It's been much, much to long.
I've returned from my unfortunate cooking, blogging and overall just being cool- less days!
Boy, what a summer it's been! I left my little studio apartment on 9th and Pine back in May (Farewell, Inferno!) and over the summer lived within The Mansion! Which is not only brimming with the most beautiful roommates ever, but these lads and ladies happen to also be exceptionally talented bakes & bakers, cooks and home-makers! (Maybe a little more emphasis on the whole bake thing..then the home-make thing, if you catch my drift..)
Anyway, living in a ...well, Mansion- with all these peeps and their pots, pans, cooking gidgets, gadgets and other various magical baking widgets was - to say the least- a lot of fun. All summer we had an array of ingredients that would be floating around the kitchen (Cactus leaves?) But, before you get this crystal idea of an hipster- Martha Stewart haven - take out that salt shaker and grab a grain. If you've ever been to The Mansion, especially before trash night (I hate Tuesday nights..) you know that when someone says the kitchen is "messy".. you probably are going to need a to put on a pair of galoshes, an air mask of some kind, heavy gloves. Pull your hair back, and don't drown in 4loko and pbr cans. You'll also have to fight for your life - literally- as about 6 cats (How many do we own again?) try and eat the flesh off your skin.
But, all in all- we had some great times, awesome food and of course, superior company!
I'm out of the Mansion now, twas only a summer fling- BUT that's not stopping my culinary experimenting! (If I can make cookies without butter, eggs, milk, a clean bowl or a baking sheet on a Friday night about 12loko's deep, I think I can take on any challenge you'd like to dish, spoon or ladle out to me.
Now see- If Mansion life is for you, that probably means a variety of things. 1. You can turn your smelling sensors off 2. You have this incredible super power that allows you to live off of about an average 3 hours of sleep 3. Donnie doesn't scare you (I never met this qualification) 4. You have an excellent palate and 5. You're ..well, broke.
Now the last 2 points bring me to the subject of my post- beans.
What's so great? Well, first of all- I'm not going to, this whole entry- make some crude comment about a ditty referring to the "fruit" (seriously, beans aren't fruit..it's not funny)
but they are cheep! And delicious..and nutritious.
So for all you cheep, starving bastards- listen up!
I'm guna give you the one, two on making baked beans-
It's a very good dish to whip up because like I mentioned, of it's affordable-ness and it's also a really good way to try your hands at making something without a recipe. You really can't screw it up. Also you can add a lot of variables to work around what you've already got in your cabinets- but here's the basics of what you need-
1- Several cans of beans.. yeah, you knew that
okay, personally I like thinking a little bit "out of the can" (pun again, jeeze- I'm just full of beans today!..okay. I'm stopping now.) I like to get a selection of beans- cause really- they're all beans, they are all guna cook in the same sauce- but if you grab a can of black, kidney (red) and pinto beans (they're the white ones) it makes it look a little less like you made a huge pot of glop. The only types I would stay away from is something sort of weird texture wise.. like cannellini beans, for example tend to be a little waxy and you want more of a mush.
2. (Here's where we cheat a tad) Ketchup, (or catsup.. even *fancy* catsup) BBQ Sauce and taco seasoning. When I lived on 9th and Pine, I had a very expansive spice cabinet- which was expensive to collect together and can be a little tricky for a novice to know off hand what spices work well together. Now, living more of less nomadically- I don't always have the right kitchen spices to get the job done. (Yeah, you know those friends think a spice wrack is those little pepper and salt packets from Micky D's? And some 4 year old soy sauce packs? Yup..no go) So if you grab bbq sauce and especially the taco seasoning, that's already going to have your cumin, chili powder, cayenne and all that good stuff right in there. Ketchup has a lot of sugar so that's a great sweetener. Also if you like things a little sweet, a bit of honey or better yet- pancake syrup, will give that rich, almost buttery taste. Remember though, go easy on this stuff. You can always add more.
3. Okay, here's where you can kinda raid around a little. The batch o' beans I just made up, actually included a very finely chopped, sort of muddled a little bit- apple. It adds that sweet flavor (think like - hickory roasted, apple meats and such) I also threw in some sweet baby tomatoes that were laying around. A dollop of sour cream, and a small hand full of sugar. Also a little salt and some parm for giggles. Chopped up peppers would be great here, just make sure if your going to throw something in that's a little harder in texture- to put it in your pot with some oil, BEFORE the beans and let it get all nice and mushy first. You don't want to take a bite into baked beans and have anything crunch.
So, now that you've looked over thee most blabby, gabby list of ingredients ever, let's move on.
Like I just mentioned, pour a little olive oil in a cooking pot that has a good lid. Heat it up- throw in your garlic, onions if you'd like (an apple in my case) anything that isn't powder-y or soft. And swoosh it around till the oil starts to sizzle and pop. Now I'd add some sugar, I like brown sugar for beans - but whatever floats you boat. Now start to add a can of beans- I suggest doing a one to two parts ratio with the bean juice. Lemme explain- I like throwing in the whole can (juice and all) in - then the other 2 drain them off. So if you're making beans to feed a starving colony- I'd say 2 cans of beans with the juice then 4 with out. (Look at me doing math..isn't it adorable?) It just gives it a little more of a sauce.
Mkay, so after you add in a can, start adding in catchup to taste and bbq sauce. Throw in the taco seasoning. This is a great thing to try again, cause you can do all the proportions to taste. Like it sweeter? Add some honey. Salty-er? Well, add some salt. You can really customize it to your palate. After you've got it all in there (remember, keep your flame on low...< that's something I'd never say in real life..) and keep stirring! This has a high burn potential..so keep it moving!
After a tad bit, turn the heat way down (again, apply to beans. Not real life) and put the lid on - let it sort of bake over the stove top. You do want the beans to get really hot all the way threw.
Okay kiddies! You did it.
Yum. I actually just made these today for Becky's going away party tonight (tears..)
The theme is cowboys.. so beans seemed about right. Obviously, I'm not going to be a cowboy- I'm clearly going to be a bandit. But a nice, domestic bandit that brings beans. And rum.
I probably won't share the latter.. well maybe. We'll see. Rum starts bringing me into pirate zone more then bandit..
Gypsy, pirate..bandit..
It's all just one big excuse for me to wear feathers and scarves.
Shit, I can wear a black mask too.
I'm done. Have a beautiful night and a wonderful tomorrow! Xo
Cravin' Maeve
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