This is worth revisiting-
They make great gifts for grandparents!
Hands
And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world it is best to hold hands and stick together. -Robert Fulghum
How to Freeze Cooked Beans
How To Freeze Cooked Beans
A 15 ounce can of beans is about 1 and 2/3 cup of cooked beans. So to freeze leftover cooked beans, fill separate mason jars with 1 and 2/3 cups beans and cover with water. Make sure to leave about 2 inches of space on top for the liquid to expand. Carefully place jars in the freezer (without the lids) and they’ll keep for up to 6 months!
Next time you know you’ll be using a recipe that calls for a can of beans, thaw your jar and voila! Just as easy as popping open a can.
Ok fine- no where near as easy, but so much better for you since they are truly BPA-free
How to Cook Dried Beans
Since beans have been on the brain, I’ve been thinking a lot about why I’ve gone to great lengths to find the best alternative to BPA infested canned varieties, and haven’t given any thought to cooking my own.
Here are the reasons.
In the past when I have cooked dried beans it has been such an ordeal- first to soak, then cook them for hours, only to use a cup of them and then guiltily throw the rest away a week later because I don’t know how long they can last in the refrigerator. Canned beans are just so convenient!
The vast difference in cost between organic dried bulk section beans and organic canned or tetrapak’d beans has not bothered me enough to make the switch, but the cost of BPA in my blood stream, breast milk, and babies’ bodies has finally pushed me over the edge.
So I did some research ( ok, a lot of research) on the best way to cook beans from scratch. Then I tried different methods and used the beans in favorite recipes and guess what? It’s super easy to cook and store dried beans so you’ll always have some conveniently on hand.
How To Cook Dried Beans:
First, you have to soak them. Soaking beans minimizes the sugars that cause gas, and also allows for shorter cooking times, which preserves nutrients.
Soaking dried beans
- Pour cold water over the beans to cover.
- Soak beans for 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain beans, discard soak water and rinse with fresh, cool water.
(Cold water starts the re hydration process slowly so beans will appear wrinkled after soaking.)
After soaking, time to cook!
- Examine the beans and throw away any that are discolored or shriveled.
- Rinse the beans with water and then drain the water.
- Put the beans in a large pot and add fresh water until it covers them with 2 to 3 inches.
- Heat beans and water to boiling, then turn the heat to LOW and cover the pot. Check occasionally to see if you need to add more water during cooking.
- When the beans are tender but firm, they’re ready to eat!
- Different bean varieties require different cooking times, but it’s usually about 1-2 hours.
Cook too many beans? Come back tomorrow for directions on Freezing Cooked Beans!
Easiest Crockpot Recipe Ever
Sausage and Cabbage in the Slow Cooker
I can hardly call this a recipe, as you just put two things in the crock pot and let it cook on low all day. It is the easiest thing I make, but it is delicious!
What you’ll need:
- One head of cabbage- purple, green, whatever variety you like
- Sausage- spicy, mild, breakfast, whatever you have
- Slow cooker
Directions:
- Wash cabbage and tear up leaves. This is a great project for kids
- Pack cabbage in slow cooker until completely full
- Cut sausage in one inch pieces and put on top of cabbage
- Cover (lid might not fit from all of the cabbage and sausage, but as it cooks it will shrink), turn crock pot on low, and let cook for about 6 hours
Serve on plates and enjoy.
Easy as that! My whole family loves this dish.
Let me know if you try it.