#SundaySupper: Beantastic

Today’s #SundaySupper is celebrating the bean. Any type of bean is fair game. When you stop and think about it, that’s a very broad assignment. Which doesn’t make narrowing down a recipe to make very easy. There are the beans that first come to mind – those beans in a can (or dry): black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, etc. There are the beans in the produce aisle: green beans, pole beans, lima beans, etc. Then there’s the beans you don’t think of as beans – those on the sweet side of life: cacao, coffee, and vanilla. And don’t forget about the soy bean!

I’ve never thought about beans so much in my life and I have Tammi of Momma’s Meals to thank. Make sure you scroll past my recipe to see the wide variety of beany recipes!

Making baked beans from scratch has been a culinary bucket list item for me. My recipe though isn’t a technical baked bean because I tackle the job with the help of my trusty slow cooker! I did my research and created a Lauren Everson original recipe. And this one isn’t even my New Year’s Resolution recipe! I’ll be sharing that for Stir Fry Day Friday this week.

Back to the beans. There’s been a bottle of whiskey sitting in our liquor cabinet for quite some time. I don’t even know where it came from. I almost donated it to my brother-in-law when we moved, but I held on to it, thinking it could come in handy. The day had finally arrived. I decided to use it in my baked beans! Whiskey and bacon. I knew I had a winner there.

I loaded up my slow cooker and crossed my fingers that my flavors would meld nicely and my beans would cook properly. This adventure was the first time I’d purchased dried beans! Question: what does it mean when “they” say to “sort” the beans? My intuition tells me it means finding the “bad” beans and tossing them – but how do you know if it’s a “bad bean?”

When I dumped all of the ingredients into the slow cooker I was over powered by the smell of the whiskey. I figured I’d give it half of the cook time before deciding if I needed to mellow it down with more sugar. I tasted my sauce throughout the day and was excitedly happy with how perfect things were coming along. These baked beans are easy to make and have much more flavor than a can of baked beans. Bring a pot of these to your next picnic or potluck and you’ll be everyone’s favorite person. Did I mention whiskey and bacon?

Whiskey Bacon Baked Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dry navy beans
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 strips center cut bacon, chopped
• 1/4 C molasses
• 1/2 C dark brown sugar
• 1/4 C ketchup
• 2 tbsp spicy mustard (I used El Diablo Texas Chili)
• 1 C whiskey
• 2 C water
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Steps:

1. Rinse, drain, and sort beans. Soak them in 2 qt water (or according to package directions) over night.
2. Put beans and remaining ingredients in to a slow cooker.
3. Cook on LOW 10 hours, or until beans are tender and sauce has thickened.

Beantastic Beginners:

• Avocado Hummus by Our Good Life
• Bean Ragoût and Crisped Mushrooms by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Black Bean Chili Nachos by Brunch with Joy
• Chickpea Fries (Panisse) by Curious Cuisiniere
• Five Layer Greek Hummus Dip by Food Done Light
• Pizza Roasted Chickpeas by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• White Bean and Basil Spread by Peaceful Cooking

Bean-a-rific Soups and Stews:

• Butternut Squash White Bean Soup by Magnolia Days
• Chickpea and Bean Soup by Momma’s Meals
• Classic Cassoulet by Food Lust People Love
• Navy Bean & Kale Soup by An Appealing Plan
• Navy Bean Soup by The Messy Baker
• Slow Cooker Pork and Bean Stew by Nosh My Way
• Kielbasa and White Bean Soup by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Spicy Sausage, White Bean and Spinach Soup by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen

Bean-a-licious Sides:

• Bean and Cornbread Salad by MealDiva
• Clams with Black Beans by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Gold Rush Baked Beans by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Maple Brown Sugar Baked Beans by Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen
• Pinto Beans With Cornbread Croutons by Nik Snacks
• Whiskey Bacon Baked Beans by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Incredi-bean Main Meals:

• Arugula Tomato and Beans Flatbread by Family Foodie
• Bean and Bacon Tacos by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Beefy Lima Bean Casserole by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Colombian Red beans – Frisoles Antioquenos by Palatable Pastime
• Italian Beans and Greens by Simply Healthy Family
• Honey-Lime Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos by The Chunky Chef
• One Pot Tuscan Style Garlic Herb Pork Chops by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Orecchiette with White Beans and Swiss Chard by Delaware Girl Eats
• Skillet Black Beans and Pork by Cooking Chat
• Ultimate Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes by Pancake Warriors
• White Bean Ragout, Frisèe, and a Fried Egg by The Wimpy Vegetarian

Amaze-beans Sweet Endings:

• Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean Bark by Love and Confections
• Flourless Almond Joy Cookie Dough Ball by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Flourless Mocha Brownies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies by Wallflour Girl
• Gluten-Free Donuts by NinjaBaker
• Pecan Praline Black Bean Brownies by Rhubarb and Honey
• Soy Awesome Cookies 2.0 by What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Coco-Cacao Bean Smoothie by Dandelion Greens
• Sweet Bean Pie by Shockingly Delicious
• Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee by Noshing With The Nolands

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