The Cottage Kitchen

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf

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One thing that I especially love about this time of year, apart from the warm afternoons lazing on the beach of course, is that a variety of things in our veggie garden are ready for harvesting.  It’s been sort of a funny year to be honest, with a lot of cross pollination’s going on, so I have weird cucumelons (cucumber / yellow melons) growing and although I have a lot of tomatoes they’re taking their own sweet time ripening, but I’m sure it will all come out delicious in the end – it’s just one of the fun thing about growing your own produce.

We’ve had a few carrots from the garden already, and the odd tomato and handful of strawberries but today was the day for the zucchini – and a perfect specimen it was too.  There’s another one that’s going to be ready any day now, which I’m going to make into some salad or side, but this one already had a reservation on it for some kind of zucchini bread or loaf – and lets be honest, chocolate just about goes with anything :o)

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf
makes 2 loaves

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 ½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups (packed) zucchini, grated unpeeled
1 cup chocolate chips

  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line two 9″x5″ loaf tins with wax paper.
  • in a large bowl mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt;  set aside.
  • in another large bowl whisk the sugar and eggs together until light and fluffy.
  • to the egg mixture add the canola oil and vanilla extract;  mix well.
  • add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the zucchini and chocolate chips.
  • mix until just combined and then divide the mixture between the two prepared loaf tins.
  • bake, in the centre of the oven, for 50-60 minutes until the top is cracked and spongy.

 Chocolate Zucchini Loaf ingredients.
line two loaf tins with wax paper.
grate the zucchini until….
….you have a bowlful of greeny goodness.
mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl and….
….whisk like mad until light and fluffy – of course you could also use an electric hand mixer or even a stand mixer, but my arms needed the workout :o)
add the oil and vanilla and mix well.
add the wet mixture to the dry along with the zucchini and chocolate chips, and…
…mix until just combined.
divide the mixture evenly between the two loaf tins.
bake until the tops are cracked – these took about 52 minutes.
if you’re like me and can’t wait until the loaves have cooled down completely you’re first slice will be studded with these melty little chocolate ‘spots’ – yummy!!!

Lou’s Spicy “Branston” Pickle

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For as long as I’ve known my husband, and that’s coming up to 28 years now (wow!!), his all-time favourite sandwich has been cheddar cheese and Branston pickle – it doesn’t need anything else added, just those two ingredients onto buttered bread and he’s a very happy man.  When we moved to Canada back in 2005 however, we found out – much to his dismay – that traditional Cross & Blackwell Branston Pickle isn’t readily available in every grocery store in our area, and even when we do manage to find it, it is hideously expensive for a small jar.  This has resulted in him having to limit his favourite sandwich consumption at times which makes for a sad hubby :o(

My quest was on to try and make an acceptable substitute and after mixing and matching various recipes online, and reading the ingredients on the back of the Branston pickle jar in the fridge, I came up with my first attempt for him.  His verdict?…..a little spicier (but he likes spicy so that’s okay), not quite such a deep colour or flavour (but I’m hoping the longer the jars sit the flavour will intensify), but all in all a very nice pickle to accompany his cheddar cheese :o)  I’m soooo pleased he liked it, because he has another seven jars of it in the cupboard to get through before I attempt another batch!!!!

This is definitely not a spur-of-the-moment thing to cook – the prep work alone took me over one and a half hours with all the fine chopping, but pop the TV on a movie channel or the radio onto your favourite station and the time will soon pass :o)

Lou’s Spicy “Branston” Pickle
makes about 2 lbs of pickle

9 oz carrots, peeled and chopped
2 small rutabaga (swede/turnip), peeled and chopped
1 small cauliflower, florets divided and chopped
2 medium apples, peeled and chopped
2 onions, peeled and chopped
5 oz dates, chopped
15-20 small pickled gherkins, chopped
3 Tbs of juice from pickled gherkins
4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ cup malt vinegar
2 cups brown sugar
4 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs blackstrap molasses
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 ½ tsp allspice
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

  • in a small bowl or measuring jug mix together well the pickle juice, malt vinegar, brown sugar, lemon juice, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, mustard seeds, allspice, cayenne, salt and pepper;  set aside.
  • after you’ve chopped the carrots, rutabagas, cauliflower, apples, onions, dates and gherkins into small dice (about ⅛-1/4 inch), mix all together, with the chopped garlic in a large lidded pot.
  • pour in the vinegar mixture and blend together well (it may seem that there isn’t enough liquid at this stage, but as the vegetables softened over time the liquid will increase.)
  • bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour, stirring every 15-20 minutes.
  • after an hour, remove the lid and simmer for another hour, stirring every 15-20 minutes until the liquid has reduced, thickened and darkened in colour.  If you feel that you need it, you can add 1 Tbs of cornflour to thicken the liquid and simmer for a further 15 minutes, but mine came out fine.

 Lou’s Spicy “Branston” Pickle ingredients (except the molasses – it joined the party too late for the photo shoot :o)
I found it easier to peel everything and get it ready for the….
….marathon chopping session – phew!!!
add the vinegar mixture to the chopped veggies, bring to the boil and then simmer with the lid on for an hour.
this is what it looked liked after the first hour.
another hour with the lid off and the colour had deepened and the liquid had thickened up.
I managed to get 7 x 250ml jars, plus extra that is already in the fridge being used.(I sealed the jars using the boiling water, canning method – I haven’t included all the details here as you can find instructions for canning on the internet really easily.)
hopefully this little lot will keep Deanie happy for a while :o)
it got it’s debut on some fresh homemade bread pretty much as soon as Dean got home :o)

Glazed Meatloaf: The Cottage Kitchen

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The weather’s been really lovely lately and to be honest hot, filling meatloaf wouldn’t usually be my first choice on a warm sunny day, but I wanted to make room in our freezer for some popsicles (they’re a MUST in the summer :o), so out came a pack of ground beef to free up some space.  Of course I could of gone along the burger route so that the BBQ got another workout, but I suddenly had a hankering for meatloaf for some reason – maybe I needed a comfort food moment :o)

Glazed Meatloaf

meatloaf
2 lbs ground beef
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 packet dry onion soup
1 large egg, beaten
1 Tbs Montreal steak seasoning
3 Tbs lemon juice

glaze
¾ cup ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ Tbs lemon juice
1 ½ tsp dry mustard powder

  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  • in a large bowl mix together the beef, breadcrumbs, onion soup, egg, seasoning, lemon juice and ⅓ cup of the glaze mixture.
  • form the beef mixture into a loaf and place into a  9×5 inch loaf pan (I divided the mixture into two pans so that I could freeze one).
  • bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour;  pour off any fat.
  • spread the prepared glaze over the top of the meatloaf and bake for a further 10-15 minutes.

 Glazed Meatloaf ingredients.
in a small bowl combine the glaze ingredients until….
….well blended.
mix all the meatloaf ingredients plus ⅓ cup of glaze mixture….
….and form into one or two loaves.
once baked drain off any fat, pour over the glaze and bake for a further 10-15 minutes.
moist and tasty, and always enough leftovers for lunchtime sandwiches the next day :o)

Mini Birthday Cake: The Cottage Kitchen

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Happy Birthday Alana :o)

I wanted to bake something for my friend’s birthday today, and I debated back and forth for quite a while at what to make.  It was between a fruit tart, or a cheesecake, or maybe even some confectionery, but in the end I found this recipe for a mini individual Italian sponge cake (a Genoise) in this wonderful book that I bought a while back from a used book store.  It’s a very light and airy cake that works perfectly because of the small size.  I covered it in a simple ganache, and decorated with white chocolate flowers, but the ‘Happy Birthday’ that I had planned to pipe onto the top didn’t make it – my piping skills have to be practiced a little more – I barely managed her name on the plate (and that even took a couple of tries which were wiped off!!! :o)

Mini Birthday Cake
4 inch diam.

2 Tbs unsalted butter, plus more for greasing cake pans
⅓ cup all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for flouring the cake pans
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp hot tap water
1 large egg, at room temp
1 large egg yolk, at room temp
¼ tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Ganache
¼ cup plus 2 Tbs whipping cream
5 oz dark bittersweet chocolate chips

Chocolate flowers
½ cup white chocolate chips
dark chocolate chips (to make centre of flowers)

  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • butter and flour the bottom of two, four inch diam mini cake pans (I bought these from a local kitchen supply store, but they shouldn’t be too difficult to find)
  • place the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter melts, 30-40 seconds.  Set aside to cool.
  • warm a small bowl by letting hot tap water run into and over the bowl.  Dry the bowl thoroughly and add the sugar.
  • stir in the 2 teaspoons of hot tap water until all the sugar is covered.
  • add the egg and egg yolk, and using a hand-help electric mixer, beat on high speed until the mixture is thick and pale in colour, about 5 minutes (when you lift the beaters a ‘ribbon’ of batter should sit on the top for a second before sinking in.)
  • gently fold the vanilla extract into the egg mixture.
  • sift the flour and salt over the top and using a whisk, gently fold into the mixture until incorporated.
  • whisk 3 tablespoons of the batter into the melted butter, then gently fold back into the main batter until just blended.
  • spoon the batter evenly between the cake pans and place onto a baking sheet, for easier handling.
  • bake until the centers are springy and the sides are beginning to pull away from the pans, about 15 minutes.
  • remove the pans from the oven, and immediately run the tip of a sharp knife around the edge of each cake (this will stop the crust from sticking to the top edge of the pan as it cools and shrinks).
  • let them cool, still in the pans, for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
  • carefully remove them from the pans and let them cool completely on the rack.
  • meanwhile you can make the ganache.
  • pour the whipping cream into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • immediately remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate chips, swirling the pan to submerge the chocolate in the hot cream.
  • let the mixture stand until the chocolate softens, about 1 minute, then stir with a whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
  • allow it to cool for about 1 hour, then use immediately.
  • while you’re waiting for the ganache to cool you can make the chocolate flowers.
  • place the white chocolate chips into a small microwaveable dish and microwave in 20 second increments until melted;  set aside for a couple of minutes until it’s cool enough to handle.
  • if you have a small tipped piping bag you can use that, or as I did (a piping kit is on my ‘to get’ list) you can roll a piece of wax paper into a cone and cut a small hole in the tip.
  • spoon in the melted chocolate and roll down the top to close it and make handling easier.
  • onto a piece of wax paper pipe the outline of your flowers and then go back and fill in each petal with more chocolate.
  • press one dark chocolate chip into the centre of each flower and place the sheet into the freezer until the chocolate is set;  is should only take about 10 minutes.
  • by now the cakes and ganache should be cool enough to assemble.
  • put about a tablespoon of the ganache on the top of one cake and spread to the edges;  place the other cake on the top to make two layers.
  • gently pour the rest of the ganache over the top of the cake and using a knife or small spatula spread it across the top and down the sides to cover the sponge completely. (for easy cleanup I kept the cake on the wire rack with a piece of wax paper underneath to catch any drips.
  • using a clean spatula, very gently lift the cake and place it on a serving plate.
  • while the ganache is still soft, gently press the hardened flowers into the top of the cake and place the whole thing into the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

 Mini Birthday Cake ingredients.
butter and flour two, 4 inch cake pans.
place the sugar into a warm bowl and add 2 teaspoons of hot tap water.
add the egg and egg yolk.
with a hand held electric whisk, beat until….
lightened in colour, about 5 minutes.
sift the flour and salt into the egg mixture and gently blend.
add 3 tablespoons of the batter to the melted butter, whisk and then add back to the main batter and mix gently until blended.
pour into the prepared cake pans and bake.
run a sharp knife around the edges so they don’t stick and cool in the pans for 10 minutes, before removing from the pans to cool completely.  Meanwhile….
 Ganache ingredients.
pour the whipping cream into a small saucepan….
and bring to a boil.
add the chocolate chips and swirl to cover with the hot cream; leave for 1 minute for the chocolate to soften, then…whisk, until….
blended and smooth.Now for the flowers…
melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 20 second increments, and make a small piping bag out of wax paper (unless you have a small one already).
on a piece of wax paper, pipe the outline of the flowers, going back and filling in the petals with more chocolate;  gently press a dark chocolate chip into the centre to complete the flowers.  Pop into the freezer to harden for 10 minutes.
spread about a tablespoon of cooled ganache onto the top of one cake and sandwich together with the other.
pour over the remaining ganache and using a knife or small spatula spread it around the top and down the sides to cover the sponge cake.
carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate using a clean spatula and gently press in the flowers to the soft ganache;  if you’re feeling creative you can pipe names or messages directly onto the plate – at least this way (as happened with me) if you make mistakes it’s easier to wipe off and try again than it is if you pipe onto the cake!! :o)

Honey Mustard Sausage Bites: The Cottage Kitchen

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One of the things that I find about the summer months is that some days you just don’t feel like having ‘proper’ meals, especially on warm days when the hammock is calling to me – those are the days that we more often than not end up snacking most of the day or having something like these little mouthfuls on hand to nibble on with a cold can of beer :o)
Honey Mustard Sausage Bites
makes 20
½ pack puff pastry (1 square)
¼ cup honey mustard sauce
1 cup grated cheese (I used a Tex-Mex mix)
4 hot dogs (I had these all beef wieners in the fridge)

  • preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • on a floured surface roll out the puff pastry to a sheet approximately 12″ x 10″
  • brush the pastry all over with the honey mustard sauce.
  • sprinkle the cheese evenly over the surface and using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into quarters.
  • roll each hot dog tightly in a quarter of the pastry.
  • cut each ‘rolled’ sausage into five even pieces and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet.
  • brush lightly with either egg wash or milk and bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.

Honey Mustard Sausage Bites ingredients.

roll out the pastry to approximately 12″ x 10″ square

brush the honey mustard sauce evenly over the pastry sheet

sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and with a sharp knife cut the pastry into quarters.

roll each sausage tightly in the pastry quarters….

….overlapping the edges.

cut each ‘rolled’ sausage into five pieces and….

space apart on a baking sheet.

bake for 15-17 minutes until gold brown and puffed.

I had to sacrifice one, purely for taste-testing purposes of course :o)

Fruit Yogurt Popsicles: The Cottage Kitchen

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Fruit + yogurt + popsicle molds…..need I say more?  Lay back in the hammock, listen to the birds in the trees and move the clouds with your mind……mmmmmmmmm

Fruit Yogurt Popsicles
makes 6 popsicles, depending on mold size

2 cups diced fruit of choice (I actually had a mixed bowl already diced up in the fridge of strawberries, raspberries, mango and orange segments)
⅛ cup honey
2 Tbs water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt

  • using a potato masher or fork, mash the fruit to a fairly fine pulp – if the fruit is quite firm you can always microwave it for about 30-45 seconds to soften.
  • in a bowl (or I found a measuring jug easier for pouring into the molds), combine the honey, water, lemon juice and yogurt and mix well.
  • place a fine mesh sieve over the yogurt mixture and press through the fruit puree to remove any seeds or pulp.
  • at this stage you can either mix the fruit sauce and yogurt together just a little bit to get a ‘swirl’ effect or mix completely to have a more even colour.
  • pour the mixture into your popsicle molds, pop on their ‘lids’ and find a space in your freezer for them.

 Fruit Yogurt Popsicle ingredients.
mash the fruit to a fairly fine consistency.
in a measuring jug (or bowl) combine the honey, water, lemon juice and yogurt.
mash the fruit puree through a fine mesh sieve into the yogurt mixture.
either mix very lightly to try and keep a ‘swirl’ effect or….
….mix completely (as I did) for a more even colouring.
pour into your popsicle molds.
pop on the ‘tops’
and try to find room in your freezer for them – amongst the frozen peas, corn, prawns and garlic sausage :o)Now the hard part…..wait long enough for them to set completely.

Chinese Pork Chops: The Cottage Kitchen

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With summer well on its way now, the BBQ is getting more and more of a workout which is great, because let’s be honest, who wants to be inside in a hot kitchen with the oven running when you can be outside, sat on the porch with a glass of wine watching your hubby man the grill :o)

Today we just wanted something quick and tasty so I marinated some pork chops ready for when Dean got home from work.

Chinese Pork Chops
4 servings

½ cup soy sauce (I used Tamari)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs vegetable oil
½ tsp ground ginger
⅛ tsp garlic powder
4-6 boneless pork chops

  • in a bowl mix all the ingredients, except the pork chops until combined;  set aside about a ¼ of the mixture in a separate bowl for marinating during cooking.
  • pierce the pork chops with a fork on both sides and place in a large ziploc bag.
  • pour in the remaining marinade mixture and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
  • preheat the BBQ grill to high heat.
  • discard the marinade that the pork chops have been in, and grill them for 6-8 minutes per side, depending on thickness, brushing often with the reserve marinade.

 Chinese Pork Chop ingredients.
mix all the ingredients, except the chops, and reserve about a ¼ of it for basting.
pierce the chops with a fork on both sides.
place in a large ziploc bag with the main marinade and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
if you’re lucky enough, like I am, sit back with a glass of wine while your wonderful hubby grills the chops on the BBQ (he basted them with the reserve marinade regularly).  Doesn’t he make an AWESOME job with his grill marks :o)
succulent and juicy.
we just had ours with some veggie pasta salad.

Cheezee Hearts: The Cottage Kitchen

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For any of you out there who on occasion have been known to sit down and devour handfuls of the little goldfish cheesy snacks (guilty as charged), this one is for you.  Now I’m not pretending that these are going to be a healthier alternative, let’s face it the main ingredient is cheese!!, but at least this way you can adjust the ratio of flours if you want and even reduce the salt even more, although when a ⅛th of a teaspoon is divided among 100 or more crackers it’s not really that much.  More than anything though, if you’re anything like me, you’ve pretty much always got these ingredients on hand, so within an hour of a cheese craving taking hold of you, you can have these little bites of ‘love’ in a bowl next to you :o)

Cheezee Hearts (or whatever shape you make them :o) | makes 100-120 crackers.

  • Ingredients:

    1 ½ cups sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated

  • 4 Tbs (½ stick) butter, cut into cubes
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ⅛ tsp salt

Steps:

  1. combine all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until it all comes together into a ball of dough – about 2 minutes.
  2. Press the dough into a disc shape, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, to make the dough easier to roll out.
  3. when the dough has been resting for about 20 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  4. on a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to ⅛ inch thickness.
  5. using a small cookie cutter (I used my 1.5-inch heart), cut out the crackers and place them onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spaced about ½ inch apart;  re-roll the scraps a couple of times to get as many crackers as you can (today I managed to get 112 :o)
  6. bake near the middle of the oven for 12-15 minutes until just beginning to brown.
  7. let them cool on the cookie sheets over wire racks and then store them in a jar or airtight container.

 Cheeze Hearts ingredients.
place everything into a food processor and mix for about 2 minutes until…
it all comes together in a ball of dough (don’t worry about little bits being separate, just press it all together)
flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
choose your favourite cookie cutter – you want it to be about an inch to 1.5 inch (I used my mini heart cutter….cuuuute!!)
roll out the dough to approximately ⅛ inch and cut out your crackers – you can re-roll the scraps a couple of times to use up as much as you possibly can.
place them onto ungreased cookie sheets about ½ inch apart and bake for 12-15 minutes.
leave them on the cookie sheets, on top of wire racks to cool.
they come out golden and puffed.
….and just the right size for nibbling….
….mmmmmmm.
I stored mine in a large 1 litre mason jar with a screw lid, but any airtight container will do.
yummy….a big jar of love :o)

Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms: The Cottage Kitchen

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I have to admit that these little stuffed gems came as a nice surprise to my usually mushroom hating tastebuds – okay, ‘hating’ might be too harsh a word as I do like mushrooms in very small quantities mixed in with other things (I think it’s the sometimes ‘slimy’ texture that I’ve always been adverse to.)  I made these for my hubby though, as he is a HUGE mushroom lover and they looked soooo good that I had to try some myself – delish!!!

Apologies that there isn’t a final ‘baked’ photo – I was so excited how they turned out and couldn’t wait to try them that I completely forgot – oops!!!  Next time I make them I’ll try to remember and add it back here :o)

Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
makes about 12-15

12-15 large mushrooms (our local store actually had ones called ‘stuffers’ because there’s a large cavity when you take the stems out)
4 oz garlic and herb cream cheese, softened
2 oz blue cheese
6 drops Tabasco hot sauce
pinch salt & pepper
6-8 slices of thick cut bacon

  • using a damp cloth clean the tops of the mushrooms and remove the stems.
  • in a medium bowl crumble the blue cheese, add the garlic and herbs cream cheese and mix to combine thoroughly.
  • add the Tabasco, salt and pepper and mix again.
  • divide the cheese mixture evenly amongst the mushrooms to fill each cavity.
  • cut each slice of bacon in half and wrap each half around a mushroom, securing it using a toothpick through the sides.
  • place in a high sided dish (I used a disposable foil tray) and either bake in a 400 degree oven or in a covered BBQ for 15-17 minutes or until the bacon is cooked and the filling has melted.

 Stuffed Mushrooms ingredients.
clean the tops of the mushrooms with a damp cloth and remove the stems.
crumble the blue cheese into a medium bowl…
add the garlic and herb cream cheese, Tabasco, salt and pepper and mix well.
divide the mixture between the mushrooms, stuffing the cavities well.
wrap ½ a slice of bacon around each mushroom and secure with a toothpick through the sides.
Then bake or BBQ for 15-17 minutes until the bacon is cooked….photo to hopefully follow shortly – we ate them before I could get a shot :o)

‘Billy’ Beans: The Cottage Kitchen

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I had heard a lot about these beans way before having the opportunity to try them myself and I have to say they had a lot to live up to if the stories were true – they didn’t disappoint.

The ‘Billy’ in the title is our dear friend Bill who adapted this recipe from one that a neighbour of his gave him a while back, but which originally had a lot of vegetables in – Bill is a true carnivore, basically not letting anything green get near his plate, hence the amount of meat in this recipe :o) – it might also seem like a large quantity to make, but they freeze beautifully, but just half or even quarter the recipe if you want to make a more manageable amount (I had to use my large ‘canning’ pot to bake this quantity and it would only fit in my oven with the lid on upside down!!!)

I decided not to deviate from Bills recipe this time, although when I make them again (and I definitely will be) I might add some red pepper flakes or possibly some Tabasco, just to give it a little more spice.  As they are though, these are wonderfully tasty, thick, barbecuey beans – great alongside so many dishes.

‘Billy’ Beans
20-24 servings (as a side dish)

2 lbs thick cut bacon slices
2 lbs extra lean ground beef
2 medium onions
2 large (28 oz) cans red kidney beans
8 small (14 oz) cans beans and pork in molasses
1 Tbs Montreal Steak seasoning
1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
2 cups water
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 ½ cups molasses
1 Tbs salt
½ Tbs pepper

  • dice the onions and set aside.
  • drain and rinse the red kidney beans and set aside.
  • cut the bacon into small pieces using a sharp knife or scissors, and in a large skillet saute (in batches) until crispy – drain on a paper towel covered plate.
  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • in a large pot (big enough to hold all the ingredients), brown the beef and onions until no pink remains on the beef and the onions are tender.
  • add the Montreal Steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce and mix well.
  • add all of the beans and diced bacon to the beef and mix until all is combined.
  • pour in the water to moisten.
  • mix in the sugar, molasses, salt and pepper until everything is incorporated.
  • bake, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  • after 1 hour remove lid and bake for a further 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the colour has darkened.

 ‘Billy’ Beans ingredients.
dice the onions and set aside.
drain and rinse the red kidney beans and set aside.
using a sharp knife (or scissors) dice the bacon into small pieces….
…and saute in a large skillet until crisp – I did this in two batches because of the quantity.
drain on a paper towel covered plate.
if you’re making this large quantity check that your pot will actually fit in your oven – as you can see I had to turn the lid upside down to get mine to fit :o)
in your pot brown the beef and onions until no more pink is showing.
add all of the beans and bacon and mix well.
add the water to moisten and then the sugar, molasses, salt and pepper and combine thoroughly.
cover with a lid and bake, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour – this is after the first hour of baking.
remove lid and bake for a further 1 hour, stirring occasionally – this was at the end of the baking time and the colour has darkened beautifully.
we barely let them cool enough before we were having a bowl with some chunks of fresh bread.
the remainder I put into containers (each one holds about 4 servings) and froze them – well all except that little one on the right – he got spiced up a little and found his way into some chili dogs the next night :o)