HOT CRAB & GREEN BEAN SALAD (serves 4) 1 lb fresh or thawed frozen crabmeat (I've used canned, well rinsed) 2 lbs green beans, cut into 1" pieces 3/4 cup mayonnaise 2 TBL lemon juice 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1 small clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup finely chopped onions 1/4 tsp salt Pepper 1/4-1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs 2 TBL butter, melted Drain the crab & pick over carefully, breaking up any large pieces. Cook the beans in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, then drain. combine the mayo, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, onions, salt & pepepr in a large bowl, blending well. Carefully stir in the beans & then the crab. Spoon the mixture into greased baking shells or ramekins. Top each dish with a sprinkle of bread crumbs, drizzle w/the butter & bake uncovered in a preheated 400° oven for about 15 minutes or until the salads are hot & the crumbs browned. (Or bake in a shallow casserole for about 25 minutes.)~~Century of Good Cooking I've not tasted this but have made it for others & it was a hit: WARM POTATO & GREEN BEAN SALAD (serves 4) Salad: 1 lb small red potatoes, scrubbed 1/4 lb fresh green beans, trimmed & halved crosswise 1/2 small red onion, cut into thin wedges 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped, optional Dressing: 3 TBL olive oil 2 TBL dry white wine 2 tsp white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley 1/2 tsp each dried oregano & thyme 1/8 tsp dried basil for the salad: Place the potatoes in a saucepan & cover with cold water. Bring to a boil & cook about 15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork but not mushy. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring 1" of water to a boil, add the beans & cook about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain the potatoes & beans & let cool slightly. Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Place the potatoes, beans onions & bell peppers in a large bowl, mixing gently. For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the oil,wine, vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, thyme & basil, blending thoroughly. Pour over the vegetables, tossing gently to coat. Let stand at least 1 hour at room temperature before serving.~~St. Michael's Cooks by Design

from: www.hillbillyhousewife.com Boston Baked Beans * 2 pounds white beans (northern or navy beans) * 2 teaspoons salt * 2 teaspoons dry mustard * 1/2 cup molasses * 1/2 cup brown sugar * 1 onion, peeled and chopped * 4 to 6 oz of raw bacon, chopped Soak the beans overnight in plenty of tap water. Or, you can bring them to a boil on the stove and then turn them off, cover them and let them sit for an hour or two. The point of this is to reconstitute them some, making them easier to cook. After the initial preparation boil your beans on the back of the stove for about half an hour. They won't be perfectly soft, but they will be almost soft. Drain off the cooking water. In a very large casserole (4-quart) combine the semi-cooked beans, salt, dry mustard, molasses, sugar and chopped bacon. Add enough hot water to barely come to the top of the beans. Put a lid on the casserole, or tin foil. Bake the beans at 300° for about 5 to 7 hours. They will be tender, fragrant and delicious. My kids love this stuff. The cooked beans may be frozen in two cup portions to substitute for canned baked beans or canned pork'n'beans in any recipe. They make a good main dish, or a side dish for a large crowd. This recipe serves about 16. I make such a large amount so I can have plenty of leftovers to freeze. Another way to cook this, good in the summertime, is to use a crock pot. Boil the soaked beans for half an hour, as directed above. Then, instead of combining everything in a casserole, combine them in the crock pot instead. Put the lid on the Crock Pot after you've mixed everything up in it, and cook it on High for about 3 or 4 hours, or on low for 6 or 8 hours. You can put a folded dish towel on top of the lid if your crock pot doesn't get quite hot enough to cook beans normally. The dish towel helps maintain a temperature hot enough to just barely simmer the beans. Serve with Corn Casserole, Mixed Greens and Oatmeal Muffins or Whole Wheat Bread.

CROCKPOT MACARONI AND CHEESE 8 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked and drained 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk 1-1/2 cups milk 2 eggs 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper Place cooked macaroni in slow cooker that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Reserve 1 cup cheese; add rest of cheese and the other ingredients to the macaroni. Mix well. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cook on HIGH at least 2-1/2 hours. Do not remove cover or stir until ready to serve. Recipe courtesy of Mr. Food. RED-COOKED RIBS FOR CROCKPOT 3/4 cup hoisin sauce 3 Tblsp. dark soy sauce 2 Tblsp. mirin (Chinese wine - substitute dry sherry if you can't find it) 1 Tblsp. minced fresh ginger - I use more 1 Tblsp. honey 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp. ground allspice 1 Tblsp. grated orange zest - I use dried 1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed hot red pepper 6 scallions, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces 1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts 3 pounds country-style pork ribs, trimmed of fat 1. In a small bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sherry, ginger, honey, garlic, allspice, orange zest, and hot pepper. 2. Place 1/3 of the scallions and water chestnut slices in a slow cooker (3-1/2 quart or larger). Top with some of the ribs and spoon some of the sauce. Repeat ending with the sauce. 3. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until the ribs are done. COMPANY CHICKEN CASSEROLE FOR CROCKPOT 8 oz. egg noodles 3 cups chicken, cooked, diced 1/2 cup celery, diced 1/2 cup green pepper, diced 1/2 cup onion, diced 4 oz. mushrooms, canned, drained 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 2 Tblsp. butter, melted 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1/2 tsp. basil 1-1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese 1 can cream of chicken soup Cook noodles according to package directions until barely tender; drain and rinse thoroughly. In large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with the noodles, making sure the noodles are separated and coated with liquid. Pour mixture into a greased crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-10 hours. Can cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Serves 6.

From what I read they can be used either way. Sort of like green bell peppers versus red. Perhaps the riper red ones are more mellow??