Bean Hole Beans

Famous Bean Hole Beans

 Saturday night was always famous for Baked Bean night served with steamed brown bread or hot Johnny Cake.  Summer time is the best time for bean hole beans.

2 lbs State of Maine Jacobs Cattle dry beans (preferably from Green Thumb Farms in Fryeburg, Maine)

½ lb. salt pork (not fat back)

½ to ¾ cup sugar

½ cup molasses

½ cup ketchup

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 onion

1 tbsp vinegar

Soak the beans the night before you plan to cook.  Cover them with cold water and pick out any that look bad or continue to float to the top.  Some people will parboil them in the morning.  Parboil until the skins crack when blown upon.  I find that parboiling make the beans mushy and therefore I do not parboil.  Each person has their own taste when it comes to beans.

Dig a hole in the ground at least 3 feet deep and 2 feet wide, larger if your kettle takes more space.  Get a special iron kettle with legs and a cover that fits down over the top of the kettle at least 2 inches, with slots at the two opposite sides to allow the kettle handle to be raised. 

The chances are that your first beans will not be as tasty as later cooking until after the hole is “burned out” and used a few times.  Place a flat rock at the bottom of the hole; add any old scrap iron or good size rocks.  Lacking these, the woodsmen used old logging chains.  Fill the hole with hardwood and keep a fire burning for a half a day (this is called the “burning out” process).

After good coals are formed, the hole is ready for cooking the beans.  Slice the onion and salt pork and place on the bottom of the kettle.  Drain and rinse the beans, place them in the pot and add enough water to barley cover the beans. Combine the sugar, molasses, ketchup, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and vinegar together with one pint (two cups) of boiling water.  Pour over the beans.  Place the cover on the beans.

Now remove all the scrap iron, rocks and chains from the hole.  Lower the kettle of beans into the hold.  Surround the kettle with the hot coals, rocks, scrap iron, chains and fill the hole with earth.  Pack the earth tightly and tread on it to seal the hole.  One tiny opening could allow air to get in and result in burned beans.  The following day, dig off the earth, pull out the kettle and enjoy old fashion bean hole beans.

We have also tried cooking them on a fire pit such as this.  They suck up too much water and are not as good  as cooking them in a hole.  We just wanted to try it and see how they came out. 

NOTE:  This is for the adventurous at heart. If you feel the task of preparation inhibits your appetite for your own homemade bean hole beans, take a drive to Maine or any old New England town during the summer time months.  Look for highway signs that say “BEAN HOLE BEANS”.  Many churches have Saturday night dinners and several of the Old Home Days feature them. 

© Crackerberries 2013



Smoothies

Strawberry Colada Smoothie

1 6oz container piňa colada non-fat yogurt

5 fresh strawberries

5 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in blender or Magic Bullet and blend until smooth; a refreshing breakfast drink with only 120 calories.  Feel free to use any flavor yogurt and a handful of your favorite fruit.  Or use plain yogurt and add any of the following combinations: peanut butter and bananas with a squirt of chocolate syrup.  Or blueberries and pomegranate.  Maybe peaches and a teaspoon of honey is more to your liking.  Mix it up for a great breakfast or brunch addition to your meal, or an evening snack.

© Crackerberries 2013

Old Fashion Zucchini Bread

Grandma Averill’s Zucchini Bread

2 cups zucchini, shredded

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

3 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

3 tsp cinnamon

* 3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup raisins

* ½ cup walnuts

Preheat oven 350°

Grease two 9x5 inch bread pans.

In medium bowl combine zucchini, sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla; set aside.  In large bowl combine flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.  Mix well and create a well in the center of the mixture.  Pour zucchini mixture into well all at once.  Stir just to combine all ingredients.  Fold in raisins and nuts.  Pour into prepared bread pans. 

Bake 350° for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

*Crackerberries version uses 2 cups all purpose flour, one cup whole wheat flour and pecans instead of walnuts.

© Crackerberries 2013

Hummus

A Cool Summer Treat

1 cup dry chick peas

3½- 4 cups water

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp chili powder             

¼ tsp celery seed or salt

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic

1 Bay leaf

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp sesame seed oil

½ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp peanut butter

Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for three hours and then on low for five hours.  Once done cool completely.  (Put in sealed container and let stand in fridge overnight.  This will help incorporate flavors.) 

Most of the juice from the chick peas should be absorbed into the peas, if there is any left, drain, do not rinse.

Place chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, sesame seed oil, sea salt and peanut butter in blender or food processor and process until smooth.

Serve on fresh veggies or rice chips.

© Crackerberries 2013

Eight Layer Taco Dip

Eight Layer Taco Dip

 

*1½ cup refried beans

1½ cup sour cream

1½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 cups shredded lettuce

2 diced tomatoes

1 chopped onion

1 chopped green pepper

¼ cup sliced black olives

Tortilla chips

Hot sauce (optional)

Place refried beans in bottom of glass tart dish.  Spread with sour cream, top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, cheddar cheese and finally, black olives.  Grab yourself a handful of tortilla chips and dig in.

• Refried beans are easy to make.  Chop ½ cup onion, ½ cup green pepper and mince two cloves garlic.  Sauté garlic, onion and green pepper in 1 tbsp olive oil for about 3 minutes; add 1½ cup baked beans, drained (I use whatever I happen to have leftover from the weekend — we are always baking beans).  Cook for about 5 minutes and then mash the beans using a fork.  Depending on your taste mash them well or leave some whole.

This recipe is tasty using fresh hot refried beans or cold, depending on what your taste buds like to eat.  You can also spice up the refried beans when cooking by adding ¼ tsp cayenne pepper and or 1 tsp red pepper flakes. 

P.S. As you can see from the picture, I forgot the black olives... dang it.

© Crackerberries 2013

Trail Mix Granola Bars

Trail Mix Granola Bars

My little friend Madison Long made trail mix with her mom and shared it with us.  TCJne doesn’t eat “trail mix” he thinks it’s for the birds.  So instead of hogging it all down myself, I decided to make granola bars with it.  He will eat them if there are no cookies in the jar… like my granny always used to say, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat!”

*2 cups trail mix

2 cups oatmeal (whole grain quick oats)

2 cups Quaker Natural Granola oats, honey & almonds cereal

1 cup coconut

½ cup raisins

½ cup honey

½ cup butter

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease the bottom of a 13x9x2 in baking dish with cooking spray.  Place a sheet of parchment paper on top and spray that also. 

In a very large bowl combine trail mix, oatmeal, granola cereal, coconut and raisins and mix well.  Melt butter.  In food processor or Magic bullet add butter with honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, peanut butter, egg and salt.  Pulse until well blended.  Pour over granola mixture and stir well. 

Spoon mixture onto greased parchment paper, press down firmly all around.  Sprinkle with sea salt (optional—I’m addicted to it).  Place in oven and bake 20 minutes.  Rotate pan so that the front is in the back and the back is in the front and bake an additional 5-7 minutes, just until all outside edges are brown.

Cool 30 minutes and slide out of pan to continue cooling.  Cool completely before slicing into squares (I made the mistake of cutting too soon).  Place in an airtight container.

*Madison Long’s homemade trial mix consists of pecans she picked from her granddaddy’s backyard.  She mixed them with salt and butter and roasted them on a cookie sheet in a 375° oven for about 15-20 minutes, stirring every five minutes.  After they cooled, she chopped them up and combined with a bag of dried cranberries, a bag of M&M’s (the ones she didn’t eat) and a bag of milk chocolate chip cookies.  This is her snack for when goes to her daily job of blueberry picking.

© Crackerberries 2013

Bourbon Street Cake

Father’s Day Cake

Cake

½ cup butter flavored Crisco

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup powdered milk (add enough water to make one cup)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ cup Evan Williams bourbon

Cooking spray

Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

4 cups confectioner's sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup whole milk

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line bottoms with parchment; spray with cooking spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined. Add milk and vanilla and beat until well combined and creamy, about three minutes.

Divide batter between pans.  Slap pans on sideboard to get out any air pockets.   

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 33 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks to cool completely.

Frosting:

Beat together butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium. Add confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add salt, milk, and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Slice the two cake layers in half carefully.  Place first half of cake layer on a cake plate and spread 1 cup frosting on top. Continue to do this with three remaining layers.  Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, swirling to coat in a decorative fashion.

© Crackerberries 2013

Summer Slaw

Summer Slaw

6 cups shredded cabbage

1 carrots, peeled and shredded

1 large red delicious apple, cored and chopped

¾ cup raisins

2 Tbsp lemon juice

½ cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans*

6 oz container vanilla yogurt

Toast pecans (*optional) by heating a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, lightly spray pecans with vegetable oil.  Place in skillet and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon allspice.  Stir or shake skillet every minute for five minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool completely.

Place cabbage, carrots, apples and raisins in large bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice and mix well.

Stir in yogurt to combine and sprinkle with pecans.  Chill before serving.

This can be made with your favorite yogurt, not just vanilla.  Next time I’m going to try piña colada yogurt.

© Crackerberries 2013