Pot of Beans

Ingredients

2 cups of dry beans (I used white beans and yellow beans)
1 lb of your choice of meat (I used smoke pork neck bone)
1 onion (diced)
3 cloves of garlic (diced)
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons salt
8-16 cups of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions (Overnight Soak Method)

Rinse beans and pick out rocks. Put clean beans in the same pot you will cook them in and cover with 8 cups of water and 2 tablespoons salt and soak overnight.

The next morning, drain beans, rinse and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the empty bean pot and sauté onions and garlic. When onions are translucent, add meat and beans cover with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down heat and simmer until beans are soft and tender. Taste for flavor and add salt and pepper as needed.

Directions (No Soak Method)

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the empty bean pot and sauté onions and garlic. When onions are translucent, add meat and beans cover with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down heat and simmer until beans are soft and tender. Taste for flavor and add salt and pepper as needed. This method will take probably at least 4 hours.

Variations: I like to add garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika and bay leaf for flavor.

Cornbread

Ingredients

1 cup of cornmeal
1 cup of flour
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 cup of dry powdered milk
1 cup of milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons of butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place a 9 inch cast pan to get hot. In a bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and powdered milk. In a separate bowl, mix together milk, eggs and oil. Add to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Carefully remove the pan of the oven and add 2-3 tablespoons of butter to pan and swirl it around to coat the whole surface. Pour cornbread mixture into hot buttered pan and bake for 25 minutes. When the cornbread is done, you can insert a butter knife in the middle and it will come out clean. Enjoy!

Note: The recipe uses a 9 inch cast iron pan, but if you want to use a 12 inch pan, just double it.

Homemade Butter

Ingredients

2 cups of heavy whipping cream
Salt to taste

Pour cream into mixing bowl and beat past the whipped cream stage, keep beating until it starts to break down (separates into water and butter). The chunks of butter will begin to form and then bond together, start slowing down so it will catch on the beater. You will see the separation of the butter from the milk.

Drain off the milk (reserve if you want, use as buttermilk). Wash the butter with cold water, drain and wash again until water is clear. Start pressing the water out of the butter by folding and pressing. You can now add salt to taste.

Note: You can also add fresh or dried herbs to the butter when you salt it. If you don’t have a mixer, you can add the cream in a jar with a lid and shake it till it forms butter.