As you know, I have 4 kiddos. So, I like to make meals that they will eat, and actually like. Given the fact that we also have some form of sports practice most evenings, I like even better to find something that won't take forever and a day to prepare. I follow the Civilized Caveman on Facebook, and knowing that he has many parents like me in his following, he put together a folder of pins of kid friendly dishes on Pinterest. One in particular that caught my eye was a recipe for "No Beanie Weenies" by the Paleo Parents. We called them Franks and Beans when we still ate beans, and it was one of the only dishes that my husband could cook besides spaghetti...True story, when we were dating some 13/14 years ago, Dave had to go to Korea for a year long assignment. Upon his return, he had to attend a school at Fort Knox, KY. Being the loving girlfriend I was, I went with him to Fort Knox to find an apartment, and get set up. I should have known his situation was bad when we went grocery shopping and he picked up a jar of "meat sauce" for his spaghetti. "Meat sauce" in a jar is blasphemous for a foodie. I wouldn't let him buy it, and I ended up making him sauce with real meat instead. This poor guy really needed to marry someone who could cook...I guess he asked the right girl (WINK). Anyhow, in return for my meat sauce, he made me Franks and Beans, which was essentially baked beans, and cut up hotdogs. It wasn't half bad...but it is absolutely horrible for you.
Fast forward about 7 years and David's grandma made this dish as a quick meal for us before we hit the road to drive back to our house. She took it to a whole other level, adding all kinds of stuff to the baked beans...mustard, ketchup, pickle relish..the works, and it was divine. Everything his grandma makes is divine, and you never leave her home hungry. SO, you can imagine my pleasure when I saw this recipe on Pinterest. It looked awesome, but it wasn't quite what I had envisioned given my past experiences eating this dish. Also, I have a football player, a runner, a swimmer, and mini-crossfitter...they all have HUGE appetites, and the base recipe didn't make that much. So, I decided to concoct my own recipe for Franks and "Beans". It came out quite well, and my kids who are the judge of all things food in my house gave it two thumbs up. It is not the quickest of dishes to make, but if you make it ahead of time and reheat, it will be a great addition to the weeknight rotation.
Franks & "Beans"
2 TBS of ghee or olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 medium sized sweet potatoes, cut into small cubes. (I used the white ones)
1 large dill pickle, finely chopped, and then run knife through again to mince it up.
1 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 8oz. can of tomato sauce (make sure it is sugar free, I used Muir Glen)
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp of onion powder
1 TBS of raw organic honey
1 TBS of real maple syrup*
2 packages of minimally processed hot dogs (I used Applegate Farms, organic, grass fed franks)
1. Heat a heavy bottomed 5-6 qt. pot over medium-high heat. I used a enameled cast iron french oven. Melt the ghee in the pot, and add the onions, garlic, and sweet potatoes. Sauté until the onions are translucent, and sweet potatoes are beginning to get a little tender.
2. Add the minced pickle, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic and onion powders, honey, and maple syrup. *I used both together because the honey gives a little sweetness, and body. The maple syrup gives a maple sweetness. Tried to capture the essence of ketchup and the maple flavor of the beans in the original dish. Bring to a bubble, and turn down to simmer.
3. Slice up the franks, and add to the simmering sauce. Cover and continue to cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender, but not falling apart. It is important that they are not over cooked.
And there you have it, another take on Beenie Weenies, or Franks and Beans...depending on what part of the country you are from. Enjoy!
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