Side dish recipe: Maple Baked Beans

Ingredients

* 1 pound dried navy beans

* 4 quarts water, divided

* 6 slices, bacon, cut up or 1 cup cooked ham cubes

* 1 medium onion, chopped

* 1 cup maple syrup or maple-flavored syrup

* 1/2 cup ketchup

* 1/4 cup barbecue sauce

* 5 teaspoons cider vinegar

* 1 teaspoon prepared mustard

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

* Sort and rinse beans; place in a 4-qt. Dutch oven. Cover with 2 qts. cold water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans. Return beans to Dutch oven; cover with remaining water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until almost tender. Drain and reserve liquid. In a 2-1/2-qt. casserole or bean pot, combine beans with all remaining ingredients. Cover and bake at 325° for 2-1/2 hours or until tender. Stir occasionally; add reserved bean liquid, if necessary. Yield: 10-12 servings.