CrockPot Baked Beans with Apples and Jalapeño


Day 363.


mmmm. beans.
I really like baked beans, and am excited to have a few cups of these left in the refrigerator. I'm going to have some more with my pancakes this morning.

Again. I'm eating pancakes again.

We've had pancakes every. single. day. since school let out, and it doesn't look like that will be stopping. I'm glad I bought the big bags of Pamela's.

this has nothing to do with beans.

or the crockpot.

sorry.

The Ingredients.
--1 lb bacon, divided (I used turkey)
--2 cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
--1/2 yellow onion, diced
--2 granny smith apples, cored and diced (no need to peel)
--1 or 2 canned jalapeños, diced
--3 cloves garlic, minced
--1 tsp dry mustard
--1/2 tsp kosher salt
--1/4 cup ketchup
--1/3 cup apple juice
--2 T molasses
--1 T brown sugar (I did not add this, see verdict below)



The Directions.

Use a 3-4 quart crockpot. Put 2 pieces of bacon into the bottom of your crockpot. Layer in the
beans, jalapeño, onion, and apples. Sprinkle dry spices on the beans. Add the ketchup, molasses, and apple juice. Stir gingerly to combine.
Add 2 more pieces of bacon to the top of the beans. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-8. This is finished when the onions and apples are translucent and the flavors have fully melded.

Cook the remaining slices of bacon on the stove top and crumble over the top.

The Verdict.

I really liked these beans, but I missed the sweetness of traditional baked beans. Next time I will add a tablespoon of brown sugar with the dry spices. I needed to add some more chopped jalapeño to my bowl, but everyone else ate it plain. It wasn't spicy (to me) and the kids were okay with it. They didn't eat very much, and filled up on cornbread.



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Posted by: Stephanie O'Dea | A Year of Slow Cooking at December 28, 2008

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What they say about this article

  1. Hi Steph, I'm not sure where the proper place to post this question would be, so I'm posting it here. What are you (we) going to do after the year is over? Will you leave us? Whatever will I do? Please say you'll keep going on in 2009!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. only 2 days left!! What then?

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  3. Steph, I was wondering the same thing-will all your recipes still be available ? It's going to be weird with you not posting a new crockpot recipe everyday. Will miss your blog and you too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm with Trish...
    What are we going to do?

    ReplyDelete
  5. My comment's around the same lines as Trish - just wanting to let you know how much your reader's have appreciated this wonderful year of crockpotting :)

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  6. You are all so wonderful and sweet and you make me cry.
    The blog won't go anywhere, and will live on in cyberspace.

    I'm going to take a vacation, then will post probably about once a week.
    xoxo
    steph

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for posting this wonderful news, Steph, that you'll be posting in 2009 for us--we all appreciate you soooo much! :-)

    I confess I have never made baked beans on my own. (That can of Bush's just made it so easy, and Bush's are GF, too.) I agree that the brown sugar sweetness is important for baked beans. Some friends who love apples and jalapenos will want to try this recipe though. ;-)

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  8. Anonymous12/28/2008

    You must try crushed pineapple in beans. It is awesome!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So glad to hear you will keep the blog going with occasional posts. You so deserve a vacation! My family thanks you for this year of blogging that I only discovered recently. They've had seconds of each thing I've tried from your recipes. Success!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Steph,

    You are closing in and still going strong. Hats off to you for hanging in there!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Steph,

    First time caller, long time listener... Uh, er, you know what I mean. Thanks for the wonderful ideas, recipes & comments. It's been a pleasure. I'm hoping to reference this blog much more in the future as my 50% GF family keeps looking for more meal ideas.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous12/28/2008

    So, how about some crockpot pancakes???

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  13. Ha! I haven't commented for ages, but I was going to ask the EXACT SAME THING! And you have thoughtfully answered it. You must be psychic! No, wait...

    In case I am too drunk to comment on New Years' Day, I just wanna say THANK YOU for making my crockpot the hub of my kitchen. You are wonderful. My kids love you. My dog loves you. My husband loves you. All our love.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow--the emotions you must feel being so close to being done! I found your blog early in the year and have immensley enjoyed seeing the update each day. I certainly hope it becomes a printed cookbook after the end! I bet you're looking forward to being able to cook a little more without the crockpot, but I bet you also have lots of recipes you still want to try in the crockpot! Maybe, a weekly blog in 2009? Then, monthly in 2010? :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous12/28/2008

    oh, crockpot lady...it's been such fun this year clicking on your blog every day and seeing what this crock-potless non-cook might be crocking up if she just had the gumption. maybe i'll take you as inspiration and acquire a crockpot as a new year, 2009, resolution. you have been tempting me all year long. i shall miss you, truly, thanx.

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  16. We just had crockpot chicken chili for dinner, made with canned cannelini beans. I am impressed with how the beans don't break down despite cooking for 7 hours or so.

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  17. Ok, I recently began reading your blog and made the lentils which we all loved at lunch. But I have to share my disaster later in the day. I attempted to carry the crock pot out to the car because I was bringing this to my daughter's potluck, but I slipped on the lowest step and the pot fell onto the stone and broke and I fell upon it and cut my left wrist badly! Still, I will make this recipe again, but I may not carry the pot myself! Or I will be much more careful.

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  18. Oh Kristi! I'm so sorry! Are you okay? Did you need stitches?

    xoxo
    steph

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  19. Anonymous12/28/2008

    Steph,

    I am so relieved to hear you are leaving the blog up. Next year, I hope to use our crockpot more, and with ds being gf/cf (and egg-free), your site is a great fit for us. Thank you so much for all your hard work.

    Amie

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  20. omgosh just came to post the same as the others lol, was starting to panic because the year is almost over hehe..glad to hear you will be still keeping up the blog :D Yayy

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  21. I didn't need stitches, and it is nearly all healed now, and I bought a new crockpot and will be happily reading your blog. I'm so glad you are continuing.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous12/29/2008

    Funny how everyone had the same thoughts as me- only 2 days left - sniff sniff :(

    I'll miss coming here daily for my crockpot recipe fix. All good things must come to an end I guess.

    Thanks so much for your stick-to-it-iveness (ok, probably not a word but you know what i mean) - kudos to you for not only that, but posting awesome recipes! Bev

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  23. Thank you SO much for this great blog. I've used three of the recipes already and looking forward to more.

    But wait--will there be more after December 31? Will you move to another style of cooking?

    I'm curious!

    Roxanne

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  24. Anonymous12/29/2008

    Steph-

    If you are still using up your pancake mix maybe you could make the kids homemade mcgriddles for breakfast :) My husbands grandmother always made him nana mcmuffins ;)

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  25. Miss your posts. The canned jalepenos. Are they pickled?

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  26. Hi cdee,
    I don't think so. They don't taste pickled, just jalapenoey.

    xox
    steph

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  27. Wow, I can't believe I just now found your blog! I just bought a larger CP yesterday (Hamilton Beach 6 qt with programmable thermostat!) and I was looking for a recipe to cook a whole chicken in the crockpot. My husband thought I was crazy, but after I found your site, I see that I can do a lot more stuff.

    You are obviously a very clever woman, so I send you blessings for continued fun and whatever.

    CrockPot on!
    Maureen in Texas

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  28. Ooooooh my goodness! I used 1 jar of sliced jalepenos, without the juice. I added a bit more water and apple juice so the apples on top wouldn't dry out.

    It smells so good, but it's SO spicy, it's overwhelming! My boyfriend has yet to give his verdict, but I'm a wuss when it comes to spice.

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  29. Anonymous9/20/2009

    I made this today and my husband LOVED it. He gave it a 10. Thanks!

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