Slow Cooker Black Beans

I found this at budgetbytes.blogspot.com.

This worked really well, the last time I did this.  I love that I can freeze them and they are ready to use when I need them and I don't have to use salt-infused canned beans from the store.

Here is how it's done:

STEP 1: Pour one pound (2 cups of dry black beans) (or two for an extra large batch) of beans out onto a baking sheet and sort through to remove any stones or debris. Transfer the beans to a colander to rinse off any dust.

STEP 2: Place the cleaned and sorted beans in a slow cooker and add 6 cups of water for every pound of beans. Put the lid on, set the cooker to HIGH and let her go. Beans that have not been presoaked will take 4-6 hours to cook on HIGH.

STEP 3: Once the beans are tender, pour them into a colander and give them a quick rinse. Divide the beans into containers (re-sealable or zip top freezer bags), label, date and freeze until ready to use! Easy as that.

One pound of dry beans will yield about 6 cups of cooked beans, equal to about 3 cans.

*one comment recommended adding 1/8th tsp of baking soda if your water is heavily calcified to help soften them.  I didn't do that one time and the beans never became soft and I have added the baking soda in my last two batches and the beans were perfect.  So I will be doing that from now on!

Skinny Taco Dip

This recipe is from www.skinnytaste.com

• 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 8 oz reduced fat sour cream
• 16 oz jar mild salsa
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 2.25 oz black olives,

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa and taco seasoning and mix well with an electric mixer. Spread on the bottom of a large shallow glass dish. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese and black olives. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

*I would change out the iceberg lettuce for a different lettuce to make it healthier, such as red or green leaf, romaine or maybe lettuce from spring mix bag.  Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value.

*Someone suggested adding black beans to add some protein.  I think that sounds yummy!

BBQ-Ranch Chicken Salad

This sounds very yummy! Also found on jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com.

Salad:
2 bags Spring Mix lettuce
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch green onions
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 red pepper, chopped
2 C cheddar cheese
1 lime
1 bag corn chips
4 chicken breasts
1/2 C BBQ sauce

Dressing:
1 1/2 C ranch dressing (I just buy the big bottle from Costco)
3/4 C BBQ Sauce (Sweet Baby Rays is my fave)

Note: You can certainly make smaller amounts of this salad and dressing. When measuring ingredients for the dressing just include 2 parts ranch to 1 part BBQ Sauce and you'll be good to go.

1. Throw your chicken into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pour your BBQ sauce over the top. Bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes. When it has cooled, chop it into 1 inch pieces.
2. Chop up your lettuce greens, cilantro, and green onion and place in a large bow. I planted all of these in my garden this year. It's been fun to be able to go out and pick them as I like, however they are all spring time lovers and are shriveling up in this new heat. Hoping to plant them again in August.3. Add your corn, beans, and chopped red pepper to the salad greens. Add your chicken, chips, cheese, and squirt your lime all over the top.
4. Mix the dressing ingredients together and let folks put it on themselves.

NOTE: If you are taking this to a pot luck, don't add the chicken, chips, cheese, or lime until just before serving. It will get all soggy.

Yield: 15 servings
Time: 40 minutes

Slow Cooker Chicken Nachos

A friend posted this on her facebook page.

3 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can drained corn(or 1.5 cups of frozen corn)
1 can black beans, rinsed (or 1.5-2 cups of black beans, if you cook them from scratch, like I did this time)
2 - 10oz. can of Rotel (tomatoes with chilies)
8 oz cream cheese (lowfat worked just fine!)
Tortilla chips
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Place chicken, corn, black beans and salsa in crockpot on high for 4-6 hours. When it is 30 minutes before serving, put in cream cheese and shred the chicken. Serve on a bed of tortilla chips and cover in shredded cheese.

REVIEW:  I have changed the recipe to how I fixed it yesterday.  It definitely smelled soo yummy when we came in the door after church.  I tasted pretty good.  But I think it needed more than just sitting on top of some of tortilla chips.  Maybe it would of been better with all the fixing for nachos, like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocados, rice?  Hmmm.  I'll try that next we eat it.  Which will be soon b/c it made a lot!  I'm going to try freezing some of it, to see if it freezes well.