Mirthful Baked Beans

This is my take on New England style baked beans with maple syrup & molasses.  I’m using Maine Yellow Eye Beans from my friends Charley & Carol Baer in South Berwick, Maine.

Rinse 2 cups of dried Maine Yellow Eye Beans & sort through to remove any rocks. Add to a heavy bottomed pot or medium sized Dutch oven & fill with water 1.5 inches above the beans, (optional, add a bay leaf). Bring to a boil, cover & simmer until beans are tender, but not mushy, 1-ish hour. Add more hot water as needed to keep the beans covered throughout cooking.

Meanwhile, chop a medium onion & add ¼ of it to a small pan, sauté in olive oil. Add 1-2 cups canned tomatoes, 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar, 1 TBSP molasses, ½ cup maple syrup, the spice packet (2 tsp Stock+Spice New England Baked Bean Seasoning), and 1-ish TBSP salt.

When beans are ready, remove bay leaf, drain & reserve the liquid. Rinse beans with cold water to stop the cooking process. Combine the beans along with tomato mixture & enough of the reserved bean water to make it a bit soupy, (or additional water). Bake covered at 325 for 5 hours. Check occasionally to stir & to add more hot reserved bean water, (or plain hot water), if the beans begin to get too thick.

Enjoy!