Southern Baked Beans
1 pound dried small white beans.
1 bay leaf
1 15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 large yellow onion, chopped small
1 green bell pepper, chopped small
1 large stalk of celery, chopped small
4-6 large cloves of garlic, well chopped
2-3 T. olive oil
About 1/2 C. ketchup
About 1/2 C. good barbecue sauce
2 heaping T. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 squirt of sriracha, to your taste
Sort through the dried beans and discard bad ones or any dirt. Rinse well and cover with cold water. Let sit over-night. When ready to cook, add the bay leaf and make sure the beans are covered with enough water. Bring the beans to a boil and then lower the heat and cook, slightly covered, on top of the stove until tender, but not mushy. Add more water if necessary as they cook. While beans are cooking, sauté the onions, bell pepper, garlic, and celery until soft, then set aside. When the beans are done, drain off the liquid and retain it. Add the onion mixture, the crushed tomatoes, and the rest of the ingredients. Stir the beans and taste them to see if you need more ketchup, mustard and so forth (I always do). Add bean broth, if necessary, to have the liquid just cover the beans. Cover the pot with a well fitting lid, and bake for about 1 hour at 350 degrees.