Apparently, this recipe doesn't show up in any of the "cookie/cake mix in a jar" recipe websites. Since mentioning it this morning in another post, I've had several requests for the recipe/instructions. I received a jar of this about 10 years ago from my boss's wife while working in Milwaukee. She shared the recipe and instructions with me. I made several jars the following year for gifts and everyone loved them! I'll be doing it again this year for gifts and for sale.

DOZEN BEAN POT SOUP MIX preparation time: 15 minutes yield: 15 2 cup packages 2 1/4 cups of each of the following: lentils, limas, black eyed peas, kidney beans, split peas, great northern beans (although my husband says you can never say "great" and "northern" in the same sentence) pinto beans, red beans, white beans, (not sure what they meant by "red/white"?), navy beans, black beans, cups barley, (does this equal 12?), 15 chili pods (1 for each 2 cup package)

Combine all beans in a HUGE bowl or pot. Mix with hands. Fill 2 cup containers with dry bean mixture. Enclose Dozen Bean Pot Soup Seasoning Packet and attach Recipe Card. Cover container with fabric and ribbon.

DOZEN BEAN POT SOUP SEASONING PACKET Mix 15 individuals sets of the following seasonings in small baggies: 1 TBLSP chili powder 1 teasp salt 1 bay leaf 1 teasp oregano 1/4 teasp celery seed 1/4 teasp rosemary 1/4 teasp marjoram 1/4 teasp sweet basil

** This is the info you include on the recipe card with each jar**

FRESH INGREDIENTS TO BE ADDED AT TIME OF COOKING: 1 quart water, 1 ham hock or 2 cups cubed ham, 2 cups tomato juice, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 large onion-chopped, 1 clove garlic-minced, 3 tablespoons minced parsley, 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, 2 tablespoons brown sugar

DOZEN BEAN POT SOUP RECIPE Wash bean mixture. In a 3 1/2 quart kettle, combine beans and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add more water if necessary. Add all remaining ingredients except sherry. Bring to a slow boil and simmer, covered, until beans are tender, about 3 hours. Just before serving, remove bay leaf and stir in sherry. Garnish each serving with chopped scallions.

A Vegetarian Version can also be made by increasing the water and/or using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and leaving out the ham.

This stuff looks really good in the jars!

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), October 04, 2001

Answers

Thanks Rose Marie! It sounds great. I'm going to do some for gifts and some for me. One question though. How much sherry and is it necessary? Oh, and where do you get chili pods and do you remove it with the bay leaf?

-- Barb (MBRanch@POP,ctctel.com), October 04, 2001.

The recipe I have says: 1 cup sherry (optional) sorry if I missed it in the original post. I think the "chili pods" would be any kind of dried chili pepper you may have, depending on how spicy you like it. Yes, I'd probably remove the chili pod at the time of serving along with the bay leaf. These are notes I had from 10 years ago, so please let me know if there are any other questions.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), October 04, 2001.

Thank you for the recipe. I generally give baskets of homemade goods to family and friends for the holidays, (generally a theme basket) and this will be a great addition.

Your recipe put into a bean pot along with soup or chili bowls, a bag of homemade sesame crackers and a bottle of dry red wine. I think that will be for my oldest.

Thank you again for sharing your recipe.

-- Cordy (ckaylegian@aol.com), October 05, 2001.