| Home | Features | Cooking Dictionary | Cook-&-Book Reviews | Read the Articles |

Appetizer Recipes Bar & Brownie Recipes Beef & Veal Recipes Beverage & Drink Recipes Bread Recipes Breakfast Recipes Cake & Frosting Recipes Candy Recipes Chicken Recipes Cookie Recipes Dessert Recipes Ground Meat & Sausage Holiday Recipes International Recipes Lamb Recipes Pet Recipes Pie & Pie Crust Recipes Pork & Ham Recipes Salad & Dressing Recipes Sandwich Recipes Sauce & Condiment Recipes Seafood & Fish Recipes Sidedish Recipes Soup & Stew Recipes Special Diets Recipes Turkey Recipes Vegetarian Entree Recipes Wild Game Recipes

3 slices bacon, chopped
3/4 cup sliced green onions and tops
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cans (15 ounces each) Navy or Great Northern beans or 6 cups cooked dry-packaged Navy or Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeño pepper
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup pineapple or apple juice
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Fry bacon in small skillet until crisp; drain bacon thoroughly on paper towels. Discard all but 1 teaspoon bacon fat; add onions and garlic to skillet and sauté until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Mix all ingredients in 1 1/2-quart casserole. Bake, covered, at 350° F. for 1 1/2hours, then bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Microwave instructions: cook on medium high for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Makes 6 main dish servings or 12 side dish servings.

NOTE: Although B.E.A.N. recipes usually call for a specific variety, any canned or dry-packaged bean variety can be easily substituted for another.

Nutrient Information Per serving:Per serving: Fat 3g; % Calories from Fat 5; Carbohydrate 89g; Sodium 1206mg; Protein 22g; Cholesterol 3mg

TIPS:

Soaking Dry-Packaged Beans:

Before cooking, soak dry-packaged beans to help soften and return moisture to the beans and reduce cooking time. Most beans will rehydrate to triple their dry size, so be sure to start with a large enough pot.

Preferred Hot Soak and Quick Soak Methods -- Hot soaking helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances, making the beans easier to digest. For each pound beans, add 10 cups hot water; heat to boiling and let boil 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for at least one hour (Quick Soak), or up to 4 hours (Hot Soak).

Traditional Overnight Soak -- For each pound (2 cups) dry-packaged beans, add 10 cups cold water and let soak overnight, or at least 8 hours.

Cooking Dry-Packaged Beans:

• Drain soaking water and rinse beans; cook in fresh water. In general, beans take 30 minutes to 2 hours to cook depending on variety. Check bean packaging for specific cooking times and instructions.
• Spice up beans while they cook. Seasonings such as garlic, onion, oregano, parsley or thyme can be added to the pot while beans are cooking. Add acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, vinegar, wine or citrus juices, only at end of cooking, when the beans are tender.
• Add salt only after beans are cooked to tender. If added before, salt may cause bean skins to become impermeable, halting the tenderizing process.
• To test for doneness, bite-taste a few beans. They should be tender, but not overcooked. When cooling, keep beans in cooking liquid to prevent them from drying out.

Recipe provided courtesy of The Bean Education & Awareness Network.