Jack's Mixed Bean Salad

Jack's Mixed Bean Salad

Jack stood staring at the piles and piles of beans in the back room of the house. There were all sorts, black one, green ones, red ones, so many different types. So much wasted money, and time. He could hear his mother crying in the next room, his father had died last month and every so often he would hear her start to sob. It was hard enough with him here; now that he was gone Jack didn’t know how he would take care of his mother.

 His father had long forbidden them to use his beans, thinking that he might have missed one that could be magic. His father had heard a rumor about magic beans when he was younger and the dream had stuck. He had spent most of their money on useless beans, selling things they couldn’t afford to lose on a hopeless dream. Jack had never believed and watched his father waste their money on nothing. As he sat staring at this pile of a wasted life Jack took a deep breath and walked away, closing the door loud enough to alert his mother.

“We should cook those beans, or sell them.” He said to her, but even as he brought it up her head started to shake.

“No, he wouldn’t want it that way.” She sniffed, wiping her eyes with her skirt.

Jack resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Days turned into weeks, and without any way to make enough money Jack and his mother were starting to feel the stress.

“Im selling them mother, I don’t care what you say.” Jack said, his mother knew he was talking about the beans without his having to say.

She didn’t want to lose one more part of her husband but she knew Jack was right.

“No one will buy just beans Jack, why would they bother.” She mumbled walking out.

Jack watched her go, knowing she was right.

He knew he would have to make the beans delicious for people to want them so Jack went to work. He tried making them in a soup; he tried pulverizing them into a tasty mush, mixing in other vegetables, cooking them in the fire, almost everything he could thing of until he finally made something so delicious he knew he got it right.

Having his mother come and taste the concoction, “this is amazing son!” They both had two full bowls and spoke excitingly about the next day when they would sell it. Jack made the biggest batch, using all the beans and took it to the market.

At first it didn’t sell like he hoped but after giving a few away the word spread and people came to eat Jack’s bean salad.

By the end of the day Jack had a pocketful of money that would last him and his mother for months. The only thing Jack wished was that his father had lived to see his beans finally be worth something. 

His father’s wild dreams of magic only made Jack an unbeliever, having watched him waste his life away chasing nothing. Jack didn’t think he would ever be able to believe in magic, not after all the sadness it brought his family. But he still loved and missed his father regardless. 

 

Jack knew what he wanted to buy with the money, a cow for him and his mother would provide income for them and they wouldn’t have to worry about money. But he would do that tomorrow, now he couldn’t wait to get home and see his mother.

Not knowing that in a few years he would live his father’s dream because he decides to believe in magic one more time. Beans would save his family more than once.

Recipe 

 

Ingredients

• 1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
• 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can yellow wax beans, drained
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen cut green beans, thawed
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the vinegar, sugar, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over bean mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Snow White's Apple Pie

Snow White's Apple Pie

 

Snow White was the prettiest little child and everyone in the kingdom loved her. She spent her days visiting her friends in the village and helping out in the castle. There weren’t that many young children her age so she spent much of her time in the kitchen with the cook Mary.

  

She was a sweet elderly woman who loved Snow White as a daughter. She had been there for her when her mother died, and then sometime later when her father also died. The new Queen, and Snow’s stepmother, was proving to be a fair ruler. Though Mary thought she didn’t spend nearly enough time with her young step daughter. Hearing the small taps of the young princess’s steps Mary smiled.

“Good morning Mary.” Snow said walking into the kitchen. It was her favorite room in the castle if you asked her, though not many did. It was warm and cozy though still grand enough to feed everyone.

“I have a surprise for you my dear.” Mary said leaning down to Snow’s height. She raised her eyebrows in anticipation and smiled her prettiest smile.

“We have enough to make you favorite. Will you be able to help me?” Snow nodded her head vigorously, and then ran to the sink to wash up.

Apples were her favorite fruit and it was always the best days when they were able to make them into a pie.

“First we need to make the crust.” Mary said from the pantry gathering when they would need. Snow White went to grab her stool so she stood level with Mary on the counter. They made enough crust to fill five pie tins. As much as Snow loved eating the pie afterwards, she liked giving the slices to everyone afterward a little better. Plus, she thought to herself, this is the first time she will be able to give a piece to her new mother.

“We need to make this one extra special Mary, it will be the Queens first slice.” Snow said sweetly before going back to crust forming.

Mary looked over at her and smiled, Snow really is the sweetest child she had ever met.

Soon they were to the apples, Mary would cut them and Snow would place them evenly in the pie crust. Rolling the rest of the dough and forming the lattices took practice and Snow was finally getting the hang of it. She looked over at Mary’s, the perfect little strips of crust on top of the apples; she looked back over to hers. The lines weren’t as straight or as neat but she loved hers just as much.

“Alright this is the hard part, step back.” Mary took the hot sweet liquid and poured it over all the pies. Snow watched on, knowing one day she’ll be old enough to make one all by herself.

“Now we wait. Why don’t you run off and play outside for an hour.” Mary said cleaning up. Snow nodded her head and went out the kitchen door that led outside.

She walked about in the garden singing songs and picking flowers, unknowing that someone watched her from the room above.

The Queen narrowed her eyes looking at the young girl outside; her new daughter was sweet and beautiful. It made her teeth clench. She needed to watch her closely…

The smell coming from the kitchen is what led Snow back indoors. “Finished?” she said from the doorway.

Mary smiled, “that nose of yours is never wrong Snow, come on in.” Mary had the pies cooling by the window, but one was set apart. “Would you like to cut it?” Mary asked. Snow said yes and went to stand by Mary; she helped her cut it into eight slices.

“Who would you like to give the first slice to?” Mary asked putting it on a plate.

“I know exactly who.” Snow said taking the plate and walking through the door, “I’ll be right back Mary!”

Snow heading through the castle winding through the expansive hallways to reach her destination, knocking softly on the door she didn’t wait for a response and went in, excited to share her dessert.

She walked into her stepmother’s room and saw her standing by the mirror, for a second it looked like there was a different reflection in the mirror but it quickly changed. Snow shook her head, she must be seeing things.

The Queen turned sharply around and forced a smile. “I didn’t hear you knock child, what do you need.”

“Nothing, I made an apple pie with Mary today and wanted to give you the first piece,” looking expectantly up at her new mother, wanting this to make her smile.

“Thank you.” The Queen said walking over to take the plate from the young girl and setting it on the nearby table. Ready to dismiss her, the Queen suddenly looked back over to the pie.

“Do you like apple pie?” The Queen asked suddenly.

Snow White smiled and nodded her head, “it is my favorite fruit. What’s yours?” she asked.

The Queen turned around and walked back toward the mirror. “Oh mine too my dear, go back to handing out your dessert Snow White.”

Knowing she had been dismissed Snow gave one last glance to the pie slice, hoping the Queen tasted it, before walking out the door and closing it quietly behind her.

“You sure have a way with children My Queen.” A voice said from the mirror.

“Hmph, this whole castle is full of annoyances. But we do have a useful piece of information about the annoyance. Apples…”

**

Snow finished handing out her slices and made her way back to the kitchen. Mary was waiting for her there at the small table in the center of the room. Two slices sitting on the top. Snow looked up at Mary, suddenly very glad she had her, they both sat and ate their pie talking about what they should make tomorrow. 

Recipe

 Ingredients

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.