Grannys3Angels- No, I've never fried whole new potatoes. They sound wonderful.

I cooked a ham, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, salad today for "Sunday Dinner" and had 3 other families over after church. I also made some of those green beans EXACTLY like Indydebi said and they were wonderful (and I threw in a few new potatoes). They are also good with fresh green beans, but I didn't have any and even if I did, I didn't want to shap them. One of the older couples there talked about how good they were. I take that as a huge compliment when older people compliment you on your cooking.

Tasso? I can't believe I live right next door in TX and have never heard of it.

I either cook my green beans in bacon and fresh garlic or a mixture of olive oil and butter and garlic. Bacon is better. I NEVER eat canned green beans, YUCK! Fresh with bacon is the way to go!

Call me crazy but I love canned green beans. I love them cooked with the bacon and onions but also love them from a can with just butter on them. I have never purchased fresh beans at the store. I eat them fresh in the summertime from the garden or canned the rest of the year. Just could never afford to buy fresh in the winter. I'm one of those poor folks that used lard.

Diane

Canned green beans are good cold right out of the can too!

I accidentally made buttercream with lard today. I was browsing the baking aisle, and saw a tub of something called "Armour". I mistook it for "Alpine" and bought it. Well.. now I have pork flavored chocolate buttercream. It's disgusting.

OK, I just found this thread and have successfully waded through all eleven pages. (With a slow loading dial -up, that it quite a commitment.) I just have to throw my 2 cents in also. (Hey, I just noticed keyboards no longer have a cent symbol, only $. Inflation hits again.)

Lard in one of my staples in the kitchen. No, I didn't grow up poor, nor in the South. Speaking of Southern cooking, we need to go just a little further south to Mexico. I cannot imagine making fresh flour tortillas without lard. And enchiladas, empanadas, any sauce.... Oh my gosh, that is where the authentic flavor dwells! As previously stated, lard takes biscuits, breads, pie crusts, almost any baked goods to a new level in tenderness, flakiness and flavor.

As for bacon drippings---Oh, it is so refreshing to find that I am not the only one who grew up with a can on the counter dedicated to that wonderful seasoning! I have one to this day and in addition to all the previously stated uses, try a little spoonful stirred into fresh (or frozen) green peas just prior to serving. Unbelievable!

I was just about to respond with a history lesson, Chaptips, but you saved me the trouble. With an avid interest in homestead arts, I have raised, slaughtered and rendered fats from my own steers, pigs, and sheep. The suet, (kidney fat) from the steer is excellent in steamed plum pudding and actually, mincemeat originally was (and still can be) made from beef and it is delicious. I've made soap that rivals the best beauty bars...but here I digress.

Indydebi, one of the best breakfasts to me is sausage and biscuits. Like you, I am "a little of this, and a smidge of that" kind of cook. I brown the sausage, stir in some flour, stir and cook for a minute then pour in sufficient milk for the thickness I like. (And I like it rather thick.) Add a little garlic powder and ground sage and black pepper. Mentally, I can savor it as I type. Since it is morning, I think that is just what I am going to go make right now.

Thanks for this fun thread

Jan