Beans make for terrific soup even at the WHITE HOUSE! Just ask Maxine!

Beans are the centerpiece of a frugal cook’s kitchen.  Just ask Maxine, who has graciously offered another gem of her wisdom for our benefit!  Frugal cooks include users of Angel Food Ministries; holders of EBT cards from SNAP and WIC; people who have beans from food pantries and food commodities as well as those of us who pamper our food budgets know the value of preparing and serving beans to those we love best!

Here is great information from Maxine, with our heartfelt thanks:

“Nobody is going to make you give up your Cooking Club membership if you use canned beans instead of dry. Beans in a can are good, handy, and cheap.

But home-cooked beans are just as good,  even cheaper and dead simple to cook. You can cook a big batch and freeze the rest for another day.

I used to soak my beans overnight and cook them in a Crock Pot. After I discovered the quick soak method, and cooking the beans in a pressure cooker, I’ve never looked back. Nothing does a better job of cooking beans!

Soak beans overnight or use this quick soak method: preferred–faster and beans hold their shape better–Heat beans and water–2 cups water for every 1 cup beans–to boiling; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand one hour. Drain water.

To cook beans:

Add 2 cups fresh water for every one cup beans. Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to help prevent frothing. DO NOT ADD SALT. Bring up to 10 lbs. pressure over medium heat. Reduce heat gradually to medium-low in order to maintain 10 lbs. pressure. Cook for specified length of time (see below). Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then place under faucet to relieve pressure. Note: never fill pressure cooker more than ½ full of liquid. Always allow at least 2½ inches of space between top of liquid and rim of pan.

Black eyed peas, 10 min.
Black beans, 20 min.
Great Northern beans, 20 min.
Kidney beans, 30 min.
Lentils, 10 min.
Lima beans, large, 30 min.
Lima beans, small, 25 min.
Navy beans, 30 min.
Pea beans, 20 min.
Pinto beans, 10 min.
Soybeans, 35 min.
Small White beans, 10 min.

Here is my favorite recipe for bean soup. It is similar to the Navy bean soup served daily in the U.S. Senate dining room. I usually use small white beans, which cook faster than Navy beans. If I use my pressure cooker, I only make half a recipe.

MAXINE’S WHITE OR NAVY BEAN SOUP
1 pound (2 cups) Navy or small white beans
Meaty ham bone or ham hock
3 quarts water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes OR 1 raw potato, peeled and sliced
1 onion
several stalks of celery, including leaves
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer ham bone or hock in 3 quarts of water for 2-3 hours on top of the stove, or all day or all night in the Crock Pot. Remove bone and meat and refrigerate until fat hardens on top of the broth. Do this the day before.

Cover dry beans with water and soak overnight OR do a quick soak about an hour before you start the soup.

Drain beans and discard soaking water. Remove hardened fat from broth and discard. Remove ham from bone and chop finely, discarding all fat and gristle.

Chop onion and celery (this is a good way to use up the yellow center stalks). In a large stock pot or crock pot, combine beans, broth, ham and all remaining ingredients EXCEPT salt. Simmer until beans are tender–about 2 hours on top of the stove, most of the day in the crock pot, or according to pressure cooker timetable. Season with salt to taste.   if ham was salty, may not need any salt.

Note: For a very good veggie version, just use 3 quarts water and skip the ham and broth.

Remember, if you are using a standard size pressure cooker, make only half a recipe!

I like to serve this with cornbread and a fruit salad, such as Waldorf.

HOLY MATILDA, Maxine!  That just looks so scrumptious I can hardly wait to go soak a bag of beans!  I particularly like that you have paired them with cornbread because that will provide the complete protein necessary for the body to function optimally!

Again, we salute our dear Club Member, Maxine!  Thanks oodles.

Maxine has promised she will soon be Talking Turkey so do stay tuned for that piece of work!  Also, if you have not signed up for the series of cooking tips from the Food Stamps Cooking Club, we invite you to do so.

Please know that your comments are always welcome on this blog and you may send items to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com at any time.

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You may find our sister blogs of interest:  Mother Connie Sez has to do with rants and raves about health, healing, and life’s happenings.  The Healthy and Wealthy You is pretty self explanatory but without ranting and raving; and Rapid Cash Review chronicles work at home opportunities.  The newest member of the family is Soapy Teeth.  This explains the fun of brushing your teeth with soap and without fluoride so your teeth can re-enamelize.  There is no ranting or raving there but you might find a video from time to time.  grin

Connie Baum

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