November 7, 2011

Todays Menu-Eggnog muffins

I was looking through some old cookbooks an found this recipe.  It would be great for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas morning. 

You will need:
2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup prepared eggnog
1/2 cup rum
5 tablespoon butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon  grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Stir in eggnog, rum, melted butter, egg  and nutmeg.  Spoon into 12 paper lined muffin cups.  Bake on middle rack of oven  for 20 minutes. 

I did not have Rum on hand when I went to make this but I did have Brandy.  I though what the heck so I used  Brandy and they were great.  So I am sure you could use either. 

Todays Menu-Five bean Soup

During these cold months my husband and I love to have homemade soup for dinner.  At least one night a week we will have soup, salad and french bead.  This recipe came about after my husband brought home a 6 lbs jar of dried beans.
You will need:

2 cups dried beans
6 1/2 cups water
1 cups diced onion
1 cups diced carrots
1 cups diced celery
2 large cloves garlic minced
1 can diced tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock
2 ham hock
2 bay leafs

In a large stock pot add dried bean, 4 cups water and 2 bay leafs.  Let set over night.  The next day pour  water off beans and replace with 2 1/2 cups fresh water.  Leave bay leafs in with beans.  Cook on simmer for 2 1/2 hours.  Meanwhile saute onion, garlic,carrots and celery.  Once the beans had simmered for  2 1/2 hours add celery, carrots, garlic and onions.  Then add chicken stock, diced tomatoes and ham hock and cook for another 30 minutes.  Take ham hock out and remove ham meat from bone and add back into beans.  Simmer for another 30 minutes.  May need to add more chicken stock as the soup cooks down.  Because the ham is salty I let the amount of salt to add out, salt to your own taste.