Ham & Beans

Brett and I decided to spend last Halloween at my sister Kellie's house, so we could be with my nieces and nephews as they ran from house to house trick-or-treating. We had such a great time! My brother-in-law Ryan recently bought a tractor, so he was able to hook up a trailer for the adults to ride along in (beer in hand, of course...) Of course, at the end of October, the weather was a bit cold so by the end of a couple hours trick-or-treating, we were ready to get inside and eat something warm and filling. Ryan and Kellie had the perfect thing waiting in the crockpot for us - ham n' beans!!!

While this isn't the exact recipe, c'mon, its ham n' beans! Its impossible to screw up and has such a classic flavor. This recipe calls for brown sugar which I love, since I tend to like things a little sweet.

I'm trying to get all these winter recipes posted before springtime arrives. Before we know it, I'll be cooking all sorts of fresh tomatoes and basil-based sauces. I love cooking in sync with the season. Ingredients taste better and more than anything, its fun! This may or may not be my last "soup/stew" post of the season. I'm sort of a spontaneous cook, and never know what's next!

Thanks to my sister Kellie for this inspiration on this one! Love you!

Ham and Beans!

1 lb dry Great Northern beans

1/2 lb cooked ham, diced

1 small onion, diced

1/2 C brown sugar

salt, pepper, cayenne, parsely

1. Rinse dry beans in a large pot; discard shells or broken pieces. Add 8 cups of cold water and let stand overnight.

2. Drain beans and pour into slow cooker. Add ham, onion, brown sugar and seasonings. Add enough water that beans are just barely covered. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours. Adjust seasoning as necessary.