Brown Beans (Grandma Branhams way)

  

Sort a pound of pinto beans removing all the split beans as well as any little rocks that may have been in the bag.

Soak the beans over night in a stock pot of water.
This is the type of bean that Grandma would remove. She would throw that out!
Rinse the old water that the beans have been soaking in all night OFF!  Pour in fresh  new water - a couple inches above the bean line.

Cut the top off of a bell pepper just to open up the flavor.  Place the entire pepper, seeds and all still attached inside the stock pot of beans.
Put in a ham hock, and season with lots of salt and pepper!
Also add a couple teaspoons of baking soda. (it helps trust me)









Boil the beans good for an hour or so, and then simmer all afternoon.  Serve them with Jiffy Cornbread Mix and Fried Potatoes and Onions and you have yourself a meal!

Grandma Branham's Cole Slaw

3 Cups finely shredded crisp cold cabbage
green onions, diced fine
(Can add chopped bell pepper and chopped parsley)
3 Tbs. Sugar
1 1/2 teas. salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 Tbs. salad oil

1. Combine vegetables, tossing lightly.
2. Just before serving, combine sugar, salt, vinegar and oil, and shake or stir until sugar is dissolved and pour over vegetables.
Grandma would sometimes place the cabbage mixture in the freezer for 15-30 minute before we were to eat, so it would be super cold and crisp! Yum!

Grandma Branham's Potato Salad

Grandma's Potato Salad

Boil potatoes and mash and season with milk, butter, salt and pepper like you would make regular mashed potatoes.
Boil 5 eggs, and grate (save a slice or two to garnish the top)
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1/4 teas. tumeric
paprika sprinkled on top
2 Tbs. sugar
4 big blobs mayonnaise
5 heaping Tbs. sweet pickle relish.
2 Tbs. vinegar

Mix all up and ENJOY!

Pizza with Hatch Green Chili's

I had to share this video some guys at our church put together!  Isaac and Rob are just great!  Thanks for the shout out boys! Hope that you survived the snowmagedon!

Tip on Cheesecake

I learned this week that if you will bake your cheesecake with a pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven, your cake will turn out much better.  I tried this with my mother's key-lime cheesecake just today.  I haven't ever made this cake where It didn't crack in the middle.  - Today it was perfect!  The pan of water made all the difference!  Can't wait to sink my teeth into it!  (in the refrigerator for 24 hours momentarily!)
Cheesecake loves a MOIST oven!

White Chili

It's a Chili sort of day around here with the national weather system that has moved through the area. Even in DFW we are below freezing!  What better to have for supper than Chili!

White Chili
1 pound white beans, soaked overnight and drained
3 cups chicken broth
1 clove minced garlic
1 onion, diced
1 (4 oz) can green chilies, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon oregano
1 dash of cloves, ground
1 dash of cayenne pepper
4 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
3 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Combine chicken broth, garlic, onion, and beans in a large stockpot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simer for 2 to 3 hours.  Add remaining ingredients, except cheese.  Simmer an additional hour. 
Garnish with Cheese.
Serves 8-10

You can add in tortillas if you prefer!

The January Break

Well as you could tell I have been on a bit of a hiatus this month.  I have been hard at work on a project you will hear more about later.  But I will be more faithful in the coming days to share yummy recipe's that will keep those good ideas for supper coming!