Next Week's Menu

On Wednesdays, I use a few minutes to plan out our main supper meals and start my grocery list.  I usually do the grocery list online, but will often still go inside to purchase it.  By making the list online, I can add and take away as needed to meet my weekly budget.  Also, if like gets crazy then I can just order online and pickup when I am in town the next time.  I usually do a larger shopping trip every other week, with fresh produce and milk stops in between as needed.  This week, I am using all recipe from the Pampered Chef website.  I love that they are often full of fresh ingredients and simple to make.  Plus, I need some new ways to use the commercial steer that is filling my freezer.  ;-) 

 

Sourdough Bread Making

    I ordered a new cookbook and sourdough starter from Around the Family Table.  I highly recommend her for your starter.  Mine is bubbling and growing nicely.  The cookbook is HUGE!  I mixed up her recipe fore Vanilla Latte Mix as soon as I got it and have been having this lovely treat every morning for breakfast.  On the Weigh Watcher's app, it calculates as 1 point (for the almond milk) on BLUE. It really is the best homemade latte mix I have tried ... and I have tried a lot of them over the years.  ;-)  If you are looking at starting a sourdough or finding recipes to use with yours, try out this website because all of the recipes are amazing!  I think, I will have my starter built up enough to have have spare dough for a recipe by the end of the weekend.   

Around the Family Table 

 I am trying out a new recipe for Boston Baked Beans from The Hillbilly Housewife website.  

Boston Baked Beans

Makes 16 servings and freezes well.
 

• 32 oz. bag of navy beans (I am not soaking them, just sort and rinse)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 to 6 oz of bacon bits (because that is what I have on hand.  You can also use raw, chopped bacon ends.)

I sorted and rinsed the bag of beans and then put them into my 8 qt. Instant Pot.  I covered them by about 4 inches of water.  The main thing is to have plenty of water for the beans to rehydrate.  I don't need them soft and fully cooked, so I chose the "bean" setting, which is 30 minutes on the Instant Pot.  Let them cook and then allow the pressure to release naturally.  So I set it up before I had 2 hours of online teaching, knowing It would be ready around 12:30 pm, which is perfect timing for dinner.

Drain off the cooking water. In a very large casserole (4-quart or larger) combine the semi-cooked beans, salt, dry mustard, molasses, sugar and chopped bacon. I am using my Pampered Chef 6 qt. Enameled Dutch Oven that I earned in the Fall Free for All. The deep covered baker or Rockcrok are all good choices as well.  Basically a big ol' pot with a lid. ;-)   Add enough hot water to barely come to the top of the beans. Put a lid on the casserole, or tin foil. Bake the beans at 300° for about 5 to 7 hours. They will be tender, fragrant and delicious.  The cooked beans may be frozen in two cup portions to substitute for canned baked beans or canned pork ’n beans in any recipe. They make a good main dish, or a side dish for a large crowd. This recipe serves about 16. I make such a large amount so I can have plenty of leftovers to freeze.  I am also putting Rhodes Frozen rolls out to thaw to go with them for dinner.  Somehow I got my grocery list mixed up and ended up with over 60 frozen rolls in my freezer.  I will serve a salad on the side and might make a pie for dessert.