Baked Beans in the Crockpot

Want simple?  Want easy?  Want economical?  Want healthy?
This is it!

This recipe was my mother's, recipe who was French Canadian.  Baked beans with maple syrup is very much a French Canadian dish.  I've modernized it by making them in the crockpot.  I just love coming home to the wonderful aroma of something delicious cooking.  And I love just as much that dinner is ready and I have nothing to do but scoop it out and serve it!

The finished product is lighter in colour than traditional Boston Baked Beans, which uses molasses to get that rich dark brown colour.


Baked Beans:

Ingredients:

3 cups navy beans (dry)
2 medium onions
1 tsp dry mustard
1 Tbsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ cup brown sugar or molasses
1 tsp coffee, if desired


Instructions:

Wash beans and soak overnight.   This is an important step, don't skip it.

Next morning, add all ingredients. Put in an ovenproof baking dish with a lid.

Add water to cover.  Note:  the more water, the creamier the beans, less water is drier.  Some people like them creamier, some prefer them with less liquid.

Bake at 250 degrees for 3-4 hours or 350 degrees for 2 ½ hours.
Note:  I bake them in a crockpot on low for 8-10 hours.

Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup. Even better the following day!

Pioneer Woman - Overnight Baked French Toast



I just love recipes that I can prepare ahead of time and simply pop in the oven.  Easy peasy!

There's nothing quite like a hot, delicious breakfast on the weekend.  But hey, if you're so inclined, make it a special weekday treat!

I'm a big fan of the Pioneer Woman.  Love her show, love her recipes, love her blog!
www.thepioneerwoman.com.  Check her out - you'll love her too!

This is Ree's recipe, exactly as posted:

Ingredients:

• FOR THE FRENCH TOAST:
• 1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread
• 8 whole Eggs
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
• 3/4 cups Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract

• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 pinch Nutmeg - Optional
• 1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
• Fresh Fruit (optional)

Instructions:

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

In a medium sized bowl mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and cut them into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 F. Remove casserole from the fridge and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you're using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.
 

Rose Reisman Cookbook

I just love cookbooks!  I read them like a novel.  The new cookbook from Rose Reisman, entitled "The Best of Rose Reisman - 20 Years of Healthy Recipes" is excellent!

If you are not familiar with Rose Reisman, Rose is a well known health and wellness expert, caterer and author of many cookbooks.  She's has now opened a restaurant called "Glow Fresh Grill and Wine Bar" in Toronto.  I'm sure it's delicious!

This cookbook if chocked full of fabulous, healthy, low-fat recipes that taste delicious.  I'm slowly working my way through the cookbook.  So far, I've made the Tuscan Bean Soup and the Chicken Meatloaf.  I would make both recipes again for sure.

Here's a picture of the chicken meatloaf.  It's made with low-fat ground chicken and layered with a combination of roasted red peppers and rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes, monterey jack cheese and parmesan cheese.  It was delicious!

I have to apologize, as it is not a very good picture and doesn't do the recipe justice. 

 I'll take another one next time I make the recipe.

Clam Chowder

There's nothing quite like soup to satisfy.  Warm, comfy, earthy....

This clam chowder recipe comes from Canadian Living - http://www.canadianliving.com/food/clam_chowder.php.  It was delicious.  We added shrimps to it as well, but you could easily use any type of sturdy fish or seafood.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (5 oz/150 g) baby clam
• 4 strips chopped bacon
• 1 chopped onions
• 1 chopped celery stalk
• 2 minced cloves of garlic
• 3 small red-skinned potatoes, cubed (about 12 oz/375 g)
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) (30 mL) all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) (2 mL) salt
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) (2 mL) pepper
• 1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 2 cups (500 mL) milk
• 1 cup (250 mL) corn kernels
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley

  

This recipe's ingredients have been scaled and recalculated for your automated grocery list. The method still refers to the original recipe amounts. RECIPES HAVE BEEN TESTED USING ORIGINAL AMOUNTS ONLY, AND SCALED RESULTS MAY VARY. Click here to learn more about scaling Canadian Living recipes.

Preparation:
 

Drain clams, reserving juice; set aside.

In large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes; drain off fat. Add onion, celery and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, flour, salt and pepper; stir until vegetables are coated.

Stir in stock and reserved clam juice; bring to simmer. Cover and cook, stirring, until potatoes are tender, 15 minutes.

Add milk, corn and reserved clams; heat until bubbling and hot, 3 minutes. Serve garnished with parsley.

Fall Decor

In previous posts, I've mentioned how much I love FALL!  I even decorate for the season.  There's something so calming and comforting, having your home look like fall.  It's my favourite season, so why not enjoy it.....

Here are some ideas to make your home look like fall....

I found these amazing metal pumpkins at Homesense.

LOVE THEM!  and LOVE that store....

I used the urns on my front porch that I use year round.

I had two grapevine wreaths in the basement, purchased some fall garland at the Dollar Store and popped them on top of the urn. 

Then I sat the pumpkin on top and added a battery operated candle

which turns on and off at the same time each night.

I made two wreaths for my front doors.

Bought two inexpensive grapevine wreaths and fall garland.

These wreaths cost me $8.00 each to make.  Can you believe it?

These wreaths would cost $40.00 in a local store.

Gosh I love a bargain!

 



Last year for the first time, I decorated my mantle for the fall.

  I thought to myself "why have I not done this before?". 

It looks so pretty with the fall garland, mini pumpkins and pinecones.

Saw this idea on Pinterest.

Oh have I mentioned that I'm a Pinterest addict??  It's such a great site.

I took mason jars and added green lentils, adzuki beans (or any brown lentil or brown bean would do)
 and yellow lentils on top. 

I added a flameless votive and added raffia around the top.

Nestled in amongst leaves and mini pumpkins, you have a quick, easy and inexpensive arrangement.  Mines on my kitchen table, but it could easily go anywhere.

Can't lie.... Saw this on Pinterest too.  :)