Backyard BBQ Baked Beans

INGREDIENTS

½ cup Bull's-Eye Original barbecue sauce

½ cup ketchup

½ cup water

2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 ¼ pounds bratwurst, casings removed

2 onions, chopped

2 (28-ounce) cans Bush's Original baked beans

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained

2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained

1 (10-ounce) can Ro-tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained

6 slices center-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

Be sure to use a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan; the volume of the beans is too great for a 13 by 9-inch ceramic baking dish, and it will overflow. 

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk barbecue sauce, ketchup, water, mustard, vinegar, liquid smoke, granulated garlic, and cayenne together in large bowl; set aside.

OUTSIDE IF POSSIBLE: Cook bratwurst in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up into small pieces with spoon, until fat begins to render, about 5 minutes. Stir in onions and cook until sausage and onions are well browned, about 15 minutes.

Transfer bratwurst mixture to bowl with sauce. Stir in baked beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, and tomatoes. Transfer bean mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking pan and place pan on rimmed baking sheet. Arrange bacon pieces in single layer over top of beans.

Bake until beans are bubbling and bacon is rendered, about 1½ hours or longer if needed. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.

TO MAKE AHEAD: At end of step 3, beans can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Proceed with recipe from step 4, increasing baking time to 1¾-2 hours.

NOTES: Recipe creator calls for Bush’s Original Recipe Baked Beans and Bull’s-Eye Original Barbecue Sauce. I've used also used Stubb's BBQ sauce with 6 tablespoons water and the addition of 2-3 teaspoons blackstrap molasses.

Tex-Mex Black Bean Dip

 One 15-ounce can black beans, drained

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup diced tomato

1/3 cup milk picante sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4-1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Place beans in a bowl; partially mash until chunky. Set aside.

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute four minutes or until tender. Add beans, tomato, picante sauce, cumin, and chili powder; cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheese, cilantro, and lime juice, stirring well. Serve warm or at room temperature with chips.

Classic Candied Yams

six servings

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 medium)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Prepare and cook sweet potatoes by coating lightly with vegetable oil and roasting on a baking sheet lined with parchment at 375 for 45-60 minutes. Check for doneness. They should be tender yet not falling apart. They should show a little resistance in the middle. Allow to cool then remove skins and cut crosswise into ½- to ¾-inch slices. (Picture shows 1/4-inch slices.) At this point you may store the cooked slices covered in the fridge if making ahead.

Stovetop directions: Mix brown sugar, butter, water, and salt in skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Add sweet potato slices; stir gently until glazed and heated through. Spoon hot brown sugar mixture over the top and flip halfway through. About 15 minutes makes them yummy and thoroughly caramelized.

Oven directions (for less hands-on method and for larger amounts): Prepare sheet pans with sliced sweet potatoes and syrup ingredients multiplied accordingly. Try roasting uncovered at 350-375 degrees (higher?) for several minutes before flipping.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

So easy, so delicious.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
source: Cooking Light, September 2001

40 asparagus spears, trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce (low-sodium)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400˚.

Prep tip: Pick up one asparagus spear and snap it. Line up this spear with the rest and cut to that length.

Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes or until tender.

In a small skillet over medium heat, cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Watch carefully; do not burn butter. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. (Careful! The sauce bubbles up ferociously. I always quickly place a splatter screen over the skillet. Learned this the hard way.)

Drizzle sauce over the asparagus, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately.

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds

Link

I discovered this recipe a few years ago. In a word, Yum! Best as an after-school snack on a chilly autumn day but great any time.

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
adapted from Cooks Illustrated Magazine Nov Dec 2008

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about six evenly sized, 2-3" diameter), peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste (1/8 teaspoon)
up to 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, if desired

Slice peeled sweet potatoes into 3/4-inch rounds. Place into a bowl, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to completely coat.

Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with a layer of aluminum foil. (I use a 12x18 sheet cake pan.) Coat with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange potatoes in an even layer. Using a second sheet of foil, cover the potatoes tightly.

Place pan in a cold oven and turn oven to 425˚F. Bake 30 minutes. Remove top layer of foil. 

Return to the oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, until bottom of potatoes are golden brown. (Lift with a spatula to check underneath.) Remove from oven and flip over each potato slice. Return to the oven, baking 12-15 minutes more until other side browns. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before eating.

Note: I place the cooked rounds on a rack to cool to help maintain crisp exteriors. Interiors should be creamy. They do improve in flavor if you can hold off eating them until they cool to room temperature.