Fall bean recipe!

This recipe is perfect for chilly autumn nights. Whip up a batch of cornbread to round out this simple, yet delicious meal. It's also very inexpensive and packed with fiber and protein. Trust me, you're going to LOVE it!

Appalachian Cider Beans
3 cups dried great northern beans
3 cups fresh apple cider
8 oz. bacon, divided
2 small yellow onions, peeled and quartered

1 Tbs. dried mustard powder
6 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. salt

Pour beans into a large bowl and cover with water. Soak beans overnight; drain and transfer to Dutch oven.  Add cider and simmer over medium heat uncovered, stirring occasionally for 30 min.  Remove from heat and drain, reserving liquid.  Layer 4 oz. bacon in a 2-qt Dutch oven.  Spoon beans over pork, bury the onion quarters in beans. Cook in small saucepan 1 T. dry mustard, 6 T sorghum or maple syrup, and 1 t. salt for 3 min. over med. heat.  Pour over beans.  Top with remaining bacon.  Add reserved bean liquid and hot water to cover (add water if beans are not covered).  Bake covered at 300 for 3 hrs.  Add hot water if beans become dry.

Post- Halloween Pumpkin Disposal

Still have that Jack O' Lantern sitting on the steps? Go beyond the obvious solution of eating it or roasting the seeds with these fun ideas!

• Pitch it into a wooded area for the deer (Make sure it's at least 100 feet away from your house to avoid attracting mice.)
• Slather the inside with peanut butter and hang from a tree for the squirrels
• Compost it
• Use it for target practice
• Call a local zoo or farmer- pumpkins make great snacks for animals!
• Feed to the chickens. They will love the seeds!
• Use for elementary math lessons. What is the circumference and radius? How much does it weigh? Estimate the number of seeds.
• Hollow out your old pumpkin, have the kids attach a "sail" and set it free in a creek or stream.

Perfect Peanut Butter

Finally tired of trying to stir the oil into my natural peanut butter, I scraped the whole jar into a food processor. After less than 30 seconds, the separated peanut butter was blended to perfection. To add natural sweetener, I added 3 Tbs. of honey and blended again. The result: smooth, creamy peanut butter with a light, slightly fluffy texture. Back into the jar and into the fridge and it's done. This is it folks, I'm never going back to hydrogenated oil peanut butter again!

Before: oil and dry crumbly peanut butter

After: smooth and creamy, perfectly dreamy!

Vanity

We've all seen the ubiquitous vanities that pervade the yard sale landscape. They are usually beautifully made and antique to boot, but let's be honest, who sits down to do their makeup anymore? I found this former vanity at a yard sale for $5. One can of white spray paint and a little disassembling later, we now have lovely matching bedside tables. Snag a vanity the next time you see a deal and see what you can do!

Bake Sale Idea

Happy October everyone! Fall is definitely here and so are the bake sales. I made the following cupcakes for a library bake sale and they were quite the hit.

Using icing, attach a mini vanilla wafer to a Hershey kiss. Top with a mini chocolate chip.



Place inside a punch cup for easy transport.

For the cupcakes, I tried a crazy recipe that's floating around online and behold, it worked! Just combine a yellow cake mix with a 15oz can of pumpkin and bake as directed. I added 1 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice to mine. Yum!

New Topping

Apple pie filling makes the perfect fall pancake topper! There's no need for syrup when you top fluffy pumpkin pancakes with this stuff! Here's my favorite pumpkin pancake recipe below:

Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves.

1 cup milk
6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg

Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Fold everything together until combined. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side.
Makes 8 to 10.

Treat for your feet!

If you're like me, your post-summer feet are showing signs of wear. Try this wonderful soak to regain baby soft heels.

Exfoliating Foot Soak
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup mouthwash
1 cup warm water

Combine all and soak each foot for 10 minutes. Dry thoroughly and exfoliate with pumice stone. The dead skin will fall right off!