Cooking - The Generation Gap

You have to admit that this dish expresses an impressive disregard for anyone who chooses to indulge in it.

Before cooking for 1 hour at 350 degrees:




Honestly, I have never made baked beans before. I don't really like them. So I was astonished when my friend Marjorie, in response to my comment that I need to make them for a family potluck this weekend, rattled off a list of ingredients! (Convincing me that she really does know 99% of everything that's important to know.)

My mom was surprised to learn that I don't have fond feelings toward the baked bean. I do love beans in general. She sent me a boldy vague recipe involving onions, catsup and sugar to taste--which she admitted would be hard since I'm not a fan of said taste. Marjorie had mentioned molasses and mustard powder. I saw a can of beans at the store that splashily proclaimed its maple syrup content.

Maybe I should call these Frankenbeans. I bought the Van Camp's pork and beans and added onion, catsup, mustard powder and maple syrup, and then layered it with bacon as instructed.

I'm not implying malicious intent, but do you think my family's heart-health issues have anything to do with appetites for food like this?

I have to 'fess up. It smelled amazing while cooking. I will sample them at the potluck.

Note how some of the bacon now lurks beneath the surface...

Now, this is NOT a criticism of my mom's cooking. She made great dinners and a most of it wasn't this fattening. And what did we know, anyway?

But on the other hand, here's my new recipe, inspired by Spoko, over on 43 Things, who mentioned having had a Greek soup with tomatoes and leeks in it. I had a leek and a chicken breast from a store-bought roasted chicken and a little time on my hands. The lemon is my nod to the Greek concept.

2 cans FF chicken broth
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
5-6 ounces cooked chicken breast, shredded into 1-inch lengths
3 Tbs lemon juice
oregano and parsely to taste

Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes. MMMM. I'll have these leftovers for lunch today.

See more progress on: try 43 new recipes