Quick Bean Soup

October 6, 2016 Leave a Comment

Witches Brew (Quick Bean Soup)

This soup is a family tradition. As a child, my mom served this every Halloween - and called it 'Witches Brew'. It is such a delicious tradition, that every Halloween - it is now being served by her grandchildren around the country. No doubt - it will be served in the homes of her great-grandchildren - for whom it is now an official part of Halloween. . . it's that good.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings 6

Ingredients

1 package Hot dogs
1 tablespoon sugar (optional - I never use it)
4 strips bacon sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small onion chopped
1/2 cup celery chopped
1 29 ounce can tomatoes diced, stewed, or whole - undrained
1 20 ounce can pork and beans
2 whole bay leaves
2 teaspoons better than boullion - beef flavor or two beef boullion cubes
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Slice hot dogs into rosettes (slices) and set aside
In a dutch oven or large pot, saute bacon, onion and celery. Add the remaining ingredients except hot dogs and simmer 20-30 minutes.
Add the sliced hot dogs to the soup and simmer for 5-10 minutes to heat the hot dogs.
Serve with hot cornbread.

Notes

This recipe is very flexible. If you love hot dogs, add more. If you love bacon, add more. If you love celery, add more. I never add the sugar - as baked beans are plenty sweet. If you don't have worcestershire sauce, no problem. . . . It's that good and that flexible.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Spring. Just the word congers up images of blossoms and bunnies, eggs and chicks. . . . and catalogs filled with tableware, linens and all the fresh spring color imaginable. . . . so when my spring edition of the Pier1 catalog arrived – I was immediately drawn to devour every page. The dinnerware, table settings, linens were, in typical Pier1 form, a wonderful feast for the eyes.

But, there was one thing that especially drew my attention. . .their adorable folded napkins – especially the little bunnies in the upper right corner of the page. The catalog directed readers to log on to their website for instructions – which I immediately did.

Upon arriving at the page, I searched for the Bunny Fold and found this. I grabbed some cloth napkins (which happened to be from Pier1) and, following their directions, began folding. It only took me to the 4th step to figure out that there was a real problem with the directions – they were rolling from the wrong side of the napkin. . . and by the final step – it was unmistakable.

I had created this. I took an unfolded napkin and the directions to my husband – who, as a builder, reads instructions for a living . . . and his response was immediate – these are not right. They have rolled from the long side and not the point – and used directions for a granny knot. It needs to be an ‘overhand’ knot. (50 plus years of scouting – he should know his knots!)

After making a few simple changes – rolling from the point and using an overhand knot – the finished product looked like the one in the Pier1 picture. Success!

And so, as much as I LOVE Pier1, no one is infallible. I have done my own set of instructions, including pictorials, for your use should you be wanting to try these little treasures. Such a simple way to dress up a spring or Easter table.

Just Click Here to go to the instructions. Happy Spring!

Enjoy,

Kathy

Quick Bean Soup