Well, Bless my soul!

Western writer Stephen Bly has boarded the stage and will arrive in Wildflower Junction in time to give us the lowdown on his new book called CREED OF OLD MONTANA. Sure looks like a doozy of a story!

Mr. Stephen is also going to tell us some of the reasons why women love to read a good ol’ western. Ah know you’ll have a lot in common.

Get your questions ready because it’s not everyday we get the likes of Mr. Stephen in town. Hopefully, by the time it’s all said and done you’ll learn what it takes to inspire the dear man.

So saddle up, climb aboard and make tracks for the Junction.

You don’t want to miss it!

The women in my family take great pride in their cooking.  They also don’t believe in writing recipes down – that would be much, much too restrictive.  And as for precise measurements – we consider those to be tools of  the unimaginative.  When pressed we will speak in terms of a pinch of this, a dollop of that, a squirt of such-and-such, a smidge of thus-and-so.  Our philosophy of cooking is that you learn by watching, doing and experimenting.   Each person puts their own twists on family dishes.  For instance, my mom learned to make a gumbo from my grandmother, me and my three sisters learned to make gumbo from her, and my daughters are learning from me.  Yet if we all made a gumbo to serve you, none of them would taste the same.  

That said, when I present you with this family recipe for baked beans, you should understand that it is merely my version of a family favorite as I imagine it on this particular day, and the measurements are approximations.  Ask me for this recipe a month from now and you will more than likely see some subtle and perhaps not-so-subtle differences.

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 c. minced onion
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. salsa (may increase to one cup if you like a bit more kick)
3/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp prepared mustard
1.5 lb canned pork & beans
1.5 lb canned kidney beans
1.5 lb canned butter beans or navy beans
10 slices bacon, partially cooked

Return cooked beef to skillet and add onions.  Cook until onions are transparent (add small amounts of water as needed to prevent burning).

Remove from heat and add all remaining ingredients except bacon.  Mix thoroughly.

Pour into a 9 X 13 casserole dish.  Top with bacon slices.

Bake at 375 degrees for about an hour (or until bubbly)

Serves a crowd of about 18 hearty eaters

I must confess right off this recipe has nothing to do with the Maverick Saloon. Once Cheryl St. John and I brainstormed the alliterative name for my dish, I just couldn’t resist using this picture of a great little place full of history in Santa Ynez, California. Santa Ynez is a tiny super-Western town once part of a historic stage coach route, now surrounded by ranchland, California live oaks, vineyards and olive groves.  The setting was part of the Livestrong fundraiser my family walked/cycled in recently when I took this picture. 

The saloon itself hosts country singers every weekend, and visitors tack dollar bills on the ceiling. Sure hope the place never burns down. There’s a fortune up thar.

Some years ago, I got this recipe from my friend Nancy, a Nebraska native. I’m worshipped by my family when I serve it and am adored on our cul-de-sac whenever I bring it to block parties. Someday I think I’ll kick things up a notch and use pepperjack cheese. As they say on Top Chef:  Enjoy!

You need:

1 pound elbow macaconi

8 tablespoons (one stick) plus 1 tablespoon (one pat) butter or margarine

1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese  (or 1/2 cup mild, 1/2 cup Muenster)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (or 1/2 cup sharp, 1/2 cup Jack)

2 cups half-and-half  ( I use fat-free version. Why, I dunno, considering all the cheese.)

1 cup (8 oz) Velveeta, cut into cubes

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper.  (I’m a pepper junkie so I use WAY more than 1/8 teaspoon.)

Optional:   1/2 cup bread crumbs sauteed in butter to scatter over the top before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter or PAM a deep 2 1/2 quart casserole.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook macaroni until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well and return to pot.

In small saucepan, melt 8 ounces of the butter and stir into the mac. In a large bowl mix the shredded cheeses. To the mac, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheeses, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs.

Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to the casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheeses and dot with one tablespoon of butter. Add optional bread crumbs which I highly recommend.

Bake until bubbly around the edges, maybe 35 minutes. Serves about 6.