Bean Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

3 cups cooked Great Northern beans

2 tbsp butter or margarine

2 tbsp flour

1 qt skim milk, divided

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

3 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

12 oz lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 ½ cups ricotta cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried thyme, crushed

1 tbsp minced parsley

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Directions

Melt butter in saucepan; stir in flour, add 2 cups milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick.

Combine beans, vegetables, remaining 2 cups milk, white sauce, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper; mix well.

Cover bottom of greased 13x8x2-inch pan with 1/4 of the noodles and 1/4 each of bean mixture, ricotta, and mozarella cheese. Repeat layers 3 times.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Cover pan and bake at 375 degrees F., 1 to 1-1/4 hours, or until noodles are tender.

Remove cover; bake 10 minutes or until top browns. Let stand 15 min.

NOTES

Canned beans may be used. Noodles may be cooked before assembling lasagna. Bake 350 F. oven 30-45 minutes or until heated. Prepared marinara sauce may be served with lasagna.

Bean and Vegetable Paella

Ingredients

Seasoned Broth

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 pinch ground saffron

1 tsp dried thyme

¼ cup white wine

Vegetable and Rice Mixture

2 cups Idaho beans of your choice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

2 ½ cups coarsely chopped vegetables

1 ½ cups paella rice

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

½ cup fresh tomato, seeded and chopped

¼ cup green peas

2 tbsp minced parsley

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring “seasoned broth” ingredients to a simmer. Continue to simmer while you begin paella.

In large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil; add garlic, onions, and vegetables and cook 3 minutes. Add rice, paprika, salt, pepper, and beans; cook 3 minutes, while stirring.

Add the hot seasoned stock to the vegetable/rice mixture and bring to a boil. Stir well, then reduce heat to low and continue to cook covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring often. Add tomatoes and parsley, and stir to combine.

Notes

For a more traditional paella, place into shallow baking pan and bake in 375 degree F. oven for 10 minutes after cooking, and decorate the top of the finished dish with the tomatoes and parsley. Paella rice is short-grained pearl rice and will make the dish creamier and more authentic. Italian Arborio or pearl rice may be substituted.

Baja Quesadillas

Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray

1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in half and sliced

1 cup sliced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1 small jalapeño, minced

15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained

15 oz Pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped tomato

½ cup finely chopped cilantro

12 tortillas (6-inch)

1 cup shredded four-cheese Mexican blend

Salsa, as garnish

sour cream, as garnish

Directions

Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Sauté zucchini, onion, garlic, jalapeño chili and cumin until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Add beans to side of skillet; coarsely mash about half the beans. Mix beans, tomato and cilantro into onion mixture and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon 1/3 cup mixture on one side of each tortilla and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese. Fold tortillas in half and spray both sides with cooking spray.

Bake on cookie sheet at 450° F. until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes, or cook in large skillet over medium heat until browned, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Garnish quesadillas with salsa and sour cream.

Amber Ale Baked Beans

Ingredients

2 cups water

64 oz canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 bay leaves

14 oz chicken broth

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered

2 slices of bacon (uncooked), chopped

2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp chili powder

¾ cup ketchup

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp ground black pepper

12 oz bottle amber ale

cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Drain over a large bowl; reserve cooking liquid. Discard onion and bay leaves.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add chopped onion to drippings in pan; cook 10 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized, stirring frequently.

Add ketchup and next 5 ingredients (through ale) and 1/2 cup reserved bean liquid to pan; bring to a boil. Add beans and bacon.

Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Transfer to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes or until thick.