Ham and Bean Soup, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and Cranberry Eggnog Muffins

* This past weekend we visited my family to celebrate Christmas.  Dad, God bless him, send me home with the ham bone.  When it comes to ham and bean soup, I think it's best to start with a ham bone.  Now, the first thing you should learn about me is that I'm not an exact measurer.  I like to 'eyeball' it.

Ham and Bean Soup

What you will need:  a ham bone, half an onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, three bay leaves, two or three cans of great northern beans

So, for ham and bean soup you fill a big pot (like the kind you'd boil sweet corn in) about half full and drop the ham bone in. I simmered it for about three hours.  After the aroma has filled the house, pluck it out and let it cool slightly on a cooling board.  While the bone is cooling, chop up half an onion, two carrots (after peeling of course), and two stalks of celery and throw them in the pot.  Put the bay leaves in the pot too.  Next, take off any rings and start in on the bone.  I pull any meat off with my fingers and either shred it in my hands or cut it up with a knife, depending on how hot it is.  Throw it in the pot.  Open the two (or three) cans of beans and drain in a collander.  Rinse with cold water and dump in the pot.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  I always use kosher salt in my cooking.  I simmered this for about 3-4 hours. It was awesome.  I serve Cheddar Bay Biscuits with it (see recipe below)

* Cheddar Bay Biscuits (adapted from allrecipes.com)

What you will need:  4 cups Bisquick, 1 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 stick margarine

Mix the Bisquick and cheese together.  Then add some parsley and a bit of garlic powder (sorry, no exact measurements here).  Add the milk and mix until it comes together. It will be lumpy.  Using a small ice cream scoop spoon onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

While they are baking melt the butter in a glass 2 cup measuring cup.  Mix in some parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Again, this is to your taste, add as little or as much as you like.  Once the biscuits are done, immediatly brush them with the butter mixture using a pastry brush.

The recipe made about 24 biscuits. Freeze leftovers:)

* Okay, it's January 3rd. Does anyone have eggnog that will expire in the next couple days?  I do!  I found this recipe in The Food Network Magazine and thought I'd give it a try.  Check out the December  2010 issue, page 101 for Charlie's Cranberry Eggnog Muffins.

What you will need: 1 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup rum, 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt. 1 stick butter (unsalted), 1 1/2 cup eggnog, 2 eggs, vanilla

Changes I made:  1/2 cup craisins, 1/2 cup coconut rum, 1 stick margarine

First, melt the butter in the microwave and let it sit so it cools slightly.  Start by roughly chopping the craisins and put them in a sauce pan with the rum.  Heat and then let sit for five minutes.  After five minutes, drain the rum off the craisins (use a collander). Mix the dry igredients together.  Mix the eggs and eggnog together.  Then add the butter, make sure it's not hot or the egg will cook.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry.  Fold (gently stir) in the cranberries.  Scoop into greased cupcake tin.

Mix 1 cup flour, cinnamon and nutmeg (about a teaspoon each), a little salt, and one cup of brown sugar.  Add another stick of melted butter and mix with hands until it feels like wet sand.  Sprinkle on top of the muffins.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  When done, let sit in tins for about ten minutes and then completely cool on a wire rack.


I just took a bite-pretty good, but definetly not the perfect scone;)  I used light eggnog and it's still a pretty heavy muffin.  It isn't too sweet, which is nice.  If you try this one, let me know what you think.

Good night!