiber content in their diets are not bothered with bean gas. Beans are very high in fiber and when they enter the digestive tract of people who eat very little fiber, they naturally start things moving and the result is GAS!  (If this is a problem for you, there are a number of digestive products on the market that work wonderfully.)

Author

Lehman's

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups cooked Pinto Beans (recipe follows)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cups water
• 1 pound dried beans (about 2 cups)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 slice bacon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 pound lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups canned tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
• 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground marjoram
• 1/8 teaspoon leaf sage, crumbled
• 1/8 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 to 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped onions, optional
• 2 cans white beans
• 2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained
• 2 cans pinto beans, drained
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained
• 2 cans Rotel tomatoes (approx. 10 1/2 ounces each)
• 1 package chili seasoning
• 2 jalapeno chili peppers*, seeded and chopped
• 1 can black bean soup
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 can milk
• 1 can water
• 1 pkg. frozen lobster
• Sherry and lemon juice to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup kidney beans
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach
• 1 cup seashell pasta
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1 cup frozen cut green beans
• 1 (16-oz) can kidney beans
• 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 (15-oz) can black beans
• 1 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 6 cups frozen lima beans, thawed
• 6 pears, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cans red kidney beans, (15 ounces each)
• 3 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 small bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions, with tops
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 jar (2 oz) chopped pimento
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 pound Polish sausage, sliced, if desired

Directions

1. Heat lard in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Add Pinto Beans; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
2. Mash beans; stir in chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add more oil to skillet if necessary; cook and stir until a smooth paste forms, about 5 minutes.
3. Garnish with shredded cheese if desired.
4. Mix water, beans and onion in heavy saucepan. Cover and heat to boiling; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 1 hour.
5. Add just enough water to beans to cover. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
6. Cover and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender, about 2 hours. (Add water during cooking if necessary.)
7. Drain; reserve broth for recipes calling for bean broth.
8. Cover and refrigerate beans and broth separately; use within 10 days.
9. Place all ingredients, except the cheese, in the slow cooker and cook on the HIGH setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the lentils are tender.
10. Stir in the cheese until it is melted.
11. Serve hot, topped with more cheese, if desired.
12. Brown ground beef with chopped onion; drain well.
13. Put all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours.
14. Cook lobster and cut into bite size pieces. Then combine with other ingredients and simmer until heated through.
15. In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the oil, onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.
16. Add the red bell pepper and saute for 3 more minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
17. Add the thyme, spinach and pasta. Simmer for 5 more minutes and pepper to taste.
18. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a colander; rinse and drain.
19. Combine onion and remaining ingredients in a bowl; add corn and beans, tossing gently to coat.
20. Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.
21. Place all ingredients in a heavy casserole dish, cover and bake for 12 hours at 200 degrees or a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours.
22. Fry bacon and crumble into kidney beans.
23. Saute vegetables in bacon drippings, cook until vegetables are wilted. Add beans and remaining ingredients.
24. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.