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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Rice and beans:
By Charlotte Perkins
Journal Staff Writer
If you’re looking for cost-cutting meals
with good nutrition, don’t forget the
food that’s fed people around the world
for all of recorded history: the humble, but
ever so versatile (and good for you) bean.
Keep in mind that while a little ham won’t
hurt, beans, when combined with any grain
(such as rice, barley, wheat or corn) will give
you a complete protein. This has to do with
the combination of amino acids you get from
the combination.
And there’s another big plus for the
health-conscious, which is that beans pack
a lot of health benefits.
According to the new U.S. Department
of Agriculture dietary guideline using the
Eating Right Pyramid suggests, that the
foods lowest in fats, oils and sugars (fruits,
vegetables, dry beans and grains) should
make up the largest portion of our daily
meals.
The same report points out that “The
benefits of using beans on a daily basis have
recently been promoted because studies
show beans help to reduce cholesterol while
providing excellent nutrition. When com
bined with nuts, seeds or grains, they form a
complete high-fiber vegetable protein. “
Most beans, according to the USDA, con
tain only 2-3% fat, making them an excel
lent choice for a fat-restricted diet.
As the basis of a meatless meal, beans con
tain no cholesterol, and they can help lower
your cholesterol level because they are one
of the richest sources of fiber!
But enough about saving money and rev
ving up your family’s nutrition.
Beans and rice are also the foundation for
some great American dishes. You probably
already know about the southern classic
Hoppin John, which combines black-eyed or
field peas with rice.
Here are a few others to try.
New Orteans-Style Red Beans
and Rice with Fresh Ham
Hocks
1 pound dried red beans
1 pound fresh ham hocks
3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, divided
4 cups water
2 teaspoons vegetable,pil
New ways to prepare grits
Do you know what these foods have
in common: Peppers, tomatoes, pota
toes, lima beans, green beans, cran-
berries, blueberries,
squash, peanuts,
pecans, vanilla and
chocolate? They
are all native to the
Americas and were
unknown in the
Old World before
the discovery of
the New. However,
without a doubt,
the most important
native plant is corn.
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Sutherland
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Corn has been introduced around the
world, but the United States is still
the largest producer. I think of corn
as uniquely American and of grits as a
uniquely Southern use.
Grits are ground from hominy.
Hominy is made from dried field corn
which is soaked in an alkaline solution
to soften it and remove the hull. It
was made by Native Americans long
before the Europeans arrived. In the
REA
From page iB
tablespoons milk with the
coconut.
In the last bowl, stir in
one teaspoon cinnamon,
one teaspoon nutmeg and
one cup raisins.
You may add one cup nuts
to any of the three varia
tions.
Drop from teaspoon onto
greased cookie sheets. Bake
at 375 degrees from 12 to
15 minutes. Since ovens
vary, watch carefully after
10 minutes.
These will stay fresh in an
airtight container, or can be
frozen. I like to make sever
al batches up in November
and have them ready for
holiday drop-ins. I usually
keep some on hand year
round.
Forgotten Cookies
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick margarine
1/2 cup milk
6 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups hot cooked rice
Sort and wash beans; place in large Dutch
oven. Cover with water 2 inches above
beans. Bring beans to a boil and cook for
2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and
let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans and set
aside. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
over sides of ham hocks. Heat vegetable oil
in Dutch oven; brown ham hocks 3 minutes
on each side. Add reserved beans, remaining
seasoned salt, onions, thyme, bay leaf and
pepper and stir to blend. Bring mixture to a
boil. Reduce heat and cover; simmer 2 to 3
hours or until beans are tender. Remove bay
leaf and serve beans over rice.
Serves 6.
Serving Suggestions
Make sure to check that the dried beans
are clean. This long simmering dish lets you
out of the kitchen while it cooks. Enjoy with
Jalapeno Corn Bread, coleslaw and chilled
lemon sherbert.
Source: National Pork Check-Off
Quick Black Beans and Rice
McCormick® Sloppy Joes Seasoning Mix
flavors quick-cooking rice and beans for a
hearty, savory side dish or main meal. It’s
ready to eat in 15 minutes!
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup instant white rice
1 package McCormick® Sloppy Joes
Seasoning Mix
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
and rinsed
Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion;
cook and stir until translucent. Add rice
and water as directed on package. Prepare
rice as directed on package.
Add Seasoning Mix and beans. Cook until
heated through. Mix well.
Variation: In step 2, also add 1 can (14 1/2
ounces) diced tomatoes.
Health Tip: Switch to instant brown rice
for added nutritional benefits. Brown rice
is a complex carbohydrate, with more fiber
and higher levels of nutrients.
Black Bean & Rice Tostada
From Kraft, this rfedpe will be a
Southwest hominy is served as a side
dish called posole. In the Southeast
we sometimes eat hominy as a side
dish; however, it is more commonly
ground into grits.
A bowl of grits is an old-fashioned,
homey dish. But today, grits play an
important role in “Nouvelle Southern
Cuisine.” They are prepared cre
atively and served with flair in upscale
restaurants. Gourmet and Bon
Appetit magazines even have recipes.
Apparently, grits have finally come
into their own.
Cheese Grits with Tomato
Sauce
Although I was born in South, I
have to confess that I have never been
a fan of just plain grits. I became a
grits lover when my husband took
me to dinner at Daphne Lodge on
Lake Blackshear. Daphne Lodge is
something of an institution in this
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup chunky peanut
butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Nuts (optional)
Cook sugar, cocoa, mar
garine and milk. Boil for
two minutes. Stir in oats,
peanut butter and vanilla.
Add nuts. Drop spoonfuls
on wax paper or greased
cookie sheet. Makes about
two dozen
Chocolate Oatmeal
Cookies
1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
(Measure and then process
until powdery in food pro
cessor or blender)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking pow
der
1 teaspoon soda
1 12-oz. package choco
late chips
4 oz. chocolate candy bar,
grated
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Cream together mar
garine, sugar and brown
sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.
Combine flour, oatmeal, salt,
baking powder and soda
and add to egg mixture. Stir
in chips, candy and pecans.
Roll into two inch balls and
bake on ungreased cookie
sheet at 375 degrees for
eight to 10 minutes. Yield:
5 dozen.
Oatmeal Cake
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup uncooked regular or
quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup butter or marga
rine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups firmly packed
brown sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cin
namon
1/4 teaspoon ground nut
meg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup all-purpose
flour
FOOD
A complete protein
meal at a budget price
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Pork Check-Off
For a family feast on a budget, try New Orleans-Style Red Beans and Rice with Fresh
Ham Hocks.
famly=pleaser, and is easy to prepare,
1 pkg. (16.35 oz.) Taco Bell Soft Taco
Dinner
1 cup instant white rice, uncooked
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (11 oz.) com, drained
2-1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1-1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray both sides of
part of the state; it has been in opera
tion since 1952. Their famous catfish
special comes with baked cheese grits
and tomato gravy. Delicious! At home
I tried to do something similar and
came up with this:
4 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick grits
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Tomato sauce (See below)
extra grated cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Add the salt to the boiling water. Stir
in the grits and return to a boil. Lower
the heat and cook 3 to 5 minutes
or until thickened, stirring occasion
ally. Add the remaining ingredients
See SUTHERLAND, page 4B
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups flaked
coconut
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter or marga
rine melted
1/3 cup milk
Stir together boiling water
and oats. Let stand 20 min
utes. Beat 1/2 cup butter,
one cup sugar and one cup
brown sugar in a large bowl
at medium speed with an
electric mixer until creamy.
Add cinnamon and next
three ingredients, beating
well.
Stir in flour, baking soda
and salt just until moist
ened. Beat in oatmeal. Pour
batter into a lightly-greased
13 x 9 inch pan. Bake at 350
degrees for 30 minutes or
until a wooden pick inserted
in center comes out clean.
Combine remaining 1 1/2
cups brown sugar, coconut
and remaining ingredients
in a bowl and spread over
warm cake. Broil eight
inches from heat for two
to three minutes or until
golden.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2007
Tortillas with cooking spray; place in single
layer on baking sheet. Bake 10 min. or until
crisp and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, cook rice in large saucepan as
directed on package. Add beans, corn and
Seasoning Mix; mix well. Cook 5 min. or
until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Top tortillas with rice mixture, lettuce,
Salsa and cheese.
HONEY
From page 2B
4 apples, peeled, cored and
thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon margarine
Glaze:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup apricot preserves
Preheat oven to 350
degrees.
Combine all ingredients for
crust in a large bowl and
blend with an electric mixer
or wooden spoon. Press mix
ture into an 11-inch tart
pan. In the meantime, toast
chopped walnuts at 350°
in oven, stirring often, for
10-12 minutes until lightly
browned. Toss them imme
diately in a small bowl with
cinnamon and 1 Tablespoon
honey and set aside.
Arrange the apple slic
es over the pastry dough,
fanned out the length of the
tart. Drizzle the apples with
1 Tablespoon honey and top
with margarine cut into little
pieces. Bake in the preheated
oven 45-50 minutes or until
the apples are tender.
While the tart is baking,
prepare the glaze. Heat the
apricot preserves and honey
in a small saucepan until
completely dissolved. Strain
out the solids and set aside.
While the tart is hot, brush
the glaze over the apples,
coating them thickly. Arrange
the honey walnuts all around
the border of the tart and let
cool.
IHEI AVON STORE
introducing c lnwri S e d u sjMM
Where desire leads.
A hypnotic scent of luscious
plum and purple orchid with
tantalizing hints of warm
vanilla, amber and musk.
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I Galleria Point Shoppina Plaza • 100 N. Houston Lake Rd. • Centerville
Honey Roasted
Mashed Sweet
Potatoes
This is made available by
the Louisiana Sweet Potato
Commission.
6 sweet potatoes, about one
pound
1 stick butter, diced
1 teaspoon ground cinna
mon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 3500 F.
Peel and quarter potatoes.
Place neatly in a roasting
pan. Place butter evenly on
top of potatoes. Sprinkle cin
namon and nutmeg on top.
Drizzle with honey and sea
son with salt and pepper.
Gently pour 2 cups water
into pan without washing
mixture off potatoes. Cover
and bake for 1 1/2 hours or
until very tender.
Remove cover and stir.
Continue to cook for 1/2
hour. Potatoes should have a
nice dark brown color on top
and be very tender. Remove
potatoes with slotted spoon
and add to mixing bowl and
whip until all lumps are gone.
Drizzle in liquid from pan as
desired. Turn off mixer and
scrape bowl.
Continue to mix, I usually
use all my liquid because it’s
needed and has a lot of fla
vor. When desired consisten
cy is there, adjust seasoning.
Makes about 8 side orders.
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