Bacon Beer Beans

The first two words caught my man's eyes.  The aroma of the rosemary as the beans are cooking caught mine.  Well, my nose anyway.  Maybe you could cut back on the bacon to make this a tad healthier, but I wouldn't do that to my guy.  He's worth a little bacon.

Bacon Beer Beans

6-7 slices of bacon cut up into bits

1/2 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. honey

2 cans white beans (Great Northern or Cannellini)

1 bottle good beer

salt & pepper

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Use a Dutch oven to cook bacon.  Mine is a pretty green apple colored one.

Transfer bacon to a paper towel.

Throw in onions and garlic to cook about 5 minutes.

Add mustard and honey and cook about 1 minute.

Add rosemary, beans, and beer.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let beer cook down.

Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar.

Make it a meal:  Serve with Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken

Wine:  Chardonnay or some more of that nice beer in the recipe.

Red Velvet Brownies

These are not only divine tasting, they are divine LOOKING.  I adore anything red velvet.  Cupcakes, cake, bed sheets...With the red bodies and white frosting, these end up looking like little Santa brownies.  I use dark chocolate for health reasons--antioxidents and such--but white chocolate chips are decadent, too!  Enjoy, my busy divas!

Red Velvet Brownies

1 box Red Velvet cake mix



1 stick butter, melted


1 egg


1/2 cup water


1 cup dark chocolate chips

buttercream frosting

Mix egg, butter, water in a bowl.
Add box mix, stir until the ingredients are combined.
Add chips and pour mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Let cool before frosting.

Make it a meal:  Serve after Slow Cooked Pork with Stuffing (see recipe).

Wine:  Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz