Saturday Charlie had a Halloween party for his car club friends. I did not do any cooking for that but did get a pumpkin for a Jack 0'Lantern and a sugar pumpkin for a pie later on. I toasted the seeds for his party and then I made the sugar pumpkin ready to season for the pie filling.
Southern Ham and Beans
PREP: 10minutes COOK: 2hours SOAKING TIME 8hours TOTAL: 10hours 10 SERVINGS 8
Simple, hearty, and flavorful, ham and beans is a traditional meal that’s been enjoyed throughout the south and Appalachia for generations!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried Great Northern beans
- Cold water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 smoked ham hock (about 10-12 ounces)
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 fresh thyme sprig (or about ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 8 ounces cooked, diced ham
- Garnish: hot sauce; chow-chow; apple cider vinegar; chopped fresh herbs; chopped onion
- Optional, for serving: cornbread
Instructions
- Place beans in a large bowl or pot. Cover with cold water by 2 inches. Cover and let stand overnight. Drain and rinse the beans.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery; cook until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 30 more seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the beans, broth, ham hock, bay leaf, thyme, and ground black pepper to taste. Do not add salt at this time. Pour in enough cold water to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Give
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low so that the liquid is at a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot with a lid, allowing some of the steam to escape. Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the beans start to look dry, add more water to keep them covered. If there’s more liquid in the pot than you would like, remove the lid completely.
- Stir in about a teaspoon of salt. Add the diced ham. Continue simmering for 30-45 more minutes, until the beans are tender.
•Discard ham hock, bay leaf, and thyme sprig. Use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to mash some of the beans, thickening the broth. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
•Ladle into bowls. Garnish with hot sauce, chow chow, a splash of vinegar, herbs, and/or chopped onion. Serve with a side of cornbread.
Notes - Slow Cooker Ham and Beans: after soaking the beans, place all of the ingredients in a Crock Pot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, or on LOW for 8-10 hours, until the beans are tender. Season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and add the diced ham during the final 1-2 hours of cooking time.
- Stir the pot occasionally while the beans cook. This will help to break them down a bit, distribute the starches, and prevent sticking.
- Garnish with fresh herbs (such as chopped parsley or thyme), a dash of hot sauce, pickled chow chow, a dash of vinegar, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bright finishing touch.
The total amount of water necessary will vary. As a result, check the beans periodically as you stir them and add extra water to cover, if necessary. - Smoked ham hocks can be quite salty, so wait to season the pot towards the end when you can give it a taste. Also, salting the beans too early in the cooking process can make them take longer to soften.
- Swap out the Great Northern beans and use a different variety of white beans, such as cannellini or navy. Pinto beans will also work!
- Instead of a ham hock, add flavor to the beans with a different smoked meat, such as a leftover ham bone, bacon, smoked sausage, smoked turkey wings, or smoked pork neck bones.
- Vegetarian Beans: omit the ham hock and diced ham. Add smoky flavor to the pot with liquid smoke, smoked paprika, or some cumin. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Make the beans spicy with some crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, or hot sauce.
- Herbs: add more fresh (or dried) herbs to the pot in addition to the thyme, such as parsley, oregano, cilantro, or rosemary.
- Add more vegetables such as green bell pepper, diced carrots, or tomatoes.
Ham n Egg Salad
Ingredients
2 c. Left over baked ham, diced very small
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped sweet onion
1/4 c chopped dried apricots Have used dried apples and or golden raisins.
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine diced ham, eggs, celery, onion, and dried apricot. Add mayonnaise and mix. Salt and pepper to taste. If possible, allow to sit in refrigerator for 1 hour. Serve alone or on bread.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Here is a super easy recipe for roasting fresh pumpkin seeds that come out perfectly every time.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
- 2 teaspoons butter, melted
- 1 pinch salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and gather ingredients.
- Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
calories
83
total fat 5g saturated fat 1g cholesterol 4mg sodium 13mg total carbohydrate 9g dietary fiber 1g protein 3g calcium 9mg iron 1mg potassium 147mg
Roasted Pumpkin Seed Flavor Variations
This simple recipe allows for countless flavor combinations, both sweet and savory. Here are just a few favorite ingredients you can use to season and sweeten pumpkin seeds:
- Savory: chili powder, garlic salt, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, cayenne pepper, ranch dressing mix, Tajin, curry powder
- Sweet: maple syrup, honey, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie from a sugar pumpkin
Ingredients
1 3/4 lb. sugar pumpkin, halved, seeded
1 T. olive oil
2 lar. eggs
1/2 C. heavy cream
1/4 C. packed light brown sugar
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 par[baked pie shell or graham cracker crust
lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving1
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Drizzle cut side of pumpkin with olive oil, then place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool. Reduce oven to 350°F.
• When cool enough to handle, scoop pumpkin flesh into a food processor and process until smooth. Add eggs, cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg, and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl to make sure ingredients are evenly incorporated.
• Pour pumpkin mixture into par-baked pie shell or graham cracker crust and smooth top. Bake on bottom rack of the oven until center is firm to the touch, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely.
* Just before serving, top with whipped cream.
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