Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I picked up a cookbook called The Bean Bible, A Legumaniac's Guide to Lentils, Peas, and Every Edible Bean on the Planet. It's by Aliza Green. It was only $4.00 at a discount store, and since I am a bean lover I figured what the heck.

The first part is full of info on beans and legumes and then recipes. Several of them look good, and I will try a few. Anyone heard of it and/or made any recipes from it?

Laurie

For 4 bucks you can't go wrong. Be sure to share any good recipes you find. I like me a bean too!

Mary

I like beans, too. If you wouldn't mind, please see if there is a recipe in your new book for "ranch beans." I used to get Bush's bold and spicy beans, (In Ca, they're called ranch beans) They don't have chili in them that I can tell, or any sweetner e.g. bbq sauce, brown sugar, but they are well seasoned, and sooooo good. I think they have cumin in them, but I never looked at the can, because I would have kept on buying them. Naturally, bush quit selling them, so they could sell a thousand varieties of sweet beans. Yuck. Thanks!

And bravo for finding a $4 cookbook. The ones that are cheaper than magazines are my favorite.....

I didn't find one called ranch beans but there is one called Southwest beans with chili ancho. It has cumin and no sugar. It does contain molasses though. I amagine you could leave the ancho's out if you wanted to. If you are interested let me know and I will post.

Laurie

Sure! Thanks, Laurie. I be more inclined to skip the molasses and leave the ancho in. I'd like to have a look at the recipe.....

I'll try and do it tonight after I get home from work.

Laurie

Better Late than never, here's your recipe Sherica.

Southwest Beans with Chile Ancho
The Bean Bible

1-lbs (2 cups) of dried Anasazi pinto, pink or cranberry beans, soaked 6 hours.
1/2 lb bacon diced.
1 lg onion diced.
3 carrots diced.
2 Tbs chopped garlic.
2 Tbs. chile ancho powder, or pimenton.
1 whole ancho chile, seeded, soaked in cold water until soft about 30 minutes. Mince.
2 Tbs. ground toasted cumin seeds.
1/2 cup molasses.
Grated zest of one orange.
Juice of one orange.
1 (28 oz) can of plum tomato's, chopped.
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs salt.

Instructions:
1. Drain soaking water from beans. Reserve.

2. Cook bacon in stainless steel pan over low heat until crispy. Transfer the bacon onto paper towels and reserve. In the same pan cook the onion, carrots, and garlic in the bacon fat until softened. Add the minced chile ancho, cumin, molasses, orange zest and juice. Cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a large ovenproof Dutch oven with a lid.

3. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Add the reserved beans, tomato's and bacon to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil on top of the stove. Cover and bake in the oven for 2 hours or until the beans are almost soft. Season the beans to taste with S & P. Stir well cover and return to oven until the beans are soft and liquid has been absorbed. If the water has been absored before the beans are done add 1-2 cups while baking.



Note: It doesn't say how much water to use anywhere.