Recipes Cooking beans, Anasazi style

Southwest Casserole

The Arvada, Colo. Sentinel


1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon dried, crushed oregano

1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes

1/2 (21/4-ounce) can ripe olives

13/4 cups cooked Anasazi beans

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup water

Cornmeal layer:

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 cups additional water

1/2 teaspoon salt


1/4 cup shredded cheddar

Saute onion in oil until tender. Add ground beef and brown. Add chili powder, salt, oregano, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, olives and 1/4 cup water; simmer 1 hour.

Combine cornmeal with 1/4 cup water. Bring remaining 2 cups water to boil, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and cornmeal mixture; cook 10 minutes or until thickened. Spread half of cornmeal mixture in bottom of deep 21/2 quart baking dish.

Add bean mixture. Spread remaining cornmeal mixture over beans. Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 more minutes.

Serves 4. Recipe can be doubled.

Anasazi Bean and Sausage


Arvada, Colo., Sentinel

2 cups uncooked Anasazi beans

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 bay leaf

8 ounces hot sausage,

sliced in half (not Italian)

6 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Chopped parsley

Wash and pick over beans. Add water, onion, and seasonings. Simmer, covered, about 11/2 hours, or until beans are almost tender. Add sausage. Simmer 30 more minutes, or until beans are tender. Remove bay leaf. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4 or 5.

Anasazi Beans and Rice

Dolores Goldfain,

Berthoud, Colo.

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 green or red pepper,

chopped or grated

1 cup carrots, chopped or grated

2 zucchini, chopped or grated

2 cups cooked Anasazi beans

1/2 cup bean broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon each basil and oregano

2 tomatoes, diced

5 cups cooked brown rice

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan or cheddar cheese


Saute onions, garlic, peppers, celery, carrots and zucchini until soft, using about a tablespoon of oil. Add beans, broth, parsley and seasonings. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stir in diced tomatoes. Serve over hot brown rice. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese if you don't have to watch cholesterol. Anasazi Beans in Tortillas

The Charlotte Observer

1 cup Anasazi beans

1/4 cup peanut oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno peppers

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves

or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon dried cumin

1 teaspoon salt

6 (8-inch) flour tortillas

12 ounces Monterey jack cheese,

coarsely shredded

Cook beans until tender, and add rest of ingredients to beans except for tortillas and cheese. Spoon bean mixture into tortillas. Add cheese, fold tortillas over and enjoy.