When I first got married, I didnt eat beans at all, and I am still not a big fan, but my husband loves these. He thinks this is fancy dining... serve with a slice of onion and cornbread muffins, cole slaw and fried potatoes for a true country fare!
1 lb Dried Pinto Beans, sorted to remove cull beans and rocks
1 Ham Hock (yes, they do sell these at WalMart)
Ham pieces (these can be purchased, or saved from a ham steak you may have had for breakfast, ect)
2Tablespoons Bacon Grease
Follow directions on bag for soaking the beans. I use the method where you bring them to a boil quickly, then let them sit several hours or overnight... this lessens cooking time, and some swear this is the only way to avoid "gas" from beans
Put ham hock into bottom of the pan, after draining beans into a collander. Put beans on top, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and add ham pieces and bacon grease. Cover and simmer over low heat for about an hour. Test beans for doneness... they should be tender. If not, cook another 15 minutes and check again. Only when beans are done should you add salt, as salt toughens the beans, if added too early...
Crock pot method..
Soak beans as above... transfer all the ingredients to crock pot and cook on low. As much as I don't like beans, the smell of them cooking is just wonderful to come home to after working, especially on a rainy, cold day!
To serve, I dice an onion or green onion, including the green stems, and I like to add a diced roma tomato and finely diced jalapeno on top, but for true southern beans, the onion is enough...
Ideas and recipes,techniques, etc. that have worked for me in my 35 year journey as a cook, wife, mom and Grammy!
I began cooking when I was about 11 or 12 years old, and it was almost therapuetic, even then. After I got married, in 1982, I began really trying to come up with recipes and menus of my own.
I catered a few parties here and there, but I have no artistic abilities, so cake decorating wasn't my thing, and that limited my opportunities.
I do make a lovely display of food, and can, given time and space, make a lovely buffet or tablescape, but my food is what I focus on. After all, the beautiful cakes, etc. only look that way until they are cut... it is then that the true test of the cook begins. I'm not saying my food is ugly, because it isn't. You eat with your eyes first, so it has to be visually appealing.
I cook some really fancy things, and I will include those recipes here and there. But everyday food is where the majority of cooks need help. It is the newly married couple, or the beginning cook I want to reach; those struggling to come up with tasty dishes for the average Sunday meal or a dish they can make over the weekend and re heat or restyle during the week, to broaden their menu on a smaller budget.
I love to smoke foods, grill a steak, etc. But I am a southern "if it ain't fried, it ain't supper" kind of gal. Most of my dishes aren't typically low fat nor are they figure friendly. They are comfort food... pure and simple.
One of the hardest things I learned to make was a good mashed potato dish... sounds simple, but there are so many potatoes out there, and some are great for roasting, but few lend themselves to that creamy texture we love when sitting down to a true "Sunday supper at Grandma's" taste.
So it is the everyday cook who should most enjoy my dishes. I certainly don't advocate fried food everyday, but I truly enjoy my share of country fried steak and gravy, fried chicken, pot roast, pork shoulder, etc. I love to eat, I love to cook for others and my motto is "Never trust a skinny cook; if they don't eat their own food, why should I?'"
There are plenty of folks out there who can show you how to make a standing rib roast, and I may publish my own version, but I want you to be able to take that unexpected afternoon off or that lazy Saturday and turn it into something that takes you back to your childhood, or makes you think of your Grandma or Great Grandma when you eat it.
Please let me know how these recipes work for you and your family. Tell me and the followers if you put your own spin on a dish. I'd love to know if the tips, recipes, etc are helpful....comment on individual recipes or post as you like. I love to hear how someone has made a dish their very own.
The photos of recipes you will see here are pics of the actual dishes I have made and served my family... if you look closely, you may see a dirty dish or two, or a hand in the photos... I think you should only publish a recipe you have tried and tested on your own family. ENJOY!
I catered a few parties here and there, but I have no artistic abilities, so cake decorating wasn't my thing, and that limited my opportunities.
I do make a lovely display of food, and can, given time and space, make a lovely buffet or tablescape, but my food is what I focus on. After all, the beautiful cakes, etc. only look that way until they are cut... it is then that the true test of the cook begins. I'm not saying my food is ugly, because it isn't. You eat with your eyes first, so it has to be visually appealing.
I cook some really fancy things, and I will include those recipes here and there. But everyday food is where the majority of cooks need help. It is the newly married couple, or the beginning cook I want to reach; those struggling to come up with tasty dishes for the average Sunday meal or a dish they can make over the weekend and re heat or restyle during the week, to broaden their menu on a smaller budget.
I love to smoke foods, grill a steak, etc. But I am a southern "if it ain't fried, it ain't supper" kind of gal. Most of my dishes aren't typically low fat nor are they figure friendly. They are comfort food... pure and simple.
One of the hardest things I learned to make was a good mashed potato dish... sounds simple, but there are so many potatoes out there, and some are great for roasting, but few lend themselves to that creamy texture we love when sitting down to a true "Sunday supper at Grandma's" taste.
So it is the everyday cook who should most enjoy my dishes. I certainly don't advocate fried food everyday, but I truly enjoy my share of country fried steak and gravy, fried chicken, pot roast, pork shoulder, etc. I love to eat, I love to cook for others and my motto is "Never trust a skinny cook; if they don't eat their own food, why should I?'"
There are plenty of folks out there who can show you how to make a standing rib roast, and I may publish my own version, but I want you to be able to take that unexpected afternoon off or that lazy Saturday and turn it into something that takes you back to your childhood, or makes you think of your Grandma or Great Grandma when you eat it.
Please let me know how these recipes work for you and your family. Tell me and the followers if you put your own spin on a dish. I'd love to know if the tips, recipes, etc are helpful....comment on individual recipes or post as you like. I love to hear how someone has made a dish their very own.
The photos of recipes you will see here are pics of the actual dishes I have made and served my family... if you look closely, you may see a dirty dish or two, or a hand in the photos... I think you should only publish a recipe you have tried and tested on your own family. ENJOY!
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