Sunday, January 19, 2020

Cowboy Beans and Jalapeño Cornbread Casserole

My cousins introduced us to an amazing recipe for "Cowboy Beans" (a regular recipe made in the firehouse my cousin works at) with cornbread and it instantly became a new staple in our meal rotation. Hearty, a little spice, the perfect Winter comfort food! This is an awesome savory dish that pairs well with a sweet jalapeño cornbread casserole!

Cowboy Beans

Ingredients:

-1 Can Black Beans (Drained)
-1 Can Pinto Beans (Drained)
-1 Can Light Red Kidney Beans (Drained)
-1 Can Great Northern Beans (DO NOT DRAIN)
-14 oz. Kielbasa
-1 lb Hamburger
-1 lb Ground Pork Sausage (Hot, we used Bob Evans Zesty Hot)
-1/2 yellow onion (Diced)
-1/4 C yellow mustard
-1/2 C Ketchup
-3/4 C Bbq sauce(We used KC Masterpiece hickory brown sugar)
Optional:
-A few spoonfuls of diced jalapeños plus a splash of the juice from the jalapeño jar
*Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste, I added a little while browning the meat and then seasoned the beans when I combined all the ingredients!*


Directions:
-Add drained Black beans, Pinto beans and Kidney beans to Dutch Oven or Crock Pot
-Add can of Great Northern Beans, with liquid, to Dutch Oven or Crock Pot
-Brown Hamburger, Ground Pork Sausage, Onion(and jalapenos, if you choose) in skillet together and then add to beans
-Cut Kielbasa into slices and then quarter those into bite size pieces and add to Dutch Oven or Crock Pot
-Add Mustard, Ketchup, Bbq Sauce(and jalapeño juice, if you choose)
-Stir until combined
-Place in oven at 300 for 2-2.5 hours (This can be made at 375 for 1 hour, but our kiddos prefer the texture of beans when they have been cooked to death, so we cook them lower and longer!)
-OR-
-Cook in Crock Pot 6-8 hours 
-Stir Occasionally

*Serve with warm cornbread or jalapeño cornbread casserole (Recipe posted below)



*We love to put a little yellow mustard on top of our Cowboy Beans! Give it a shot!*



Jalapeño Cornbread Casserole

Ingredients: 
-1 Box Jiffy Cornbread Mix
-1 Stick Butter (Melted)
-1 Can Whole Kernel Corn
-1 Can Cream Style Corn
-1 Cup Sour Cream
-2 Eggs
-1 fresh jalapeño (Diced)

Directions:
*Heat oven to 375*
-Grease 9x13 Casserole Dish
-Beat eggs in small bowl
-Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix together, I add the jiffy mix and jalapeños last
-Pour into baking dish in even layer and bake 35-40 Minutes or until center is firm



*The top will be slightly firm, but the texture of the cornbread as a whole will have more of a soft/loose casserole texture, not like cornbread where you can pick it up with your hands and eat it!*