Fix-It and Forget-It Pink Cookbook (34 page)

Violette Harris Denney

Carrollton, GA

2 cups dry nine-bean soup mix

1 lb. ham, diced

1 large onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

½-¾ tsp. salt

2 qts. water

16-oz. can tomatoes, undrained and chopped

10-oz. can tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1. Sort and wash bean mix. Place in slow cooker. Cover with water 2 inches above beans. Let soak overnight. Drain.
   
2. Add ham, onion, garlic, salt, and 2 quarts fresh water.
   
3. Cover. Cook on Low 7 hours.
   
4. Add remaining ingredients and continue cooking on Low another hour. Stir occasionally.
   

Note:

Bean Soup mix is a mix of barley pearls, black beans, red beans, pinto beans, navy beans, Great Northern beans, lentils, split peas, and black-eyed peas.

Esther Martin

Ephrata, PA

1 lb. dry bean mix, rinsed and drained, with stones removed

6 cups water

2 cups cubed cooked ham

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrots

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

¾ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

2 bay leaves

6 cups water

1 tsp. liquid smoke,
optional

1. Combine beans and 6 cups water in large saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain, discarding cooking water, and rinse beans.
   
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
   
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or High 4-5 hours. Discard bay leaves before serving.
   

Karen Ceneviva

Seymour, CT

1½ cups dry great northern beans

3 cups parsnips, chopped

2 cups carrots, chopped

1 cup onion, chopped

2 gloves garlic, minced

5 cups water

1½ lbs. smoked ham hock,
or
ham shanks

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

¹
/
₈
-¼ tsp. hot sauce

1. Wash dried beans. Place beans in a large stockpot. Cover them with water.
   
2. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Allow beans to sit for 10 minutes.
   
3. Drain off water. Place beans in slow cooker.
   
4. Add parsnips, carrots, onion, and garlic to slow cooker.
   
5. Add water, ham, salt, pepper, and hot sauce to slow cooker. Stir well.
   
6. Cover. Cook on High 6-7 hours, or until vegetables and meat are tender.
   
7. Remove meat from cooker and allow to cool enough to handle. Debone.
   
8. Cut meat into bite-size pieces and return to slow cooker. Heat through.
   

Patricia Howard

Albuquerque, NM

1 lb. dry Northern beans

1 lb. ham

2 medium onions, chopped

half a green pepper, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

16-oz. can diced tomatoes

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

4-oz. can green chili peppers

1 tsp. garlic powder

1-2 qts. water

2-3 tsp. salt

1. Wash beans. Cover with water and soak overnight. Drain. Pour into slow cooker.
   
2. Dice ham into 1-inch pieces. Add to beans.
   
3. Stir in remaining ingredients.
   
4. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours, then on Low 10-12 hours, or until beans are tender.
   

Barbara Tenney

Delta, PA

1-lb. bag large dry lima beans

1 large onion, chopped

6 ribs celery, chopped

3 large potatoes, cut in ½-inch cubes

2 large carrots, cut in ¼-inch rounds

2 cups ham,
or
sausage,
or
kielbasa

1 Tbsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

2 bay leaves

3 quarts water,
or
combination water and beef broth

1. Sort beans. Soak overnight. Drain.
   
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
   
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
   

Variation:

For extra flavor, add 1 tsp. dried oregano before cooking.

Joyce Bowman

Lady Lake, FL

1 lb. dry navy beans

8 cups water

1 onion, finely chopped

2 bay leaves

½ tsp. ground thyme

½ tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. lemon pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ham hock,
or
1 lb. ham pieces

1. Soak beans in water overnight. Strain out stones, but reserve liquid.
   
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
   
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours. Debone meat and cut into bite-sized pieces. Set ham aside.
   
4. Purée three-fourths of soup in blender in small batches. When finished blending, stir in meat.
   

Variation:

Add small chunks of cooked potatoes when stirring in ham pieces after blending.