Bean and Bacon Soup...

Sharee has always loved Bean n Bacon Soup. This is a wonderful hardy soup. The whole family will enjoy it. I made it for Grampa and Gramma Martin and they loved it too!

1 Meaty Ham Bone
2 lbs. Navy Beans
6-8 Cups Vegetable Broth
1 Yellow Onion (chopped)
3 Cups Sliced Carrots
2 Cups Chopped Celery
2 Tsp. Minced Garlic
4 Tsp. Paprika
Salt to taste

Rinse and soak Navy Beans overnight. Place vegetable broth, ham bone and beans in a large stock pan (Broth should cover the beans by about 3 inches) and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until beans are soft. Remove 1/2 the beans and set aside. Add Onion, Carrots, Celery and Seasonings to soup. Continue to simmer until carrots are soft. Remove the ham bone and clean meat off the bone in small chunks. Return meat to the soup. Mash the beans you have set aside until well mashed... you may process in blender. Return mashed beans to the soup... this will thicken the soup. Continue to simmer soup until it thickens and you are ready to serve it.

I serve this soup with Homemade Breadsticks... Everyone cleans the broth from their bowls with breadsticks.... it's just that yummy!

Mom's Famous Sticky Buns...

These are simply the best... we just can't have Christmas without Sticky Buns.

Prepare the night before...

20 Frozen Rhodes Dinner Rolls
1/2 Cup Melted Butter
1 Box Non Instant Butterscotch Pudding
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
2/3 Cup Pecan Halves

Spread softened butter to cover a Bundt Pan. Place pecan halves in the bottom of the pan... place frozen rolls... combine pudding, brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over rolls, pour melted butter over everything. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Christmas morning place in a cold oven and set heat to 350* and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn upside down on large platter...

Enjoy!

We have to make three of these when the whole family is Home for Christmas!