Home-Canned Chili Beans Recipe

For quite some time I’ve been trying to come up with a recipe for my own “chili beans.” We like them best when I make chili, but until now, I’ve always had to purchase the beans in cans. Because of the dangers of BPA that is in the metal can linings, and the fact that I can use organic beans and soak them properly, I am very happy to report that no longer will I need to buy my chili beans at the supermarket! I had looked, many times, in cook books and on the internet trying to find a recipe, to no avail. Here is how I do it now. They are really delicious!

How to prepare the beans
For 8 pints of home-canned chili beans, you will need 2 pounds of dry kidney beans.
Sort and wash them well. Drain. Place in a large glass or stainless container and cover with water, at least half again as deep as the level of the beans. Add 2 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
Allow to soak for 24 hours. Drain. Rinse. Cover again, as before. Allow to soak for another 24 hours.
Drain and rinse. Cover well with clean water and bring to a boil. Boil gently for 30 minutes, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface.
When you fill your pint jars for canning, fill them only about 3/4 full of beans and top off with the cooking liquid or boiling water. Leave 1 inch head space at the top.
To make seasoning:
Combine all the seasonings and mix thoroughly. Store in an airtight glass jar.
Add 3 teaspoons of the seasoning mix to each jar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Process in a pressure canner for 75 minutes at 11 pounds pressure.
If you are not familiar with canning, please don’t be afraid, but do consult an authoritative source on canning. I recommend this book: Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving

Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)

A versatile and perennial favorite! Wonderful in burritos, tacos, tostadas and as a dip for fresh vegetables or home-made chips. We make ours from home-canned pinto beans so that it is quick and convenient, eliminating the time-consuming careful soaking and cooking each time. Never again need you purchase refries in a can, running the risks associated with BPA metal can lining.

In a cast iron skillet, melt the lard on medium heat.
Pour in the jar of pinto beans, including the liquid. Add the salt and spices.
Using a metal potato masher, thoroughly mash, and continuously stir the beans.
When they are mashed to your liking, continue to stir and scrape the pan with a spatula, and cook the beans until they are as thick as you like, keeping in mind that as they cool, they will thicken.
Serve warm. May be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for later use.
Another advantage to this method is that you can buy your beans in bulk, thus saving money, and won’t have to worry that they will get too dried out during long storage.
A note about the home canned pinto beans ~ if you’ve never done this, it is very easy. You do need to have a pressure canner to process them. I soak my pinto beans for 2 days, changing water 3 times during that process. Then I simmer them for 30 minutes, skimming off the foam, fill the quart jars leaving 1 inch head space, cover with boiling water, and process for 90 minutes at 11 pounds pressure. Please do not attempt this without consulting a reliable book of instructions on home canning. I recommend the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving.

Cream Cheese Can’t-Believe-It’s-Not-Pumpkin Pie

Looking for a way to sneak fresh squash into your family? This dish can be served as either as a dessert OR a dinner entree. Yup, it tastes that good.

Puree all the ingredients together using a food processor, immersion blender, or hand masher.
Fill 2 8×8 pans with the mixture.
Bake 350* for 45-60 min.
Serve warm or chilled.
FREEZER OPTION: This dish freezes great. Store uncooked in ziplock bags or pie-pans. Thaw and cook as directed.
AVOIDING DAIRY? DON’T HAVE CREAM CHEESE? This dish still tastes good without it. Just omit and enjoy.

Hash Brown Potato

Crispy, satisfying, homemade hash browns ~ a perennial breakfast favorite!

Carefully scrub your potatoes.
Grate them, and as you do so, put them into a bowl of cold filtered water, enough to cover the potatoes.
Begin heating a heavy skillet on medium/low heat.
Pour the grated potatoes into a colander, and then rinse them thoroughly under cold running water, stirring them around with your hand.
Allow to drain and press as much water as you can out of the grated potatoes.
Pour them onto a clean dish towel and press more water out using the towel.
Add the butter to your heated skillet. Allow it to melt.
Dump the grated potatoes into the heated skillet that contains the melted butter. Spread them out.
Now you can season them. I use salt and pepper to taste, a tiny amount of ground cayenne and a nice sprinkling of paprika.
Let the potatoes cook for about 4 minutes and then start stirring them around every minute or two.
Continue to cook, moving them around frequently until they are nice and soft.
Turn up the heat a little and press them down into the skillet. Cook until the underside is as brown as you like, and flip them over (it is not necessary to keep them all in one piece) and cook until the underside is brown also.

Classic Mashed Potatoes

A staple dish in many homes. Filling, delicious, and easy!

Scrub potatoes with a vegetable brush under running water until they are very clean.
Now you must decide whether to peel them or not. I grow my own, so I know they are organically grown, but if yours are not, you might decide to peel. I usually don’t, but when the potatoes have ugly skin or are getting shriveled late in the storage season, then I do peel them first.
Cut potatoes into small chunks and place in a saucepan with 2 inches of filtered water.Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and let simmer until all the potato pieces are tender when you test with a sharp knife.
Drain the water out of the saucepan and add a modest amount of raw milk to the pan ~ just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Let it sit for a minute so the milk warms up.
Add some butter - as much or as little as you prefer.
Mash your potatoes, either with a manual potato masher, or an electric mixer.
Add salt to taste. A small amount of garlic powder will give you “garlic potatoes.” Alternately, you can finely mince some fresh garlic and add that instead, if you prefer.

Spinach Cheese Casserole

This is a simple, yet delicious casserole that goes great with a protein-based main dish, such as beef, chicken or salmon. Our 8-year-old thinks it is the greatest!

Use the butter to generously grease a 9×13 glass pan, then melt the remaining butter and let cool slightly. Whisk together eggs, cheeses, spices and spinach, then add in the melted butter. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with extra paprika. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until set. Don’t let it go too long, though, or it can start tasting dry. Enjoy!

Apple and Fennel Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Really one of my favorite salads. Surprisingly, many people don’t ever try fennel because they have no idea what to do with it, others only know how to braise it. Fennel has a delicate anise flavor which goes really well with the sweet apples. Add in a little bacon and you’ve got yourself one fancy-shmancy salad that’s difficult to stop eating.

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet on low heat. Cook the bacon until done to desired crispiness. It’s important to cook it on low to render out as much of the fat as possible. Remove the bacon and allow to cool before crumbling or dicing. Set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together the bacon fat, mustard and lemon juice. Add a dash of salt. Whisk until the vinaigrette turns pale and an emulsion forms. Set aside.
Cut off the root area of the fennel bulbs and trim off any protruding stems. You can reserve any of the foliage to use as a pretty and edible garnish. Cut the bulbs in half lengthwise and then lay the halves down on the cutting board, cut side down. Thinly slice the bulbs from the top end to the root end. I cheated and used my food processor. Place into a large bowl.
Core and quarter the apples. Thinly slice. Place in large bowl along with fennel.
Drizzle prepared bacon vinaigrette over the apples and fennel. Toss to coat. Garnish with fennel foliage if desired. Serve at room temperature. Not too good refrigerated as the bacon fat solidifies. Ew.

Orange and Fennel Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Sweet and tart orange paired with fennel brings new life to an already favorite way to prepare Brussel sprouts. Simple and scrumptious.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the brussel sprouts lengthwise and discard any tough outer leaves or tough stems.
Place halved brussel sprouts in a 13×9 glass casserole dish. Drizzle over the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and half of the orange juice. Sprinkle with salt, fennel seeds and orange zest. Toss to coat.
Roast for about 35 minutes on the middle rack, stirring occasionally, or until slightly caramelized.
Remove the sprouts from the oven. Drizzle over reserved orange juice. Toss to coat.

Honey Roasted Smashed Acorn Squash

Roasted squash is my favorite. I love adding honey to heighten the sweetness.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash the outside of squash, cut open and de-seed.
Place on a baking sheet, lightly salt and pepper to taste.
Place 1-2 T in each squash shell
Bake in oven for 60 minutes or until tender, basting every 15 minutes with honey.
Remove from oven and let it cool slightly.
With a spoon scrape out flesh of in a large bowl.
Add butter, cinnamon, cloves, and remaining honey.
Mash squash by hand, or by a food mill, until smooth.

Italian Vegetable Sauté

Great as a side dish or over warm pasta.

In a large skillet combine the olive oil, sliced onions and a sprinkle of salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, for 30 minutes until the onions are starting to brown.
Add in the minced garlic and other vegetables. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 20 minutes.*
Add in the basil, mixing well.
Salt to taste.
*If the pan gets too dry add in a little more olive oil.

Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Lemon Vinaigrette

Even those who are leery about brussel sprouts will enjoy this dish. Roasting the brussel sprouts in the oven with balsamic imparts a sweetness and also helps caramelize the sprouts some. The roasted sprouts are then coated with a lemon vinaigrette to complement the sweet and savory flavors.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the brussel sprouts lengthwise and discard any tough outer leaves or tough stems.
Place halved brussel sprouts in a 13×9 glass casserole dish. Drizzle over balsamic and the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat.
Roast for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until slightly caramelized.
While the sprouts are roasting, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard and salt. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to create the vinaigrette.
Remove the sprouts from the oven. Drizzle over vinaigrette. Toss to coat.