BARBECUE BEANS

Red Beans are particularly good with this smoky barbecue taste.

1 cup dried red beans (or pinto, pink, kidney, or lima)
2-1/2 cups water
2 slices bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 t salt
2 T ketchup
1 T chili sauce
1/2 T vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1/2 T prepared mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
dash of liquid smoke

Sort and soak beans overnight.  In a medium saucepan combine drained soaked beans and 2-1/2 cups water.  In a small skillet fry bacon until crisp.  Drain on paper towels, crumble.  Saute onion and garlic in bacon drippings until onion is tender.  Add sauteed onion mixture, crumbled bacon, and salt to beans.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until beans are just tender, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.  Drain, reserving cooking liquid.  In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup cooking liquid, ketchup, chili sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, salt, pepper, and liquid smoke, if desired.  Stir well.  Add to beans mixing well.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes longer adding more cooking liquid as needed.  Makes about 2 cups of beans.

This makes more than 2 cups of beans.  I've never bought red beans before so I was happy to try that.  These beans are very nice.  I took the leftovers the next day and added them to some chili I had made that didn't have beans in it and used up the rest that way.  Could use a little more liquid though.  I ended up using some water because I was out of cooking liquid.

ZUCCHINI PICKLES

Zucchini slices (Yellow bowl full) sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 green pepper cut in short strips.

Put all in large bowl.

1-1/2 cups cider vinegar
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 t mustard seed
1/4 t tumeric
1/4 t whole cloves (10-12)

Toss zucchini, onion, and pepper with 2 T salt and let stand 4 hours.  Drain squash well.  Bring vinegar, sugar, and spices to a boil.  Then add squash and bring to boil again before putting into jars.  Chill before eating.

Surprisingly good!  Didn't know you could make pickles out of zucchini instead of cucumbers.  They're like a sweet pickle.  Believe it or not I am the proud owner of my mom's set of colored bowls by Pyrex probably circa 1950s.  My mom said that everybody had these bowls, so when you went anywhere people would just say bring the green bowl of this or that or the blue bowl, etc.  See pic:

I made about 2/3 of a recipe which ended up being 1 large jar and 2 small jars (big one for me, two small ones for give-aways!)  I used my food processor slicer which made it a breeze.  I didn't do the official canning, just let the jars cool down and put the lids on and put in the fridge.

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN PARMESAN

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 t paprika
1/2 t salt
dash of pepper
1 frying chicken, cut up
1 egg slightly beaten
1 T milk
1/4 cup squeeze Parkay margarine or melted margarine

Combine cheese, flour, and seasonings.  Dip chicken in combined egg and milk.  Coat with cheese mixture (shake in plastic bag)  Place in baking dish.  Pour margarine over chicken.  Bake at 350 1 hour or until tender.  Serves 3 to 4.  Recipe can be easily doubled or tripled for a crowd.

This is really easy.  I sprayed a small baking dish and did a half recipe using 2 plump chicken breasts.  Served with spaghetti on the side, good and fast!

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BARS (RATED TOPS)

One package fude cake mix
21-ounce can cherry fruit filling
1 t almond extract
2 eggs, beaten

Frosting:
1 cup sugar
5 T butter or margarine
1/3 cup milk
1 6-ounce package (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using solid shortening or margarine (not oil) grease and flour 15X10" jelly roll or 13X9" pan.  In large bowl combine first four ingredients.  Stir by hand until well mixed.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake jelly roll pan 20 to 30 minutes.  Bake 13X9" pan 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  In small saucepan combine sugar, butter and milk.  Boil stirring constantly one minute.  Remove from heat.  Stir in chocolate pieces until smooth.  Pour over bars.  Makes about 3 dozen bars.

These are yummy, and the frosting is so moist.  I let the cake cool about 30 minutes before putting on the frosting.  It's more like a cake than a bar, so you will need plate and fork.  I saw people going back for another piece.