Huevos Rancheros

When it comes to breakfast and lunch in our household Baby Cakes and I are incredibly routine, the exception being the weekends as we’re almost always running the roads all weekend long. He eats the same breakfast every day and either the same sandwich or leftovers for lunch. I have a cup of coffee every morning with a banana and the same lunch consisting of the same salad along with the same snacks every single day. Now to some that might be boring and to a self-proclaimed food blogger I can admit that it is odd, but to keep things interesting I am always making and trying new recipes for supper and special occasions.

Because we don’t often make breakfast on the weekends and I’ve already shared that we are creatures of habit during the work week I occasionally find myself making breakfast for dinner. I had taken notice that Baby Cakes orders Huevos Rancheros often so I thought I might try and make it. While thumbing through a cookbook I had stashed away I came across a delicious looking recipe for Huevos Rancheros, not to mention a healthy version. Sold!

The best part about this recipe, aside from the amazing flavor, is how quick it was to make, especially the second time. Because it makes 4 servings, I made the entire recipe and then split the ingredients. I used half of the salsa and beans and stored the other half in separate containers, as in beans in one and salsa in the other, so 2 days later I made it again but that time all I had to do was lightly nuke the beans to take the chill out, toast the tortillas and cook the eggs. Viola! A simple and really quick weeknight meal or heck a quick weekend breakfast, maybe I can talk Baby Cakes into staying in just once.


Huevos Rancheros
recipe from Cook This Not That cookbook, pg. 50

16 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
½ small onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper
juice of 1 lime, divided
salt and pepper to taste
16 ounce can black beans
pinch cumin
8 eggs
8 corn tortillas

Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle, cilantro, and half of the lime juice in a food processor and pulse until well blended but still slightly chunky; season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl mix the black beans, cumin and remaining lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Use the back of a fork to lightly mash up the beans, adding a splash of warm water if necessary.

Coat a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Break the eggs into the skillet; cook until the whites have set but the yolks are still loose and runny.

On a separate burner, heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the tortillas, 2 at a time; cook for 1 minute on each side, until lightly toasted.

To assemble the dish, spread the tortillas with the beans, top with the eggs, and top the eggs with the salsa. Garnish with more cilantro, if you like, and serve immediately.


This recipe makes 4 servings and according to the book each serving is 480 calories. When I put the recipe into Calorie Count it came back with 522 calories per servings so to play it safe I would count the higher amount. Still, 522 calories for dinner is not bad, not bad at all.

3 Pigs in a Pot

In the Bennett household we ring in the New Year in the traditional way, or we used to anyway. I have always cooked black-eyed peas, cabbage, a ham and cornbread, but this year we’re trying something a bit different. Namely, instead of using canned black-eyed peas (I know, I should be ashamed of myself) I am making them from their dried form using a ham hock leftover from Christmas courtesy of my Momma. And instead of making cabbage (although we will be having cabbage tomorrow via Stuffed Cabbage Casserole) I am making a variation on a yummy dip recipe I came across on the world wide web (coming soon). You know how I feel about dip right? Right.

So you might notice, once you read the recipe, that we have not one, not two, but three variations of pork going into this pot of beans. What do you think? Do you think it will up the good luck factor? I just think it might.


3 Pigs in a Pot
recipe from Megan Bennett

1 pound bag dried black eyed peas
3 tablespoons spice blend of your choice
1 ham hock
5 ½ cups water plus more as needed
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 red sweet pepper, diced
4 slices bacon, large diced
1 link of pork sausage, sliced into coins

Sort through the beans to clean out any rocks or debris and cover them with water; soak overnight.

The next day, drain the beans and rinse clean. Put them into a large pot along with the ham hock and seasonings and cover with 5 ½ cups of water. Bring them to a low boil, stir and reduce heat to low. Cover, and cook for around 2 hours, stirring often. If at any time the beans are not covered with water add more, enough to cover them again.

Towards the end of the 2 hour cooking time fry up the onion and peppers along with the bacon until the bacon is done. Put into a dish and set aside. In the same pan fry the sausage coins until done. Stir the bacon, sausage and onions into the beans along with the drippings if you so desire.

Continue cooking the beans for another hour on low heat, stirring often.

Carefully remove the ham hock and set on a plate. Once cool enough to touch or using forks shred the meat from the bone. Discard the skin and bone. Stir the ham back into the soup.

Serve hot along with some cornbread and hot pepper sauce.


This was the best bowl of beans I have ever eaten hands down. Baby Cakes and I both mmmm'd our way through it. The only thing I would/will do differently next time is maybe add another half bag of beans to the recipe. Other than there being more meat than bean, this recipe is amazing.

P.S. In the last post I said that I would be sharing all the nutritional information along with all the recipes I share on here from now on. Well, I have decided not to. It is hard enough to count calories, type up posts and blog, so although I thought I might I have decided not to add another layer of complications to things. I love blogging, but I do not love dieting. I refuse to mix the two. XOXO.

Happy New Year,

White Bean, Sausage and Spinach Soup

I am sick, really, really sick. My husband’s lucky to be fed kind of sick. This soup works out for both of us. It’s easy to make, feeds him and warms me. Not to mention it is really good for you with all the veggies.

Please forgive the short sick post.


White Bean, Sausage and Spinach Soup
recipe from All You Magazine, Nov. 2011

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
2 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 ounce can corn kernals, drained
4 cups baby spinach
Salt and pepper

In a pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring, until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard all but 1 Tbsp. of fat from pot. Add carrots, onion, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes.

Return sausage to pot and add chicken broth, water, corn and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.


I must have paused and told Baby Cakes 'this is really good soup' a dozen times throughout the meal. It is hot and flavorful. Love it.

XOXO,

Slow Cooked Bar-B-Q Pinto Beans with Sausage

Beans, beans the magical fruit… I’ll leave the rest for you to finish. In our house we love beans. Baby Cakes would eat any kind at any time and me; I’ll eat all but baked beans. I prefer a hearty bean. This dish is a hearty bean dish.

Baby Cakes’ family is all about beans as well. When we were dating we ate many a meal at his parent’s house and they almost always had beans. Yum. We’ll it’s the same for The Cakes and I at our house. It might not be every night but its most nights and tonight is one of those nights.

We loved this dish. It is wonderful. It had tons of flavor and the beans were cooked to perfection. Just enough bite. Not to mention how cheap of a supper it is to make, and easy. I will make these again someday but next I’m going to be making his Mom and Dad’s version, coming someday soon.

Also, a side note or two. I used some of the homemade chicken stock from the crock pot chicken stock recipe I posted a week or so ago. Also, in the original recipe it called for 3 cups of water along with 3 cups of stock. It was a happy accident that I forgot the water because I didn't need it. Infact, the last hour with the lid off is what brought the liquid level down for me, before that I has too much liquid. So I wouldn't recommend putting the water in unless it is needed and even then only a little at a time.


Slow Cooked Bar-B-Q Pinto Beans with Sausage
recipe slightly adapted from Taste and Tell

3 cups chicken broth
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons barbecue seasoning blend
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound dry pinto beans, picked over and soaked overnight
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 small onion, quartered
1 1/2 pounds sausage, cut into coins
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In the bottom of your slow cooker, whisk together the chicken broth, tomato paste, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, barbecue seasoning, clove and garlic. Add the beans. Tuck the onions into the beans and cook on high for about 8 hours.

Add the sausage and stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce; let the mixture continue cooking, uncovered, for 1 hour.


Beantastic Y’all,