Best baked beans

My dream baby is napping upstairs, my girls (one home sick from school) are playing with playdough at the kitchen table, and my dinner is in the crockpot. It's something I never really enjoyed in its tinned form, but I've come to love it for its convenience in its homemade form. Baked beans, babies.

Hot mess, but fun to make

After having Baton Rouge's in-restaurant baked beans on a few occasions, Hubby had asked me if I could try my hand at them. Challenge accepted. Eschewing the traditional Boston baked beans because I don't usually have bacon on hand, I found a recipe that contained ingredients I almost always have in the pantry. Over time, I've adapted it to suit our preferences.

Best baked beans

3 cups dried white navy beans
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 can tomato paste (156 mL)
1/2 cup molasses
2 Tbsp dried mustard

Place dry beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak beans overnight. In the morning, transfer beans and water to a large pot and boil beans uncovered for an hour, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn't boil over, and add more water if necessary.

Drain beans and place in crock pot. Add other ingredients and cook on high for 6 hours.

Serve on baked potatoes, toast, nachos or by themselves in a bowl. They freeze well, too.

Dream baby woke up, looks a tiny bit like me for once