When I was a kid, we had two kinds of meals: one that was the usual family evening meal and the other that was the kids’ meal when the parents were going out.

I liked both.

I really enjoyed the consistent everyday supper—lasagna, meatloaf, beef goulash, boiled tongue, a homemade version of beef-a-roni, tuna noodle casserole. And I really liked the very simple suppers that were served to us kids (a 22-month-older brother and a five-and-a-half-years-younger brother) when my parents were going out somewhere that involved eating.

Those suppers were canned ravioli or baked beans with cut-up hot dogs in them. I’m also thinking that the fish-stick dinners that I always enjoyed might have been on that “parents’ night out menu” as well.

There’s just something about simplicity when it comes to family suppers. Especially those “only for the kids.”

Nonetheless, I have always doctored up my baked beans. Starting with a can of beans—generally the vegetarian variety—I would add a healthy squirt of ketchup, a scant tablespoon of mustard, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, a couple of cloves of minced garlic, and a tablespoon or two of molasses. Over the years, I added sautéed onion and red pepper.

One time, when I was away from home and functioning out of a very limited kitchen, I purchased a savory barbeque sauce, and used that with the ketchup and mustard. For interest, color and texture, you can also add a can of black beans, white beans, red beans, or kidney beans.

Lately, I’m inclined to add one chipotle pepper, minced, with a bit of adobo sauce, and a bit of protein and call it a meal. Usually, I add a pound of extra firm tofu, that I have cut into half-inch cubes and boiled for about five minutes (to toughen the tofu) before adding it to the baked beans goodness.

Certainly, like my mom, you could easily add some cut-up hot dogs. (There are many on the market today that don’t rely on a high dose of nitrates and other preservatives.) You could add other sausage, a diced-up, cooked chicken breast, a bit of leftover ham or cooked pork. Smoked chicken or pork is extremely tasty.

Tonight, husband Stephen and I had our beans with tofu over a bed of freshly harvested and steamed Swiss chard. We sautéed a yellow squash with the Swiss chard stems and a bit of sliced onion in a bit of coconut oil. It complemented the beans nicely.

It was parents’ night in. We’re up early (early!) to pick up the grandkids who are flying into Hartford, CT in the morning.

Here’s the recipe:

Baked beans

Serves 4

2 16 oz. cans baked beans (on sale at Pete’s Market, August 8 to 14 for $0.97) $1.94
¼ cup ketchup.23
1 heaping tsp. mustard.03
2 T. molasses.27
2-3 cloves garlic, minced.30
1 medium onion, diced.50
1 red pepper, diced (optional)1.75
1 canned chipotle pepper (one pepper not the whole can) with sauce, minced.25
2 Tbsp. oil.09

TOTAL COST: $5.36
(Cost per serving: $1.34)

Method: Heat 2 Tbsp. oil (I use olive) in a heavy saucepan. Add onion and pepper and sauté until translucent. Add rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Variations:

Add 16 oz. of diced and boiled tofu, or 1 diced cooked chicken breast, or 1 lb. hotdogs, or cooked sausage cut into 1-inch lengths, or 1-2 cups of cooked pork or ham.

In place of the chipotle, use 1 tsp. chili powder, ½ tsp. smoked paprika and red pepper flakes to taste.

Add other veggies with the onion and pepper: including ¾ cup cauliflower, 1 small diced zucchini or yellow squash.

These beans can be eaten alone, or served over steamed greens (broccoli rabe, spinach or Swiss chard), on a bed of tortilla chips or in a tortilla bowl, on a bun like a Sloppy Joe, or served over rice and topped with some kind of melty cheese.

It’s tasty. It’s a memory.

Be sure to let us know that combination of flavors your family loves, either by leaving a comment on this article or joining the community at https://www.facebook.com/trrsimplefare/.