How to Cook Dried Beans for Better Flavor, Creamier Texture, and Big Savings

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"There are few things as comforting (and economical) as a big pot of beans. The entire process of slowly simmering legumes on the stovetop, from adding your seasonings to enjoying them warm from the pot, is a meditative experience. The flavor is far superior to canned beans–plus, you can give the beans a unique flavor profile all your own. The texture is also miles beyond what you’ll find in a can."  comment from Martha Stewart.com.

Ham steak that has a bone is what I buy when I'm going to make a pot of beans using dried beans.  You get the flavor from the bone and lots of ham to go with the beans.

Click here to go to the article from Martha Stewart.com.

Carrot Cake Recipe Collection

ORIGINALLY POSTED SEPTEMBER 2019

Although Carrot Cake is among my favorite cakes, I have not made one since I was a teenager.  Back in the day it took quite a long time to hand grate the carrots necessary to make the cake.  But now we have all types of gadgets to make the task easy.  

I'm almost ready to attempt it again and have been doing research to find one that looks the best.

Here is my current list that I will add to periodically as I find them:



20 Top Carrot Cake Recipes from Food, Folks and Fun (photo edited from the article)



Moist and Easy Carrot Cake

The Best Carrot Cake Recipe

Carrot Cake Recipe from The Food Network


Dorie Greenspan's Carrot Cake


Best Carrot Pumpkin Cake


Carrot Cake Cheesecakes

Johnny Marzetti Casserole

 

Photo source: Real Simple

Apparently there is a mystery concerning the identity of Johnny Marzetti.  Who is he, where did the recipe come from and why is it named after him?  Interesting read on the article since I wondered about the recipe name when I first found it.

The recipe is similar to my pasta concoctions that change regularly with my mood.  Lazy day I make with jarred spaghetti sauce, other times I make my own sauce and let it cook for hours.  Most of the time I use italian sausage, sometimes brown some ground beef with the sausage and I love it with ziti.  Also love it with angel hair pasta. How about some chunky sliced mushrooms on occasion?  When I plate it (sometimes), the pasta is topped with ricotta cheese, then the sauce.  Delicious!  But then again, I can't call it a Johnny Marzetti dish because of all the variations.

Click here to go to the Real Simple recipe page with excellent instructions with photos.  And then there is that Johnny Marzetti story!

Seafood Mac and Cheese from Kardea Brown

Photo Source:  The Food Network

This seafood mac and cheese is my favorite item from the episode Sunday Supper on the Food Network. 

Click here to go to the Seafood Mac and Cheese recipe page.

If you love southern food, you must check out Kardea Brown, who has some of the best southern recipes I've seen.  She is from South Carolina, where the dishes are different than those southern recipes from Florida.  Her show is quite a treat.  You can find her videos on The Food Network's You Tube channel  Click here to go there.