The Male Martha!
Fun,Love and living!

With all the hustle and bustle,stress and strife in our life, take a moment to Relax.....ALL WEEKEND!      Clean the house at a leisurely pace.    Read a good book and shut off the phone and the internet!    Try to be human and hang with friends.

                                   

The weather here in Maine is going to be very cold and wet, so what better way to warm the cockles than to have baked beans.    If your from another part of the country and never had this dish...well now is your chance.  

These beans take a lot prep and cook time, but there’s nothing better.  So start them in the morning..just like grandma would have done!   Sunday is the best day for this!

Ingredients:

2 pounds of beans (usually pea beans, yellow eye beans, soldier beans, jacob’s cattle)

1/2 pound of salt pork,

1/4 cup sugar,

1/2 cup molasses for light or 2/3 cup molasses for dark,

2 teaspoons dry mustard,

1/2 teaspoon black pepper,

1 1/2 teaspoon salt,

one onion (optional)

Preperation:

To Begin: two pounds of dried beans - usually Navy beans, yellow eye beans, soldier beans, jacob’s cattle. For those of you who have never had baked beans, they can be prepped in two ways:

1) soak overnight in cold water

2) par boil

If you choose option one: be sure the pan you choose will hold the two pounds of beans, once the beans have soaked up the cold water you are going to cover them with.

If you choose option two: par boil the beans (starting w/ cold water), until their skins break apart, when you blow on them.

On the day you bake the beans, preset oven for 375 deg. The first two hours of baking are at 375 deg, the last four hours are at 350 deg.

Whether you use option one or two, the next step is the same: Drain the beans and place in bean pot, then add the rest of the ingredients listed below.

1/2 pound of salt pork,

1/4 cup sugar,

1/2 cup molasses for light or 2/3 cup molasses for dark,

2 teaspoons dry mustard,

1/2 teaspoon black pepper,

1 1/2 teaspoon salt,

one onion (optional)

Maine tradition serves this bean dish w/ fried ham slices , coleslaw, or green salad. Brown bread, corn bread, or a homemade yeast bread are nice additions.

Relax and enjoy some fresh air, go for a walk or check up on that friend or friends you haven't been able to see in a while!

until we cook , shop and explore again!

Dan Viger

The Male Martha @ Home @ Hollis 5 Corners, Maine.