Friday, February 17, 2012

Beans-n-Ham and Easy Spoon Bread


Beans-n-Ham have long been a favorite here in the Delta.

During the Great Depression, beans were often served for all three meals. Even though it is a cheap source of protein, there's nothing tastier than a meal of beans, greens, and cornbread.

I was surprised recently when I learned that many younger cooks don't know how to cook a big pot of beans!

With grocery prices going up daily (and sometimes hourly), we had decided that at least one day per week we'd have a meatless--or almost meatless--meal. I had a ham bone left over from Christmas (yes, I'd frozen it), so I decided to cook a big pot of beans with it and share the recipe with my readers.

Beans-n-Ham

1 lb. dried beans (I used Pinto)
1 ham bone or ham pieces
1/4-1/2 chopped onion
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 hot pepper, whole
or Creole seasoning to taste
(optional)
Water

Rinse beans in a colander. Look them over and pick out any trash. 
Soak overnight in water and baking soda (1-2 teaspoons)
The next morning, your beans will have doubled in size.
Rinse the beans again.
Place in a heavy large pot the ham or ham bone, beans, and remainder ingredients.
Cover with water.
Cover pot with a lid. 
Bring to a boil. Simmer until done--2-3 hours.
The ham should fall off the bone. When it does, remove the bone but leave the meat. 

Now, wasn't that simple?







 

Now,  for the Easy Spoon Bread
It's a cross between cornbread and corn pudding.

1-2 tablespoons butter
1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1 can cream corn
2 eggs
A little pepper, to taste
Milk 

Melt butter. Add cornbread mix, cream corn, eggs, and pepper.
Add enough milk for a thick, pudding-like mixture.
Pour into a greased pan.
Bake at 400 degrees until done in the center and browned around the edges,
approximately 20-30 minutes

Spoon onto plate and add a pat of butter. 

Yum!






Add some greens or a salad,
 maybe a big slice of onion,
 some "Chow Chow" on the beans, 
and you'll be eating,
as we say,
"high on the hog!"

2 comments:

Marie said...

Make me hungry just lookn at the pictures.

Rosie said...

Tried the spoon bread and loved it. So easy.

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