My 15 Bean Soup Recipe

Hello, Darlings

Yesterday I ran into an unexpected problem with a bag of 15 bean soup. After cooking the beans on the stovetop in my usual way, and serving them, we immediately notice that all of the beans were hard. Now one would think that after two plus hours of cooking that the beans in the soup would be tender, with maybe a few under cooked Garbanzo beans, but no. All of the beans were hard. My only guess was that the beans were very old.

Now I have never been one to soak beans overnight, so the problem surprised me. However, after viewing and reading a few resources online, I discovered that the beans were indeed old, but still editable, if prepared properly with baking soda. I also discovered that not only did I not have to resort to soaking the beans overnight, but that I could follow my usual recipe and just add the baking soda right into the cooking pot.

What a release!

While yesterday’s dinner was ruined by the harden bean soup, the same pot of beans were a delicious winner tonight. For those who were neither unaware of the “old and hard beans” problem, nor it solution, I share with you my new and improved 15 bean soup recipe.

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My 15 Bean Soup Recipe

Ingredients

•     One 20 oz. package HamBeens® 15 BEAN SOUP® with the ham seasoning packet
•     6 to 8 cups water
•     1 smoked ham hock or leftover ham or smoked sausage
•     1 can of red kidney beans
•     1 onion diced
•     2 cloves garlic minced
•     15 ounces diced tomatoes with juice
•     1 package McCormick Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning Mix
•     1 tablespoon lemon juice
•     1 packet of ham favoring
•     1 ½ teaspoon salt
•      ½ teaspoon black pepper

Cooking Directions 

1.  Rinse beans and drain. Sort any unwanted debris and set seasoning packet aside.
2. Separate the Garbanzo (Chickpea) from the rest of the beans, and then pre-cook them in the microwave for 45 minutes with a 1 teaspoons of baking soda and 2 of the 6 cups of water.
3. Once soften, pour the Garbanzo beans and hot water into the cooking large pot with the cut ham, garlic and onion, and add with the remaining water. Cook to a rolling boil for1 hour.
4. Add the remaining beans and cook uncovered at a boil for an hour, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until beans are tender.
5. Stir in salt, and pepper, tomatoes, McCormick Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning Mix, and lemon juice.
6. Simmer uncovered for an additional 30 minutes or until thickened.
7. Stir in the seasoning packet from the beans and season with salt & pepper to taste. Simmer 1 minute more.

Slow Cooker Hard Bean Soup Rescue:

If the Garbanzo beans or all beans are still hard before adding the McCormick Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning Mix, tomatoes and lemon juice, transfer them with the onion, the garlic and the meat to the six quart slow cooker.

1. Add then McCormick Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning Mix, tomatoes and lemon juice.
2. Also, stir in the seasoning packet from the beans and season with salt & pepper to taste.
3. Cook on high for 7 to 8 hours.
4. Stir occasionally, and add more water when necessary.
5. Serve with a slice of cornbread on the side.

Note: 15 bean soup freezes very well. Add to airtight containers or freezer zip lock bags. Freeze for up three months.

Note 2: For all other beans and to soften, prevent gas and bloating: Cook beans with a tsp of baking soda as usually cooked with meat and seasonings. 

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I hope you will enjoy it as we do.

Until next time,

      Chow, Darlings

Download the PDF

Related: You think my old bean were surprising. Check out the video below.

Cooking 20 Year Old Beans

A Widescreen Online Review Plus Recipe@2026

Evelyn’s Crockpot Short Ribs and Cabbage

Hello, Darlings

I hope this first month of the New Year has treated you well. Yes, darlings I am still alive, a bit slower but alive.

Last night, just as I was on the brink of sleep, I remembered an old recipe for short ribs and cabbage. Luckily, I found that I had all the ingredients on hand; so before I made my morning cup of coffee, I started dinner. This recipe is an old family favorite, one in which I usually cooked on the stove with a half pot of water. However, today, I want to savor the flavors of the meat and vegetables by cooking in them a crockpot. 

Evelyn’s Crockpot Short Ribs and Cabbage

Ingredients

• One pack of boneless short ribs
•  ½ cup water
• 3 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil
• 3 large carrots, chopped2 medium red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 medium or ½ large cabbage
• ½ to ¾ bag baby potatoes, whole
• ½ large onion, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried chives
• ¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon bacon grease
•  
  
  

Directions

1. Microwave chopped carrots and baby potatoes for 25 minutes
2. Rinse and pat dry short ribs; cut in ribs in half
3. Seasons ribs salt and pepper in all sides
4. Heat garlic infused olive oil in large skillet
5. Add short ribs and brown each piece on all four sides
6. Remove ribs from skillet, save the drippings and deglaze the skillet with 2-3 tablespoons of water.
7. Add ribs to a six quart or more Crockpot
8. In a large mixing bowl add chopped celery, onion, cabbage, and bell peppers
9. Add save the drippings, water, bacon grease, dried chives salt, crushed red pepper and ground black pepper to mixing bowl. Mix well
10. When easy to pierce add drained potatoes and carrots and discard water
11. Add drained potatoes and carrots into the large mixing bowl with the other ingredients.
12. Mix ingredients well to coat everything with short rib drippings and bacon grease.
13. Then add on top of short ribs in crockpot. Set crockpot on high for four hours;
14. After the first hour stir short ribs vegetables together.
15. After  about 45 minutes pull ribs on top on the vegetable
16. Cook for another 45 minutes, then cook every 45 minutes but in the last 45 minutes or so, stir short ribs in with vegetable again and cook until short ribs are tender.
17.  Enjoy with fresh baked yellow corn muffins 

Despite not having any corned beef in it, this recipe would still make a great meal for Saint Patrick’s Day.

Down the PDF

Until next time,

          Chow, Darlings

 

A Widescreen Online Review Plus Recipe@2026

 

A Statement on the Retirement of Several of “Widescreen Online Review Plus®” Websites

Hello, Darlings

By now you, my young and old faithful followers know that Widescreen Online Review Plus® Websites was comprised of many sites spanning twenty plus years. However, for me and as time passed, I recognized that my websites had expanded further than I could handle, and that the entertainment industry and those personalities responsible for trusting me to write open and honest reviews on their creative works were no longer out there. Like me, a 75 year old gal, they are either retired or no longer with us.  Understanding this, in 2025, I stop publishing articles on my major websites, and closed them up.

However, it has come to my attention that whenever, I post articles on Seven Ninety Seven "Home Of The Bargain Queen" or its blog, Evelyn’s Twigs, Thyme and Stranger Things Gardens, the privacy setting on the retired sites, My Anime Nook, Widescreen Anime Links, Widescreen Comic Review ( the three favorites of the youths), and Widescreen Online Review will be public for viewing.

As I see it, this in itself is no problem. I put a lot of time and effort onto each page of these websites over the past twenty years, so should you stumble upon them when I am posting on Seven Ninety Seven "Home Of The Bargain Queen" or its blog, Evelyn’s Twigs, Thyme and Stranger Things Gardens, feel free to read to your hearts contend with the understanding that these website will no longer be updated, and because the industry has change many of the links to other websites and videos may not exist any longer. Nevertheless, I will post this message on each of the websites and leave them open for a short period of time for the curious of minds.

 

All this being stated, you might also enjoy my current websites, is more about current events, diets (I have loads of interesting and tasty recipes), from outdoor container gardening, potted houseplants, and the newest trend, indoor hydroponic gardening, which I, and millions of other people find fascinating and rewarding, not just as a hobby but as wonderful way to supplement ones diet with homegrown vegetable and fruit during the entire year.

 

Current websites:

·         Seven Ninety Seven "Home Of The Bargain Queen"

·         Evelyn’s Twigs, Thyme and Stranger Things Gardens

·         A Catholic's Life, Anew, my faith, do not trample upon.

·         La Création De Moi!, me, me and who, me.

·         Tito's Cavern, the love of animals

·         Just Another Anti-Rip-Off Website, crime may not have a face, the evidence remains

·         Widescreen Network News, bad sh_t does happen to good people.

 

Retired websites:

·         The Woman Within, my first, and the grandmother of all my past and present websites

·         Widescreen Anime Links, I still love anime

·         Widescreen Comic Review, I still love the comics

·         Widescreen Online Review, the world is a theater

·         First Look Showcase, latest in film

 

Until next time,

 

     Evelyn, signing off.

Stir-Fry Normandy Vegetable Mix Topped With Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Happy New Year, Darlings!

Yes, I know it’s a little early to be cracking open the bubbly; however, I wanted to share with you my last recipe for 2025. It is a gather it all together stir-fry recipe that involves using up some to those frozen vegetable we keep pushing to the bottom of the freezer after one or two serving, depending of the size of the bag. Yeah, you know you do it too.

Today, I went a little wild and gathered together some green onions, ginger root, frozen green beans, a bag of Birds Eye Steam fresh Brussels Sprouts and a half bag of Birds Eye Normandy Blend, Frozen Vegetables. With these food items I wanted to see just what type of stir-fry meal I could make ( not the mention making needed room in the freezer).

Adding some rice and a port tenderloin into to group, I must say that the resulting stir-fry mean was the best one I ever created. So with no more delay, below is my Stir-Fry Normandy Vegetable Mix Topped with Marinated Pork Tenderloin recipe.

Stir-Fry Norway Vegetable Mix Topped With Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1  2 to 3 lbs., port tenderloin
• 2 tablespoons of sweet soy sauce
• Special shit seasoning
• 3 cups white rice, cooked
• 30 oz. Birds Eye Normandy Blend, Frozen Vegetables Mix
• 2 cup Fresh or frozen Green Beans, snapped in thirds
• 1 10.8 oz. bag Birds Eye Steam Brussels Sprouts
• 4 to 5 green onion with leaves and bulbs, cut ½ inch in length
• 1 ginger root foot/paw 2 ½ to 3 inches long, roughly chopped with skin on
• 1/4 cup roasted sesame oil
• 3/4 cup vegetables broth
• 2 tablespoons sweet and sour sauce, and more to drizzle on meat

Directions

1. Rinse and pat dry port tenderloin, then lightly seasoned with Special shit seasoning on all sides
2. In a zip lock bag add  sweet soy sauce
3. Add the pork tenderloin, seal and toss to coat meat on all side, set aside, but toss on each side every 15 minutes for one hour.
4. While meat is marinating heat an extra large skillet with the roasted sesame oil
5. When sesame oil is heated add ginger root and cook for about  five minutes to soften, stir frequently
6. Add green onions, cook stir frequently for another five minutes until tender

Return to the marinated meat

Because there it is no flipping involved, the best way to roast the pork tenderloin is to put it in-between a rotisserie rack and then place the rack in a rotisserie oven to roast the meat for 35 minutes ( I use a Ronco Rotisserie Oven,) However, follow your rotisserie oven directions. You can also roast it is the regular oven on 425 F for 25-30 minutes. Or airs fry it at 380° F for 10 minutes. Then flip the tenderloin over and continue cooking for 8-16 more minutes it.

Back to ginger and onion mixture in the skillet

1. Add ½ cup of the vegetable broth and cook to a boil and mixture aromas smell fills the air
2. In the meantime defrost frozen vegetable and drain off  as much water as possible
3. Add all vegetables and sweet and sour, cook to a high boil on medium heat about 10 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer, until vegetable and broth mixture  cook down to a sauce, but too the thick.
4.  Serve with rice on the bottom, stir-fried vegetable on top of it, and 10 thinly slices of pork tenderloin on top the vegetable
5. Then drizzle bottled sweet and sour sauce on top of the meat, topped with a sprinkling of white sesame seeds.

A Widescreen Online Review Plus Recipe@2025

Download the PDF.

Stanley and I sincerely wish for you a very wonderful 2026.

Until next year,

Chow, Darlings