Franks-n-Beans

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Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d share a recipe for Franks-n-Beans. I didn’t think I’d ever serve my kids hot dogs. Really. That’s the honest truth. Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself.

Don’t let this post fool you – I haven’t had time to set up and shoot pics. I took these photos 16 months ago. Check out Nate’s tiny little hand and foot – he was helping me out; Luke was napping. We’ve had this meal over and over again – it just hasn’t made it here. Until now.

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Today, I am so grateful for hot dogs. There are nights that dinner wouldn’t be served without them. It works. For some reason, kids love hot dogs. Maybe because they’re the perfect finger food. Maybe because they’re easy to chew. Maybe because they’re salty. I haven’t figured it out yet. But let me tell you, I can never get the franks on the boys’ plates fast enough.

Before I dropped a pack of hot dogs in my shopping cart, I did a little research. I opted for Applegate Farms Organic Hot Dogs. If I was serving hot dogs I wanted them to be healthier! These dogs are. Last week, I stumbled across Niman Ranch Fearless Franks. They were fabulous, too! The biggest difference is that the casing on the Niman Ranch Fearless Franks has a little more of a ‘snap’ when you bite into it. It’s a little chewier, too.

At some point I decided we needed a change from the plain old hot dog, which is where this recipe came from. My boys love beans. My boys love franks. Why not serve them in a kid-friendly dish with some tasty sauce, right? This momma makes one meal and we all eat it. So when I put Franks-n-Beans on the table, Joe and I chow down too. The kid in us can’t resist.

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Franks-n-Beans

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Ingredients

• 2 - 3 slices of bacon, cut in small pieces
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, grated on a microplane (This is one of my favorite kitchen tools! I have three. Maybe four. Everyone should have one!)
• 3/4 cup ketchup; I used my homemade ketchup
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 4 hot dogs, sliced in rounds, preferably Applegate or Niman Ranch
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans of pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• dash of cinnamon
• sea salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Add the bacon to a medium oven-safe skillet or dutch oven on medium heat. Cook the bacon until the fat starts to release; it should just be starting to cook and not crispy. (If you don't have an oven-safe skillet or dutch oven, you can cook in a pan and transfer to a casserole dish.)
3. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes until translucent.
4. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so until fragrant.
5. Stir in the tomato sauce and ketchup, then add the tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, molasses, and coconut palm sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until coconut palm sugar is dissolved.
6. Add the hot dogs and beans. Cover and transfer oven.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Serve while hot.

2.5

http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/franks-n-beans/

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© Amy Green for Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, 2015. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us