Bean Night . . . please post YOUR recipes

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I am extremely committed to order & schedules. I hate to waste time thinking about the same thing twice. So when it comes to family meal planning we are scheduled a year in advance; I know I'm a nut job, but family nutrition and non-boring meals are very important to me!
We have bean night on Mondays, it's easy for me to gather the ingredients on a Sunday night, throw them in the crock Monday AM and have a delicious healthy meal to end what is usually a hectic day. Guaranteed no pizza or take out on Mondays!
Of course I can't stop there, I have 13 tried and true recipes, which means we have the same meal only four times a year (instead of chili every month) and I can easily keep my pantry stocked with a years worth of ingredients . . . ok I have a hard time knowing when to stop.
My older kids are now asking for the family recipes, and I am copying them into a cookbook for them as I make each one, so I thought I would share here as well. You can count on a new "bean" recipe once a week for the next 13 weeks. Some are simple and old fashioned and some are more exotic, they all have been tweeked by me over the years into family favorites.
I use canned beans, feel free to use dried, I just like the ease of canned. All of my recipes feed four big appetites with at least a bowl left over in case of unexpected company.

WEEK 1

MOM’S NAVY BEAN SOUP
4 Cans of Navy Beans – rinsed (mash one can in a bowl)
1 white onion – grated
2 garlic cloves - crushed
2 carrots – shredded
1/4 cup olive oil
Ham – Diced
Water
Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up Salt – to taste

Put it all in a pot and let simmer all day. Serve with good crusty bread and Tabasco for individual seasoning.
Simple, hearty, healthy and delicious.

 

[sundance]

Have you tried adding some onions, I add onions every time i cook beans, and recently discoverd coarse sea salt. found it doesn't take as much and has a really great flavor. marrie

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

I'm impressed. I thought I was crazy with all my canned good lined up and shelves labeled but a year's worth of meals lined out is way organized. Do you post the calendar so everyone knows what is for dinner? Also, thanks for sharing your recipes. How many people in your family, so I know how to cut down for just 2 of us.

Sandee

 

[justbugged]

Way to go. I would love to that organized. I don't have a family to feed any more, but I am going to subscribe to this thread. I love to cook and I love beans. Thank you

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Quote:
LOl yes I LOVE onions, if you look there is a whole one on the ingredient list.
I have down to grate it, that's becuase if my kids can see them as you can in this dish, they whine and moan that they don't like onions, but if you grate it on the cheese grater you get all the flavor but not the feel of them and they never know their in there.
I use coarse sea salt in a lot of things, but I have found that when simmering nothing compares to Crazy Janes.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Quote:
Everybody pretty much knows by now what the schedule is, Beans on Mondays, Fish on Tue etc. (I schedule breakfast, lunch, and cocktail hour too LOL). When the kids were young I posted the dinners on the frig., they seemed to like that, but now that they are big they just verify "Beans tonight? YAY!"
All my meals serve 4 hearty appetites., with a litttle left over incase of unexpected company. I would cut it in half for two people and you will get a bit of leftovers (Wed. Night!

)

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Quote:
You have a husband right? that's you real family. Just cut the recipes in half.

 

[justbugged]

Quote:
You have a husband right? that's you real family. Just cut the recipes in half.

Yes I still have the husband after 27 years, and he is very real family. But the man travels Monday thru Friday for work so I only get to cook on the weekends, unless he does something and decides to work at home. P.S> he loves his man cave aka Holiday Inn.

I was inspired by this thread though and cooked black bean soup for myself last night and it was good.

 

[peeplessinNC]

Thanks for the navy bean soup recipe! I'm going to try it just as soon as it gets a little cooler here in North Carolina. I hope you will post some more of your "Bean Night" recipes!

 

[redhen]

Thanks for the recipe!

It sounds good!