Borracho Beans

Serves about 4 - 8, depending on whether you serve as a main or side dish

1 lb Bacon, chopped

1 Small Yellow Onion, diced

1 cup Pico De Gallo, store prepared works great

27 oz can Pinto Beans, do not drain

12 oz Light Beer

1/2 cup Mayo

2 tbsp Creamy Horseradish Sauce

2 tbsp Ketchup

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

Juice of 1 Lemon

Few Dashes of Hot Sauce

1. Heat a Dutch oven or medium stock pot over medium high heat. Add the chopped bacon.

2. Cook bacon until browned. While bacon cooks prepare the sauce.

3. For the sauce, mix mayo, horseradish, ketchup, garlic powder, paprika, lemon juice, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

4. When bacon has browned, add the diced onion and cook until translucent.

5. Add the beans and beer.  

 6. Then add the sauce. Simmer beans for 30 - 40 mins uncovered.

7. Mix in the pico de gallo before serving.

8. Serve and enjoy!

CLICK HERE Printable Recipe

Juicing

I want to share with you some of the things we have learned since we began incorporating juicing into our diets. Let's start with some pros and cons of juicing.

Pros
- Daily Serving = Single Drink vs Large Plate of Fruits/Veggies
- Incorporates Fruits/Veggies You Wouldn't Normally Eat
- Helps Protect from Diseases such as Alzheimer's, Cancer, and Heart Disease
- Easy for the Body to Digest
- Boosts Immune System, Removes Toxins from the Body, and Aids in Weight Loss

Cons
- Raw Foods Harbor Pathogens...Wash Thoroughly!
- Increased Vulnerability to Bacteria when Stored
- Fiber Can Be Lost During Juicing
- Wasted Pulp (Fiber)

Which type of juicer? There is generally 3 types:

Masticating - Operates at a slow speed, chewing the fibers and breaking up the cells of the fruits and veggies to give you more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and minerals. These machines are very versatile. You can make baby foods, sauces, nut butters, sorbets, pasta, and even grind grains into flour.

Centrifugal - Grinds the fruits and veggies and pushes them through a strainer by running at very high speed. They usually yield a little more juice.

Triturating - Works at a low speed with a 2 step process. First it crushes the fruits and veggies then presses the juice. Juicing time is a bit longer. This type also gives you more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and minerals and has the technology to slow down the oxidation process so that you can store your juice for a longer period of time.

We have a masticating juicer. It is easy to use and even easier to clean. There is a separate container for the pulp and all attachments are dishwasher safe. No liners and no mess. 

Recipes?
- We have tried several recipes from our juicing recipe book but we usually just start with a base of kale, carrot, and green apple then experiment with adding additional fruits like frozen cranberries and peeled oranges. Throw in a few ice cubes and a straw. Yum!

Tips
- When choosing a juicer, monitor how much of what goes in is actually coming out as juice.
- Alternate hard and soft fruits/veggies to flush the machine and get the most juice.
- Peel oranges, tangerines, and grapefruits before juicing because they contain oily substances that can cause problems with digestion. Keep the white parts.
- Try to remove all seeds/pits from all fruits/veggies.
- Buy organic since they are pesticide-free.
- Drink immediately to reap the benefits since the antioxidants and nutrients start to break down when they are exposed to light and air.

Shrimp Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

About 6 Servings

12 oz Medium Shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails off

8 oz Pasta (I used spaghetti)

2 handfuls Fresh Spinach, roughly torn

4 oz Cream Cheese

1/4 cup White Wine

3/4 cup Chicken Broth

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

1/3 cup Parmesan

1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 tbsp Butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Zest of 1 Lemon

1)  Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Toss with some butter to keep from sticking.

2)  Heat 1 tbsp butter in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until fragrant and soft, about 3 mins. Reduce heat to medium and add wine, broth, cream cheese, cream, and salt and pepper. Stir and cook until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 - 7 mins. Then stir in Parmesan and lemon zest. Simmer about 5 mins to thicken. Remove from heat.

3)  Heat remaining 1 tbsp of butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and cook for about 2 mins on each side. Remove from pan and add the cream sauce. 

4)  Add spinach to the medium skillet and heat just until wilted, about 3 mins. Toss the cooked spinach and shrimp with the cream sauce. Serve cream sauce poured over pasta. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE Printable Recipe

Salisbury Steaks

These salisbury steaks turned out great! I served them with sides of corn and mashed potatoes, just like my all-time favorite TV dinner. 

Makes 4 Steaks

Beef Mixture

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

1/2 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs

2 tsp Ground Mustard

1 cube Beef Bouillon, crumbled

4 dashes Worcestershire

1 tbsp Ketchup

2 tbsp EVOO

2 tbsp Butter

Gravy

1 Medium Yellow Onion, halved & thinly sliced 

1 can Beef Broth

4 dashes Worcestershire

1 tbsp Ketchup

1 tsp Cornstarch (Mixed with 1/2 cup of the Beef Broth)

1)  Combine all ingredients for the meat mixture and knead until thoroughly mixed. Form into 4 oval patties.

2)  Heat EVOO and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry the patties until no longer pink in the middle, about 8 - 10 mins total. Remove from the pan and set aside. Pour off any excess grease, if any.

3) Reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onions. Stir and cook until golden brown and soft. Add the broth, Worcestershire, and ketchup, scraping up all of the yummy brown bits. Add the cornstarch/broth mixture. Stir and cook to reduce and thicken, about 5 - 8 minutes. 

4) Return the steaks to the pan and spoon gravy and onions over the top. Simmer for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE Printable Recipe

Vanilla Cupcakes for Two with No Cook Chocolate Frosting

Makes 2 Cupcakes

Cupcake Batter
1 Egg White
2 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp Butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 tbsp Milk

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tbsp Water

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin pan with 2 liners.
2. In a bowl, whisk egg white and sugar until combined. Add butter and vanilla and stir until mixed. Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir until smooth. Stir in milk.
3. Divide batter equally between the 2 cupcake liners. Bake for 10 - 12 mins or until cake is set. Let cool while mixing the frosting.
4. Mix all frosting ingredients by hand with a fork until combined and smooth. Frost those cupcakes!

CLICK HERE Printable Recipe