Cheater Refried Beans

It has been an extremely busy summer filled with planting, replanting, work, and summer camps (for the Monkey).  It has, also, been filled with farmer's markets, which in this house means leftover sample jars of jams and jellies that need to be used up.

These jars are from my mom and aunt's business, Hundred Acre Farm. They added a fourth market this summer, which has increased the number of little jars in the fridge. The fruit ones get ten eaten easily enough. The herb and pepper ones not so much since I am really the only one in this house that likes them. This recipe was born from trying to figure out what to do with those jars.

Cheater Refried Beans

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

4 oz. habanero gold jelly (or other spicy jelly)

Dump in your small crock pot, and cook on low for three hours. Take your potato masher, and mash them to your desired consistency. Serve warm with rice or in a tortilla. Makes 4-5 servings.

Crock Pot Pineapple Cake (Review)

I first found Gingerlemongirl.com when the Monkey was diagnosed with his multiple allergies 2 1/2 years ago, and have used several of her recipes as is and as the basis for some of my creations. Since then we have become friends as well, and I was so pleased when she started testing for her cookbook, Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook. I got to take a small part in the testing, and then had to wait for the book to come out. 

Now that it has finally come out (I am not a patient person), I have the opportunity to review a recipe for you, and offer you the chance to try it out for yourself. You will so not be disappointed. Not because it is gluten free, which it is, but because it is an amazing collection of recipes for your crock pot. Period. Do you know anybody with a crock pot? Then they need this book. Onto the recipe....

Okay, I volunteered for this gig. I love helping out with cookbooks, and trying out recipes. It may well be an illness. Maybe. Carrie asked me if I wanted sweet or savory, and I told her to surprise me. She did with the perfect recipe, Right Side Up Pineapple Cake. How did she know of my insane love of pineapple cake?! :) It was perfect.

It went together beautifully. The instructions were easy to follow, and I had no problems. Well, unless you count the fact that my pineapple and cherries sank. :) It was all good though. I flipped it out onto a plate, and you can see them under the layer of cake. It was taken and devoured at the bi-annual church picnic and kick ball game. Thumbs up all around. This is the moistest cake I have had in a long time with or without gluten.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

So, a few months ago my mother gave me this recipe she had printed off for me for months before that as it sounded like something I would like. This generally means a weird combination of ingredients, and probably something nobody else in the family will eat. It was for Pumpkin Black Bean Chili in the slow cooker. I bought all the canned ingredients, and meant to make it before Christmas.

Then I got all kinds of crazy hours, and was to tired to do the dishes let alone actually make food that didn't go in the microwave or practically make itself. Yes, yes. I know this almost makes itself, but it was still beyond my tired brain.

Finally got to it a couple of weeks ago after testing out a recipe for a forthcoming crock pot cookbook. I used the broth as the base of my chili. Failed to measure though and ended up with soup. Really, really tasty soup. So tasty, I nearly didn't share with the one member of the family who actually thought this sounded half way good. Sucked it up though and shared. I am such a saint. You should really try this.

I used chicken instead of turkey