People who think they know it all are especially annoying to those of us who do.

I love my husband.  I really and truly do.  He’s sweet, wonderful and considerate . . . albeit a somewhat obnoxious, sarcastic know-it-all.  Generally he does “know-it-all”; he’s a very smart person and has all kinds of trivial knowledge filed away in his cute little head.

One thing he says that wiggles right under my skin and irritates me to no end is when he says that something I’ve made doesn’t taste like the pre-packaged, processed, commercially available product.  Like food manufacturers should be then be-all, end-all of how something is supposed to taste.

Hello?  Are we sheeple? Baaaah!

For the most part, when I cook I try make as much from scratch as possible . . . utilizing a few processed ingredients as I can; its fun, challenging, and  . . . although a lot more work . . . well worth the effort. 

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be irritated that all my hard work is being unjustly compared something that comes out of a can . . . not because it tastes like what came out of can but because it doesn’t taste like what comes out of a can.  That kind of statement totally annoys the bajoopies out of me. 

I mean really!!

Just sayin’ . . .

For the record . . . I'm not airing any dirty domestic laundry here . . . he's well aware of my feelings on this subject.  I just think it's fun to share and I'm gonna catch hell for it.  :)

This recipe was one of those things.  It was particularly exasperating since I tried so hard to get this one right and failed twice (three times according to him) before getting it good.

I love you hunny bunny!   

It might seem like a simple thing making baked beans.  But for some reason it was a trial for me . . .  typically baked beans are a dish for the most frugal of us; however,  my attempt cost me three times what it should have . . .

The first attempt I covered the dry beans with water, brought them to a boil and let them soak for an hour before putting them in the crock pot.  The beans didn’t soften enough and I managed to burn them . . . in the crock pot!  Imagine that!  The verdict?  Inedible

The second attempt I let the dry beans soak for over a day before rinsing and putting in the crockpot.  Again, the beans weren’t soft enough but at least I didn’t burn this batch.  The verdict?  Inedible

This is the recipe that worked out the best . . . but according to hubby I have to work on the seasonings so it tastes more like Campbell’s . . . this attempt I let the dry beans soak for over a day AND  cooked them in boiling water until they were soft enough to easily push a toothpick through before putting them in the crock pot.  I thought they were good . . . rich and thick . . .  although some of the beans were still “al dente”, so next time cook them a little longer.  The verdict? Edible but not like Bush’s.  Just sayin’.

1 Lb (2 Cups) Dried Small White Beans, Or Navy Beans

2.5 Cups Chicken Broth

1 Tablespoon Salt

1 (6 Ounce) Can Tomato Paste

1/2 Cup Honey

1/2 Cup Ketchup

2 Tablespoons Dried Mustard

1 Lb Slab Bacon, Cooked To Medium Crispy And Cut Up Into Pieces

Soak the beans overnight or longer. 

Drain beans and rinse off.  Add to a pot and cover with fresh water.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for an hour or more.  . . until are were soft enough to easily push a toothpick through.

Drain beans and rinse off. Put beans into Crock Pot or slow cooker. Add all the ingredients and stir.

Cover Crock Pot and cook 6-7 hours on high, or 10-12 hours on low. Stirring occasionally.  Add water to the Crock Pot, if needed . . . I did.