KC Baked Beans

Baked Beans. A national staple here in the UK. They are used for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a very simple form straight out of the can. The ever popular English Breakfast puts beans right in the center of the dish. The cafe at work for both breakfast and lunch has beans as an option for either creating your own English breakfast or for lunch with a jacket potato (baked potato). For dinner beans on toast seems to be another staple of comfort food. Good or bad I have not joined the Heinz bean on toast group and still like my beans with a bit of spice. To me these beans are similar to Pork 'n' Beans of childhood before the fancy brands of beans came to the grocery stores. My discovery of the homemade version of beans came from a summer visit to family in Missouri, my mother-in-law Linda made these beans for a bbq. I was in heaven! These have a good spice and are easy for bbq's and feeding a crowd. Since then they have been present at many events and get rave reviews every time. Recently we hosted a bbq for Alan's work team most of them English and they even liked them so I take that as a good sign.

This recipe doubles easily!

KC Baked Beans
from Linda Tetley

2 cans of baked beans (in the states they should be plain with no additional flavouring)
3/4 cup bbq sauce - I use spicy but not necessary
1 green apple, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 bacon slices, halved

Stir together first 8 ingredients in a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish; top with bacon.

Bake at 350 degrees/160 degrees for 1 hour

Peanut Butter Cravings

Peanut, Peanut Butter & jelly or maybe it should be Chocolate for this combination? One of the best loved candies in American is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and something that is not always easy to find here in the UK. Growing up I never was a huge fan of the treat more or less but preferred the mini Reese's cups for the small bits of sweet & salty combo all in one. But this treat I have found from Nigella Lawson is simple, easy and a real crowd pleaser. My brother has even started to make them in LA and his friends are loving it. They make for a good party platter when you need a simple dessert and being here in the UK is even a hit with the Brits.

This comes from Nigella Lawson's "How to be a Domestic Goddess" that I received as a wedding shower present 6 years ago! I have a few favourites out of this book but this one is high on the list of a go to recipe.

Peanut Butter Bars - A sweet American treat!

For the Base:

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar (Icing sugar here in UK)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly warmed up but not fully soft

3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

For the Topping:

7 ounces milk chocolate

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Grease 9-inch square pan and set aside.

Mix all the ingredients for the base together until smooth. Either a mixer or wooden spoon work well. The brown sugar on occasion will stay in clumps but rub it into the mixture as best as possible but it is ok to not be fully smooth as the mixture should be sandy. Press the mixture into the prepared 9-inch pan and make the surface as even as possible, pushing into the corners and make sure the surface is even.

For the topping, melt the chocolates and butter together in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave in 30-60 second burts. Be careful of the chocolate as it can easily burn in the microwave if not stirred and watched. Once the chocolate and butter are melted pour over the base and spread out evenly to cover the surface. Put the pan in the refridgerator to set. When the chocolate has hardened, cut into small pieces and serve or take to a bbq and share!