Since we all have been talking beans in another thread, I thought maybe we could get a jump on Melissa - hope that's okay, Melissa! For a good "B" cooking thread, how about beans - they're inexpensive, and such a variety there's sure to be one you love! They are also good for any appetite - meat eater or not!

I'll start - I've decided you could use these spices with about any bean, not just red beans, and have a wonderful dinner!

Red Beans and Rice

1 pound red beans (soak overnight)

1 pound smoked sausage (optional, of course)

1 stick butter (not margarine - also optional, but it sure is good!)

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or 1/2 if you don't want too much spice)

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

2 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped (I use dry sometimes)

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

3 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Boil all together in at least 2 quarts water for spproximately two hours or until beans are tender. Remove bay leaves, serve over hot cooked rice.

-- Christine in OK (cljford@mmcable.com), March 02, 2002

Answers

This is undoubtedly one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. I'd give it a A+++. Spicy White Bean Soup with Tomatoes from "Jump Up and Kiss Me, Spicy Vegetarian Cooking" by Jennifer Trainer Thompson, Ten Speed Press pg. 68 Most of you know how to cook a pot of beans so I won't post that. I used home canned cannellini and great northern beans.

4c. white beans
2T olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2t ground fennel
1/2t. cayenne Pepper
1 1/4c. canned peeled tomatoes, with juice
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley I used dried
1t dried thyme

Heat olive oil in saute pan over med heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, cook stirring for about 5 min, til softened. Add fennel and cayenne and cook a few min, til aromatic. Add tomatoes and cook, break up tomatoes, til the liquid has evaporated. Stir in bean mixture and simmer gently for 30-40 min. Season liberally with pepper. Combine the parsley garlic and thyme and stir into soup just before serving. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), March 03, 2002.

We like this a lot too. Beans my way:

Put chicken hearts, livers, and/or gizzards in pressure cooker
Add 2-3c. water, salt, pepper, onion and hot pepper, cook about 20 min. We have home butchered chickens, the parts are a lot bigger.

Add beans that have soaked all day drained and rinsed and if water is low, add a qt of chicken broth. Pressure cook for 20-40 min depending on the type of bean.
Enjoy?

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), March 03, 2002.

Christine, red beans is one of our favorites. I can them and others for convenience. We do eat a lot of beans.

Anasazi(sp), black turtle, great northern, cook quicker. Letils are the quickest, and garbanzo, yellow eye take the longest. Maybe others can add to this list

I've just gotten into the Country Beans book. There are recipes for reg beans and bean flours. I borrowed my friends grinder and ground up a bunch of beans this week. One recipe was good the other well it was o.k.

Just think of all the great meals you can make with beans and they're cheap.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), March 03, 2002.

Cindy, what is the whole name and author of that book about beans. That sounds like something I'd like to have. We eat tons of beans and I just found out about grinding them into flour. I'm not really sure what to do with it so a good book would help. Thanks Blessings Peggy

-- peggy (peggyan2@msn.com), March 03, 2002.

Country Beans by Rita Bingham. I made the graham crackers, they don't taste like that but they are good. Didn't care for the refried beans from flour. But there's a lot of good recipes in there. Hope you find it. I got mine from CS bookstore, I think.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), March 03, 2002.