Bean and Ham Bone Stew

It's a frozen tundra here and this hearty stew is cheap and easy way to warm up an fill up. It requires a bit of pre-planning if you're using dried beans but it is so easy to make.

Ingredients

1 ham bone
1 lb dried lima beans, soaked over night
8c water (approx)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, oregano to taste
1 c heavy cream (optional)

Method

In a dutch oven or heavy stock pot, bring water to a boil. Add ham bone and navy beans and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover for a few hours. Add seasonings to taste. You may need to add more water if it boils off. I added heavy cream before serving but it is optional. Tastes even better overnight. This stew should work well in a slow cooker as well.

Burrito Casserole Leftover Surprise

What's the surprise? It was actually delicious! I modified it from this recipe. I had leftover home fries and quinoa (food purists would probably cringe at this) but the quinoa gave the casserole a nice texture. I managed to add more beans into our diet ('resolution for 2012), and used up leftovers - including FRIES! Total cost for this hearty meal was about $0.60 for the tortillas and beans (cost of leftovers were not included since they would otherwise have gone to the chickens).

Ingredients
Leftover fries cut into cube (or about 2 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and cubed)
1 c cooked quinoa (or rice or other grain you might have, optional)
1 c black beans, soaked overnight and cooked until soft (or use canned black beans)
2-3 tortilla skins, cut into 1" squares
2-3 c green chili sauce (you can use salsa but I has green chili)
6-8 oz (more if desired) Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c yogurt (or sour cream)


Method
Preheat the oven to 375F. In a casserole, mix all the ingredients together except about 1/4 of the cheese together. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 20-25 min or until cheese is melted and slightly browned.