Margaret Lefevers Wonderful Baked Beans Food

THE BEST BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the paprika and toast, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato sauce, molasses, bourbon, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
• Add the beans and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake until the beans are tender, about 3 hours. (If the beans are still slightly firm, continue cooking, stirring every 45 minutes and adding more water if necessary to just cover.)
• Once the beans are tender, uncover and increase the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake until the beans are thick and browned, about 1 more hour. (Again, if the beans need more time, continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary.) Remove from the oven and thin with water if necessary.

PERFECTLY BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Fry the regular chopped bacon in a large, deep skillet until the bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings. Add the onions, peppers and jalapenos, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, mustard and chipotles, and bring to a simmer. (If the skillet is not large enough, add the beans and heat to a simmer and then transfer to a large bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients). Pour the flavored beans into an aluminum pan. Top with the uncooked slices of bacon (you can halve the slices if you like). Then bake until the beans are bubbly and the sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

VEGETARIAN BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Place beans in a large pot and add enough water to cover; let soak overnight. Drain and return to pot; add enough water to cover and simmer over medium-high heat for 30 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl; stir in molasses, maple syrup, mustard, and tomatoes. Set aside.
• Coat the bottom of a Dutch oven or a 9-by-13-inch high-sided baking dish with olive oil. Add onions and top with bean mixture. Add enough boiling water to cover bean mixture by 1 inch. Cover Dutch oven with lid or baking dish with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Transfer to oven and bake until beans are softened, about 1 1/2 hours, checking water level and adding more as necessary.
• Uncover beans and continue baking until thick and syrupy, about 45 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

THE ULTIMATE BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Special equipment: 4 individual crocks
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the molasses, ketchup, mustard, and chiles in a blender and puree. Scrape that into a big bowl, add the beans and season with salt and black pepper, and gently toss so that the beans are coated with the molasses mixture. Divide the mixture evenly amongst individual crocks. Top each crock with a piece of pancetta, sprig of rosemary and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Bake in the oven until the bacon is browned and fat is rendered, about 25 minutes.

MARGARET LEFEVER'S WONDERFUL BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Boil beans 1 minute.
• Soak two hours , then cook 15 minutes til tender.
• Add water if necessary.
• Leave the beans in the water.
• Mix rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT bacon.
• Put bacon in the bottom of the greased casserole dish.
• Then beans, then sauce.
• Bake 3 hours at 350.
• Cover til halfway.
• If drying add little catsup and water.

BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Put a heavy-bottomed pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until the fat renders and bacon begins to crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the ketchup, tomato puree, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and cayenne and mix well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the beans until well coated, cover, and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the lid and continue baking until sauce thickens and the beans begin to brown, about 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

MARGARET LEFEVER'S BRAN MUFFINS

Steps:

• Mix well together everything, EXCEPT raisin bran.
• Then fold in raisin bran.
• Grease muffin tins.
• Bake 20 minutes at 400F degrees.
• Keeps six weeks in refrigerator.