Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black beans — sorted & rinsed
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• 2 large green bell pepper — chopped & divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion — chopped
• 4 cloves garlic — minced
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons to 4 tsp. salt
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• hot cooked white or yellow rice

Garnish: chopped onion

Method:

1. Sort and wash beans and place in a Dutch oven.
2. Add water and half of bell pepper and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours or just until beans are tender.
4. (If desired, beans can be presoaked overnight before this process.)
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
6. Add remaining bell pepper, onion, and next 4 ingredients.
7. Cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until tender.
8. Add onion mixture, sugar, and salt to beans, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
9. Uncover and cook for 15 minutes or to desired thickness.
10. Stir in wine and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
11. Remove and discard bay leaf.
12. Serve over rice. Garnish with chopped onion, if desired.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 12-oz package of frozen peas
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup parmesan or romano cheese
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 package ditilani pasta
• 1/2 – 1 cup water

Method

• Boil water for pasta and cook pasta
• In another pan: Heat olive oil and cook onion and garlic in until both are soft
• Add can of stewed tomatoes – stir for 2 minutes
• Add 1/2 cup water (add more water if needed)
• Add peas (frozen or canned; if you use canned be sure to drain them)
• (you can substitute peas for any kind of beans – this is very good with pork & beans)
• Cook until peas are cooked – mix well. Add drained cooked pasta to peas – mix well. Add cheese.
• You can make this as a soup by adding more water and garlic and using less pasta.