Kraut 'n' Beans...LOTS of 'em! And a Tribute....

I'm dedicating this post to my sweet father-in-love...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DAD BAKER!

He would have been 91 today. He's remembered fondly & lovingly.

He loved me as his own daughter and was a dear friend.

John William Baker was a true patriot who was taken from us much too early.
He was the father of 10 children.

He worked as an electrician and was electrocuted on the job the month before he turned 50.

My life was impacted by his love and friendship. He was a great man and I'm so thankful for his influence in making my husband the awesome guy he is today...a close 'carbon-copy' of his father.

No doubt, heaven is celebrating this great man with us today.

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BEANS...BEANS...THE MUSICAL FRUIT...
THE MORE YOU EAT, THE MORE YOU TOOT...
THE MORE YOU TOOT, THE BETTER YOU FEEL,
SO LET'S HAVE BEANS FOR EVERY MEAL!

Onto the recipe....

Did you know that not only is July NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH....it's

also NATIONAL BAKED BEANS MONTH!

I recently made this delicious recipe (and 10X'd it!) to serve samples on the street for the newspaper that I write a monthly food column for....for the Bean Days celebration...held annually in July, in Montpelier, Ohio. 

(My dad-in-love always led the Memorial Day parade in this same town,
and then spoke at the cemetery...as his son (my sweetie) has done a few times).   

(My hubby's nickname is Bean!=) NO JOKE! He only had one teacher in high school who called him Ron...everyone else has always called him Bean....we still do. {More about that in another post one day}.
Some folks in our little hometown here don't really know what his real name is!!

This dish is always a hit and I received many comments about it being the best served that day. (There were 20 entries, so that was pretty cool).

The first time I enjoyed this wonderful dish was at a Girlfriend's Potluck. I asked the gals to bring a dish that begins with the letter of their first names...my daughter-in-love, Kym, brought Kraut 'n' Beans and was asked for the recipe by several.

This picture was taken before cooking - a roasterfull!

This great any-time-of-the-year dish only has 5 basic ingredients.

It goes together quickly and not only is delicious...it's a great conversation maker too.

Who can believe it actually has sauerkraut in it? It tastes so sweet!

This is a picture after they simmered a few hours.

M-M-M-M!!!

Give 'em a try...and a toot! (teehee)

KRAUT 'N' BEANS

1 (40 ozs) jar great northern beans

1 qt. sauerkraut, drained

1 (16 ozs) pkg. polish kielbasa sausage, diced

1 heaping cup brown sugar

3 Tb. ketchup

diced onions if desired

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.  Or bake in slow cooker on low for 6 - 8 hours.

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Ingredient Spotlight - Hot Dogs & Sausage Weekend Potluck

Beef Cabbage Crescent Rolls - OH SO Yummy!

I am chuckling to think I'm finally posting this recipe.

I found it while cleaning out some recipes a while back, and know that I've had this recipe for nearly 20 years, and this is the first time I've actually made it!

It is SO delicious.  I guess you could say it was worth waiting for!

It's rare that I repeat recipes, but this one will be enjoyed again soon.

I made a few minor changes and am very pleased with the results.

Anything wrapped in crescent rolls has to be good! 

I have a similar recipe with a chicken filling that's been in my drafts for weeks, but since this was something we just tried, I was anxious to share it with you all.

I began by browning the beef, chopped onion, and minced garlic, then adding shredded cabbage and water to simmer.

(I also thought it would be good to add shredded carrots to cook with the cabbage, but didn't take the time to do that).

Then you make a rectangle with two of the crescent rolls and fold them around the filling.

I'd love to know if you come up with other ideas to season this delicious entree.

BEEF CABBAGE ROLLS

(From The Better Baker)

1# lean ground beef (I used chuck)

chopped onion and minced garlic to taste

1 sm. head cabbage, finely chopped

(about 2 cups)

1/8 tsp. garlic salt

salt & pepper to taste

1/3 c. water

1-8 ozs. pkg. crescent rolls (I used reduced-fat)

1 c. grated cheddar cheese, optional

(I used 2% reduced fat fiesta cheese blend)

Brown meat with onion and garlic; drain. Add cabbage, garlic salt, salt, pepper & water; stir. Cover - cook 15 minutes over medium heat until cabbage is cooked and water is evaporated.

Place 2 crescent rolls to form rectangle on lightly greased baking sheet, being sure to seal perforations.  

Spoon meat onto rolls; fold 2 opposite corners to center, then add other 2 corners. Twist at the top and seal sides.

Bake at 375 for 10 - 11 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven; rub (or spray) tops with butter. Divide cheese over top; bake 2 minutes longer.

Serve immediately.  Yield: 4 servings

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            Recipe of the Week

            Ingredient Spotlight - Ground Beef

Microwave Corn on the Cob - The BEST!

 (To pin, hover over photos)

Seriously!!

This is how we always fix our fresh corn on the cob.

We learned this 'trick' a long time ago, and continue to think it's the best way to prepare it.

One time, my dear hubby processed a whole bushel of corn on the cob, like this - 4 at a time! - while I was at work...then cut it all off the cobs for the freezer.

Bless his sweet sweet heart!

He just loves it prepared this way.

Can you imagine how surprised that made me?  WOW!!!

This is all you do...

I usually take off a couple/few of the outer layers of husk, and tear off as much of the silk as I can from the outside, but you want several layers of husk left on.

Wet a paper towel and lay it in the bottom of your microwave.  Lay 4 ears on top of the towel.

(Our microwave is 1200 watts, just so you know)

We turn it on high for 4 minutes, turn the corn over on its other side, and then zap it for 4 more minutes.

Let it cool a few minutes. I get a couple of paper towels and wad up in my hand, and then begin to peel the corn holding it by the paper towel.

The silk brushes right off and you'll have some nice juicy ears to enjoy.

(U{DATE: A new 'trick' I've learned is to cut the cob off right at the bottom of the ear before cooking....shake the ear, and it pops out the bottom with very little silk on it) 

Butter and salt the ears (if you must) and you're ready to chow down.

​


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Ingredient Spotlight: Corn

Weekend Potluck

Meal Plan Monday

Are you familiar with 'Baking Up A Cure'?

My blogging buddy Lark is an amazing woman!

She's having a Virtual Bake Sale this week and I'd love for you to participate.

I copied the info below from her site and wanted to be sure you are aware.

Please check out her webiste at Baking Up a Cure.

Oh how I appreciate all this giving and generous-hearted lady does to 'pay it forward'.....

Read on...then please get involved!

This is a picture of the cookies I'll be making & mailing...MMMM!  Lots of yums to choose from.

When is the Bake Sale? The Bake Sale is OPEN for bids Wed. July 27th@ 12:01 am



closes on Friday July 29th @ Midnight.



How does it work?


"Bakers" will provide a photo and description of the baked goods they are donating. Each item will have it's own post on the Bake Sale day.


This is where you will go to BID.



ALL Bidding will start at $15.00


Comments will NOT be moderated, so make sure you out bid


the previous highest bidder. When bidding you MUST leave your email


address, in the event you are the winner.

The WINNERS of each item will be notified through an email. Telling you what item(s) you won and the TOTAL donation required to pay. You will then have 48 hrs. to submit the donation.


**Donations MUST go through the 3-Day for the Cure Link!


Located on the right hand side bar on the Home Page.



When can you expect your Goodies? Once Lark has been notified by the Komen Foundation that your donation has been made, the "Bakers" will be sent your email and shipping address information. From there the Bakers will get in contact with you via an email, telling you when they will be sending out your baked goods.


**We have asked the Bakers to have the baked goods shipped out with in a week of being notified.**

How do I Volunteer to become a "Baker"? Go to the Register page to get all the information.

What is the quantity for the baked goods I will receive? We ask that the Bakers donate a minimum of at least 2 doz. cookies, 12 muffin/cupcakes, a full loaf of bread, 8x8 pan of bar/brownies. *However each baker will list on the item page what the quantity is.*

Allergies? If you need to know what ingredients are in the baked goods, send an email Here and your question will be forwarded to the Baker.



Please pass the word! Tell everyone, post about it on your own blog.


Be sure to link it back to Baking Up a CURE


Tweet about it, put it on Face Book. Anything to get the word out.


***Our Goal is to make $2300.00***

Loaded Morning Glory Muffins

Talk about loaded!! *-*

Think....carrots/pineapple/coconut/apples/raisins/nuts and you get just a taste of this amazing muffin!

{I added the "Loaded" name to this recipe title.}

Rest assured, with all those tasty ingredients, this is a very moist muffin.

I found the recipe online at Taste of Home online.

It's hard to stop at just one, but you can't eat very many at once either because they are very filling.

Confession...I tried eating several and ended up with a belly ache - they were sooo good I couldn't stop!

I'd eaten 2 before I thought about putting cream cheese on them, so of course I had to go for a couple more!  lol

(Needless to say, this was my 'dinner'...I didn't feel like eating anything else at mealtime=)

But oh how I enjoyed every delectable bite!

I made this recipe from scratch when serving in a college kitchen this past June. I made a quadruple (5X) batch to make 10 dozen because we needed to use up the carrots/pineapple in stock.

I didn't get to taste them that day as we headed for home before they were finished baking, (a big storm was on the way!) so naturally I had to try them at home.

And I'm SOOO glad I did!

A few of them went into the freezer - I pull them out in the morning, wrap in a paper towel and warm in the microwave.  Oh sooo good with my morning coffee!

Here's the recipe - with a couple of healthy tweaks I added for our own eating plans.

LOADED MORNING GLORY MUFFINS
(From The Better Baker & Taste of Home)

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
(I substituted 1 c. of whole wheat)
1-1/4 cups sugar
(I used 3/4 c. Splenda & 1/2 c. sugar)
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
(I used a healthy substitute of 3 Tb. of flax seed meal mixed with 1 Tb. water for 1 of the eggs - it adds fiber and a touch of nuttiness)
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1 medium tart apple, peeled and grated
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts




In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Stir in carrots, apple, pineapple, coconut, raisins and nuts.


Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

 Yield: 2 dozen.

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