February Newsletter

CHICKEN AND BEANS

Next Meeting

Tuesday, February 1

6:30 pm

Topics:

Save money by cutting up your own meat! Lesson by David Clark

A shelf-stable chicken dish by Janet Hudson.

Take home sample of dehydrated refried beans, freeze-dried strawberries, and peanut butter powder ~ courtesy of Lacey Brown.

Bring your menus and/or shopping list so we can discuss where we may want to trim our budget or learn to make from storage.

How To Cook Dry Beans

Before Cooking: There are several accepted ways of preparing dry beans for cooking. All start with a thorough washing in cold water and inspection for damaged beans and foreign material. If you have time to cook the variety you have chosen until it reaches the desired tenderness, soaking is not essential. However, most cooks prefer some method of soaking to shorten cooking time and to improve either flavor, texture, appearance or digestibility. In either of the soaking methods below, it is recommended that the soaking water be discarded and the beans rinsed and cooked in fresh water.

Soaking Tips: Traditional Method: Wash one pound dry beans. Add to 10 cups boiling water; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and soak 12 hours or overnight. Drain, rinse and cook.

Quick Method: Wash one pound dry beans. Add to 10 cups boiling water; boil 2 to 1 minutes. Cover and soak 1 to 4 hours. Drain, rinse and cook. Beans will expand 2 ½ times.

Cooking/Storage Tips Cooking Method: Drain and rinse soaked beans; put into large kettle. Add 6 cups hot water, 1 to 2 tablespoons shortening or oil and 2 teaspoons salt. Boil gently with lid tilted until tender. Cooking time will range from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on variety of bean. Simmer beans slowly. Cooking too fast can break skins.

McGrath method: rinse beans, take out bad ones and cover in a big pot water. Bring to boil, turn stove to simmer. Season with garlic and black pepper and cover. When soft, season with salt. I put it on in the morning and let it cook slowly all day.

Go HERE for more methods of cooking dry beans.

Looking Ahead......

February 15

Make artisan bread with NO mixer, NO special ingredients, and in NO time at all. This is easy, fun, and will give you NO reason not to have hot bread out of the oven anytime you want!

March 1

Learn to make your own laundry detergent at a fraction of the cost of store detergent.

This lesson will be held at the Church building because it will include a dinner. Don’t miss this fun night out!