Homemade Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans

I have always wanted to try to make homemade baked beans but just never got around to actually doing it. We love baked beans in our house and eat them about once a week. The real reason I wanted to learn to make them from scratch is because I wanted to limit the sugar and sodium. The canned versions are all loaded with extra sugars and high amounts of salt, which are so unhealthy for us. The other reason I wanted to learn to make them is because you can make a huge batch for about the same price as one large can of baked beans. 1 While this is only my first attempt at making baked beans, they turned out really well. The pot made a TON of beans. You might wish to half the recipe or you will be eating beans all week. We have a lot of dinners that are being cooked on the grill this week so it looks like we will be eating beans all week long. :)

Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans
Serves 8-10 large servings
Adapted from: http://www.busybuthealthy.com/recipes/2011/06/slow-cooker-boston-baked-beans.html

Ingredients:
1 pound dry great northern beans or navy beans (we used great northern beans)
1 large sweet onion - chopped
4 slices lower sodium center cut bacon - chopped in small pieces
2 heaping tablespoons ketchup (we used Simply Heinz)
1 heaping tablespoon brown mustard/spicy mustard (we used French's spicy brown mustard)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup dark brown sugar - packed
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon molasses
3 1/2 cups water

Directions:
-The night before you are going to start your beans, place beans in a large pot of cold water. Cover the pot and let the beans soak overnight.
-In the morning, drain the beans from the pot of water.
-Place the beans in a large crockpot
-Add the remaining ingredients to the crockpot, to include your onion, bacon, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, brown sugar, molasses, and water.
-Stir all ingredients until blended very well.
-Cook on low for 8 hours.
-Serve

See how easy this side dish is!

Enjoy! :)