When I lived in the Southwest, I used to miss “Baked Beans.” It seemed that anytime I ate out and ordered beans as a side, they were either Cowboy Beans Frijoles Charros or some kind of Barbecued Baked Beans. Now that I’m in the Midwest, I miss those Cowboy Beans. Go figure, huh? Not anymore, though!

Southwestern Protein Mix
Awhile back, I posted a recipe for Cumin Dusted Pork Chops and mentioned this Southwestern Protein Mix. A wonderful medley of corn, bell peppers, black beans and barley, this flavorful dish would be a fantastic side for any number of meals.

Cowboy Caviar Salad
I just recently learned the history of Cowboy Caviar – along with the original recipe. The earliest recipes were basically pickled black-eyed peas with a bit of onion and garlic! While we’ve come a long way since then with all kinds of additions, bottled salad dressing just isn’t one I approve of! But then you probably already knew that if you’re a regular reader! Simple dressings like this are so easy and inexpensive to make at home and there are no worries about strange additives.

Thai Red Lentil Soup with Coconut & Curry
When January rolls around, I like to take stock and go through the pantry to see what needs to be used. This year, merry little red lentils were calling, “Use me! Use me!” Well, I did and made Thai Red Lentil Soup with Coconut & Curry.

Crispy Oven Roasted Chickpeas
When Oven Roasted Chickpeas appeared on my radar last year, I fell immediately in love with the idea. I tried them but I just couldn’t hang. They’d be crispy out of the oven – for a few minutes, and a few minutes only. Well, these are not those chickpeas!