Baked Beans & Childhood Memories

My weekly trip to the farmer's markets yesterday were educational.  One of the farmers was holding a "demonstration" of pressure cooker canning.  I use the term "demonstration" loosely since he had no heat source, did not demonstrate how the pressure canner was used and had several jars of food that were pressure cooker canned that did not turn out very well.

After watching his so called demo with another shopper I turned to the next booth and discussed water-bath canning (the method I currently use) with another farmer.  At that booth I purchased a pound of beans and received a recipe for making baked beans --- and also instructions for canning the beans.  I wandered through the rest of the market and picked up garlic, maple syrup, and onions - the rest of the ingredients I needed to make the recipe I received from Shady Side Farms.

Last night I covered the beans with cold water.  This morning I drained and rinsed and drained the beans and then covered them with cold water.  The pot of beans is now on the stove simmering - a process that, according to recipe directions, should take two hours.

A few minutes ago the beans started fill the air with childhood memories.  As a child we spent a considerable amount of time visiting my grandpa.  He was a widower who lived alone in a home he owned that was converted years before into two apartments.  Grandpa lived in the two bedroom aprtment on the 2nd floor.  When we pulled into the driveway at Grandpa's home we could often smell the food he was cooking.  Sometimes the smells permeated the neighborhood - or could it be the smells were embedded in our nostrils so we carried them with us wherever we went?  Grandpa never settled for opening a can - he always made his beans the right way!  The smells filling my home today are the smells that greeted us on our wonderful visits to see the most wonderful Grandpa.  His other passion was making homemade bread. 

Hmmmm, perhaps I should up put a loaf of bread .....

Here's the recipe for the beans I am making today:

Maple Baked Beans

(recipe from ShadySide Farms)

1 pound Pinto or Jacob's Cattle beans

1 large onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 bay leaf

2 glugs of maple syrup (about 1/2 cup)

3/4 pound chunk bacon ------I'm leaving this out of my beans, personal preference

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1. The night before, pick over beans, cover generously with cold water, and set aside.
2. The next morning, put the beans on the stove and simmer until tender -- about 2 hours.
3. Drain beans; put in slow cooker on low.
4. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf and chopped bacon.  
5. Add maple syrup and enough cold water to cover the beans
6. Stir beans from time to time and add a bit of hot water if necessary to keep the top layer just nicely submerged.  Around noon, stir in salt and dry mustard.
7. Remove the lid for the last hour of cooking so the beans thicken.

Things not included in the recipe but learned from the farmer.  The beans swell about three times the size so make sure you use a large crock pot.  This recipe makes enough to feed a small crowd so, if you are making this for your family, cut it in thirds or plan on canning the rest.

To can the beans,

• follow the recipe as written.  
• Wash and sterilize jars and fill the hot dry jars with the beans. 
• Make sure you leave 1/2 inche head space.  
• Put the lids on the jars and immediately process the jars for 10-15 minutes in a water bath canner. 

Treasures vs. Junk

As many of you know, my dad passed away February 8, 2011.  My dad was a builder for most of his life.  He built many homes around the Muskegon area and later in life he worked for RHJ Management.  Dad loved to work with tinker in his workshops - he had one in the basement and one in his garage.  The workshops were full of tools - screwdrivers, hammers, saws, wrenches, etc.  Lots of tools.  He also accumulated a collection of nuts, bolts, nails and a bunch of treasures.  I'm pretty sure the "treasures" were things he was saving because they might come in handy some day.

Well, after dad died, mom commenced to clean out the workshops and of course welcomed any help offered.  We (my nephews, son & husband) spent time clearing and hauling.  The final steps were to fill a huge dumpster with objects we deemed not worth keeping.  Then we had a yard sale and basically gave away some of dads tools.  Finally we sorted all the steel (as in nails, screws, lawn mower blades, etc) and loaded them into mom's van.  We hauled all this stuff to the Rag & Metal recycle facility where mom earned a whopping $46.  The last step was a woman purchased the rest of dad's treasures and she cleared out the garage workshop!

Clearing and sorting dad's stuff has been an eyeopener for me.  I have a sewing room, which I call The Cave, full of my treasures.  I spent several hours in there tonight sorting and clearing.  The room is still full of precious material, patterns, tools, thread, etc. that are too important to me to just throw away.  Unfortunately I know that my children do not view my prize accumulations as precious and will probably toss everything into a dumpster when my day comes.

I guess, in the meantime, I should spend a lot of time in the cave creating things such as quilts, clothes, purses, etc that my children might view as heirlooms.....

Hmmmm, I doubt they will but at least I will have fun.

Rest in Peace dad!

Back in the kitchen.....Zucchni Relish

This recipe for Zucchini Relish came from SparkPeople.com

Chef Meg's Zucchini Relish Recipe

4 cups diced zucchini
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2  celery ribs, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Dash onion salt
dash ground tumeric

In a large bowl, combine the vegetables, sprinkle with walt and cover with cold water.  Let stand 3 hours, rinse and drain.

In a large saucepan, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil.  Stir in zucchini mixture and return to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, for 5 minutes,  Transfer to a large bowl; cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 days - yields 4 cups

Side Note: I ladled the relish into hot sterilized canning jars, sealed them and put them through a 15 minute hot water bath.  According to comments on the site, this is another option - Ball, the canning people, recommend a pressure canner.  I've never used a pressure canner so I have not comment there.

Back in the kitchen.....Bread and Butter Pickles

I've been absent from the blog lately.  I haven't been absent from the kitchen though.  I need to post several recipes for friends.   First.....

Bread and Butter Pickles (makes 6-7 pints)

In a large bowl, mix together and let soak for three hours:
     25-30 small pickling cucumbers - sliced thin
     8 small onions - sliced thin
     1/2 cup canning salt

shortly before the 3 hours soaking time is up, mix and heat to a full boil the following in a large kettle:
     5 cups sugar
     5 cups white vinegar
     2 T. mustard seed
     1 t. tumeric

After 3 hours, rinse pickles & onion well.
Add rinsed pickles to large kettle, bring back to a boil & simmer for 5 minutes
Place pickles in hot sterilized jars & seal - be sure to leave approximately 1/2" head space
Can using your preferred method.  I use a 15 minute hot water bath which works fine for me.