Something from Nothing Baked Beans

Serves 8

When the cupboards are almost bare, I usually at least have beans and onions, add a few condiments and there you have a hardy meal from almost nothing. If you have a few scraps of meat all the better, I like to throw in a pork hock if I'm not totally broke.

1 pound dry white beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon sugar (brown if you have it)

4 cups hot water

2 slices bacon or ham (if you have it)

Preheat the oven to 250°F.

In a medium saucepan put your beans and cover them with water to about an inch above. Bring to a full boil, then cover and turn off the heat. Let beans sit for 1 hour (you can soak them over night in water 1 inch above the beans). Drain beans

In a dutch oven put the beans, and all the other ingredients, stir it about, cover and pop into the oven for 6 hours. Uncover, stir and bake another 1 hour adding water as needed. Serve with crusty bread.