Monterey Beans and Cheese

pattikay in L.A.'s Note:

This is one of those recipes I turn to again and again when I don't feel like working too hard on dinner. I'm including the ingredients from the original recipe, though I always add corn, and never add the bacon or green pepper. It's great served over rice. From the More with Less Cookbook.

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 slices bacon (optional)
• 2 -3 tablespoons diced onions
• 1/2 green pepper, diced (optional)
• 2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, undrained
• 1 -2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce (or 2 diced tomatoes)
• 1 -2 teaspoon chili powder (I use at least a tablespoon for our family)
• 1 -2 cup corn kernel (I always use frozen)
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. If using bacon, fry, drain and break into pieces.
2. Saute onion and green pepper (if using) in bacon grease (or in a bit of vegetable oil if not using bacon).
3. Add beans (and their liquid), tomato sauce, seasonings and corn.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring till mixture is blended and bubbling and liquid reduces some.
5. Stir in cheese and stir till cheese is smooth and melted into the sauce.
6. Cook, stirring till mixture attains desired thickness.
7. Serve over cooked rice.

Reviews

[Starrynews]

Easy and delicious! I omitted the salt (personal preference) and also rinsed and drained the beans. To make up for the liquid, I added water. I also added a little dash of cumin and used the optional bacon and green pepper. I may omit the bacon in the future, because I couldn't really taste it and the rest could stand alone. Thanks for sharing!

[katew]

Delicious !! I made the recipe exactly but also added some diced zucchini . Served with rice and a liitle sour cream and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce - fabulous dinner !

[Michelle from Central Time]

I was making this tonight from the cookbook (a childhood love), and thought I would see if it's on the Zaar. Well, you beat me to it. It's nice because you have the tomato-cheese sauce kind of like in spaghetti-o's but the chili powder kicks it over into grown-up country. I use 2 T. boughten bacon crumbles and sauté them with diced onions and bell peppers (1/2 c. each; we tend to prefer red/yellow peppers) in a bit of olive oil. I add the beans and tomato sauce. Then I slowly stir in maybe 6 oz. shredded cheddar (shredding it is the hardest part of cooking this). Only 1 t. chili powder, 1/2 t. salt, and no corn (we are trying to be careful about GI). It's easy, yummy, and easy to vary.