Chicken and Black Bean Pie

Chicken and Black Bean Pie

Ingredients

• 2 Large Cooked Chicken Breasts
• 1 Medium Onion, diced
• 8 oz. Taco Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro
• 15 oz. Can Black Beans
• 2 Tbsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Deep Dish Pie Shell
• 1 Cup Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

Directions
Preheat oven 400 degrees.
Thaw pie shell on counter 10 mins. Prick bottom and sides with fork and bake in oven 12-14 min until golden brown.
Mix chicken, onion, cilantro, and taco sauce in medium bowl. Mix black beans, cumin, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in small bowl. Set aside.
Remove pie shell from oven and place chicken mixture in pie shell as entire bottom layer. Put black bean mixture on top of chicken layer. Top with cheese and place a loose layer of aluminum foil over cheese.
Bake in oven 20-25 minutes removing foil after 15 minutes so cheese will brown. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Optional toppings: Sliced jalapenos, sour cream, or hot sauce.
Printable version
Enjoy!
Merry Christmas ~ Babe-O

Rustic Tomato Soup

Rustic Tomato Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients

• 1 Tbl Olive Oil
• 1/2 Lb Peppered Bacon diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 French loaf, cubed
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock
• 1 Can Diced Tomato (28 oz) or 1 Qt Canned Tomatoes from Summer Garden
• 1 6oz  Can Tomato Paste
• 1 Tbl Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
Add the bacon and saute until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes.
Add the onion and saute until golden brown.
Add the bread and stir to soak up the pan drippings.
Saute until the bread is crisp and golden.

Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Simmer about 3-5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.

Optional garnish - Dolop of sour cream

Printable version
Enjoy!
Babe-O

Mom's Famous PECAN PIE!

Here it is everyone! My Mom and your Aunt Crinkle's Famous Pecan Pie.

I caught mom whipping these up tonight getting ready for Thanksgiving. It doesn't have to be the week of Thanksgiving for her to whip up 6 pies on a Tuesday night, in fact, she just did this a few weeks ago just because she was having a good Wednesday.

This is a passed down family recipe from my Grandma. It's not ever been officially written down, like every other good recipe in my family. Don't worry though, I'm here to get them on record.

The recipe isn't for 1 pie or 2 for that matter, it's for 6 pies. She just considers it how much fits in one bowl. And she knows that if she makes one for Dad, she has to make one for Frank and one for Keith and Kari, and don't forget Uncle Jimmy and Uncle Tommy. In fact, I brought 2 of these pies home with me tonight.

If you make this recipe, always remember you can keep these in the freezer to bring out anytime company comes by.

Mom's Famous Pecan Pie

Yield: 6 Pies

Finely Chopped Pecans

4 cups finely chopped pecans
3 cups sugar
6 pie shells
12 eggs
2 sticks butter or margarine (melted or softened)
2 cups light corn syrup (Karo)
2 tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven 350 degrees.


Mix sugar and eggs, add softened butter, mix well. Add pecans, syrup and vanilla. Mix well.

Make sure batter stays very well mixed, pecans will settle in bottom of the bowl.

Divide mixture between 6 pie shells. Place 2 pie shells on large cookie sheet. You can cook 4 pies at one time, 2 pies on the top rack and 2 on the bottom. Save the other 2 until the first 4 are finished.

The cooking time will vary. Set the timer for 35 minutes and check pies after first 35 minutes. They may need to cook up to 50 minutes depending on your oven. The middle should be a little spongy and the top slightly browned. Tonight the pies cooked 38 minutes.




Enjoy my Mom's recipe, make 6 pies and share them with your family and friends. They make great Christmas gifts.

Printable version
With Love, Babe-O

Christmas Breakfast Sausage Buns

I've really been in the Christmas spirit the last few days and today I bought my Christmas tree.

Yes, I realize it's only November 8th, but I just couldn't help myself. I found a 7 1/2 foot tree with pine cones at Hobby Lobby for 50% off so I couldn't resist.

My cats will eat any live plant that enters the house so I had to get an artificial tree. For the past several years I have had a teeny tiny tabletop tree and this year I'm going all out. I have so many beautiful ornaments from years past and new ones from ports we have visited and the teeny tree can't support many ornaments.

Last years teeny tiny tree

Since I was in the Christmas spirit, I decided to make my Sausage Thingy's. That's what I call them. I learned this recipe in 1998 from a really sweet lady I worked with. She brought them in as a holiday breakfast treat for the office and I've been doing it every Christmas season since. They are super easy and I really should treat my friends to them more often.

I hope you share this recipe with your work family as I do.

Christmas Breakfast Sausage Buns - aka "Sausage Thingy's"

Ingredients:

1 lb ground sausage
1 package of rolls/buns in aluminum pan
1 package cream cheese
1 medium onion
1 green bell pepper

Preheat oven 350 degrees.



Brown ground sausage in skillet on medium heat.


 Finely dice onion and green pepper.

   Add diced onion and green pepper to sausage.






Cook together until sausage is no longer pink and veggies are cooked.

Drain off any excess fat.       Remove from heat and add cream cheese. Mix cream cheese into mixture stirring well until completely incorporated in mixture.

 Take rolls out of package and aluminum pan. Cut in half length wise keeping rolls together.

 Put the bottom half back in the pan and fill with sausage mixture.

Top with roll top and cover with foil.

Cook in oven for 20-25 minutes until heated through and bottom is browned.

You can substitute turkey sausage and fat free cream cheese and save a few calories. I have done both and it is just as delicious.

I hope you and your co-workers have a merry and blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

Printable Version

Babe-O