Now that “cookout season” is in full swing, it seems like at least twice a week we are enjoying something hot off the grill. Typically this also includes some sort of bean dish on the side, and while it varies depending on the meal, one of our “old standby’s” is baked beans.

I’ll admit it… I too, like many people, find myself running out of time and will reach into the pantry for a can of “baked beans.” There are so many choices of canned BB’s at the store it’s easy to fall into this predicament. But, if you’re willing to start from scratch and give freshly baked beans a try just once, I guarantee you won’t go back to the mushy mess of canned beans again.

Let’s be honest, pretty much anything that includes some pork and pineapple we consider it “Hawaiian,” so it’s no wonder with plenty of bacon and fresh pineapple that this version of baked beans is called just that. The sweet and spicy flavors combine to produce an incredible taste that works great as a side dish for any cookout, but they are so good I’d eat them for any occasion all by themselves.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Great Northern Bean Soup

1- Whole Pineapple, peeled and diced

1- Medium Yellow Onion, diced

1- Green Pepper, diced

1/2- Cup Brown Sugar

1/2- Cup Ketchup

1/2- Cup Molasses

1/4- Cup Yellow Mustard

1/4- Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced

1/2-1 lb. Cooked Bacon, chopped or crumbled

1/4- Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Place the Northern’s in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Check for any dirt or debris and discard.

2. In a large soup pot, cover the beans with roughly 2″ of water and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the beans for about 1 hour. Once they begin to soften, pour the beans and 1/2 cup of liquid into a baking dish or dutch oven.

3. While the beans are cooking, saute the diced onion, peppers, and garlic in some of the left over bacon grease or olive oil. When the onion become translucent, add in the rest of the ingredients.

4. Mix well and simmer for 10-15 minutes, then pour it over the beans in the baking dish.

5. Add Hurst’s Ham Flavor and stir well to combine all ingredients.

6. Cover with foil and bake in a 350° oven 4-5 hours or until beans are completely tender. If you would like to thicken up the bean liquid, remove the foil for 30 minutes during the end of cooking.

7. Serve with a few slices of fresh pineapple and these beans will be great along side your favorite “grill-out” dishes. They also are delicious served chilled in a box lunch (perfect for a picnic or race day!) Enjoy!

As the weather slowly begins to improve, it is evident (especially at the hardware and garden stores) that we are getting into “vegetable season”.  People everywhere are starting to see their gardens take shape and the local Farmers’ Market has finally opened its’ doors.

On that theme, there couldn’t be a better time to introduce one of our newest packaged items: Hurst’s HamBeens® Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup. It takes our classic mix of bean varieties and pairs them with a delicious herb and spice blend that can be enjoyed year round, but is especially delicious with a load of fresh summer vegetables thrown in… and I figure what better way to show off 15 varieties of beans than with 15 varieties of vegetables.

When I brought up the idea for all these veggies, I received universally the same “how can you have that many” response. But as I walked through the grocery, it became apparent that finding 15 different vegetables for the soup wouldn’t be the problem… but which 15 veggies, that was the real question.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup

1/2 Cup of Each: Carrot, Green Pepper, Tomato, Onion, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Mushroom, Potato, Celery, Spinach, Red Pepper, Brocolli, Sweet Potato, Asparagus, Corn

3-4 Cloves Chopped Garlic

2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. The first step is to rinse and sort through the beans. Check for any stones or debris and discard. Then place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with 2+” of water. Allow to soak overnight or for at least 6-8 hours. After soaking, drain the excess water and place the beans in a large soup pot with 10-12 cups of H2O. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 45-60 minutes. Check the tenderness of the beans at 45 minutes and continue to cook if still firm.

2. While the beans are cooking, saute the vegetables in batches (unless you have a HUGE pan) using some of the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When they just become tender, add them to the pot of beans. Repeat until all vegetables (and garlic) are in the soup.

3. Once the beans are completely tender, stir in Hurst’s Vegetarian Seasoning packet and add salt and pepper to taste. Allow the soup to simmer for at least another 15 minutes prior to serving.

4. Serve hot with a loaf of crusty bread… Enjoy! (*This recipe is also delicious as a chilled soup.)

(Although it is made to be a vegetarian soup, I will no doubt use this item with meat and other proteins down the road because the seasoning packet is delicious and has different flavor than many of our other products.)

As summer quickly approaches, the idea of eating a warm and hearty soup seems to steer a lot of people away from utilizing beans in their everyday diet. Because they are so easy to add to any soup or stew, it is easy to forget that beans can adapt just as well to chilled dishes. This recipe features the “earthy” flavor of Blackeye Peas with fresh vegetables, and is tossed in a delicious tangy and spicy dressing.

The name “Cowboy Caviar” sums this dish up quite well; it is a refined take on a fairly unrefined product (beans). A web search will produce quite a few versions of the recipe (one of my favorites), but the problem I have found with many of these is the use of canned beans (go figure). The issue is that canned bean products are almost always too mushy and soft. The texture of the fresh vegetables in this case is completely ruined if you use a bean that can’t hold up, especially considering that this dish is always “better the next day”. Use dry beans and not only will the final result be much better, but you can make twice as much for 1/2 the cost…

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® Brand Blackeye Peas

1- Cup Diced Tomato. (substitute canned if you need to)

1- Cup Sweet Corn (cut from 2 ears)

1- Cup Green Pepper, diced.

1- Cup Diced Red Onion

1- Jalapeno, stemmed and seeded.

3-4 Cloves Garlic, peeled

4-5 Stalks Green Onion

1/4-1/2 Cup Cilantro

Juice from 1 Lime

1/4- Cup Olive Oil

1/4- Cup Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

1. Place Black-eye’s in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly. Sort through the beans, check for any debris or dirt and discard. Place rinsed beans in a large soup pot and cover with at least 2″ of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for about 2 hrs. Check the tenderness periodically toward the end of the cooking time. When they have cooked through but are still hold their shape, remove from the heat and drain off excess water. Pour the beans into a large mixing bowl to cool off.

2. While the beans are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Cut the fresh corn off the cob and dice the tomato, onion, and green pepper into 1/4″ pieces.

3. In a food processor or blender, add garlic, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno, oil and vinegar. Puree mixture for 1-2 minutes.

4. Place chopped vegetables into container with beans. Pour dressing over the top and stir entire mixture to combine. Place in fridgerator for at least 1 hour (the longer the better) before serving to allow time for the flavors to meld.

5. Serve cold with tortilla chips for dipping.

This also makes an excellent side dish for any meal, and is great in a quesadilla or taco too!

Late last week, I still had a large portion of ham left from Easter lunch. Around here that usually means one (very delicious) thing: some homemade Ham and Beans. Check out this take on one of our most traditional and economical soup recipes.

There are multiple stories as to where Senate Bean Soup got it’s name. Some say the tradition began early in the 20th-century at the request of Idahoan Senator Fred Dubois.  Others argue it originated with Senator Knute Nelson (MN), who expressed his fondness for the soup in 1903. Either way, the soup has and always will be a daily fixture on the Senate Restaurant menu.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in the great bean cookbook from Rancho Gordo. Essentially, the recipe follows the traditional way to cook ham with beans and therefor has become a staple at post-Easter dinner tables. (Here, here, and here for just a few other recent examples).

What you need:

1-Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Navy Bean Soup

1-lbs. Diced Ham

1- Cup Diced Onion

1- Cup Diced Celery

2-3 Cloves Minced Garlic

1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley

1-2 Bay Leaves

Salt and Pepper to taste

*Optional (but highly recommended)

Jalapeno Corn Bread

1. Rinse the dried Navy beans under cold water. Check for any debris or stones that may be present and discard.

2. Prepare the vegetables. Cut the onion and celery into 1/4″ pieces and give the parsley a rough chop. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and discard the peel.

3. Coat the bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil. Over med-high heat, sauté the onion and celery until they become slightly translucent. Add the diced ham and sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic during the last 2-3 minutes.

4. Add 8 cups of water, rinsed beans, and bay leaf. Bring mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 2 hours.

5. After 2 hours, the beans should be almost cooked through (if not, continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes). Remove the lid and stir in Hurst’s bean soup seasoning packet and the fresh parsley. Simmer for an additional 1/2 hour and add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve hot, garnished with a sprig of parsley and some warm corn bread (go ahead and dunk!).

In these economic times, everyone is looking for ways to cut corners, especially in the grocery aisle.

One solution: EAT MORE BEANS!