Mixed Dry Bean Soup

This is an economical, easy, hearty, delicious comfort food right from the pantry! Most often you see ham bones or pork used as bases for hearty bean soups. However, I have been tickeled to discovered that beef soup bones make a WONDERFUL base for bean soups!

2C Mixed dry beans of choice
1Qrt of water
1 beef soup bone*
1 onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp chili powder
1T lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C lentils (optional)

1. Soak your beans overnight in cold water with at least 2" water over the top of you beans. (6+ hours) OR Boil for 2 minutes, cover and remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour and proceed.

2. Put all the ingredients in the crock and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.

3. Remove the soup bone and scrap off any meat that might be left on it. Give the dog the bone. :-)

Serves 8-10

* If you don't have a "soup bone" take a bone out of a roast with about an inch or two of meat around it and cook the roast as a boneless roast (or cut in it into pieces for stew or other dish) in the next couple of days. We buy our beef from a farmer, so we always makes sure we keep the soup bones. You could ask a butcher for soup bones too...they are cheap and make wonderful soups and stews and beans.

Maple Baked Beans

This recipe came from a cookbook called Fresh Vegetarian Slow Cooker , which I highly recommend. So nice to have tasty baked beans without pork! ( I think I doubled this recipe from the original..not sure....I do that. :-) )This is a very slow recipe...but worth the wait!

2-3 lbs of dry white or pinto beans
2-3 large onions, chopped small
4-6 garlic cloves
4 bay leaves

• Presoak your beans over night in water - 6 hours + (I usually double my water over my beans.)**
• Drain soaked beans and put them back in the crock. Add the above ingredients ans enough water to cover (about 1" over). Cook on High 8-12 hours
• Drain this water, remove bay leaf and put back in the crock. Add the following ingredients:

1C (real!) Maple Syrup
2tsp dr. mustard powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2C tomato paste mixed with 2 1/2C water

Cook on low an additional 6-8 hours.

** If you forget to soak your beans (or don't want to take that extra time) you can put beans on the stove in water and boil them for 2 minutes, than cover and remove from the heat and let sit for an hour. Then proceed with the recipe.

I like to serve beans with cornbread, sourdough or (organic) beef hotdogs.

Crockpot Lentils

We love lentils! (I buy them in organic bulk.) I am always on the look out for good lentil recipes! This recipe serves 8 to 10. I like to serve it with rice or cornbread, sourdough bread, crusty bread, or homemade sourdough english muffins. It also makes a tasty sandwich on a bun.

1 pound of lentils
1 large onion, chopped


2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 1/2C chicken or veggie broth
2-3 carrots, sliced
2-3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 reb bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp dr. parsley
1 dried dr. bay leaf
1/8 tsp dr. marjoram
1/8 tsp dr. sage
1/8 tsp dr. thyme
salt to taste

Put all the ingrediants in the crock.
Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2 1/2-3 hours.

May top with shredded cheddar (but not necessary!)

Great Northern Beans - Crock

This is a yummy way to cook white beans. Beans are such a wonderful staple to keep in your pantry and eat regularly! They are inexpensive, tasty and high in nutrition food value! I love to serve this with cornbread, sourdough or tortilla chips. We always double this recipe. To make a crock full.

1lb Great Northern Beans (white kidneys, or navy beans)
1 onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, sliced into small chunks
2 ribs of celery, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, crushed
2T bullion (I use Better than Bullion)*
1 dr bay leaf
2T oil
1 butter
salt and pepper to taste (at the end)

• Soak bean overnight, drain and rinse. (If you crock is not in use, do it right in your crock. No sense making another dish dirty!)
• Put beans back in the crock and add remaining ingredients. Pour enough water to cover and sit 1 inch over the beans.
• Cook on Low 8-10 hours (may need to add a little more water, peek at it)

*If the beans are too wet, take out a cup of means and puree or mash them and add them back into the pot to thicken (or stick an immersion blender in for a quick second).

Serves 6-7

* You used to have to get this boullion a the health food stores, but I was tickled to see it on my local Walmart shelf!

Enjoy!