MAMAW'S OKRA SOUP

*64 oz. frozen okra
*28 oz. frozen butterbeans (Fordhook)
* 28 oz. canned tomatoes (chopped/crushed)
* small can rotel tomatoes
* 64 oz. tomatoe juice
* 1 onion (chopped)
* 1/2 stick butter
* ham (cooked, as much as you like)
* 1 tbls. ginger
* 1 tsp. dry mustard
* salt & pepper

1. Boil the okra for 3-5 minutes and drain. This is to get rid of some of the slime, don't know what it is about okra, but it's slimy.

2. Put butterbeans and onion in tomatoe juice and bring to a boil then add okra. Boil about 3 minutes then cut back the heat. Don't add all the tomatoe juice, just cover vegetables, add the rest later as needed or as much as you like.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low heat for a couple of hours. Add salt & pepper along to taste.

To make this in true "Mamaw style", don't de-slim the okra, use water instead of tomatoe juice and don't add the ham.

 Must be served with cornbread.

BEEF JERKY

* 1 1/2 lb beef (more or less) thin cut
* 1/2 cup brown sugar or honey
* 1 tbls garlic powder
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 1 tbls dry mustard
* pepper
* beer
* jalapeno juice
* hot sauce


1. In a large bowl, mix all ingedients except beer and beef. Add as much pepper, hot sauce and j. juice as you think you can stand.


2. Cut beef into strips and add to bowl. Pour in enough beer to cover and stir (you can use water instead of beer if you have a stick up your butt or something). Cover and let it sit in refrigerator at least 8 hours.


3. Put single layers in smoker for 6 hours at 150 F. Check every couple of hours, make sure not getting too dried out.

more of a smoked steak than actual jerky. great snacks.

I think you can make jerky in the oven on the lowest setting, just have to leave the door cracked open while it's cooking.

BEER BREAD

* 2 cups self-rising flour
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 12 oz. beer
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (2 tablespoons for less greasy bread)
* shredded cheese (about a cup)



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan, or coat with cooking spray.


2. Combine flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour the beer over the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Stir in cheese. Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 30 minutes in 350 degree oven.


3. Melt butter in microwave. Pour melted butter on top of loaf and sprinkle more cheese on top. bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until bread is browned.


4. Cool bread in pan for about 30-45 minutes. Remove from pan and continue to cool on wire rack.
 
crusty bread, slightly sweet, goes good with meat (steak, ribs and ect.) sort of greasy if you use the 4 tablespoons of butter.

This is all that was left by the time I got around to taking a picture.