Tex Mex Brats & Beans and Nana’s Perfect Cornbread

This is post 2 for today, be sure to check out “Keeping It Local” for gift giving ideas in post 1.

 

I don’t remember when or how we came across this recipe years and years ago, but I can tell you one thing….you are going to LOVE this!

  Sweet BBQ meets smoky brats with a variety of colorful beans, all this topped with a bloop of sour cream and fresh snipped cilantro…A-MAAAAAZING!

  Tex Mex Brats & Beans

{click for easy printable}

• 2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Northern Beans
• 2 can (15 Oz. Can) Kidney Beans
• 2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans
• 10 whole Johnsonville Brats
• 8 ounces, fluid Tomato Sauce
• 1 cup Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1 can (4 Oz. Can) Chopped Green Chilies
• 1 cup Salsa, You Decide The Heat Level
• ¼ cups Brown Sugar

Drain and rinse beans. Slice brats diagonally in 1-inch pieces. Combine remaining ingredients in your slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Just before serving, sprinkle with some cilantro, cheese and sour cream. 

You are gonna LOVE this!

Tastes great with Corn bread, and I just so happen to have a favorite Corn Bread Recipe to share with you, straight from my Momma’s kitchen!

Nana’s Perfect Cornbread

• 1 cup flour (we used whole white wheat)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 t. salt

Preheat oven to 425*.  Mix dry ingredients well.  Stir in corn meal.  Beat eggs, then add eggs, milk and oil to dry ingredients.  Beat just until smooth.  Pour into 9×9 baking dish or deep dish baking stone. Bake for 15-20 minutes.  We grew up putting butter, honey or syrup on our cornbread.  It’d be good crumbled up in the above Brats and Beans recipe too.

~T

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Melt In Your Mouth Monday

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Keeping It Local

Got this in an email this week and thought I’d pass it along!  Make sure you head to Post 2 for Tex Mex Brats and Beans.

~T

Christmas 2011 — Birth of a New Tradition

Some thoughts on gifts…..

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods — Merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It’s time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper? Everyone — yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamin’s on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants — all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn’t about big National chains — this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

  You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.