Crockpot Red Beans and Rice

By: Co+op, welcome to the table

Recipe Information
Total Time: 7 hours,15 minutes; 15 minutes active
Servings: 4-6

Laissez les bons temps rouler! Mardi Gras is just around the corner, so you couldn’t ask for a better time to brush up on your cajun-style cuisine. In the mood to get creative? Swap collard greens in this recipe for organic chard - on sale right now at your Co-op for just $1.99 per bunch.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried kidney beans

• 1/2 cup long grain brown rice

• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 large carrot, chopped

• 1 bunch collard greens, chopped

• 5 cups water

• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Heat a pot of water to boiling, add kidney beans and boil beans for ten minutes. Drain beans.

2. Combine 5 cups water, drained kidney beans, brown rice, bell pepper, carrot and Cajun seasoning in a slow cooker. Cover and set on low, and cook for 6 hours.

3. Open the cooker, add the salt and collard greens, and stir. Cover and cook for another hour.

4. When the beans are tender, serve or transfer to containers to refrigerate or freeze.

Serving Suggestion

Serve as a side dish to roasted chicken, or feature it as an entrée with a slice of cornbread.

Three Sisters Soup

By: Renee Russel

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes - 2 hours, 10 minutes
Servings: 8 to 10

For almost as long as human beings have lived on this continent, the Three Sisters - corn, beans, and squash - have been a staple crop grown and harvested together. Each plant supports the others: sturdy, fast-growing corn provides a natural trellis for climbing beans. Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, providing vital nutrients for all three. Squash’s low, prickly leaves provide protection from pests and weeds. The spirit of cooperation in nature also makes a lovely, hearty fall soup for your dinner table.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of your favorite winter squash (butternut, acorn, kabocha)

• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1/4 cup garlic, chopped

• 2 quarts vegetable stock or water

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

• 1 large bay leaf

• 1 pound fresh or frozen corn kernels

• 2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained

• 1/2 bunch green onions, sliced

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash halves skin-side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet, and then roast until cooked through and soft, anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes (see tips below for cooking times depending on your squash). Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

2. Scoop the flesh of the squash into a large bowl (save any liquid!). Puree the cooled squash with a blender or food processor, adding some of the reserved liquid if needed.

3. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until the garlic turns light brown in color.

4. Add the stock or water, wine, thyme, bay leaf and pureed squash and bring to a simmer. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Tips & Notes

Squash cooking times will vary depending on the type and size of squash. At 350°F you can expect these approximate cooking times:

• Acorn squash: 30-45 minutes

• Kabocha squash: 40-50 minutes

• Butternut squash: 60-90 minutes