Vegetables

Soak and cook 1⅓ cups dried navy beans. Oven cook 5 slices bacon until browned and slightly crisp, not overdone. Preheat oven to 300˚F. In a large bowl, mix ½ cup tomato sauce or ketchup, ¼ cup molasses, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp dry mustard, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, ½ cup apple juice and ½ cup water until well combined. Add in bacon, 1 small chopped yellow onion and cooked beans and gently stir to combine. Pour into a 2-quart oven-safe dish. Beans should be pretty well submerged in liquid and the mixture should be relatively loose. If there does not seem to be enough liquid, add up to ½ cup of additional water or juice. Cover the dish with foil or an oven-safe lid. Bake covered for 2 hours, then remove the cover and bake for another 30-40 minutes until thickened. Recipe can be tripled and done in the slow cooker on low for several hours for a rainy day beans and cornbread night with plenty of leftovers.

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Arrange 1 lb asparagus on baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Drizzle over the asparagus and toss evenly to coat. Bake for 10-15 minutes until vibrant and just beginning to get tender. Remove from oven and top with 1¼ cup mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and broil until the cheese melts and becomes golden, about 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Peel 4 carrots and 4 parsnips and cut into 2” pieces. Cut thicker pieces in half lengthwise. Toss carrots, parsnips, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp brown sugar, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ginger and ¼ tsp black pepper and spread onto a large baking sheet. Bake 20-30 minutes until carrots and parsnips are tender-crisp.

Cook 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 chopped shallots over medium flame in a soup pot until the shallots are softened. Add 1 tbsp sage and 2 15 oz cans drained and rinsed cannelloni beans and stir to combine. Add 4 cups chicken broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add 4 smashed garlic cloves and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes. Immersion blend the soup until smooth. Stir in ½ cup cream, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and serve.