The Magical Fruit

It's the last day of my weekend before I return to work. I've certainly got the "Lazy Sunday Blues" I spent last night reading Dr. Who canon and watching Kenny play Magic and Versus. I realize that it's not a very exciting or even physically taxing, but I feel like it's an effort just to wander into the kitchen to get a glass of juice let alone prepare an entire meal. It's definitely a slow cooker meal day. 

Kenny has been asking me to make franks and beans for a couple of weeks now. I've been leery of tackling this meal because I continually picture the pork and bean meals straight from the can that some of my previous ex's touted as the epitome of high cuisine. Even writing that sentence causes me to shudder and my gut clench. Still laziness is a demanding mistress and this recipe required very little work for me.

Charisma's been practicing her knife cuts, so I let her do the prep for this meal. They're so neat I could cry with pride.

Slow Cooked Baked Beans

You Will Need:

1 lb. dry white beans, soaked overnight*

1/2 c molasses

1/3 c sugar

1/4 c honey

4 tbsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder

3/4 lb thick cut bacon

3/4 lb breakfast sausage

1 medium onion

hot water

Set your crock pot to high heat.**

Mix 1 tbsp molasses and sugar together to make brown sugar. Combine with about 3 cups of water, the rest of the molasses, honey, mustard, and spices.

Line the bottom of the slow cooker with 1/4 of the bacon, 1/4 of the sausage. Cover with 1/2 of the beans.

***In a saute pan, render the 1/4  of the bacon until brown and almost crisp. Add the onions and saute until tender. Add 1/4 of the sausage and brown lightly. Add the the crock pot and cover with rest of the beans. Top with the remaining bacon and sausage. Cover and turn the crock pot to low heat for 6-8 hours, or until the beans are tender making sure to check the water levels about every 2 hours (or whenever you return to the kitchen for a snack or to put the ice cream tub back like I do).

*Being the lovely procrastinator that I am, I followed the package instructions for a quick soak that only takes an hour.

**If you came across this recipe while cruising the interwebs for food porn and realized you wanted to try this but darn it you don't own a slow cooker and can't be bothered to put on pants to go get one, I commend you. You are my people. You can do this recipe on the stove using a heavy bottomed pot set over low heat.

*** If you're feeling super lazy, you can just dump everything in the crock pot, give it a good stir, cover it and walk away.