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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Navy Beans & Garlic Bread...

The clock is ticking and Santa will be here soon. Some things are ready and waiting. Other things are gearing up for the holidays. We always need MORE time during this season. To make things easier, yesterday I made my favorite pot of beans. They practically cook themselves and we have lunch and dinner for the next couple of days. Just what I need while I busy myself with the final touches for Christmas. Besides, comfort food is the best remedy for tired bones!
 NeeCee's Navy Beans
Ingredients:
3 small packages of Navy Beans (Great Northern Beans)
or 1- 1/2 large bags
1 cube of Butter
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
2 cups of finely chopped ham
garlic pepper to taste
1/4+ cup of dehydrated minced onions

Sort and rinse beans, put in a large pot, cover with water and soak overnight.
(I do this right before I go to bed)

In the morning, I rinse the beans again with cool water. Then I place back into the pot (I sometimes use a crock pot to cook the beans).
Add 4 cups of chicken broth 

Then, add 4 cups of cold water.

Turn the burner on to medium high. Slice the butter into sections and add to the pot. (Yes, the whole cube!)Then add garlic pepper to taste.

Add the dehydrated onions, 1/4 heaping cup.

If i don't have left over ham...I use fully cooked ham. Diced small. Add to the pot and stir.

Cook for several hours until the beans make their own thick sauce. Stir about every 30-35 minutes. I usually cook them from morning till dinner!
 The beans turned out AWESOME! Garnished with bacon.
 Served with Garlic Cheese Bread. Yum for the Tum!

Down home good and a simple recipe. This is a vintage recipe that has been made for several generations, except that I add garlic pepper. Hubby and I were blessed with grandmother's who were AWESOME cooks and loved to share their recipes. We love to eat the beans with plain bread & butter too! This was a meal served often to help stretch-out the groceries. :)
See the Bread recipe below.
Stick to Your Ribs Dinner with Style...
Garlic Cheese Bread
Simple to make....Large on taste!

 1 loaf sourdough bread
Garlic salt to taste
Chives, dehydrated
Softened Butter
Parmesan Cheese, grated
White Cheddar cheese, sliced thin

 Slice the bread, but not all the way through. Butter between the slices.

 Sprinkle with garlic salt and chives, between the slices.

 Put slices of white cheddar between the slices of the bread. 
Sprinkle the top of the bread with parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes.
Ovens vary, so keeping a close eye will help determine when done.
Totally awesome with the navy beans. Left-over bread needs to be kept in the refrigerator. Re-heat while wrapped in foil to prevent dryness.
Gourmet Bread compliments Dinner with Style...
Enjoy...
NeeCee Signature

2 comments :

Jane said...

A big favorite of us from the South. Like the garnish of bacon..... We like these on sandwiches on plain white bread, liquids drained of course!

Jane said...

Love the addition of the bacon garnish. Us Southerners make white bean sandwiches after draining the liquid and putting the beans on fresh white bread!