Our one year wedding anniversary is next week!
And we’re going to Disney World!!
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Side Dishes
Gloria’s Black Beans
So, I’m alive.
I don’t think I’ve ever taken a week off from my blog before, aside from when I had Autumn, but this week got the best of me and I fell behind on the blog. And with just about everything else in life. Care to help fold a billion loads of laundry anyone?
That’s what happens when you work insane hours for several deadlines that hit in the same week. It’s been a long month filled with late night and long hours, but OT and the projects make it worth it.
But it meant I was not in the kitchen much. Or on the computer doing non-work things. So the blog has just been hanging out here waiting for me.
Here I am, back for a Taco Tuesday post with a great side dish that you will love to serve along side your tacos or in your burritos or next to some grilled chicken or mixed into some salad… BLACK BEANS!!!!
But they are not any ordinary beans. Oh no, they are “Teacher’s Beans!”
Autumn went to the most amazing home-daycare from 12 weeks until the time we moved to Florida. Gloria and Ivette ran the daycare with such love and kindness. We wish we could have brought “Teacher” and “Hermana” along with us! Autumn was Gloria’s buddy in the kitchen so I always heard about the food they had and how much she enjoyed it.
One such favorite was her black beans. So I requested the recipe so that Autumn could enjoy something that was familiar and comforting to her. We went to the store for the ingredients and she was so excited about having “Teacher’s Beans”.
We were all so happy with how they came out. Autumn ate a big serving while saying “Yay! Teacher Beans!” and “Yummy yummy in my tummy”. That’s true love right there.
These tender beans are a must make for your family dinners.
Gloria’s Black Beans
Makes 8-10 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry black beans
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
Process
- In a very large bowl, combine the dry beans with enough water to cover the beans by 2″. Let sit overnight for 8-12 hours.
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- In a very large pot, bring the beans, garlic, pepper, and onion with 6 Cups of water to a boil. Turn down the heat to simmer the beans, covered, for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.
Honey Roasted Carrots
post from 11/23/15, pictures updated 11/6/17
Hello, Monday. We meet again…
It’s the 3rd Monday of the Month so it’s time for my monthly Secret Recipe Club post. Yes!
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New Potato & Radish Salad in a Creamy Truffle Oil Dressing
Holy smokes guys, I bought a new bathing suit!!
I am so freaking ready for summer. It hurts me so much that it’s not yet warm.
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Waffle Iron Grilled Cheese
My mom was up from Florida visiting this past long weekend. It was such a blast. The last time I saw her was in January when we were staying with my dad after we went on our cruise. And the next time I will see her is in June when we get married. So we had a lot of catching up to do. As well as things to get done!
We did plenty of shopping for the wedding to get our DIY decorations and the goodie bags we are handing out at the rehearsal dinner started. I got my dress fitted on Sunday which was an ordeal but I think it’s all settled now. oy. And my mom get her dress too.
Besides that we also attempted to get some stuff from the Lilly for Target collection but that was a cluster … UGH! While that was a bust, we did get to enjoy some great food throughout her stay that I cooked & Price grilled. And I think I got her hooked on Naked and Afraid. ha!!
I was bummed that I didn’t get to break out the waffle iron while she was in town but I’ll better plan for it the next time she is visiting us. But I do have a great recipe to share this week!!! So pumped about it.
I just couldn’t ignore the fact that is it Grilled Cheese Month!!! And I obviously had to waffle it. Duh.
I swear I am going to use my waffle irons to make everything this year. Price is definitely going to kill me. I say by September, at the latest. ha!
It’s just that a waffle iron is like a panini press, but cooler. So you can, and should, use it to make grilled cheese.
I often alternate using mayo or butter on my grilled cheese, but this time I decided o use butter. What, you’ve never heard of mayo on a grilled cheese?!?! Oh I swear it makes for a dang good grilled cheese. Just swap out the butter you schmear on your bread with some mayo and cook like normal. Anyway, anyway, I used butter this time as I wanted it to feel more waffle-y as I pretty much always have butter on my waffles. No, I dunno. Actually.
Anyway, it’s important to use soft butter so you don’t tare the bread when you are schmearing it on. (Schmear is my current favorite word.) You can totally use butter softened to room temperature but I don’t typically plan for that prep time so I always keep some Kerrygold Naturally Softer Pure Irish Butter on hand so that I can use it right out of the fridge. I know there are other soft butters on the market but I truely prefer to use Kerrygold’s as the don’t add anything, like oil, to keep the butter soft. It’s just how they churn the milk the cows produce in the summer (naturally higher in softer milkfat) that keeps it soft. Cool!
I am totally flexible on the kind of cheese to use when making grilled cheese- America, light cheddar, sharp cheddar, etc. But I am not flexible with the color. If it can be orange it must be orange. It’s just one of those things that I really like, I dunno. Reminds me of growing up and using Kraft singles, I guess. But you can use whatever cheese you really enjoy. Just make sure do take a bite when it’s nice and hot!! Yum!!!
Waffle Iron Grilled Cheese
Makes 1 Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices of sandwich bread
- 1 Tablespoon butter, softened
- 3-4 ounces of cheddar cheese, sliced very thin or grated
Process
- Preheat your waffle iron.
- Butter 1 side of each of the slices of bread.
- Lay out one slice of bread down on your work surface, butter side down. Cover with your cheese, and top off with the other slice of bread, butter side up.
- Lay your sandwich in your waffle iron. Close the top. No need to press it down as the weight of the top will slowly compress the sandwich on its own.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the sandwich is golden and the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
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Kerrygold has provided me with butters and cheeses to use in the creation of these waffle recipes for my #WaffleWednesday series. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks for all of your comments. I appreciate them all.