All Day Crop

What excitement for an All Day Crop! Storms, power outages, friends, good food, and scrapp'n. What else could a girl ask for?? Well maybe not the storms and power outages next time! Thank you Leslie for being our hostess once again. It is so good to know I have a friend I can count on when needed. I could not have made this trip to Arizona without you!! Muchas Gracias!

Here are Chef Leslie's recipes from Saturday.

Cuban Black Beans and Rice, in the Slow-Cooker

Serves 6

If you can’t find andouille, use an equal amount of kielbasa sausage and add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper with the other seasonings in step 1.

1 pound turkey (kielbasa) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half-moons
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
1 – 2 teaspoons canola oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or 2 green)
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons cumin
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
5 cups water
1 large can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2 cups water

 Place cleaned and picked through black beans into a pot and cover by 2 inches with water. Bring to a boil and lower heat for 3 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for an hour.
 Once beans have soaked, rinse well, and put into slow cooker.
 Place oil into a skillet and bring to medium heat. Add bell pepper and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, 2 teaspoons oregano, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
 Add veggies to crock pot, with water and tomatoes.
 Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 7-9 hours.

To serve
 If thicker, creamier consistency is desired, take about 1 cup of the beans out and mash them. Add back into slow cooker and stir in.
 Add cilantro leaves and adjust seasonings if needed.
 Brown sausage and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
 Prepare rice.

Serve black beans on top of rice, add sausage, additional fresh cilantro, sour cream, cheese, or lime wedges as desired.

Corn Casserole

Melt 1/2 stick margarine in casserole dish -- Combine following in bowl:
- 1 (16 oz) can whole kernel corn (do not drain)
- 1 (16 oz) can creamed style corn
- 2 eggs
- 1 sm can green chilis (Optional)
- 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Pour into casserole and bake at 350 until done. (approx 45 minutes)

I hope you all enjoyed yourselves. See you soon!
Happy Scrapp'n!!