Welcome to The Bean Pot Cafe...

Well, at least that's what the sign in my kitchen says anyway!

We love Baked Beans!  I put them in my Chili even!  Along with Butter Beans and Chili beans as well! 

This post is actually going to be part "Dear John" letter, with one little twist on name:

To My Dearest JANE,

     As requested, I am reporting back to you on the Baked Bean making session.  Now I was so very proud of you for having cracked out your Pressure Canner for the first time!  I too, brought mine out for the season's first round.
     After spending at least a half an hour reading and re-reading the directions, because I too am always terrified at first, I managed to get everything in place.
    Now you had indicated that you had an R-Rated day.  My hope for you, was that your next round would be at best, PG or PG-13.  Clearly you are a far more disciplined 'canner' than I am.  My day was entirely X-Rated.  I am not proud!  My mouth was like a trucker and I am fairly confident that I scorched poor Jenny-Girl's ears along the way.  Ooops!
    Pig Pen arrived home just in time for my tirade and was immediately put to work.  I am forever grateful that he does not take my "Bossy" self to heart.  Geesh...how did you manage an R rating???

Sincerely,
The Apple Pie Gal aka Mouth Like a Truckers Wife (yesterday anyway)

So, as you can tell, things went a bit wrong.  The Baked Beans themselves turned out.  But, I dumped hot bean juice all over the counter and onto the floor.  Then while filling the Pressure Canner, I dumped hot boiling water down the cabinets, onto the floor and thusly splashing up my unprotected legs and flip flop feet.  Errrr....

In any case, here is the recipe I used:

4 C Dried Navy Beans
1/2 Lbs Bacon or Salt Pork
4 t Canning Salt
4 T Molasses
6 T Brown Sugar
2 Cup Onion
3 t Dry Mustard
1 Qt Tomato Juice
3/4 C Broth from Cooked Beans (reserved)

Clean, sort out the ookey ones, soak them overnight. 
Have jars, rims and lids hot and ready to go.
Prepare your Canner as per instructions in Canner manual.
Boil the beans in the same soaked water until they begin to crack.  (About 1/2 and hour or slightly longer) 
While beans are boiling: Chop Onion, Cut Bacon/Salt Pork into small pieces and measure all other ingredients.
When beans are cooked, drain and reserve the broth/cooking liquid!  Have slop towels ready or enter X-Rated...
Add all ingredients listed above into your stock pot and mix well.  Return to heat and keep warm.
Once you have yourself pulled back together, ladle into hot jars and place into canner as per manual and try not to scorch ears, feet or other objects or persons.
Process at 10 lbs of pressure for 75 minutes.
Makes 8 Pints

Now I will make a few adjustments next time.  I used a very stout Molasses and dark, dark brown sugar.  I will just use regular varieties next time.  I kept one pint out for dinner last night.  I think it needs a bit more tomato too.  Either that or the less stout darks might make the differnece.  But I will make it again.

So to release a little pressure from something other than that dern canner, we went for a little ride!

Caitlin was able to come check out the new toy and break it in a bit!

She found a flower!  She was so excited...we are still girls after all!

We took turns:

Then of course, Long and Lanky Loren and Pig Pen went "Down River" and didn't come back for a bit.  Did they get washed away?  Stuck?  No, just went in over their heads and bogged it out!

Good thing they know what they are doing!

I am sure there will be many more of the Boys Breaking the Toys!