Hey, Good Lookin' What Ya' Got Cookin'?

      Okay.  Sometimes I actually get tired of cooking.  There!  I said it!  And, I was in that mood this afternoon...  But, then, I got in the kitchen and started doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that... and before I knew it, I was in the full-blown cooking mode.
     Yesterday I made my Baked Bean Casserole (recipe to follow, below).  We had some reheated today for lunch, alongside a nice iron skillet full of baked cornbread.  Moshe said the cornbread "just melts in your mouth";  I will take that as a supreme compliment!  Much like chili, spaghetti sauce, and many soups, the baked bean casserole is even- better warmed-up-than-the-day-you-cooked-it.  Dee-lish!  I figured I should share my recipe; it's an odd combination of ingredients...  My dear friend, Teresa, was the first person to ask me for my recipe.  I printed her a copy and she took it home with her... A couple days later, she called me: "Twyla, I'm getting ready to make your baked beans recipe... Ummm... I think there's a mistake... Ummm... Did you really mean to have romaine as an ingredient?"  The answer is below, in the recipe.  Hint: I'm fairly adventurous in the kitchen, so you just never know what I might include in a recipe - especially vegetables!
     This afternoon I'm making my version of crock pot macaroni and cheese - it is not for the faint-hearted or anyone who believes in Lipitor!  Again,  I have had MANY people ask for this recipe, so I'm sharing it today.

 Twyla's Baked Bean Casserole:

28-ounce Can Vegetarian Baked Beans
1 Tablespoon Coarse-ground Black Pepper
1/3 Cup Honey
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Ketchup
3/4 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
1 pound ground beef, browned
1/2 pound turkey ham, diced and browned
1/4 Cup Vegetable oil
1 Cup Onion, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Tomatoes, finely chopped
1 Cup Romaine lettuce, shredded
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 Can Fried Onion Rings

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Mix the first six ingredients in a large bowl; set aside. Brown the ground beef in one pan; the turkey ham in another, using a bit of olive oil in the pan, if necessary.  When the meats are browned, add them to the bean mixture, and set it aside again.
Place vegetable oil in skillet; add the onion, tomatoes, romaine, and garlic;  saute until onions are just beginning to brown, and the liquid from the tomatoes has all absorbed in the mixture. Add this to the bean mixture.  Mix well.
Spray large casserole dish with vegetable oil spray;  pour mixture in to casserole.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes;  cover with the canned onion rings and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
This will serve 6 to 8 people.  I serve it either with greens and cornbread or with macaroni and cheese and a nice tossed salad.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz box macaroni, cooked and drained
1 can Evaporated milk (12 ounces)
1 1/4 Cups Water
1/2 Cup powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
3 Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated cheese - any variety - for top of casserole

     Spray crock pot with vegetable oil spray.  Mix all ingredients, except the last cup of cheese together in a large bowl.  Pour into crock pot.  Top with that last cup of cheese, and cook on low for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
This can be baked in the conventional oven rather than the crock pot;  bake it at 350 for one hour.  We feel that it is better slow-cooked in the crock pot.  I have taken this to many covered dish suppers, and it is always a hit!
  
Shalom  Y'all  -  Twyla