Down Home Baked Beans

By Venzie

If you have hard water, use distilled water since hard water lengthens cooking time. Sugar and acidic foods such as tomatoes and vinegar harden beans. Always add such ingredients after the beans are softened.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Great Northern beans
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup onion, chopped (1 large)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
• nonstick pan spray
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup no salt ketchup
• 2 tablespoons no salt tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon Hickory Chardex (Hickory Smoke Powder)
• 1 cup bean cooking water (more if required during baking)

Preparation

Step 1

Place beans and bay leaf in a 4 quart saucepan. Add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 mintues. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.

If necessary add more water to cover beans. Heat to boiling and reduce heat to simmer for 1 hour. If beans are boiled they will burst. Drain beans, reserve liquid and discard bay leaf.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Spray a medium saute pan with nonstick pan spray and saute onion and garlic until tender. Combine onion, garlic and all other ingredients, except beans, in a small bowl and stir to blend.

Add mixture to beans and mix thoroughly. Pour beans into a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Cover and bake 2-3 hours or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add more bean liquid if beans become dry.