baked beans

I would consider baked beans one of my favorite dishes of all time, so when I say that I love these... I LOVE these!  They are everything baked beans are supposed to be... sweet and smokey, yet tangy with some zip.  I used to think that the best baked beans were Bush's from a can... just like they were, without anything added to them, straight from the can.  Heat and eat.  Wow, was I wrong and honestly not sure I should even be admitting that! 

I used a mixture of beans for this recipe, partly because I thought it would be pretty but also because I had 3 bags of beans that each had small amounts... and what better way to use the leftovers!?  If you are buying beans and just want to use one variety, navy beans work well.

This vegetarian version of baked beans is the best thanks to the cilantro (my personal favorite) and the liquid smoke seasoning, which gives it the smokey flavor.  It completely substitutes the need for ham or bacon, however if you prefer you can still add them.  If you have leftovers (or want to make extra)...no worries because they might just be better the next day!

Servings 8-10
Total Time 3 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups beans (I used a mixture of black beans, lima beans, and northern beans... pretty much  what I had sitting in my cabinet)
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 onion, chopped
• handful of chopped cilantro 

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook beans according to package directions, until tender.  Since I decided to use a blend I just went with the longer cooking time.

 Preheat oven to  350 degrees F.

In a baking dish add the molasses, salt, pepper, mustard, ketchup, sugar, bragg's, vinegar, liquid smoke, and onion.  Mix together until well blended.

Stir in the beans and add about a cup of water.  You want the beans to be in liquid but not floating.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour.  Remove foil, stir, and continue baking for 30 minutes. (at this point if the sauce seems runny you can add a teaspoon of flour well blended into a couple tablespoons of water to the beans, gave them a stir and they will thicken right up, but do this straight out of the oven while they are still boiling)

Serve topped with cilantro and enjoy!!!