Better than Busch's Baked Beans and Venison Sriracha Chili

So, I was sitting here on my couch and realized that I can't remember the last time that I blogged. It's not really a big deal since I just do this for fun, but I do like to blog when I can. Things have just gotten so busy! We've had family in town. We've painted and decorated the living room and kitchen. We've taken a few day trips to different places (yay for being debt free! I like this whole not being completely broke thing). The babe is growing and rolling like crazy. Life is good! I also haven't really cooked anything "new" in a while. This recipe today is a combo Zook recipe. I made the bean, the hubs made the chili. It's his specialty. Please forgive my lack of measurements. These things must be made to taste, not to teaspoon.

A few notes from the experiment:

1) Last week for lunch after church, I made a BIG crock pot full of baked beans. I soaked the beans the night before, and threw them in the crock pot in the morning before we left. They were still crunchy after church, but not so much that you couldn't eat them. I have learned my lesson. Put them in the pot the night before you want them. They take forever, even on high.
2) A quarter of a bottle of Sriracha is too much. I don't like my food to make me sweat.
3) When we make this chili again, we must have sour cream on hand. This stuff is hot.
4) Blue-corn corn bread is AWESOME!

Better than Busch's Baked Beans

makes a ton

Lots of dried mixed beans of choice
Water
Apple cider vinegar
Brown sugar
Molasses
Salt and Pepper

1) Rinse and soak your dried beans over night in a large bowl, or at least for a good 8-10 hours. Make sure that you leave a good 2 inches of water above the beans because they will absorb it.

2) Drain and rinse your soaked beans, then place in a large crock pot.

3) Add equal parts water and apple cider vinegar, enough so that the beans are just covered. Add brown sugar, molasses, salt and pepper, and cook on high for 15 minutes.

4) Taste the liquid to make sure it's sweet enough for you. If not, add more sugar and molasses.

5) Cook beans until soft, a long time on high, and even longer on low. I'm pretty sure mine took somewhere around 8 hours, 4 on high and 4 on low.

If you are making these to go in the chili, they can be refrigerated until you need them. They just happened to be left over for us so we made this chili.

Venison Sriracha Chili

made a lot because we still had a lot of beans

2 lbs venison (we had loins, but if you have ground venison, don't worry about the flour, salt and pepper)
Flour
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil
Better than Busch's Baked Beans
2 jars spaghetti sauce
2 packets chili seasoning
Sriracha

1) In a large pan or pot or dutch oven (we use the dutch oven), heat your olive oil on low while dredging the venison. Brown the meat in the pan.

2) Shred the cooked meat with two forks.

3) Add the rest of the ingredients tasting as you go. Stop adding seasoning and Sriracha when the flavor is something you like.

4) Cook until hot.