Monday, March 23, 2015

Cooking Comfort Food

I spent the better part of the weekend cooking.  I made baked beans on Saturday and on Sunday we made Jen’s Tortilla Soup for Far Guy. 

I use Great Northern and Pinto Beans for the baked beans.  I soak them overnight.  The next day I boil them at least twice changing the water with each new boil.  I fry up bacon ends and a yellow onion finely chopped.  I mix up a slurry of brown sugar, catsup, mustard, dark molasses and water.  I add the bacon and the slurry to the beans and bake them for a couple of hours.  After they are cooled down I bag them in serving sizes for meals.  Perfect to take out and warm in the microwave.  ( there are no measurements for the slurry, I just eyeball it) I didn’t even boil the beans all over the stove…for once.

I baked chicken for the soup.  Then it is shredded then I add cans of Chicken Broth, Diced Tomatoes, Cream Of Chicken Soup, Black Beans, Corn and some Taco Seasoning. Oh and a can of green chilies…but we just added some Peperoncini finely chopped instead.  Far Guy taste tested it.  He said it was great.  I don’t eat it…remember I have compartments in my stomach…and corn should never be put in anything…but served plain in it’s own bowl.  I have never eaten Black Beans either…yew…  Far Guy likes this soup.  He eats it on soup night when I have vegetable soup.

I will have to make a big batch of my vegetable soup after Easter.  I have only three bags left. The last time I made it was the first week in December.

We also did an inventory of the deep freeze.  Sadly the raspberries are almost gone and the blueberries are all gone.  Larger quantities will have to be picked next summer.

Far Guy had an event to attend on Saturday.  So Chance I had the whole day to ourselves. 

Nuthatch

A Nuthatch in it’s favorite position Assup!

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25 comments:

linda m said...

I love soup. Any kind will do for me, but my favorites are Chicken Tortilla and Split Pea Soups.

DJan said...

That's a great shot of the nuthatch. I especially like the lines in the picture, along with the cool bokeh in the background. That soup sounds awfully spicy, is that why you don't eat it? :-)

Intense Guy said...

I'd have to sample the Chili to see if I would enjoy it (I'm sure I could eat it!)

:) Nice Assup! I got a female Baltimore Oriole uploaded to my Flickr site. What a surprise she was!

Lynda said...

I love when there is time to cook up a bunch for the freezer - - such a blessing to just open it open and thaw something out!!!

Linda Kay said...

I've never heard that word before...ha ha! What a funny bird. Isn't it fun to have a day for cooking and brewing up all sorts of good things for the freezer? Have a special week.

Gail said...

I like cooking ahead.

Cynthia said...

Well, soup weather is definitely back! Seven inches overnight here. I'll have your share of the tortilla soup. It sounds fantastic, and warming. And we need that.

Anonymous said...

It's soup weather here too! Lovely shot of the bird.

Henny Penny said...

Darned if it's not soup weather around here again too! In the 30's at night! Your baked beans sound good. Your posts brighten my days. Love the part about corn and stomach compartments.

Tom said...

I spent the better part of the weekend eating. Tom The Backroads Traveller

Tired Teacher said...

I prepare freezer meals, too. Last weekend I made beef stew and chicken noodle soups. The week before, I made potato soup. It's great to open the freezer and grab something that wasn't made with a lot of preservatives.

Anonymous said...

I make my own baked beans too but with only the one kind of bean I think it is called Navy beans by some.
I also don't measure the slurry ingredients and use the exact same ones you do. There is nothing like home made baked beans. Only I use the crockpot to cook them. I do think they bake better in the conventional oven though.

Shirley H.

Terry and Linda said...

Seems like all I did was cook and eat this weekend. I'm tried of cooking and eating. I suppose Terry isn't, though. Although, he never cooks, just eats. :)

Linda ♬♬♬
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer

Patsy said...

I will have to try putting in some Pinto Bean, sounds great.

MTWaggin said...

Your compartments makes me laugh but I get it! Sounds like you had a lovely quiet weekend - just right!

L. D. said...

Our freezer is becoming bare. We need to work on that. We have to play catch up when we both are under the weather. Nuthatch shot is great. We are cold today and so windy.

Cheryl @ TFD said...

I love soup in any weather. I'm fixing a small roast for supper and if there is any left it will go into a pot of vegetable soup tomorrow. Love the nuthatch snap!

LindaG said...

What a great way to make meals.
Stay warm and have a great week!

Primitive Stars said...

Sounds like a great comfort food weekend, good for you.love the Nuthatch picture, sweet little bird.Blessings Francine.

Anonymous said...

I hope to pick and freeze blueberries too this year. I love the nuthatch pic.

Red said...

That is close to the recipe I used when school kids got fed and I had to make the stuff. I do still like baked beans, but it is a lot of work.

Linda Reeder said...

Then you wouldn't like my corn chowder, I guess.
I don't make soup very often, but when I do we eat it every day until it's gone. Last week we ate beef stew for three nights.

RURAL said...

Sounds like you have a good stocked up freezer full of delish. Honestly never tried black beans:? They are one of my absolute favorites. Next to garbanzo's.

I love baked beans...maybe now you have inspired me to make some.

Jen

Jacqi Stevens said...

Cooking stuff when you just "eyeball it" makes the best tasting stuff. No sissy teaspoons around our home ;)

Rita said...

Love all kinds of soups...and baked beans...and love black beans! Perfect for when it's freezing again.
Beautiful nuthatch pic!! :) Stay warm!!