Melanie's Bean Soup

A little while ago I mentioned in a post that I had recently made my first batch of Bean Soup for the fall. I had intended to post the recipe shortly thereafter, but suddenly it's past Thanksgiving and I still haven't posted it! So without further ado here is the recipe.

2 cups dry beans, soaked overnight or quick soaked (I use a blend of 5 or 6 of my favorite beans; you can also buy bean soup mix on the bean/rice aisle in the grocery -- just throw out the seasoning packet!)
2 quarts broth (I usually use chicken or vegetable, but you could use water and bouillon cubes in a pinch!)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons dried onion OR 1/3 cup chopped onion sauteed in a little oil or butter
8-10 oz. ham, chopped or shredded (this can be leftovers, canned ham or deli ham)

Drain beans from overnight soak. Place all ingredients in dutch oven or slow cooker. If using a dutch oven, bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for at least 2 hours. Check periodically to make sure the liquid level is good. Add water or broth if needed. Check bean tenderness to make sure soup is ready.

If using a slow cooker, follow manufacturers instructions. In my 6-qt. slow cooker I usually set it on low and let it cook all day (8-5).

Garnish with cheese and serve with cornbread or muffins.

Serves 6-8 the way we eat it. You might get more or less depending on how much people like it!

Happy Eating!

Milk Salad

My mother created this recipe over 40 years ago. It is her "signature" dish. It appears on her table in one form or another for every major and some minor holidays. Any fruit will work -- blueberries, strawberries, peaches, bananas, etc. Just don't try raw pineapple or kiwi -- they interact with the gelatin and it won't set up. For some reason, men in particular love this salad. My son will only eat it with the mandarin oranges.

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
dash salt
1 1/4 cups milk
8 oz. Cool Whip
fruit (we always use mandarin oranges 2 - 11 oz. cans thoroughly drained. You can do strawberries, blueberries or bananas as well.)

Measure water in pyrex measuring cup and place measuring cup in sauce of water on stove. Sprinkle gelatin over water in measuring cup and stir with fork. Heat saucepan on medium heat and stir gelatin until melted and clear. Blend together cream cheese, sugar, salt and extract. Once smooth, add milk and dissolved gelatin alternately while beating with mixer. Chill this mixture until slightly thickened (3-5 min) and fold in thawed Cool Whip and fruit. Spoon into 1 3/4 qt mold or 9x9 pyrex dish. Chill until firm. (This is half of what Mother usually makes, so double it if you want it to look like hers and feed a crowd!)

Happy Eating!

Ham & Cheese Muffins

The other night I decided it was time for the first batch of Bean Soup. This is a recipe I created years ago, that has become a winter staple around here. I usually make cornbread to go along with it, but I had been flipping through cookbooks, and ran across this recipe. I decided to branch out and try these with the soup. I think they are a nice alternative. They would also go well with beans and rice or even a big salad. Enjoy! 

1 cup cornmeal (I prefer yellow)

1 cup unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 large eggs

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup milk (I used fat free)

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used Grey Poupon Country French)

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated (I used the Mexican blend)

1/2 cup shredded ham (I used Boar's Head Black Forest Ham -- about 4 oz. run through the food processor)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tins. Mix dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients including cheese. Combine dry and wet until just moistened. Fold in ham. Fill muffin tins 2/3rds full. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 12-18 muffins.

The original recipe said 10-12 muffins and to bake for 20 minutes. I got 18 muffins, and I think they should have baked more like 15-18 minutes, but it probably depends on your oven.

Happy Eating!

It's Officially Autumn!

Around my house, it's not officially autumn until pumpkin bread is baked. Well this week I baked pumpkin bread. I've been making this recipe since I was about 12 or 13 years old. I love it! The flavors and texture are just what I want in a sweet bread. Now I am a purest where pumpkin bread is concerned -- no nuts, no raisins, and certainly no chocolate chips! The point of pumpkin bread bread is the PUMPKIN and the SPICES. Nothing else should interfere with these flavors. So's here's my recipe. My kids demand mini loaves now, but when they were little they were all about the mini muffins. If you make full size loaves, cut them in half long ways to serve in smaller slices (this is accepted way to serve THIS bread! LOL!) Warning: We can knock back one whole loaf straight out of the oven!

Pumpkin Bread

4 eggs                                                       

3 cups sugar                                            

1 cup oil                                                    

½ cup water                                            

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 t. baking soda

1 ½ t. cinnamon

1 ½ t. nutmeg

1 ½ t. salt           

3 ½ cups flour

Spray 3 loaf pans or 5-6 mini-loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat eggs in large in large mixing bowl with electric mixer until light. Add sugar gradually, beating all the time. Add oil, water and pumpkin. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Divide batter among loaf pans, filling each 2/3 full. Bake on middle rack of oven for 45 minutes. Check for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center. If not done, bake up to 15 additional minutes checking every 3-5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Wrap in foil and store in refrigerator. May be frozen. Yield: 3 standard loaves; 5-6 mini-loaves.

(This is the remaining loaf of the SIX I made on Wednesday)