Author Topic: Holiday Menus  (Read 150441 times)

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #110 on: January 01, 2011, 02:58:14 pm »
I may make up a batch of my Mom's navy beans and ham to start the New Year with a bang!  ;D

Is that a soup, Meryl? In any case, ham and beans are good!  :D
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Meryl

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #111 on: January 01, 2011, 03:08:51 pm »
Is that a soup, Meryl? In any case, ham and beans are good!  :D

It's kind of a main dish and a soup, Jeff.  If you like it soupy, you can always add more liquid.  We used to have it for supper a lot when I was a kid.  Here's the recipe:

http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,6191.msg117596.html#msg117596

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Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #112 on: January 01, 2011, 03:15:07 pm »
It's kind of a main dish and a soup, Jeff.  If you like it soupy, you can always add more liquid.  We used to have it for supper a lot when I was a kid.  Here's the recipe:

http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,6191.msg117596.html#msg117596

Thanks! Reminds me a lot of what my mother used to make, but she always used dried lima beans, and she didn't use chicken broth. I remember her soaking the beans overnight preceding the day she wanted to cook them. The result was kind of soupy without actually being "bean soup"--she used navy beans for bean soup--and was more of a stew.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #113 on: January 02, 2011, 01:21:18 pm »
I make a dish like that in the slow-cooker. I've made it with limas, with kidneys, with black-eyed peas, with lentils, with bags of mixed beans (all dried, all soaked overnight, except for the black eyes and lentils, which don't require soaking). Sometimes I use bacon instead of ham. Sometimes I use ham hocks, which are cheap and give it a wonderful smoky flavor. Sometimes I add a can of chopped tomatoes or tomato sauce (but only after the beans have softened -- the acid in the tomatoes will keep them from softening).

What I love about the slow-cooker is you don't have to be in the house while it's cooking, and it gives you a lot of latitude as to when it's finished cooking. Usually it will say something like, "cook on low for 6 to 8 hours," which means if you put it in at noon you can eat anytime from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

I made a ham for Christmas. We didn't quite finish it, so I tossed the rest, including the bone, into the freezer. Sometime next week, probably, I'll thaw it out and throw it in the slow-cooker for a big pot o' beans.


Offline Meryl

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #114 on: January 02, 2011, 08:30:51 pm »
Sounds great, Katherine!  I had my beans for supper with black bread and a beer.  That's good eatin'!
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #115 on: November 19, 2011, 01:39:14 pm »
It's T minus four days! Is anyone doing a themed Thanksgiving this year? There was a native feast in WSJ's Off-Duty section today...I like to include some native American ingredients, but that's as far as it goes in my house.
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #116 on: November 20, 2011, 09:24:21 pm »
On track with the Thanksgiving prep! I always work backwards. Completed a cranberry mincemeat pie today. I wanted a low-key pie that wouldn't compete with the pumpkin pie my daughter in law is bringing over. I think this is perfect...and so easy!

Also completed some side dishes: spiced peaches and sweet/sour onions. Obtained brussels sprouts, which I will roast, and all ingredients for the stuffing.

Potential problem: the 20-lb turkey that has been defrosting in the garage since Thursday night is still rock hard! I won't get my feathers ruffled over this.

"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #117 on: November 21, 2011, 10:09:13 am »
Your "daughter-in-law"?  ???

I had a hankering for brussels sprouts, but there were none to be had at the grocery story on Friday, except for frozen ones, which are a mushy abomination.  ???
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Sason

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #118 on: November 21, 2011, 01:59:25 pm »
I tried pumpkin pie for the first time when I was in Chicago last week.

It reminded me a lot of a Swedish cake called 'mjuk pepparkaka', "soft gingerbread'. Same spices.

I'm glad I tried it, but I don't feel like I need to have it again.

Düva pööp is a förce of natüre

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Holiday Menus
« Reply #119 on: November 23, 2011, 01:29:37 am »
Your "daughter-in-law"?  ???
Jeff, that would be my daughter's husband's sister. Sason, pumpkin pie is so de rigeur here that it is almost religious!

I had a hankering for brussels sprouts, but there were none to be had at the grocery story on Friday, except for frozen ones, which are a mushy abomination.  ???
I agree with you about the frozen brussels sprouts. I finally found some fresh ones, and I greedily acquired nearly 2 lbs. of them. I trimmed them tonight and they are all ready to be roasted on Thursday. Yay!
"chewing gum and duct tape"