Beans, Perfect Autumn Comfort Food

Now that autumn is here (and now that we are finally cooking in the house again!), we’re cooking a little bit more. I actually roasted a chicken last night!! It was SOOO good to do that. And it was yummy. I am looking forward to roasting a turkey again.

Lately, however, a big favorite for meals is some kind of bean stew, with rice or grilled bread. Beans is such an easy meal, and with rice, it’s a “complete” protein that is extremely healthful. My Basic Bean Recipe is very versatile: we may try different beans or different variations of meat, but the technique is always the same. The kids love the bean dishes. And if the beans are soaked overnight and allowed to cook very VERY thoroughly, the beans don’t give your digestive system that unpleasant side effect. Also, the more frequently you eat beans, the less gastric issues you have with them. And who knows, maybe eating beans is even a best acne treatment or something…. So eating beans with rice is a win-win no matter how you look at it.

Basic Bean Recipe

1 bag of beans, any kind
1 pound of meat (ham, cooked sausage, leftover roast beef)
1 can chicken broth or your own stock
2 cups water
1 medium white onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
seasonings (I use Salamida’s Hickory Pinch seasoning– wow, it’s good)

Read the direction on the bag of beans to add water to the beans; soak overnight. (Remember to sift through them first! I have found gravel in the bag from time to time).

Next morning, drain the water. Place the beans in a large stock pot or crock pot. Add the meat (pre-cook it and drain it if necessary) and all the other ingredients. Allow to slowly simmer all day long, at least 5 hours. The smell will fill the house and drive your neighbors batty.

Serve with fresh rice or grilled garlic bread.

This meal is SO easy to make, costs very little, and is basically no-maintenance. Couple all that with the fact that it’s highly nutritious, and it’s a GREAT meal.

Notes:
You can experiment with the bean dish by adding other interesting ingredients: diced red peppers; minced garlic; pork chops; horseradish; etc.

If your kids are unhappy with bean dishes, add extra meat and fewer beans. Offer it regularly, and each time, add less meat and more beans. The kids will slowly become accustomed to the beans, and may even eventually cook the soup FOR you! (Mine do, anyway! Thanks, Alice!)

Yam Ham Scalloped Potatoes

As a kid, I hated yams. So I haven’t had yams in over 30 years. I figured I’d try them now. I used to hate onions and peppers as a kid, and now I like them; maybe I’d like yams?

NOPE.

YUK BLEACH YUK! I still hate them.

That’s probably not a very smart way to start out a new recipe post, but I do blog about foods I don’t like. I love to experiment with my foods, and this was one of those experiments in which I did not like the results. However, the Hubs and the boys of the house liked this recipe. Funny! I’m glad they liked it, encouraged, even. Not that I’ll ever make it again…

Anyway, I thought I’d post it here in case one of you readers out there is a yam maniac who can’t get enough of the stuff. Yep, this one’s for you! Me, I’d rather sell used booksthan make this again. But to each his own.

OK enough whining– here it is. Don’t blame me if you don’t like it! You have been warned! lol

Yam Ham Scalloped Potatoes
serves 6-8

2 or 3 large yams, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
3-4 cups ham (I use turkey ham), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large can Cream of Mushroom soup
2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Pepper

Lay the yams and ham into a casserole dish.

Combine the Cream of Mushroom soup, cheese, and pepper; stir well. Pour on top of the yams and ham, and with a spoon, stir up just a little. Cover the dish with foil and place in an oven set to 350 for an hour. Uncover the dish and cook for another half hour.

It was “OK” with fresh bread, shredded cabbage, and carrots. I ate it. But I still didn’t like the yams!