Autumn and Baked Beans

 Woohoo.....The first Fall catalogs showed up in yesterday's mail.

And I scored these Williams Sonoma amber glass turkeys for 1.99 at a thrift store.

 I made my husband one of his favorite dishes, baked beans on brown bread. This recipe for Maritime brown bread can be found on my sidebar.  Unlike Boston brown bread, this is made with yeast and is not steamed.

My usual baked beans are a rather involved recipe.  It was hot and I was busy so I just threw all of the ingredients in a crock pot and let them cook away all day and I ended up with terrific baked beans.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried great Northern beans
• 6 cups water
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 8 ounces bacon
• 2 cups diced yellow onion1 chopped poblano pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ¼ cup maple syrup, divided
• ⅓ cup molasses
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• black pepper and sea or kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Soak the beans in a large bowl  in 6 cups of water overnight.
2. Add the baking soda to the beans and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat, keeping a close eye on it as it will bubble up and possibly spill over the sides. Skim off the foam on top. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid. Add the beans to a 4 or 5 quart crock-pot.

Meanwhile:

1. In a large frying pan cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered and not quite to the crispy stage. Drain on paper towels. Chop and add to the crock-pot.
2. Add the onion and pepper to the fat and cook 3 - 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant 1 - 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the slow cooker.
3. In a small mixing bowl whisk 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup, the molasses, brown sugar, mustard, ginger, cloves and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add it to the crock-pot.
4. Add 2½ cups of the reserved cooking liquid and the bay leaves to the crock-pot - if you have less than that reserved, use water to make up the difference.
5. Cook until soft and tender 4 - 6 hours on high or 8 - 10 hours on low. If there's a lot of liquid left take the lid off and cook for a half hour or so.
6. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup and vinegar - adding more to taste if you like tangier.
7. Season generously to taste with salt and pepper.

 The bread recipe makes a big loaf.

 Mine always comes out a bit top heavy.

 Stir occasionally and taste for seasoning.  Adjust according to taste.

My husband ate these on a toasted buttered piece of the brown bread with a seared hot dog on top.  He will get them on toast with fried eggs this morning.  He is in bean heaven.