Black Bean Casserole

I keep trying to find more ways of using black beans and this casserole turned out to be very tasty.  You could spice it up some by adding cayenne pepper, or use your favorite beans.
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Black Bean Casserole
1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & black pepper to taste
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook ground beef and onion in medium sauce pan until well done.  Combine all ingredients except bread crumbs in casserole dish.  Top with bread crumbs.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Bad Breakup

Guest post written by Derick Burks
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I just broke up with my boyfriend, and the breakup has been hard on me. Neither of us wanted to admit it, but we weren’t happy and we needed to move on. We were living together, so that just made everything more complicated. I decided to move out and let him stay in our apartment, so I have been very busy trying to get things together in my new place. Some nights when I come home from work I am so tired and sad that I don’t want to do anything, but I have to push through and at least try to organize things. I still have to research wireless internet providers and buy furniture so I have a full plate. My sister is going to come and visit me next week to give me a hand, so I am excited about that. I think while she is here she will help me keep my mind off of things and we will go out and do some fun things. I hope that soon I will be over this and things will go back to normal.

Corn Toast

I know you've probably heard of S.O.S.  No?  Well, it's a cream sauce made with dried beef or ground beef served on toast and topped with peas.  We had it a lot growing up and I have to say I didn't like it much.  That's probably because I really hated peas as a child.  Well, corn toast is a version Mom used to make me and I still have this every once in a while.  It's comfort food, and can't really be considered a recipe, but here goes.....  It's also a cheap dinner!
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Corn Toast
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4 slices of bread, toasted
1 can cream style corn
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Heat corn to a boil and let cool slightly.  Spoon over toast and serve immediately.

Inside the Crayon Box

Crayola wants every child to be creatively alive, so they´re inviting parents "Inside the Crayon Box," for a special live chat with celebrities and trusted parenting experts that will inspire and spark ideas to expand your child´s creative thinking. If you find yourself looking for new ways to inspire your children to express their ideas and build their creativity, you´ll want to join us to learn and share!

The first "Inside the Crayon Box" live chat is Wednesday, March 7 at 9 p.m. EST. Join Crayola and musician, children´s author and mom, Lisa Loeb for a 45-minute live streaming video chat on the Crayola Facebook Page. Lisa, best-known for her number one hit "Stay (I Missed You)," will share as personal stories, practical advice and ways she brings a little creative play into every day for her daughter. They want to hear from you- participants can ask Lisa questions during the event, too!

Topics covered during the chat will be:

Why Does Creativity Matter? Creativity is not about who´s the best artists or becoming an architect. It´s a way of thinking that encourages kids´ original ideas and develops their confidence.

Growing Up Creative. Lisa will share stories about growing up in a home where creativity was encouraged.

Simple Tips. Easy Ideas. Like most moms, Lisa juggles a lot. She´ll share simple, easy ways she sparks her daughter´s creativity as part of their daily routine.
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To learn more about the tools from Crayola that make it easy for parents to help children develop their creativity visit www.Crayola.com and like Crayola on Facebook!
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Also, be sure to check out Lisa´s book Lisa Loeb´s Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs (Sterling Children´s Books, 2011) available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Sing, laugh, and play with pop Lisa in this fabulous collection of ten of the silliest songs ever. Fun activities, games, and recipes accompany whimsical songs. Take Lisa's Silly Sing-Along with you wherever you go and get the high-spirited good times started. Includes a 10-song CD recorded by Lisa!
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Thanks to Crayola for providing information about about the Crayola "Inside the Crayon Box" live event through MyBlogSpark
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Check out these great videos from Crayola: "Creativity Matters" and "Inspire."


"Creativity Matters"

Love Cajun Food?

Do you love Cajun food? If so, check out this free ebook from amazon.com- It's full of heartwarming stories along with authentic family recipes. As always, what's free today, may not be free tomorrow, so check the price before you order.

Foodie News: Hunger Hits Home

FOOD NETWORK SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON

‘HUNGER HITS HOME’

UNCOVERING THE DEVASTATING HIDDEN CRISIS OF

CHILDHOOD HUNGER IN AMERICA



Premieres April 14th 8pm|7c on Food Network


NEW YORK –– February 22, 2012 – In the wealthiest nation in the world, one in five children live in the shadow of hunger. In a new Food Network produced documentary, HUNGER HITS HOME, audiences will get a first-hand look at the crisis of childhood hunger in America through the eyes of the people on the frontlines of the battle—parents and children, anti-hunger activists, educators and politicians committed to eradicating the problem. HUNGER HITS HOME examines the causes, complications and misconceptions about childhood hunger in the United States and offers a glimpse at some of the innovative solutions being put into practice today.



Narrated by Oscar®-winning actor and longtime anti-hunger activist Jeff Bridges, HUNGER HITS HOME is a heart-wrenching, yet empowering hour-long look at one of our nation’s little-known emergencies. An urgent call to action against this burgeoning crisis, the film is part of an ongoing partnership between Food Network and Share Our Strength, whose No Kid Hungry initiative aims to eradicate child hunger in America by 2015 by surrounding children with nutritious food where they live, learn and play.



“Producing this documentary with our partner, Share Our Strength, has been a highlight in our five-year relationship,” says Brooke Johnson, President, Food Network & Cooking Channel. “Food Network strives to entertain, inform and empower our audience with the programming we create; I can think of no better way to harness the power of Food Network’s reach than by offering our fans the chance to connect and if they so choose, take action to join us in this important fight.”



Every day, more than 16 million children in the U.S. struggle to get enough to eat, and the ongoing economic downturn forces more and more Americans to slip beneath the poverty line. A steady job no longer guarantees a full cupboard and the stigma attached to asking for help persists, leaving already over-stressed parents facing choices they never imagined. And, in the halls of the nation’s capitol, funding cuts threaten existing assistance programs even as the need for them increases.



“This is the moment to act,” said Billy Shore, founder and CEO of Share Our Strength. “Right now, a fifth of our youngest generation is struggling with hunger. When these kids get the food they need, they feel better, they learn more and they grow up stronger. The good news is that, together, we can make that happen.”



HUNGER HITS HOME goes on a cross-country odyssey from urban New York City and Washington, D.C., to suburban Virginia and Texas’ prosperous Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, giving viewers a bird’s-eye view of the hunger crisis through the lives of three hardworking families struggling to make ends meet. In Norfolk, Virginia, an ex-military man with four children must take a civilian job for a fraction of his service pay; a single father in Allen, Texas, is on the verge of losing his home and unable to feed his 10-year-old son; a young couple in New York City lack the access to the fresh fruits and vegetables their children desperately need. All of them have discovered that no community is immune to childhood hunger.



But HUNGER HITS HOME also offers hope for children in need. The film profiles some of America’s heroes in the continuing fight against childhood hunger, including a determined food pantry founder who makes the battle personal and an elementary school principal who refuses to let his students go hungry. It documents the work of government officials and not-for-profit leaders who will move mountains to mobilize necessary resources. With efforts large and small, these people are helping to fulfill Share Our Strength’s commitment to ending childhood hunger in America by 2015.



Each family profiled in HUNGER HITS HOME finds unique solutions to their unique problems, utilizing traditional methods like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps), innovative ideas such as subsidized Community Supported Agriculture baskets for families without access to fresh foods and in-classroom meals that ensure students get a balanced breakfast. But with problems this diverse, anti-hunger activists agree that there is no quick fix to the devastating effects of hunger on American children. They also agree that finding a solution is one of the most critical issues facing Americans today.



Food Network and Share Our Strength will host screenings in Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. in the coming weeks, offering both an advance look at and discussion on how to take action locally.



Food Network presents a Magical Elves production, HUNGER HITS HOME. Directed by Alexandra Lipsitz. Executive Producers: Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz, Alexandra Lipsitz, Kris Lindquist. Producers: Ben Mack, P.J. Davenport and Juan Carlos Saizar. Editors are Austin Flack and Jenn Viola.



http://www.foodnetwork.com/hungry Running time: 42 min





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FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers' best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring and empowering through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to more than 100 million U.S. households and averages more than 9.9 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine has tripled its rate base and delivers a circulation of 1.25 million. Headquartered in New York, Food Network has a growing international presence with programming in more than 150 countries, including 24 hour networks in Great Britain, India, Asia and Africa. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), which also owns and operates Cooking Channel (www.cookingchanneltv.com), DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com), Great American Country (www.gactv.com), HGTV (www.hgtv.com), and Travel Channel (www.travelchannel.com), is the manager and general partner.





SHARE OUR STRENGTH’S NO KID HUNGRY ®

Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting kids to the healthy food they need, every day. The No Kid Hungry Campaign ensures children in need are enrolled in essential nutrition programs, helps families get the most from their food resources and invests in effective community organizations fighting hunger. The No Kid Hungry campaign brings together public/private partnerships of political leaders, educators, corporations, chefs, parents, caretakers, faith leaders, anti-hunger activists, and others with strengths to share to end childhood hunger. Through its Cooking Matters ® program, the No Kid Hungry Campaign teaches families at risk of hunger how to get more food for their money and better nourishment from those foods. For more information on the No Kid Hungry strategy to ensure kids have access to healthy food where they live, learn and play, visit NoKidHungry.org.

Foodie News: Cooking Channel March 2012 Highlights

**COOKING CHANNEL MARCH 2012 HIGHLIGHTS**

COOKING CHANNEL COASTS TO ITALY IN NEW SERIES ‘DAVID ROCCO’S AMALFI GETAWAY’

Plus: Four Primetime Specials and Countless Premiere Episodes



NEW YORK – February 17, 2012 – Cooking Channel goes global with new series, David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway, premiering Sunday, March 11th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT as David Rocco returns to Italy getting authentic secrets straight from the home cooks and restaurateurs that know the cuisine best. Beating the Sunday night blues is easy as Cooking Channel premieres a special every Sunday night in March at 8pm including Eat This, Drink That where beer sommeliers, Hallie Beaune and Christina Perozzi take viewers on a journey to find delicious, yet eccentric food and drink pairings on Sunday, March 4th at 8pmET/5pmPT and Pop Up Gourmet which takes dining-out to a new level on Sunday, March 11th at 8pmET/5pmPT. The new programming continues with countless premiere episodes of Cooking Channel daytime and primetime favorites including Kelsey’s Essentials, Symon’s Suppers and Not My Mama’s Meals. Join the Cooking Channel conversation on Twitter and Facebook.



SERIES PREMIERES



David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway: Premiering Sunday, March 11th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT

David Rocco returns to Italy – this time to the Amalfi coast. His journey takes viewers into the home kitchens, restaurants and farms of Amalfi to cook with the mammas, nonnas and chefs who make simple, honest, rustic Italian dishes – most in the ‘cucina povera’ tradition. These are the dishes that have defined the region for centuries and are sure to inspire cooks today. Viewers can also get the authentic Italian recipes and amazing behind-the-scenes pictures from David’s Amalfi trip at www.CookingChannelTV.com.

· Premiering Sunday, March 11th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT – “Limone”

David travels the stunning Amalfi coast to discover what makes the Amalfi lemon famous. Sweeter and juicier than lemons grown in other parts of the world, the people of Amalfi have cultivated this extraordinary sunny fruit for centuries. Here, locals use every part of the "limone" in the kitchen – even the leaves. David cooks inspired savory dishes using lemon leaves, shares a tasty lemon granita, and learns how to make the coast's signature liqueur – Limoncello.

· Premiering Sunday, March 18th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT – “Pesce”

Amalfi's rugged coastline facing the open sea has always made it easier to fish than to farm. Because of this, the Amalfitani make some of the most delicious seafood dishes in the world. David kicks off his pursuit of local seafood at one of the tastiest beachside restaurants in Amalfi, where head cook Catarina prepares her signature anchovy and mussel dishes. David later travels out to sea with local fishermen, catching fresh shrimp and octopus for a dinner cooked right on the boat.

· Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT – “Mozzarella di Bufala”

David dives into the world of an Italian culinary treasure - buffalo milk cheeses, starting with a visit to a creamery in the town of Paestum where he meets the majestic buffalos face to face. David gets a taste of the luscious mozzarella di bufala - mozzarella made with buffalo milk. David learns how to use buffalo mozzarella in several traditional seafood dishes and, with the help of his friend Carla, makes a scrumptious cheese dessert for a beach picnic in the beautiful town of Positano.


PRIMETIME SPECIALS


Eat This, Drink That: Premiering Sunday, March 4th at 8pmET/5pmPT

Beer sommeliers, Hallie Beaune and Christina Perozzi, also known as "The Beer Chicks," know more about craft brews than most seasoned bartenders and their love for drink hardly ends there. These authors love wine, mixed drinks, spirits, cocktails and everything food related, and in this special they take to the road and introduce viewers to the folks who are creating brand new rules for pairing food with drink. Hallie and Christina find inspiration for shrimp and grits with absinthe on a shrimp boat in the Gulf of Mexico, and in Los Angeles, they marry sweet corn ice cream with beer for a float showdown.



Pop Up Gourmet: Premiering Sunday, March 11th at 8pmET/5pmPT

Pop Up Gourmet takes dining-out to a new level. With locally grown or harvested ingredients, great wine and decadent decor, Cory, Anton and Brad create one-night only pop-up restaurant experiences. The trio comes to aid a Monterey, Calif. restaurant that dreams of building a monument to honor those lost at sea. The team's pop-up restaurant will not only raise awareness about the monument but also showcase a five-star dinner menu celebrating sustainable seafood, artichokes and local Monterey wines. With four days and lots of ideas, the team works around the clock to get the job done.



Planet Food: Italy: Premiering Sunday, March 18th at 8pmET/5pmPT

Tyler Florence tastes the fruits of Italy at the annual olive harvest, shops at the markets of Bologna, and samples the glorious wines of Banfi Estates before getting authentic Italian cooking lessons.



Easter Unwrapped: Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 8pmET/5pmPT

Marc Summers is checking out marshmallow bunnies, the laying of malted eggs and finding out the secrets behind dying Easter eggs both by hand and by machine. Plus, he checks out the making of a chocolate bunny and meets an artist specializing in Peeps.



PREMIERE EPISODES



A Cook’s Tour

Premiering Sunday, March 4th at 8amET/5amPT – “Stuffed like a Pig: France Tour”

Premiering Sunday, March 11th at 8amET/5amPT – “Mexican Tamales and Iguana, Oaxacan Style”

Premiering Sunday, March 18th at 8amET/5amPT – “Desert Feast”

Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 8amET/5amPT – “Where the Good Cooks Are From”



Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Kitchen

Premiering Wednesday, March 21st at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Depression Desserts”



Drop 5 Lbs With Good Housekeeping

Premiering Saturday, March 17th at 11amET/8mPT – “Energize Your Life”

Premiering Saturday, March 24th at 11amET/8amPT – “Mom Around Town”



From the Kitchens of…

Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 10amET/7amPT – “Hidden Valley 2”



Hook, Line & Dinner

Premiering Thursday, March 1st at 8pmET/5pmPT – “Vancouver”

Premiering Thursday, March 8th at 8pmET/5pmPT – “Islamorada”

Premiering Thursday, March 22nd at 8pmET/5pmPT – “Chesapeake Bay”

Premiering Thursday, March 29th at 8pmET/5pmPT – “Brooklyn”



Hungry Girl

Premiering Saturday, March 3rd at 10:30amET/7:30amPT – “Mom’s Favorites”

Premiering Saturday, March 10th at 10:30amET/7:30amPT – “Crispy Crunchy”

Premiering Saturday, March 24th at 10:30amET/7:30amPT – “Girls’ Night In”

Premiering Saturday, March 31st at 10:30amET/7:30amPT – “Ginormous Foods”



Iron Chef America Countdown

Premiering Tuesday, March 6th at 10:30pmET/7:30pmPT – “I Can’t Believe I’m Eating This!”

Premiering Tuesday, March 13th at 10:30pmET/7:30pmPT – “I Can’t Believe They Said That!”

Premiering Tuesday, March 20th at 10:30pmET/7:30pmPT – “Kitchen Stadium Extravagance”

Premiering Tuesday, March 27th at 10:30pmET/7:30pmPT – “Heat & Meat”



Kelsey’s Essentials

Premiering Saturday, March 3rd at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “Burgers”

Premiering Saturday, March 10th at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “Take Out”

Premiering Saturday, March 17th at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “Cheese”

Premiering Saturday, March 24th at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “Urban Farming”

Premiering Saturday, March 31st at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “My Trip to France”



Not My Mama’s Meals

Premiering Wednesday, March 7th at 9pmET/6pmPT – “Manly Meals Made Light”

Premiering Wednesday, March 14th at 9pmET/6pmPT – “Restaurant Reunion”



Supersizers Go…

Premiering Saturday, March 3rd at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Restoration”

Premiering Saturday, March 10th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “The Fifties”

Premiering Saturday, March 17th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “The French Revolution”

Premiering Saturday, March 24th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “The Seventies”

Premiering Saturday, March 31st at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Regency”



Symon’s Suppers

Premiering Thursday, March 1st at 9:30pmET/6:30pmPT – “Grilling”

Premiering Thursday, March 15th at 9:30pmET/6:30pmPT – “Bar Snacks”



Unique Eats

Premiering Sunday, March 4th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Food by Fire”

Premiering Sunday, March 18th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Portland Weekend”

Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Pasta”



United Tastes of America

Premiering Tuesday, March 6th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Texas State Fair Food Fest”

Premiering Tuesday, March 13th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Sausage”

Premiering Tuesday, March 20th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Po-boy Festival”



DIGITAL CONTENT



St. Patrick’s Day

Get into the Irish spirit with the best St. Patrick’s Day drink recipes (including an adults-only take version of McDonald’s shamrock shake), Gaelic-inspired dishes from soda bread to colcannon and desserts spiked with dark stout.



Comfort Food

Warm up this winter with macaroni and cheese, slow-cooker favorites, pastas, cozy soups and decadent desserts like chocolate cake and bread pudding.



Mardi Gras

Cooking Channel has the authentic gumbos, dirty rice and beans, beignets, muffulettas and gale-force hurricane cocktails from the chefs who know NOLA. If you can’t make it to New Orleans – get the Cooking Channel hook-up and throw a Cajun-style party at home with tips from the expert, Emeril.



Austin Food Guide

Gear up for SXSW in Austin, Texas, with Cooking Channel’s Ultimate Guide to Eating in Austin, featuring the best food carts featured on Eat St., the one-of-a-kind dishes discovered on Unique Eats and the international finds from Eden Eats.



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COOKING CHANNEL (www.cookingchanneltv.com) is an entertainment brand dedicated to today’s passionate food lover. For food people, by food people, Cooking Channel is the answer to a growing hunger for more content devoted to food and cooking in every dimension from global cuisines to international travel, history and unconventional how-to’s. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), which also owns and operates DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com, Food Network (www.foodnetwork.com), Great American Country (www.gactv.com), HGTV (www.hgtv.com) and Travel Channel (www.travelchannel.com), is the manager and general partner.