It All Has To Go...

               The time has come once again to pack it all away.

     The Santa,

      and the favorite book.

The pictures

and the lighted houses.

 The bells and ornaments,

and things from the past.

 

Christmas cards and Santa mugs,

Angels, carolers, and advent calendars that decorate the mantel.

snowmen and snow globes,



it all has to go.

 

Normally, I feel like it's over before it begins, but this year I started decorating in November and next year I may start in October. I love Christmas and everything that goes with it.

Hope everyone has a wonderful new year filled with the best that life has to offer.

Have a great week!

 

 



Mother's Baked Beans...

For every family get together that we have my kids want me to make baked beans. In September, for Labor Day, I decided to surprise them by making a Crock Pot full of Great Northern beans. I love white beans. My grandmother used to make them and call me to come eat with her and take home the left-overs. She would always say nothing tasted good if she tried to make it for one person, so she would make a whole pot. Well, after Labor Day, to my surprise, the kids informed me that they wanted me to stick to the baked beans. Even my newest son-in-law requests the baked beans.
My husband's family is having their Christmas party tomorrow night, so in the morning I will get up and make baked beans. Sunday we are having Christmas at our oldest daughter's house, so Sunday morning I will get up and make another pot of baked beans.
When I first got married in 1975 my mother-in-law shared her recipes with me and this was one of her recipes. I call it Mother's Baked Beans. I get so many compliments on these beans that I thought I would share.

MOTHER'S BAKED BEANS

 

• 1 can of Van Camp Pork & Beans
• 2 ribs of celery, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• 2 T of prepared mustard
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 2 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces 

Mix all ingredients together and pour into baking dish. Cook 3 hours at 250 degrees. The last two years I have used the Crock Pot to cook them. I put the pot on low and let it cook for about 6 hours. It works fine.

 

This is the original recipe. I have never made it using only one can. I use 6 cans and it fills my Crock Pot. If the beans have a lot of liquid in them I will partially drain because the Crock Pot seems to create it's own liquid. If you are using a baking dish you may not need to drain them. I don't care for too much celery, so I just guess at the celery, a couple of ribs may be all I use in the whole pot. When it comes to the onions I cut up two or three medium to large onions. I cut the bacon into 1 inch square pieces. It will seem like a lot of bacon, but when it cooks up it isn't too much. I follow the recipe x 6 for the rest of the ingredients.  

 

My mother-in-law with my kids in 1987. She was a good cook and we enjoyed many wonderful meals prepared in her kitchen.

 

Enjoy!!!

Have a nice weekend!

Meet Inka And Piper...

I have had them for about eight years. They are now eight and ten. The oldest one, Piper, is starting to have problems. I took her to the vet thinking it might be diabetes. The testing was inconclusive.

She wasn't really overweight, but the vet thought it might help if I cut back on her food, so I did and she immediately lost weight. I can now clearly see the shape of her spine and ribs and even though I have begun to feed her more than ever, she can't seem to gain. She seems healthy as far as her personality goes, but seems to be wasting away.

 L to R, Inka and Piper

Inka normally weighs about 2 lbs. and Piper can be anywhere from 7 to 10 lbs. Since this might well be the beginning of the end, I have taken to spoiling her a bit lately. Monday night while Christmas shopping I bought her a huge, nasty looking, hog femur. She loves it. It is the worst smelling thing I think I have ever smelled, but poor Piper, she has been such a good dog, so for now, I will sit in my chair, and watch T. V. and pretend a pork roast is cooking in the oven and that I am enjoying the aroma of her tasty snack.

Hope you have a great weekend!!!!