Sweet and Sour Bean Salad - great side for a BBQ

1 can green beans, rinsed and drained

1 can cut yellow wax beans, rinsed and drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can butter beans, rinsed and drained

1 large bell pepper, diced, any color

1 large red onion, sliced and separated into rings

1 jar pimientos, diced (I used 1 jar roasted red peppers from Trader Joe's)

¼ salad oil (your choice)

2 cups celery, thinly sliced

1 ½ cups cider vinegar

1 cups sugar or equivalent of Splenda

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 can tomato soup, undiluted

1. Place all the beans, bell pepper, onion, and pimentos or roasted red peppers in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the oil and celery.
3. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and tomato soup. Bring to a boil and pour over the vegetables. Toss the mixture lightly with 2 forks. Do this several time as the mixture cools.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate 

** Recipe courtesy of Aliesha Holbert Carlos 

Mexican Beef Stew - south of the border favorite!

2 pounds beef stew meat

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup oil

1 (14 ½ oz.) can beef broth

1 (14 ½ oz.) stewed tomatoes

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1 crushed large garlic clove

1 teaspoon oregano leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

3 large carrots

2 ears corn

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans and liquid

1. Combine flour, seasoned salt and pepper.
2. Coat meat with flour mixture. Brown in oil in Dutch oven.
3. Add beef broth, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce. Garlic, oregano, salt and cumin.
4. Cut onion into 8 wedges and add to stew.
5. Heat to boiling
6. Reduce heat and boil gently 1 ½ hours or until meat is almost tender.
7. Cut carrots and corn into 1 inch pieces. Add carrots, corn and garbanzo beans to stew.
8. Boil gently covered 30 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender.
9. Serve with warm flour tortillas.

Fagioli - A Huge Favorite

Fagioli-on-Toast: Adapted from a Cookie Magazine recipe

Thick slices of country bread
Olive oil
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage
2 garlic cloves peeled, sliced, mashed however you like garlic (or use the Trader Joe’s frozen garlic)
Sage leaves, lots (I keep them whole)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can cannellini beans
Salt and Pepper to taste

Toast the country bread slices. Heat the oil in a large skillet (very large) add the sausage. When the sausage is almost browned add the garlic and sage, stir until it all browns a bit. Add the tomatoes, beans, salt and pepper. Cook until the liquid thickens a bit.

Put the toast in the bottom of a bowl and add the sausage/bean mixture on top. I usually serve broccoli with parmesan cheese with this meal. If you roast the broccoli it gives it a really sweet taste or microwave it – just don’t over cook it! I think the reason kids hate broccoli is most people over cook it.