There's nothing better than turning those navy beans you just got in your pantry bag to a sensational slow cooker recipe.  Once you layer the ingredients, there is no need to fuss or stir.  They'll be ready for your Memorial Day feast in a few hours.

Packed with more deliciousness than those canned counterparts, you are in for a real treat.


1 pound dried navy, pinto, or great northern beans
1/4 pound bacon, or sliced smoked fat back
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt 


Rinse, sort, and soak the beans. Spread the beans out into a rimmed baking sheet or plate and pick out any debris or broken beans. Transfer the sorted beans to a colander and rinse under cool water. Transfer to a large bowl or 6-quart or larger slow cooker (this eliminates one extra bowl to wash) and cover with 6 cups of cool water. Cover and soak at room temperature 10 to 12 hours.

Drain the beans. Drain the soaked beans and dry the slow cooker insert if needed.

Layer the bacon, beans, and onions. Spread the diced bacon in a single layer in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the drained beans, and sprinkle the onions over the beans (do not stir). Cover and turn on to the LOW setting while you prepare the sauce.

Make the flavorful sauce. Place 4 cups of water, the tomato paste, molasses, brown sugar, vinegar, and mustard in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Reserve the salt for seasoning later in the cooking process.

Pour the sauce over the beans. Pour the sauce evenly over the onions, beans, and bacon. Do not stir.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 6 to 8 hours. At the 6-hour mark, begin tasting for doneness and add the salt as needed. The beans are ready when they are creamy and tender.
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Stir and serve. Stir to combine — the sauce will be thick. Serve or cool and refrigerate.

• Here's a bit of a tidbit, the spiral-slicing machine, patented in 1952 by Harry J. Hoenselaar. Hoenselaar found a clever way to mechanically navigate the ham bone, the bane of meat carvers through the centuries.
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  The spiral-slicing machine works by skewering a ham (or any other meat) vertically on spikes at top and bottom. A spring-loaded slicing blade cuts through the meat, stopping when it meets resistance from the bone. As the ham rotates, it gradually lowers on the spikes, creating the spiral. Hard to visualize? Watch the video below.
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• 1 large onion, sliced

2 tablespoons butter
1 fully cooked spiral ham (7 to 9 pounds)
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup red wine or additional chicken broth

In a small skillet, saute the onion in butter until tender; transfer to a roasting pan. Place ham on top. Pour the broth and wine or additional broth over ham. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 2-3 hours or until a thermometer reads 140° and ham is heated through.

You won’t find them in the Bible, but many cherished Easter traditions have been around for centuries. The most prominent secular symbol of the Christian holiday, the Easter bunny reportedly was introduced to America by the German immigrants who brought over their stories of an egg-laying hare. The decoration of eggs is believed to date back to at least the 13th century, while the rite of the Easter parade has even older roots. Other traditions, such as the consumption of Easter candy, are among the modern additions to the celebration of this early springtime holiday.

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1-1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• Confectioners' sugar icing and sprinkles, optional
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In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and cracker crumbs. Shape mixture into 16 eggs; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.

In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip eggs in chocolate mixture; allow excess to drip off.

Return eggs to baking sheets. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
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If desired, decorate eggs with icing and sprinkles. Let stand until set. Store in airtight containers in refrigerator.

What a scrumptious treat to add to your Saint Patrick's Day dinner.  With all that special care you take in ensuring your family has a blessed day, why not end it with a delicious treat? 

And during all that indulgence, why not take a moment and share the true beginnings of what brought Saint Patrick's Day upon us.  

1 package white cake mix (regular size)
2 packages (3 ounces each) lime gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup cold milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Green sprinkles


Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; stir in cold water and set aside.

With a meat fork or wooden skewer, poke holes about 2 in. apart into cooled cake. Slowly pour gelatin over cake. Cover and refrigerate.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Fold in whipped topping. Spread over cake. Decorate with sprinkles. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

This is an amazing recipe that can be produced in an air fryer with terrific results.  This would be especially perfect for a delightful Valentine's day dinner.  Pair it with some Air Fryer French Fries and the Homemade Fudge Sauce for ice cream sundae dessert, and you're all set!

What makes it perfect is you can use some of that garlic chili sauce you used in a recent recipe I posted.  I am beginning to have a hankering for that stuff.  I have noticed that jar on my local grocery store shelve, but it seemed just too smokin' hot from my view.  But in reality it really isn't.  It adds just a bit of zing and flavor to wing recipe.  

I decided to try this recipe when Winn Dixie had wings on sale for $5.99 a bag.

2 1/2 lb. chicken wings
3/4 cup pancake syrup
2 tab. chili garlic sauce
1 small onion, diced
2 tab. mustard
2 tsp. Worcestersire sauce

Cut off wing tips and cut in half if not already done so.

Combine the rest of ingredients in a bag and shake.  Add wings. 

Refrigerate 8 hours.

Place in air fryer on "chicken" and cook according to manufactures specifications.  Turn mid way through cooking time so wings don't blacken.  But, a few blacken areas isn't going to hurt none.  

​Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and while the rest of the town hits the night life available, I will be spending the evening enjoying the company of those I love.  Here, there is always a recipe in place that makes New Year's Eve a bit special.  After all, we are ringing in the New Year in hopes of a better economy!  Nonetheless, if you've been a part of this community, despite the overwhelming jobless trend, you know you have control over one aspect in your life and that is you can provide  wholesome fare for your family despite your economic blow.  

Here is recipe that is a bit self-indulgent, but non expensive, and will cast rave reviews when you serve it as a special dessert on New Year's Eve.  You will never taste such a rich, decadent dessert from a box:-)  Enjoy!  And let us pray the New Year brings us better financial revenue!

1/2 and 1/3 cup dark chocolate morsels
2 tab. butter
2 tab. coffee (optional)
1 cup heavy cream or 2 cups cool whip
3 large eggs
1 tab. sugar

Whip cream to soft peaks (if using).  Combine chocolate, butter, and coffee in a small saucepan and cook on LOW, stirring frequently or until smooth.  Allow chocolate to cool to warm.  Whip egg whites in a bowl until foamy and beat on high while adding sugar slowly.  Beat until still peaks form.  Set aside.

In warm chocolate, add egg yolks and stir.  Then stir in one third of the whip cream.  Fold in the egg whites, and the remaining whipped cream a bit at a time.  

Spoon whipped mousse into single serving dishes and top wtih shreds of chocolate if desired. Refrigerate.

​Happy New Year's Eve to you and your family!  This is a family favorite here on New Year's Eve.  With shrimp on sale often,  you can make this delicacy without much strain on you budget.  It is quick, easy and full of flavor.  Grab a pound of shrimp and give your family an extra treat this holiday season!

You will notice there are not extra ingredients to add a bit of flavor and fluff.  Why would you want to intoxicate that delightful shrimp with unnecessary flavors?

1 pound of shrimp
1/2 stick of butter
2 -3 cloves of garlic chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound of pasta

Put butter in medium saucepan with garlic and sauté on med./low until just softened.  Add peeled shrimp and cover with lid.  Let cook until shrimp just turns pink (this is the key).  Remove lid and add salt and pepper.  Toss with one pound of pasta cooked to manufacturers directions.  Yum!

If you want something special for New Year's Eve this is definitely it!  All you need to do is purchase a few extra supplies in the international aisle and you're in business.

This is by far the best Thai food I've ever eaten and that includes restaurants.  Wait till you taste the suburb textures and flavors from this beauty.

Just a word of advice: if you add condiments slowly, one or two at time, you'll have a carousal before you realize it to make some thirty, tasty food.  

Best of all you can put it together in minutes.  


4 ounces uncooked thick rice noodles
1/2 pound uncooked small shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 cups coleslaw mix
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce or additional reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 to 3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons chopped salted peanuts
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Cook noodles according to package directions.

In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry shrimp in oil until shrimp turn pink; remove and set aside. Add onion and garlic to the pan. Make a well in the center of the onion mixture; add egg. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until egg is completely set. Add the coleslaw mix, green onions, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce and peanuts; heat through.

Return shrimp to the pan and heat through. Drain noodles; toss with shrimp mixture. Garnish with cilantro.

One last delicious holiday treat to add to your menu.  These are simple and deliciously decadent with two favorite flavors complementing each other.  Give this one a try, and you can bet they will be one of the first trays with none left.

1 pkg. of your favorite brownie mix
1 egg
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar

​Heat oven to 350°F.

Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spray with cooking spray.

Prepare brownie mix as per instructions on box and place in prepared pan.

Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, remaining sugar and egg until blended; drop in spoonfuls over brownie batter. Swirl gently with knife.

Bake 35 to 40 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift brownies from pan before cutting to serve

What a show-stopping side dish for a Christmas dinner.  Even though this is a deliciously decadent dessert, there is really no hassle putting this together.  

In fact, you can get a block of cream cheese for 89 cents at Aldi's.  We also substituted the Andi's Creme de Menthe pieces at Aldi for only $2.25


1 prepared 9-inch (6 oz.) chocolate crumb crust
1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

SET aside 1/2 cup morsels for ganache topping. From remaining morsels, sort out 1 tablespoon mint morsels and place in small, heavy-duty plastic bag for drizzle; set aside.

MELT remaining morsels in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15- second intervals, stirring just until smooth. Cool slightly.

BEAT cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cream and vanilla extract in medium mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate; continue beating for 1 minute. Spoon into crust and smooth top.

MICROWAVE remaining 2 tablespoons cream in 1-cup glass measure on HIGH (100% power) for 20 seconds or until boiling. Add reserved 1/2 cup morsels to cream; let sit for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Spread ganache over cheesecake to within 1/4-inch of edge.

MICROWAVE reserved mint morsels in bag on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 20 seconds; knead. Microwave at 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag. Drizzle over top of ganache. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.