4 pounds green beans
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes to each quart jar
1 tsp. dill seed to each jar
1/2 tsp. of mustard seed to each jar
1 tsp. minced garlic to each jar

Brine
1/2 cup pickling salt
5 cups vinegar
5 cups water
Combine and heat through til boiling.
(about a cup and a half of brine will be used per quart jar, adjust amount needed after you have all your jars tightly packed.)

Process in water bath for 25 minutes.

If you have questions on water bath or canning etc. give me a call. I am assuming you have done this before, so I left out details.

This is Daddy Randy's specially adapted Jambalaya recipe.  It's amazing and perfect.

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 lbs smoked Italian sausage (pure pork sausage/Polish Kielbasa), diced into 1/4 in pieces
• 1/2 lbs smoked ham, diced
• 1/2 lbs shrimp, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 Tbsp & 3/4 tsp Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Seasoning Blends (Poultry Magic)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups (3 boxes) cooked rice (2 jambalaya and 1 dirty rice boxes)

Detailed instructions for making the best jambalaya ever:

1. Cook rice separate, set aside.
2. Sauté onions, peppers, and celery in butter.  Add garlic after vegetables are sautéed.
3. Brown sausage separate, then chop. Let cool.
4. Brown ham in sausage grease.
5. Combine both meats with the vegetable mixture. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and uncooked rice and mixes, seasonings, and bay leaves.
6. Add uncooked shrimp the last 5 minutes of cooking. Let sit on warm for 5 minutes to let sauces sink in.
7. Consume the deliciousness! 

*TIP: Dad's secret ingredient is a couple drops of Tabasco sauce.

 *Copycat recipe of the Chili's Mango Chili Chicken from their Light Menu.


Mango Salsa:
2 Mangoes
1 Avocado
1/2 Purple Onion
2-4 Jalapenos, to taste (If you like spicy, use 4, but it also depends on the heat content of each particular pepper.)
1/2 bunch of Cilantro
Lime Juice, from 1-2 limes

Rub:
3 chicken breasts, cut in halves
2 TBSP chili powder
Oregano, to taste
Cumin, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lime zest, 2 limes
Squirt of Lime juice
Olive or coconut oil

• Dice salsa ingredients and combine in a bowl. Cover and place in fridge until time to serve. 
• Combine rub ingredients in a separate bowl, then cover the chicken entirely. Place chicken on the grill and cook thoroghly. 
• Serve hot chicken topped with cool salsa. So easy! So done!

*Mango Salsa also makes a fantastic appetizer served with Tortilla Chips.

*Works as an "Ideal Protein" meal if you exclude the salsa and top the chicken with only cilantro and lime juice. 

Finally got Mom to explain this recipe to me! That woman keeps all her recipes in her head and they are all prone to change and vary every time she makes it; its never exactly the same twice, but always tastes great. At least I can write down the gist so I can duplicate it whenever I please! ;)

• 2-3 cans of a variety of navy, kidney, white or garbanzo beans (whatever you have in the pantry)
• 1 large can original Bushes Baked beans
• 1/2 lb ground beef, browned
• 1 onion, diced and browned
• 6-12 pieces of Bacon
• BBQ sauce (your choice)
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Worcestershire sauce 
• 1/2 lb cheddar cheese, cubed

Brown ground beef and onions, set aside.  Brown bacon, set aside. Drain and dump all the beans in a casserole dish with the browned beef, onions, and bacon.  Add your choice of BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, portions according to your tastes (this is the "Dopp" part of the meal).  For example, we like the tang from the mustard so we add more mustard than ketchup.  Lastly, add the cubed cheese. Bake on 400 F for 45 mins or until cheese is melted. 

Tip: Do not over mix or you will make the beans mushy.  If you choose not to mix it at all, you will have beautiful pockets of cheese every couple of bites- which is good too. :)

It will be as soupy as this picture if you choose to not drain your beans.