Polenta and Black Bean Casserole

SO tasty. Have just made it once, but it'll be a repeater. I made it exactly to the recipe, but I'm sure you could make adjustments.

Ingredients

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 4-ounce cans diced green chilies, drained
1/4 cup canned salsa verde (tomatillo salsa)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 16-ounce purchased polenta roll, cut into 18 rounds
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 15-ounce can black beans, well drained
1 15-ounce can golden hominy, well drained
3 cups coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 10 ounces)

Preparation

Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 450°F. Oil 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Mix 1/2 cup cilantro, chilies, salsa verde, garlic, and cumin in medium bowl. Arrange 9 polenta rounds in bottom of dish, spacing evenly. Drizzle 1/4 cup cream over. Top with half of beans, half of hominy, and half of chili mixture. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups cheese. Repeat layering. Cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 475°F; uncover casserole and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and serve.

Sue Atchley's Baked Beans

Just so you don't think we only eat dessert at our house...

1 white onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 lb bacon
3 BIG cans of pork & beans
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1/4-1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4-1/3 c. ketchup
1-2 Tbsp. mustard

Saute onion and pepper. Chop up bacon and fry up. Combine bacon, onion, peppers, brown sugar, ketchup & mustard in frying pan and make a sauce. Stir into pork & beans. Bake in 9x13 pan at 350 for 30 minutes, then broil for ten minutes.

These are easily the best baked beans we've ever had!

Feijouda (Black Beans and Pork)

This is how I remember a recipe for the delicious Brazilian black bean dish, that I got from a Brazilian friend.

1 lb black beans, dry, picked over for stones and bad beans
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic (or to taste)
bay leaf
thyme (fresh if you've got it)
1 lb mixed smoked pork, cut into bite sized pieces(I usually use smoked sausage, for regular meals, but when going all out, pork ribs, salt pork, bacon, sausage, any other smoky pork is good)
Lots of water
salt and pepper to taste.


Wash the beans and place in Crockpot, add everything but the salt and pepper. The water should cover the beans by the length of your middle finger at least. Cook on High for 3-4 hours or on low for 8-9. During the last hour, check that the beans are tender, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary. (If you have that divine condiment Julio's this is a fabulous place to use it) Serve with rice and a salad.

Two tips I've learned about this dish in many times I've prepared it.
1. Never salt the beans until they are completely tender, if you do they will never get tender
2. The fresher the bean the better. 10-20 year old beans are only viable via pressure cooker, and even then they are not that good.