Lima Bean Sunday

The house is quiet as most here are taking their Sunday naps. 

 

With Jessica visiting from Texas, Stuart in transition, Hayden here until his marriage, Larsen waiting to leave for Oaxaca, Mexicao and Boston, Gordon and I all here enjoying each other's company, Lima bean Sunday has proven its weight worth in gold again.  With seven at the table for Sunday dinner today the now fabled Lima beans made my job easier in keeping peace and the Sabbath Day holy. 

 

Years ago when the children were small (and there was much crying of babies and small children after church), Gordon, who was the baby of the family himself, asked (in exasperation) if there wasn't something that could be fixed easily so that we could eat immediately when we got home . 

 

Prior to our marriage I had been given a Crock Pot for Christmas by Dr. Hammond (who I worked with when I met Gordon at BYU). I dug it out of the cupboard and came up with Lima Beans to cook for Sunday dinner.  I reasoned that nobody in their right palate would be willing to eat them any other time of the week and that someone hungry enough after church would probably be willing to eat anything.  Grandpa Don Clegg once accused a man of trying to sell him lima beans so large "they choked his kids". I chose large size because it gave us more of something to eat. Putting them in the crock pot before church we came home to the house smelling like something wonderful was cooking. It was well recieved.

 

Over time I doctored the lima beans up with ham bone, real onions and seasonings and occasionally interspersed them with split pea soup and lentils during the month.  What resulted is a tradition that has been going on for nearly 25 years.  The recipe has been simplified to dried onions and bacon bits and seasoning salt  that is easily added to water and beans.  The crockpot is turned on and lid put in place just before leaving for church.  Toast, salad and cheeses are added to the table before serving and life is revived soon after a church is over. 

 

"Lima Bean Sunday" has worked its way into mission packages, food boxes going to college and has even found its way into our married children's table to start a second generation of quick and easy Sunday dinners.

 

"Lima Bean Sunday"

 

1 cup Lima Beans (large or small) or any legumes; chili, white bean, lentils, split pea etc.

3 cups water

1 tsp salt (seasoning salt)

1 tsp dried onions

1 tablespoon bacon bits

 

Put in crock pot on high for 4-5 hours (about one block of church meetings and then some ...it takes us 30 minutes to go to and come back from church).

 

Heres to having an enjoyable and simplified Sunday.

 

Sincerely,

 

Paula