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!

Apple Macadamia Nut Stuffing...

I've searched for years trying to find a good Thanksgiving Stuffing. "Voila"... here it is. You don't want to stuff your turkey with this one. Just bake it and serve it as a side dish.

11/2 Cup Butter
2 Cups Apples peeled and diced
1 Cup Onion chopped
1 Cup Celery chopped
7 Cups Toasted Bread Cubes
1 Cup Macadamia Nuts chopped
1 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 Tsp. Pepper
2 Tsp. Poultry Seasoning
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

Melt butter in stock pan- add apples, onion and celery and cook until soft. Add seasonings, followed by bread cubes and nuts. Moisten with the chicken stock and place in a buttered glass baking dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Bacon Bites...

Okay now this is a great appetizer... they are gone before anything else.

1 lb. Bacon cut in thirds
3 Cans of Whole Water Chestnuts

Sauce
1 Cup Catsup
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

Wrap each chestnut with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 15 minutes... Drizzle with the sauce and return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Try to arrange on a platter to serve your guests... Good Luck with that one!

Yummy Pecan Yams...

I stumbled across this recipe a few years ago when looking for a yam recipe everyone would like. It has since been the favorite... like eating dessert!

4 Cups Yams cooked and mashed
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter melted
2 Eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and fold into a glass casserole dish.

Topping
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Flour
1/3 Cup Butter melted
1 Cup Pecans chopped

Mix all ingredients together and sprinkle evenly on the Yams. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.

Dill Dip...

This is the BEST dip for Relish Trays or Crackers. You can make it a day or two ahead of time... which makes it even better. Everyone loves it.

1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Mayonnaise
1/2 Tbl. Dry Parsley
1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder
1/2 Tsp. Dill Weed
1/2 Tsp. Season All

Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Broccoli Cheese Bake...

This is Kenny's favorite... but if I even thing about replacing it Sharee gets crazy.

4-6 Cups of Broccoli Florets Lightly Steamed
1 Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Eggs
2 Cups of Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Mix all ingredients except the broccoli in a 9x13 glass casserole dish.
Gentle fold in the broccoli. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.