SHARON’S FAT-FREE STOVE-TOP BEANS AND FRANKS

SHARON’S FAT-FREE STOVE-TOP BEANS AND FRANKS

Animal-free hot dog slices sauteed with charred onion, then cooked in a Balsamic, brown sugar and garlic marinade. Mixed with canned baked beans, pinto beans and soy bacon bits. Nobody would notice the absence of fat. Rich and delicious!

Makes 5-1/2 cups

2 c. lg. diced yellow onion, 3/4-1 inch pieces

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. water

1/2, 12 oz. pkg. Yves Good Dogs, slice ea. crosswise on the diagonal, about 1/4-3/8 inch thick

1/4 c. Balsamic vinegar

1/3 c. light brown sugar

freshly ground black pepper

1 t. garlic powder

28 oz. can Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans

15.5 oz. can pinto beans including liquid

1 T. soy bacon bits

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat–no oil. Add onions and salt. Stir, then let set while the bottom surface of the onions char quite a bit. Stir, then char some other sides till you like the amount of char.

Get a cover, have it in hand ready to immediately place it over the charring onions as you quickly pour the 1/2 c. water into skillet. Lots of vapor will be created. Reduce heat to low and cook till onion is tender.

Now add sliced hot dogs, vinegar, sugar, black pepper and garlic powder. Stir till sugar dissolves. Cover and cook on very low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, remove the cover. You should see a fair amount of marinade. Add both beans and soy bacon bits, stirring them into the marinade.

Raise heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and let set till you’re ready to reheat to serve. As the beans set they’ll absorb some of the liquid, so if you like your beans thicker, wait till that happens.

Notes: The liquid in these beans is like a liquor sauce. WOW. It would be great mixed with rice or pasta at that stage, or simply eaten from a soup bowl. It won’t take long for the beans to absorb the liquid so decide which way you want to eat them beforehand.

Charring onion absent any oil is easy especially if you’re using a cast iron skillet, which is what I always do.