Mmm...Baked Beans!

I have to apologize for not posting in so many days.  It took me quite a while to work my way through the pot of chicken noodle soup.  By the time I ate the last of the soup, it was the weekend again and I try to turn my attention to my husband when we have the opportunity to spend time together.  This weekend was Valentine’s Day plus, W, my husband, had a three day weekend. 

I have reached the point in my life where I prefer the sentiment and time spent together more than gifts.  Instead of gifts, W and I exchange cards and try to do something fun together.  On Valentine’s day, we had breakfast out (at 5:30 a.m.!), stopped by our new honey supplier, went for a drive, spent a couple of hours wandering around a large antique shop, then made a stop at the grocery store on the way home. 

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 a.m. on Sunday, I decided to finally make my baked beans and bake my weekly bread.  I put a pound of dried beans in a pot to soak using the hot soak method.  I had intended to make the beans the day after I set them to soak but ended up leaving them to soak for a couple of days.  (If you have any questions about using dried beans in recipes, click here for information from the Bean Institute.)

I have to say right up front that I have never been a big fan of anything containing beans aside from an occasional bowl of chili on a cold winter day.  That is really saying something since the community where is grew up is smack dab in the middle of bean & corn country in Michigan.  Half the people I knew in my youth either grew beans or corn or a rotation of the two.  There was not a potluck or church picnic in the area that did not have at least one pot of baked beans on the table.  I can honestly say that I never once ate a single bean and my youth saw many a potluck. 

So why would I choose to make baked beans if I seemingly hate them so much?  Well, dried beans were a good source of protein in a time when there was little meat to go around.  The recipe I made stretched two weeks of bacon rations into 8 – 10 servings.  When I first tried the recipe, I panicked, thinking that I had wasted my bacon rations.  After sticking it in the refrigerator then rewarming the beans and adding a little extra salt, I found that they are actually quite good.  If I was feeding a family, this would be a very economical recipe.  It would fill hungry tummies and really stretch rations at the same time.

Baked Beans

Serves 8 – 10

 

Ingredients:

1 lb dried navy or pea beans (I used light red kidney beans)

½ pound salt pork (I used 8 oz of bacon)

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

6 cups water

2 teaspoons dry mustard

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (ground red pepper)

½ cup molasses (I used Brer Rabbit Full Flavor)

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup ketchup

 

Directions:

1. Soak the beans according to your preferred method.
2. Drain and rinse beans and dry saucepan.
3. Sauté onion and salt pork over medium heat until they begin to brown.
4. Return beans to saucepan along with water, mustard powder, salt and cayenne pepper.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 60 minutes or until tender.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Add Molasses, brown sugar and ketchup to pot and mix well.
7. Transfer bean mixture to a 2-quart lidded casserole and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a crust forms on the top.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Note:  If you use bacon like I did, you will need to add extra salt to taste.

Was there a food item that you hated as a child?  Would you try eating it today?

 

Baked Beans and Grandma's Honey Wheat Bread

Maybe not the prettiest picture ever taken but very yummy!