Slow Cooker Pesto Rice and Beans

This was an easy dish, throw some stuff in the slow cooker and go on with life. This one cooks a little quicker than other dishes, so you can't really put it on before work and come back 9 hours later to dinner, it would be mushy, but it's great for a weekend or on days you are home.

I recommend using fresh or refrigerated pesto, not the shelf-stable jarred stuff.

Slow Cooker Pesto Rice and Beans

1/2 cup brown rice

1 1/4 cup water or chicken broth

1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup frozen cut green beans

1/4 cup pesto

1/4 cup Italian style shredded cheese or Parmesan

Pour rice, water or broth, and Great Northern beans into slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 1/2 hours. 

Pour in green beans and cook 1 hour more, or until rice and green beans are tender. 

Stir in pesto and cheese until cheese has melted. 

Dig in!!

Macaroni and Cheese Cornbread Cups

Very long time...VERY LONG TIME since the last post....

I was in a cooking funk, nothing good happening in the kitchen, then I started working a few days a week again so that has taken some getting used to. BUT HERE I AM! I have about 6 new posts up my sleeve, so BRACE YOURSELF!

I have expressed before my love for cooking things in a muffin tin. Convenient, one handed food...contains proteins, carbs, cheese and occasionally veggies. This one was one I created when I had a container of cold, leftover macaroni from the previous days lunch and a box of jiffy mix...

You can play around with it, add some pepper jack cheese, bacon bits in the cornbread, have fun!

To see my other muffin tin recipes, please visit my archive.

Macaroni and Cheese Cornbread Cups

1 1/2 - 2 cups leftover mac and cheese

2 tablespoon sour cream

1 box cornbread mix

Make cornbread mix according to package directions and fill oiled muffin tins 1/2 full. 

Meanwhile, heat mac and cheese in microwave (if cold) until the chill is gone. Mix with sour cream. 

Place a heaping spoon full into each muffin tin. 

If desired, top with bacon bits, cheese or leftover veggies. 

Bake according to cornbread directions. 

Cool slightly before removing from pan. 

Dig in!

Dill Pickle Soup

You know those recipe posts that float around facebook via shares? We all have a friend who throws delicious looking food in our face daily, we reshare or just drool, but how often do you MAKE the recipes?

This is one of those recipes, but slightly tweaked....

Dill Pickle Soup

5 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 3/4 pounds white potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup diced dill pickles
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
2 cups dill pickle juice
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic herb seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large pot, combine broth, potatoes, carrots and butter. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender. Add pickles and continue to stir.

In another bowl, stir together flour, sour cream and water, forming a paste. Vigorously whisk sour cream mixture into the soup, 2 tablespoons at a time. Add pickle juice and seasonings, heat through.

Serve.


Dig in!!