Skip to main content

Chipotle Beans

By
I have a confession to make. Shhh.....do you promise not to tell anyone? Ok then. (Sigh) Here it goes. I developed this recipe as a trick to get my husband to eat chili beans. Oh....good....finally I said it. Whew!! Well, wait, maybe I should explain.
Last week I was driving home after a really long day in the school counseling office and all I could think about was a big bowl of warm, spicy chili beans and cornbread for supper. There was one problem, though, my husband says he doesn't like chili beans. Now, I also feel I should quantify this statement. He eats chili beans for football games, on nachos, and, occasionally, as a meal. However, if you ask him if he wants some made for dinner, he will give a confused glance your way and say no. Ok. So how was this recipe a trick?
Well, although he contests that he does not like chili beans, he does love baked beans. This recipe morphed into a combination of the two. They are spicy from the chipotles, which he also likes, yet sweet from the brown sugar. Instead of using kidney beans, because there were none to be found in the pantry, all of the beans are from plain old cans of pork and beans. In reality, this recipe was originally developed as a way to continue to enjoy my Mexican Campfire Beans while on a camping trip in Cherokee, North Carolina. You will notice the fried hotdog slices on top of the beans in the picture. Why, you ask? Well, why not? These beans are great in a bowl with cornbread, as a side with barbecue, or on top of nachos for tailgating. Be warned, if you don't like spicy, I would definitely cut down on the amount of chipotles used. For me, it is some real sweet heat!


1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Large Onion, Chopped
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
3.5 ounces (weight) Chipotles in Adobo, Minced
45 ounces (weight) Pork and Beans
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Ketchup
2 Tablespoons Mustard

1. In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, brown the ground beef. Use the back of your spoon to break the meat into small pieces while cooking. Add the onion and garlic to the meat and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Sprinkle with salt, oregano, paprika, chili powder and cumin. Stir to combine. Cook for another 2 minutes to allow the spices to infuse the meat.
3. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
4. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cover.
5. Cook for 1 hour, stirring frequently.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lentil Burgers

By
Last night I cooked a large pot of lentils as part of our family dinner, which means that today, I was left wondering what I could do with all these lentils for the coming week. My typical use for lentils is in chili or soups, however, that is not something that I really wanted on this bright, spring day. Instead, I thought about how I could morph the leftovers into something new that I could use throughout the week, and that is when I thought of revamping my normal veggie burger recipe. Now, as promised, since this is the Quarantine Cooking Series, please feel free to use whatever beans or greens you have in your house. While I love the way this recipe turned out, it is more important that you use what you have and the technique to create a delicious meal for you and your family. Additionally, I like my veggie burgers on the spicy side. However, this is another place when personal modifications should be made to your palate preferences. 3 Tablespoons canola oil, divided
Post a Comment
Read more

BBQ Pork Cheese Fries

By
This recipe comes from one of our favorite indulgences at a local restaurant, BBQ Cheese Fries. When we were looking for a great alternative for using up some leftover pork, this is what happened. Sometimes the best ideas do come out of sheer necessity. Do not judge until you have tried! Serve them with a side of ketchup, sour cream, or extra barbecue sauce. Your taste buds will thank you! This recipe would also be great for parties and gatherings. 4 cups Frozen French Fries 2 cups Pulled Pork 3 Tablespoons Carolina Style BBQ Sauce 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 1. Prepare your fries as directed by the package but make sure to get them extra crispy. I used a deep fryer and cooked until golden brown. 2. While the fries are cooking, place the pork and sauce in a skillet over medium low heat and cover with a lid. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Allow the meat to warm for 7-10 minutes. This step is necessary to remove extra moisture from th
2 comments
Read more

The Quarantine Cooking Series

By
Hello everyone! It has been quite a while. Things have been pretty busy around my house with the two kids, but since the quarantine kicked in, we've all been forced to slow down and adapt to a lot of things. I have to admit, my family is enjoying the more relaxed pace and increased time with our nuclear family, but that doesn't mean that we don't miss many of the aspects of our normal life. One of the biggest things I have had to get used to is the "mystery bags" that have become my weekly grocery order. While I put in my preferences and desired ingredients, that doesn't mean that I get what I ask for right now. (However, I am grateful for every single item I receive and I appreciate the grocery store workers more than you could ever imagine since entering a store is not an option for my family.) Like many, my grocery orders remind me of the mystery basket from "Chopped," forcing me to get even more creative and resourceful. We are meticulously
Post a Comment
Read more