Baked Beans, Memorial Day and Dad Huff's 85th Birthday Celebration

Baked Beans compliments of Chuck “Ellen’s Arizona Beans”

Who doesn’t love baked beans? And this Memorial Day weekend is the perfect time to try this recipe.

Ellen's Arizona Beans

1 lb hamburger

1/2 lb bacon

1/2 cup diced onion- Brown together then add:

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup ketchup

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

1 can butter beans, drained

1 cup kidney beans, drain half of the juice

1 can baked beans

Mix together and pour into a baking dish - Bake at 350 for 1 hour

Last year we celebrated my Daddy’s 85^th birthday and he said it was the best birthday ever! Daddy fought and is winning the battle against colon cancer so the last year has been a challenge for him and my family making this birthday even more special.

In celebration we planned a gathering of friends and family at their home in Northern Idaho. Last year when I was there it snowed, but this year it is as if Mother Nature knew we needed some sunshine for Dad’s birthday weekend. On Friday the sun came out and it was a sunny 70 plus decrees, absolutely beautiful, clear blue skies only experienced in this part of the world. Along with Mom, Dad, Molly, Sissies Deb and Shelley we headed out to lunch at our favorite spot Trinity Restaurant at City Beach on Lake Pend Oreille in Sandpoint, Idaho. Molly loves the Salmon burger, Mom and I shared a Hamburger with fries because you have to have the fries right? Sissies enjoyed one of the specialty salad’s and Dad ordered his usual fish and chips. Always great food and service even though they had just opened the patios and were just gearing up for the summer season. We just love this place!

After a long relaxing and fun lunch we headed back to Mom and Dad’s for spring cleaning. Along with my sissies Deb and Shelley, niece Molly, Mom and Dad we cleaned up the porches and pulled out the cushions for the patio furniture. Dad, Molly and I worked on the waterfall in the backyard, cleaning out the winter debris with Daddy’s trusty shop vac, which made the clean up so much easier! Soon water was flowing over the rocks and the birds were enjoying their waterhole, now we just needed to wait for the deer and the moose that lives in the woods surrounding the homestead! I did see Moose tracks, very large Moose tracks…

On the menu for Daddy’s birthday was my pulled pork sandwiches and Ellen’s Arizona Beans complements of Chuck, one of my niece Molly’s granddad’s. We enjoyed Daddy Huff’s potato salad, deviled eggs, chips, dip and of course chocolate birthday cake, all provided by us and our guests.

This weekend in the US we will be celebrating our military and remembering those who have fought and continue to fight so that we can fire up our grills, spend time with friends and family. Let me know if you enjoy these baked beans as much as we did.

Just cook something! Cheers! Kary~