Not Baked Beans

This is easy, but sort of involved. I use dry beans, so I have to soak them overnight (I don't like the "quick soak" method), which is why I say involved. It usually takes me three or four days to make beans because I forget to put them in water for the first few days. I suggest reading your cookbook, the package instructions and watching Alton Brown's episode on beans to decide which way you think you aught to soak your beans. You can also use canned beans that you have drained and thoroughly rinsed, but I think using dry gives you more control of the flavor of the final product. And you get some bragging rights for cooking old school. I make a 1/2 pound when I do this, and it makes enough to feed hungry company. (I've never measured exactly how many cups this makes.)

After my beans have finished their long soak I treat them like rice and cook them in broth for an hour (do not cook your rice for an hour please). What I mean is that I cover the pot, bring them to a boil, then reduce to a simmer so they can slowly cook. This will cook the flavor of the broth into the beans and bring them to a properly squishy state, nobody likes crunchy baked beans.

After the hour is up, drain the beans but reserve about 1/2 cup of the broth. In your non-stick pan or pot (I use a pot, it just seems like a good idea), add 1/4 of one vidalia onion, chopped along with 1 T of Worcestershire sauce, 1 T of dry ground mustard and 1 T of your favorite vinaigrette (I am loving Pomegranate Blood Orange lately, I don't even remember where I bought it but it is amazing!) Cook that until your onions have taken on the color of the liquid, I cover the pot during this portion of cooking as well.

Measure up 1/4 cup of each of the following: ketchup, brown sugar, and barbeque sauce. Add all this to the pot and stir until well combined. Allow it to cook for a while longer and it will thicken and bubble. Add the beans and reserved broth and stir well. Cover and boil on medium heat for 10 minutes more.

Do be careful of the steam and mind that these beans are boiling, give them a minute or five to cool before serving. Nothing ruins dinner like 2nd degree tongue burns.

Serve at a barbeque, potluck or any old dinner! This is a great side dish with plenty of protein, if you don't mind the salt from the processed condiments. I try not to think about it, and it tastes so good that you may not care!

We've had this with burgers, meatloaf, chicken and also rice. It is an every-meal kind of food (meaning it can fit in with any sort of meal).