It’s cold and windy, and the peak day for our gorgeous New England fall foliage passed last Saturday. 

I need warm, winter foods. My go-to avocado/tomato side dish, the quick-and-easy asparagus salads and cold soups don’t seem right now.

So I’m thinking, baked beans. 

Yes, yes, I know there are all sorts of baked beans in a can and it’s oh so easy to open a can and have baked beans with dinner. I remember the green labelled Heinz Vegetarian baked beans that were a standard item at my house when I was a kid.

But homemade? Much better. Because you can, as they say, have it your way.

My way recently, was a recipe for spicy baked beans, seasoned with a dose of Sriracha. Perfect for cold weather. A nice side dish for Thanksgiving dinner.

Sure, it takes time. Do it on the weekend when you aren’t as rushed. Baked beans are fine, stored in the fridge, for a week. How’s that for make-ahead!

Sriracha Spiced Baked Beans 

• 1 pound dried navy or Great Northern Beans
• 6 cups water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 4 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the beans and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover the pan and let rest for one hour. Bring to a second boil over high heat, lower the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for one hour. (Alternately cover the beans with water and let them soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours.) Drain the beans. Place the beans in a casserole. Add the onion, brown sugar, molasses, tomato sauce, olive oil, Sriracha, mustard, cloves, salt and pepper to the beans and stir to blend them in. Stir in 2-1/2 cups water. Cover the casserole. Place the casserole in a cold oven and turn the heat to 300 degrees. Cook for 4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if the mixture seems dry, or until the beans are tender.

Makes 8 servings