Down Home Baked Beans

I know baked beans are more of a summer dish but baking them in the winter will make your home smell good and warm it up at the same time! Serve it up with some oven baked ribs. http://nrappleye.blogspot.com/2011/09/oven-baked-ribs.html

½ c. catsup

½ c. brown sugar 

1 T. dry mustard

2 tsp. dark molasses

½ c. onions, chopped

2 (15 oz.) can pork and beans

3 slices bacon, chopped

Mix catsup, brown sugar, dry mustard, molasses 
and onions together and set aside.
(Thes beans tend to be more on the sweet side, so if you want it less sweet,
 cut the brown sugar back to 1/4 cup; but they are really good with all the sweetness!) 

Pour one (16 oz.) can of pork and beans in an 8x8 baking dish and spread  evenly on the bottom of the dish. 

  Pour half of the catsup mixture over beans.  

Now layer with the other (16 oz.) can of pork and beans then pour the rest of the catsup mixture on top of beans.  

Sprinkle with chopped bacon.  I used Oscar Meyer®

 turkey bacon but you can use your favorite kind of bacon.

Bake uncovered for 1hour to 1hour and 20 minutes at 350 degrees...

or until it is thick and bubbly with a nice dark film across the surface.

These beans are great served with any grilled, 

smoked, or shredded meat Bar-B-Q sandwiches.

Add a baked potato, corn on the cob and cole slaw.  

Any day of the year can be a down home summer picnic day!

© Nancy Rappleye 2012

Chocolate sauce

This Chocolate sauce recipe was handed down from my mother-in-law.  It is always served at Rappleye extended dinners when ice cream is served for dessert, which is almost every time there is a family dinner!  I think after you have this on your ice cream 

you will never, if at all possible, buy the 

chocolate syrup in the plastic bottle again!  

4 T. butter

2 T. cocoa

1 Scant c. canned evaporated milk (7/8 c.)

1 c. sugar

2 T. Karo

1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter; add cocoa and
 stir until dissolved. 

Add milk, sugar and Karo.

(scant means a little less than a cup, like this.)

 Stir until it comes to a boil.  

Turn heat down a bit so it doesn't boil over 
and boil 2 minutes without stirring.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  

 Let sit 10-15 minutes if you can!
   Serve over ice cream.

You may want to skip the ice cream and just grab a spoon!
 Woohoo!


© Nancy Rappleye 2012

Apple Honey Pork Chops

I love pork chops and this recipe is easy to make and has flavors that I think compliment the meat for a down home meal.
Pork chops are yummy any way but when you add an apple, honey, mustard glaze, they become a real treat!  
The apple glaze is simple to make and your dinner will be a success! 

2-3 T. olive oil

4 (¾) inch pork chops

salt and pepper to taste

garlic powder, to taste
onion powder, to taste


1 ½ cups apple juice

1/3 cup honey

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

 Season with salt,pepper, garlic powder and onion powder and 
set aside.

Mix apple juice, honey and mustard together, stirring to mix well. Set aside.

Heat oil in heavy skillet and cook chops on both sides 
until golden brown.

  Remove pork chops from pan.  

Add apple juice mixture to same pan and bring to 
a simmer for 3-5 minutes.  

Add pork chops back into pan and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes,

turning pork half way through.  Juices will become thicker and glaze the pork chops.

Plate them up with boiled potatoes and a green salad!

This recipe calls for regular pork chops but I wanted to see how they would be with smoked pork chops.
I can tell you that they were awesome and if you can't find them where you live, just use good thick cut ham steaks.

© Nancy Rappleye 2012