Monday Miscellany

Hi! My name is Dj and I am your hostess for today. Mondays are kind of a grab bag around here. You never know what you're going to get when you stop in! Since I am a "hostess", I decided to share a little recipe with you today.

The recipe I'm sharing is called Spicy Beans and Short Rib Stew. It's kind of a long name, but this is what it was called in the Good Housekeeping magazine it came from in the 1980s. Yes, it really is that old. My mom tore the recipe out of the magazine back then and it has been a family favorite ever since. One of these days I may even get a picture of the original recipe and scrap it as a keepsake.

Without further ado, here is the recipe, complete with my up-to-date changes.

Spicy Beans and Short Rib Stew
(from Good Housekeeping Magazine circa 1980)

1 pkg (16 oz) dry pink beans (I use 2 cans of pink beans)
3 tbsp oil
3 lbs beef chuck short ribs (I buy a roast and cut it into pieces)
2 tbsp chili powder
5 tsp sugar
4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb small white onion
1 cup tomato juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
Water

About 4 1/2 hours before serving: Rinse beans in running cold water and discard any stones or shriveled beans. In 8-quart Dutch oven or saucepot over high heat,heat beans and 8 cups water to boiling; cook three minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand one hour. Drain and rinse beans; set aside. In same pot over medium-high heat, in hot salad oil, cook beef short ribs, a few pieces at a time, until browned on all sides, remove short ribs to large bowl as they brown. Spoon off fat remaining in Dutch oven. Return beans and short ribs to Dutch oven; add remaining ingredients. Cook on high heat until done. Serve with rice and cornbread.

My variations: I cook this in a crockpot on low all day. I brown the meat and place it in the crockpot with all the other ingredients. I drain the canned beans, but it's probably not necessary. I adjust the amount of chili powder, my kids aren't too keen on spicy foods.