I have no idea when or where I came across the handy, unpretentious 1994 Washington Cookbook, Volume 2, but I’m glad I did. Who could keep from smiling at such entries as “John McCain’s Baked Beans”?
Mr. McCain’s beans are exactly what I’m using today as part of my Kids Cook Monday recipe for beanie weenies. I grew up eating lots of my Auntie M’s beans & weens; to her credit, she doesn’t do much measuring, which makes it easy for her to prepare them but tough to share a recipe. This recipe from The WC vol. 2 is a great substitute in my opinion.
The kids love to help me measure ingredients and load up the crock pot. And I even let Vivi cut up the hotdogs with her own (somewhat dull, serrated) paring knife. You can use rehydrated dried beans if you want, but that’s a little more high fallutin’ than you might want out of your Bs & Ws. I’m experimenting for the first time this week with baking fresh shell beans (the traditional way of making Boston baked beans); if all goes well, I’ll share that recipe later on. It’s Bean Week, y’all! Catch the wave.
beanie weenies (aka baked beans and hotdogs)serves 8
4 strips bacon, cut into 1/2 in pieces1 medium onion, chopped1 16-oz can kidney beans, drained & rinsed1 16-oz can baked beans5 hotdogs, cut in 1/2 in pieces*1 c. ketchup (I substitute 1/2 w/ tomato jam)1/2 c. packed brown sugar1 tsp. vinegar1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Sauté bacon and onion together in a skillet until onion is translucent and bacon is cooked. Add all ingredients to a crock pot, stir together, and set on high for 2-3 hours until, as Vivi says, “everything is the same color.” It’s ridiculously easy.
*You can leave out the hotdogs, in which case you’d be making regular baked beans!