Wait For Me

I wish everyone a Happy New Year! Last year at this time as I remember we were still worried about forest fires and we didn't hear any explosions at midnight. Last night there were several (5 or 6) loud booms that woke Kristine up. I was still up, but I didn't go out to see if the booms were accompanied by fireworks. I'm just glad everything is wet from the rain. No fires, please.

When I let the chickens out they took off for the woods with Morgan trailing behind. I walked around for a bit taking photos hoping for something I could post in the sidebar. Turns out it was the first photo I took. The hens were very happy to get cut up ham hock skin for a treat. Kristine said that some of the hens stayed on the porch next to the slider where it was dry and warm.

I tried cleaning up my blog sidebar a little bit. I started off this blog by adding blogs I read to my blog list, but quit adding any more because I have so many. Now I have folders of blogs I read book marked and the whole blog reading and commenting thing is getting out of control. I need to make a new plan. I like Tanya's blog layout. Nice and clean. Love to read her blog.

Oh, yes, I need to announce the bean ruling. The Mayo Clinic No Gas soak method really did result in 98% gas free beans. I suppose the results depend on the type of beans, how many rinsings (10+-) and soaks (I soaked the beans in water before I did the hot soak) the beans are put through. And I cooked the beans in new water after I rinsed the hot soak water away.

[1 egg today]

The sun has been hiding and turned off egg laying.

That's my take on the situation.

Smiles

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Bean Pot

I had to use the stainless steel pot because there were too many beans to fit in the dutch oven. And after I added the ham hock the pot was full to the top. I learned a lot cooking the beans mainly by making mistakes. Even with my errors the beans still tasted great. Good thing! I have a lot of beans to eat.

First thing I did wrong was to cook the whole package of beans. Next time I'll just cook half and instead of one ham hock I'll cook two or three. Next time I'll make sure to either use beans that need a long cooking time or cook these mixed beans for a shorter time. The lentils and split peas pretty much cooked to mush.

This may be too much information, but since Kristine (or anybody) doesn't like to eat beans because of the flatulence issue, I looked around online to see what I could find that would solve the problem. I ran across this page from the Mayo Clinic about how to cook beans. Who knew? Under Preparing Legumes there is a step called Gas Free Soak that I tried after I had already soaked the bean for a few hours. These beans got many, many washings!

I didn't add anything to the beans except water until they were already cooked on the wood stove. Pretty funny! I'm no good at controlling the cooking temperature at a simmer. The pot was either hot or at a rolling boil. But, like I said, they still taste great. But then I like them a bit overcooked. Oh, well. After the beans were cooked I added the ham hock and over cooked the beans some more. I'm so bad. I added salt after I dished the beans in the bowl, then topped them with the cut up ham hock and chopped red onion.

No cornbread, but the Pugliese bread Kristine brought home tasted wonderful with the beans. Tom asked me if the bottom of the bread was moldy because it was covered with flour. The bread is covered with flour, especially the bottom, but it has a wonderful taste and texture.

I added the rest of the onion, ham hock, and some garlic to the left over pot of beans and put them in the fridge. I read somewhere they are good for four days in the fridge. I guess I will be eating beans until they are gone. I was going to try freezing some of them, but they are too mushy to rinse. Good thing I love beans!

Kristine is in hopes this No Gas soaking works because she would like to be able to eat beans. Since I am the guinea pig, I will report back in another post.

Good thing Kristine doesn't have to work tomorrow because she thought she had a fever and I know she has a cough. She seems to time her illnesses so she is sick on her days off.

[2 eggs today]

The chickens were out for the afternoon

with Morgan and had a lettuce snack.

Smiles

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Leaves?

Yep! The leaves are finally off the trees and I can't wait to get myself together and get out there and move them around. I was curious about how the leaves let go and fell because some years there are leaves that hang on until Spring. The first article I found here told me more than I wanted to know. I liked my old idea of the leaves falling off and turning red and yellow because of frost damage. Oh, well, I suppose in years to come they will come up with new discoveries and this will change too.

The garage roof is one of the places where I will spend some time moving leaves. I really am glad that the leaves are down because some years the leaves keep falling and the roof gets another coat of leaves.

The chickens will be glad to get out tomorrow and so will Morgan. She went to the groomers today and looks so pretty and white. The sun is scheduled to shine tomorrow so my plan is for us all to get outside.

I didn't cook dinner because because there are still leftovers from Christmas and that chicken soup I made lasted until last night. Kristine doesn't like beans, but I am going to make a pot of beans and ham hocks. I'll have to make her something else. I have been thinking about the ham hocks, beans and cornbread I used to have when I was a kid and I'm giving in to the memory and making some. Hope they live up to what I remember. The recipe on the bag says to add onions and tomatoes, but I don't think I will. We used to put diced red onion on top of the beans when we served them and I don't remember ever having tomatoes or tomato sauce in the beans. Maybe next time. The beans are soaking overnight. I'm really going to do this. I think I will try cooking them in the dutch oven on the wood stove.

[0 eggs today]

Smiles

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