Polynesian Style Sweet and Sour White Beans

Mondays I try to share a little something on cooking with food storage. This is a totally different spin on traditional beans and rice. Let's face it, who wants to eat the same old staples every day? I don't. I want variety. I want zip-booom-bah! I want a gorgeous sun kissed Polynesian man with ripped abs and a grass skirt. Okay. I'm kidding. I don't need the man. My husband Ace can pull off a grass skirt in a pinch. Did I say pull off? I meant...wear one. I meant pull off the look. Oh wow. I'm having hot flashes from the Solar Oven. Swoon. (Long pause...) Are you still there?  Okay...let's talk beans.  Quite some time ago I gave a beginners tutorial on how to cook a pot of beans from dry beans. I know there are some people out there who have no idea how to do that and they rely on the pre-cooked cans. Dry beans are a much cheaper option. If you missed that little hum-ding-er-of-a-good time-Tutorial...look here . Were's starting today at the point were the 1 lb bag of small white beans has been soaked overnight in about a gallon of water and 1T of baking soda. The baking soda helps with what I'm going to call, "digestive issues"...(I think we all know what I'm talking about without saying the ugly word right?) I cook my beans in my solar oven with the black pot. These white beans  work just as well in a crock pot on low for 4 hours. In Arizona, I use my solar oven like a crock pot almost year round...except for the short rainy season and the few cloudy days we do have. I use a Global Sun Oven . It's my favorite appliance ever.  

You will need:

1 lb Small White Navy Beans (soaked overnight in one gallon of water and 1T baking soda, drained and rinsed)

1/2 cup dehydrated onion (or 1 cup fresh)

1/4 cup dehydrated bell pepper (or 1/2 cup fresh)

1/2 cup of my Chef Tess peach mango jalapeño jam

3 cloves garlic (or 1 1/2 tsp granulated)

1/3 cup Hoisin sauce sauce

1/3 cup vinegar (your choice...but I love pineapple or rice vinegar here)

2 tsp sesame oil or 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

8 oz crushed drained  pineapple (optional)

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Place the drained beans in a crock pot (or solar oven pot)

 add 1/2 cup dehydrated onion or 1 cup fresh chopped onion.

Add 1/4 cup dehydrated chopped bell peppers or 1/2 cup chopped fresh bell pepper.

Add 4 cups of water and simmer on low for 3-4 hours. Solar cooker, same amount of time in direct sunlight.

When they are cooked and tender they will look all steamy and hot-flash-invoking. See? I wasn't kidding.

 Add my Peach Mango Jalapeño Jam.  Yes, we ought to keep cases of it in our food storage. As it sits...this is what's left. I'm seriously in trouble too. Ace needs jam. It's like his own personal heroin. Well, that and his wife. She's pretty much a heroine. The " : mythological or legendary woman having the qualities of a hero"...not the opioid drug...Please don't be confused. That's called a "play on words" people.

 Then add the garlic, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, pineapple and fresh cilantro. Cook 5-10 minutes more if desired. I serve it up on a warm bed of jasmine rice with some chopped cilantro and fine chopped red cabbage...

Prepare yourself for some happiness right there. It's really amazing. Not your regular pot of beans I dare say. Not by a long shot. Oh...and if you can get your significant other to sport a grass skirt while he serves this to you...even better.  Ace wouldn't do it if I paid him.
There you go. Make some beans baby!