William Verl Little Family Favorites
from Cousin Rogers
Pinto Beans and Ground Beef
1 lb thick cut bacon
1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped white vidalia sweet onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 16 oz cans tomatoes
8 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons salt
1 dash pepper
2 cups pinto beans, dry
PREPARATION:
Cover pinto beans and soak in salted water over night. Next morning drain and rise well. Look for and remove small stones and stems.
In an Iron Skillet, render bacon till crispy and leave in pan. Add the onions and green bell pepper to the bacon slices and bacon fat. Sautee the onions till caramelized and black edges appear on the green bell peppers. Add the ground beef and garlic. Sautee the meat mixture till brown but do not burn the garlic.
In a two to four quart stock pot with a lid, add tomatoes, ketchup, salt, pepper, sauteed meat mixture and the soaked pinto beans. Add fresh cold water one inch above beans. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours at the lowest possible heat setting. Check every few hours and add water as needed to keep the top of the beans covered. Do not let the beans dry out or become scorched.
One hour before eating, prepare your favorite cornbread recipe and pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees. In an Iron Skillet, coat the bottom and sides with a little bacon fat. Chop 1/2 cup white vidalia sweet onion and sautee till crispy. Remove the sauteed onion from the skillet. Add the onion and one can of creamed corn to your cornbread recipe. Add additional buttermilk to your mixture till the cornbread mixture is pourable.
Place the Iron Skillet back on the burner, adding additional rendered bacon fat to about 1/4 inch deep. Heat the skillet to high. Once the pan just begins to smoke, pour in your cornbread batter. Sprikle with coarse sugar. Bake in a hot 450 degree pre-heated oven for twenty to perhaps twenty-five minutes.
I din't say this was healthy, just GOOD!.
From Hannah Wentz Family, Son George W. Ailers Family
from Cousin Daugherty
Poor Man's Dinner
1 lb hamburger
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 garlic powder
5 large potatoes - peeled and sliced
1 large onion - sliced
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
chopped fresh parsley
In a skillet,brown hamburger drain
Season with pepper and garlic
In 1 1/2 quart cassarole dish thinly layer the beef, potatoes, and onion slices
Pour soup over all
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or untill potatoes are tender
Yield 6 servings
From Hannah Wentz Family, Son George W. Ailers Family
from Cousin Daugherty
Hamburger Pie
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 lb cut green beans
1 can tomatoe soup
5 medium potatoes - sliced
1/2 c. warm milk
1 egg - beaten
1/2 c shredded cheese
In large skillet, cook meat and onion till meat is tender
Add salt and pepper
Add beans and soup
Pour into greased cassarole dish
Mash potatoes while hot
Add milk and egg
Season with salt and pepper
Spoon in mounds over cassarole
Sprinkle potatoes with cheese
Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 min.
These are simple recipes but they are good.
