I’ve always been impressed by cooks who mix ingredients together without recipes, without any measuring, yet somehow they always end up with an amazing dish. They make it all look so easy. The “add this and a little of that” method just does not work well for me. I require more direction in my life.

I cheered when I got my first GPS (which, by the way, still can’t stop me from getting lost.) There are daily schedules and to-do lists in my office, my organizer, and on the refrigerator just to keep me on track. And I often rely on my son who likes to remind me of the upcoming activities. Just like in my daily life, recipes provide me with the direction I need. 

This past weekend, I asked for two recipes from two different people who both told me that they didn’t have them written down. That doesn’t help me or the readers Ladies! My girlfriend Dana makes an amazing chili. I’ll have to work on getting her to write that one down. My mom, the Queen of Spontaneity, makes this bean recipe that I swear gets more “Oohs” and “Ahhs” than most of the gourmet meals she serves. I don’t know what it is about these beans, but people go crazy for them and they’re great to serve for a large number of people. They’re almost a meal in itself. I dug through my recipes today and found what I thought was her bean recipe. When I read it back to her, she couldn’t believe how much it had evolved over the last few years.  I madly took notes and questioned her about the quantities, as she rattled off the ingredients over the phone. Here’s the basic recipe and I’m betting if you’re one of those spontaneous people, if you add a little more of this and a little less of that, it will still make for a happy crowd.

Lynda’s Beans With Some of This and a Little of That

1 lb. bacon, cut into pieces

1 onion chopped, coarse

1 lb. ground beef

1 can red kidney beans

3 cans pork and beans

1 can butter beans, drained

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. ketchup

1/2 c. barbeque sauce

1 tbsp. prepared mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. molasses

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbsp. chilli powder

Directions: Fry bacon, drain, crumble and put aside. Add chopped onion and ground beef to the bacon grease and brown the beef. Drain the ground beef well. Add the beef and onion and remaining ingredients to a crockpot and stir well. Cover and bake on low for 4-6 hours.