Quick and Easy Black Beans

My kids are picky eaters, but they will eat just about anything in "bean form."  This little fact means that we eat a lot of beans in our house. I'm ashamed to say that I used to just dump a can of black beans in a pan, warm them up, and call them a side dish. Sad. SO sad. I found this easy recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs, Our Best Bites and I changed very little about it. This is now the only way I do black beans. Thank goodness.

Quick and Easy Black Beans

2 cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
1/2 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced (I use the pre-minced, bottled stuffed)
2/3 c. chicken broth
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
juice from 1 lime

In a sauce pan, heat the oil on med-high and saute onions until clear.  Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add beans, broth and seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 min or until the beans are as soft as you want.  Add the lime juice and serve.  They do thicken as they stand, so if you want them thicker just remove them from heat and wait a few minutes before serving.

Lemon Rice with Pine Nuts

This is a great recipe I got from my Ward Cookbook. It's one of our favorite rice dishes.  I love to make it with this Tilapia recipe. I was tempted once to make it without the pine nuts...mostly because I'm super cheap.  Thankfully my husband wouldn't stand for it so he picked some up on his way home from work.  They really do make a big difference. Definitely try this one out!

Amy's Lemon Rice with Pine Nuts
2 1/2 C. chicken broth (I used water and boullion cubes)
1 C. jasmine rice
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped (I've used sweet, white, and red. All were good.)
1/4 C. pine nuts
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan, bring chicken broth to a boil.  Add rice, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 min.  Remove from heat, set aside.  In a medium skillet melt mutter over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until clear.  Add cooked rice, pine nuts, lemon juice, parsley, salt & pepper.