2 lb Dried great northern beans
1 tb Salt
1 ts Pepper
1 Ham hocks; about 8 oz
1 Onion; studded with:
6 Whole cloves
2 Carrots; pared and sliced
1 ts Celery seeds
1 ts Leaf thyme; crumbed
1 c Pimiento-stuffed olives
1/2 lb Salt pork; diced
6 Chicken legs and thighs
1 lg Onion; chopped
2 cl Garlic; minced
1/2 lb Pepperoni sausage;
-in 1" slices
1 c Fine dry bread crumbs
3 tb Butter; melted
Cover beans with water in a large kettle. Heat to boiling and boil
1 minute. Cover kettle, let beans stand for 1 hour; drain. Cover
beans with fresh water; add salt, pepper, ham hock, onion, carrots
and seasonings. Bring to boiling; reduce heat; simmer slowly 1
1/2 hours. Add more water, if needed, to keep beans covered. Stir
in olives.
In a large skillet, fry salt pork until crisp and remove; brown
chicken pieces in same skillet; remove. Pour off al but 2
tablespoons of the fat; saute onion and garlic until onion is
tender. Remove ham hocks and whole onion from beans; discard
onion. Cut meat into 1 inch cubes; reserve. Stir sauteed onion
into beans. Layer bean mixture, chicken and meats in 2 twelve-cup
casseroles, ending with beans. Bake, covered, in 300 F oven for 2
hours until beans are almost tender, adding more water, if needed.
Combine bread crumbs and melted butter in a bowl.
Sprinkle over beans.
Increase oven temperature to 350 F and bake 30 minutes longer or
until crumbs are golden.
To Freeze:
Line casserole with foil; layer with beans and meat; wrap; label
and freeze. When frozen, remove foil-wrapped food from casserole;
and return food to freezer.
To bake:
Remove food from freezer and peel off foil. Place in same baking
dish. Bake, covered in 350 F oven for 2 hours or until bubbly-hot.
Remove foil; sprinkle with buttered crumbs and bake 30 minutes
longer, or until crumbs are golden.
Note: the time will vary with the depth of the frozen mixture. A
shallower depth will cook faster.
Recipe by: Freeze With Ease, Family Circle Magazine
Posted by: Roberta Banghart
