Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: VG
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook time: 3 hours 15 min-3 hours 30 min.
Difficulty: 1

I took the classic kid friendly Frank and Beans recipe to the next level with these home made beans and some Louisiana style hot link sausages! Zo and I both really enjoyed this recipe from our childhoods and Zo went back for seconds and thirds! If your kids like Frank and Beans but your tastes are a little more grown up try this as a family substitute!

Ingredients:
4 Louisiana style beef hot links (sliced and halved)
1 cup navy beans
1/4 pound smoked deli bacon (chopped)
1/2 white onion (finely diced)
1 tbsp 2 tsp molasses
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
Kosher salt (to taste)
fresh crack pepper (to taste)

Hot links
In a medium skillet over medium heat cook hot links for 10 minutes flipping occasionally to cook evenly.

Baked beans
Soak beans overnight in a medium sauce pan of cold water. Place sauce pan over medium high heat and simmer for 2 hours. Drain liquid into separate sauce pan and save 1 1/2 cups of liquid in sauce pan and pour the rest in a bowl and set to the side.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Pour beans into a medium sized baking dish and mix together with onions and bacon.

In saucepan with reserved liquid stir in molasses, salt, pepper, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire and sugar bringing mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling pour over beans and cover with aluminium foil.

Bake covered at 325 degrees for 1 hour 45 minutes then remove aluminum foil and bake for an additional 1 hour 30 minutes or until beans are tender. If beans appear to be drying out pour more of the reserved liquid over them to keep the moist.