Three Step Barbecue Baked Beans

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and the celebrations normally include a cookout. Baked beans are a traditional side dish for these occasions. If you prefer foregoing the canned beans soaking in a fat and sugar-laden sauce, then you'll love making these quick to fix barbecued beans.

I start with a mixture of dried navy, red and pinto beans. Dried beans are available in bulk at most grocery stores, and are easily stored in airtight canisters. They are also very economical, and useful for making soups and other meals as well.

Dry beans, however, normally need hours of slow cooking. This breaks down their outer starchy shell and makes them edible. The quick way around this is to use a pressure cooker.

The final step is to add flavor. You can make your own barbecue sauce if you wish, but I like to use my favorite bottled variety, and cut it with a small amount of either full flavored ginger ale (Vernors is tops for this), cola or lemon-line soda. You can use sugar-free for this if you like, as it is only for flavoring purposes.

Three Step Barbecue Baked Beans
4 c. dry beans
8 c water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. pork sausage (ground or link)
2 c. bottled barbecue sauce
1/2 c. ginger ale, cola or lemon-lime soda

Soak dry beans in salted water for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. Drain beans.

Place beans in pressure cooker. Add 8 cups fresh water, and seal lid. Bring to high pressure and cook for 45 minutes.  Allow pressure to reduce slowly for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain beans in colander.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. If using ground sausage, brown slightly and drain excess fat. Toss beans and sausage together to mix thoroughly, and spread evenly in casserole dish.

Mix barbecue sauce and soda together. Pour over bean and sausage mixture, stirring well. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Sauce should be thick and bubbly, and sausage cooked through. Serves 6 to 8.

NOTE: This recipe can be cooked on the grill in a cast iron pot. Just be sure to use indirect heat and stir periodically to keep the beans from scorching.

Roast Asparagus

You can find fresh asparagus at the grocery store or at many local farm markets

Roast Asparagus

One of the first crops to emerge and be harvested in the spring is asparagus. This delectable and succulent perennial vegetable is all too often steamed or boiled beyond recognition and then swathed in a coating of butter or Hollandaise sauce.

As much as I love anything that uses real butter, I also love keeping some of the crunch in my asparagus. That's why one of my go-to preparation methods for this veggie is roasting.

Roasting asparagus is a fast, simple and reliable. There are only two caveats: first, make sure the asparagus spears you use are fairly uniform in diameter, and second, be sure the oil you use holds up well in high heat. Virgin olive oil is one of the better choices for use.

After roasting your spears, season lightly with salt, lemon juice and / or chopped fresh chives (also available in the kitchen garden at this time of year).

Roast Asparagus
1 lb. asparagus spears, with the woody bottom of the stems trimmed off.
1/3 - 1/2 c. virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a lipped baking sheet with a sheet of aluminum foil. Evenly coat the foil with the olive oil. Place into the oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until oil is sizzling.

Toss asparagus spears onto heated baking sheet; the spears will begin to sizzle. Use tongs to swirl and coat with hot oil. Return to hot oven and roast 6 - 10 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the fattest spear.