There's a reason my kitchen is a disaster area several times a week.  You'd think after being at work and/or on the road 12 hours a day I'd have better things to do.  But, I really, really like experimenting in the kitchen.
Yes, I went to Tractor Supply in Lufkin this weekend and spent my paycheck on the magazine rack.  Today's project was inspired by 'Hobby Farm Home' magazine.  Bean Soup Mix.

 Is this not the prettiest jar of beans you've ever seen?  You stack the beans, add seasonings and stick it in a jar.  How easy is that?  Beans, it's what's for dinner - with cornbread of course! Here's the seasoning pack: 1 TB dried parsley, 1 TB dried minced onion, 2 tsp seasoning salt, 2 dried bay leaves, 1 tsp garlic powder.

 Put the seasonings in a baggie and tuck into the top of the jar before you put on the lid.  Here you go - ready to cook.  Just put on the shelf and wait for a rainy day.

 I used eight types of beans.  Black beans, Navy beans, Lentils, Kidney beans, Cranberry beans, Pinto beans, Split Green peas and Black Eye peas.  (Can a pea be a bean?)
 
Cool, huh?  I cleaned the kitchen, then headed for bed to write my blog and look what I found!  Mike had made this awesome fire in the fireplace.  

Here's the directions for the bean soup:
Rinse beans, place in bowl and cover with at least 1 inch water.  Let stand overnight.
Drain beans in colander and rinse well with water.
In a pot, cover beans with fresh water and cook about 2 hours.  Drain beans and rinse with fresh water.
Place beans in large pot and cover with 6 cups water.  Open seasoning packet and sprinkle into soup.  Add 2 cups chopped tomatoes with juice. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaves before serving and season to taste.

Even if you never cook a bean in your life, this jar will look really cool just sitting on the shelf!  And if anybody is mean to you - you can give them a jar of beans for Christmas.  It cost about $1.50 a jar.  (I shouldn't have admitted that.  You will know you're on my naughty list if I give you a jar of beans for Christmas next year!)