Ranch Wives Cooking Club - Branding Beans

This weekend we branded calves.
I got off easy and just had to make the beans and several desserts.

In the past, I've always done my beans in the crock pot, but then one day I decided to try them in my dutch oven, and I'll never go back.

I cooked A LOT of beans this weekend, but I'll give you the method for one pound of pintos.

The night before, rinse, and sort any bad beans out.
Then cover and soak them in water overnight.


Prepare a half pound of bacon per pound of beans.
I cooked my bacon in the oven.
I lined baking sheets with foil, placed the bacon on the sheets, placed in a cold oven and turned the oven to 400 degrees.
I lost track of time, but I think it took around 15 minutes.


Place the beans into your dutch oven, cover with water and add the crumbled bacon.

Bring the beans to a boil and boil for two minutes.
Turn the heat off and let them sit, covered, for an hour.


Remember, the directions I am giving you are for one pound of beans, the pictures represent more.

Dice up one large onion, one jalapeno and one clove garlic.
Saute with butter until tender.



Add the mixture to the beans, along with a generous dose of salt and pepper.


Then cover the beans and simmer until done.
This can vary widely depending on amount and conditions.  In my experience, sometimes a pot of beans just cooks faster than others?!?
These got done pretty quickly, around an hour.

The picture below is just after adding the onions, jalapenos and garlic, they have not simmered yet.  Once the beans have simmered, they'll look a little plumper and the onion and jalapeno will be cooked down even more.  I got busy and didn't get a picture of the finished product.


These are super easy, and along with beef and potatoes, are sure to please a crowd of hungry cowboys!

Ranch Wives Cooking Club - Caramel Pecan Pie

If you want the easiest, yummiest pie ever, here it is! You still have time to throw it together for tomorrow and I promise it will wow your guests.

I started with the Pioneer Woman's pie crust recipe. My Mom gave it a try a few weeks ago and it was flaky goodness!

As for the pie, I wish I could take credit for the fabulous idea of dumping a jar of caramel ice cream topping into a pecan pie, but I have to give credit to Smuckers for this one. I found this recipe probably atleast five years ago and it's now my signature item at family Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. John Wayne also asks for it throughout the year and it's so easy, I'll make it for him anytime.


Start by beating 3 large eggs, add 2/3 cup sugar, stir well until sugar dissolves. Stir in a jar of caramel ice cream topping and 1/4 cup melted better. Dump in 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, mix 'er up, pop 'er in a 350 degree oven for an hour and you have a masterpiece!




*This is a pretty big pie plate, so I one and a halved the recipe and it was perfect.



Now, where to hide this so John Wayne doesn't have a midnight snack!

Ranch Wives Cooking Club - Green Chili

OK, you may remember me telling you awhile back about John Wayne and I's love of green chili, really it probably makes both of our top three favorite foods list. You'll also probably remember the bushel of green chilies I brought home.

I decided today was the day to tackle mastering the art of green chili. I began asking around, asking people's recipes and methods, and quickly realized that it's an art, not a recipe. No two people have the same method and what you put into your green chili is largely based on personal preference.

I started by dicing and browning a two pound pork roast.


I then added chicken broth (along with a few chicken bouillons for extra flavor) and set aside to simmer while I prepared the chilies.


Since I had just stuck the chilies in the freezer when I brought them home, I had to spend a few minutes taking the skin off and seeds out.


I then diced the chilies, an onion and a couple of potatoes. This is where the personal preference really comes in. Some of you may being thinking "potatoes???", but John Wayne specifically requested them. Many people add cilantro, cumin and tomatoes, just to name a few other ingredients.


I sauteed the chilies, onion, potatos, and garlic in olive oil for around 45 minutes.


I then added the chilie mixture to the pork mixture and it's still on the stove simmering.


Well, except for one bowl of it...John Wayne is still out checking cows and I just couldn't wait any longer!
It is fabulous!!! It is exactly to John Wayne and I's taste and I couldn't be happier with how my first attempt turned out.
Oh yeh, and it is HOT...this must've been one hot bushel!


Thanks to all of you who kindly shared your methods with me.

Ranch Wives Cooking Club - Amish Friendship Bread Variations

One of the things I love most about this bread is that you can easily change it up a million different ways.

Last night I added chocolate pudding and chocolate chips.



Tastes a lot like a brownie!
Yummy!


This morning I added lemon pudding. I didn't have any lemon extract on had, so decided to add a dash of lemon juice to it. I'm thinking the lemon juice might not have been the best addition as the bread fell in the middle.


I made a lemon glaze to top it off.


It tastes great, but since it fell, you can't see the ugly finished product.

I have lots of different twists I'm anxious to try.

Ranch Wives Cooking Club - Amish Friendship Bread

My friend Jenn gave me a starter for Amish Friendship Bread. What a great gift! As my house (actually Mom and Dad's house, today is my Dad's birthday, happy birthday Dad) began to fill with the sweet smell of bread cooking, I knew we were in for a treat.

Someone (if you're lucky enough to have a friend like Jenn) gives you the start in a plastic baggie, along with a set of instructions. The first few days you simply mash the bag. On day five you add some sugar, flour and milk and then continue mashing for five more days. On day 10, you follow the simple instructions to create four starter bags to give to friends (and you better believe I'm keeping one for myself) and two loaves of delicious sweet bread.

As long as I continue to keep a starter for myself, I'll be baking bread every 10 days.

Thanks Jenn!







P.S.
I needed a little snack before I could go to bed...
I just tried it...
Soooo yummy!

I can't wait for it to be morning so I can eat some more.
Wait, I didn't just say that and I don't really mean that.
I may just have to have a little snack when I check on the little lady in the night!

Ranch Wives Cooking Club - Spicy Meatloaf

I LOVE meatloaf. This version is a hybrid, with a few twists of my own, of my Great Grandma Geist's recipe and the Pioneer Woman's recipe. Hmmm...does that make it my own? I think it does...MY very first recipe!


Mix the following together:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon dried onion
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
black pepper
1 egg, beaten


Mix thoroughly with hands and shape into a loaf.


Cut 3 pieces of bacon in half and place on the meatloaf.


Spicy Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco and red pepper flakes to your liking. I used a lot of both!




Put half of the sauce on the meatloaf and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven, drain grease if necessary, and add remainder of sauce.
Bake for 15 more minutes.


Once again, a lazy side dish, frozen tater tots, but the meatloaf was so darn good it didn't even matter!

Ranch Wives Cooking Club - Pumpkin Pancakes

Cheat meal (those are allowed in this Ranch Wives Cooking Club). This little box will get you to some fabulous pumpkin pancakes in five minutes.




So easy I was even able to handle this one while my first cup of coffee was brewing.



There you have it. A yummy fall breakfast in a jiffy.


John Wayne will not touch pancakes.
John Wayne will not touch anything pumpkin.
John Wayne was for sure not coming anywhere near these pancakes.
John Wayne ate leftover pizza for breakfast.

Ranch Wives Cooking Club - Bierocks

This afternoon I tried out the September 2010 Western Horseman Cowboy Culture recipe for Bierocks.


Brown the ground beef and sausage, I used spicy, along with a diced onion.


This particular recipe used pre-made pie crust. It was fine, but I think I prefer the more traditional dinner roll type pastry.



My kitchen helper.


Sauerkraut, well drained.


Prepared mustard. John Wayne, a big mustard fan, loved this. Me, I think mustard is ok, and thought the mustard was just ok. Next time, I think I'll leave the mustard out and John Wayne can dip his in mustard. With the sourness of the kraut, it was just a little too much for me.


Cheddar cheese. You can never go wrong.


Mix all the ingredients together.


Fill the pastries, seal the edges, brush with egg wash. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 425 degrees until golden brown (18 minutes for mine).



I was lazy and just served with potato chips, but next time, I think they'd pair great with a big bowl of homemade potato soup!



Bierocks
Recipe by Becky Prunty Lisle in Western Horseman

(I HALVED this recipe and still ended up putting half the meat mixture in the freezer)

1 pound ground beef
1 pound bulk sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 large jar sauerkraut, drained well
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup prepared mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pre-made pie crusts (canned biscuits, crescent rolls or bread dough also will work)
1 egg, beaten

Brown meat and onions. Add other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut out circles in whatever sizes you want, using glasses, bowls or a biscuit cutter. Place a spoonful of meat mixture on half the dough circle and fold remaining dough over. Seal the edges by pressing them down with your fingers or a fork. Brush with egg and bake on greased cookie sheet at 425 degrees until golden brown.

The bierocks can be made ahead of time and frozen. If you wrap them in aluminum foil, you can throw the package onto hot campfire coals to heat.