Pork 'n Beans

 Having been a boater half a life ago, makes me appreciate a tin of pork and beans. I can't tell you how many times at sea, I've sat in the back of a moving boat, spooning from a tin of P and B.  In a pinch, even canned potato salad, but that's a horror story. Beans are a good source of protein. The cans say "pork" and beans, but other than a piece of fat here and there, you won't find much in the way of meat protein.. If you want a casserole that costs almost nothing but tastes great, you could try this one that kids love. Chop one inch chunks of weiners, into a  pot of P and B,  to it tinned pineapple chunks and maybe some chopped onion previously sauteed. Add some maple syrup for flavour and the only trouble you'll have putting this on the table, is keeping the popular pot filled.  It's also practical and who doesn't think about that these days. You don't need a lot of pineapple, just a few chunks here and there. Save the rest in the freezer for the next casserole. I would suggest fresh pineapple but it's sky high. Anyway, when I slice pineapple, most of it is throwaway, something I feel guilty about.  Another option for P and B is to make a fake chili. I use a small hot pot. I toss in ground round raw, chopped sweet onions, peppers and celery, a tin or two of P and B,  and of course Frank's sweet hot chili to your taste preference. I keep the chopped veggies  in a big jar in the freezer for easy access.  Add corn kernels and some brown sugar and wowie, after they cook and blend, it's a great dish that is nutritious, easy and inexpensive. If you don't eat meat, try a tin of drained mussels as a substitute. They have great texture and taste just right.  Chicken chili isn't bad either. P and B soup is good, too. There is nothing wrong with making bean soup by mashing up the beans, adding water or chicken stock, some of the green onions from the ones standing in water beside the sink and maybe a bit more sugar and some herbs. Now, I've added garlic to my indoor garden. When the bulb of garlic is separated and each of the little cloves is pulled outward and are clipped at the top, they produce, after a time, lovely green stems of flavour, that can be added to your green onion clippings. Dry them along with the clipped green onions for later as well. they're lovely, sprinkled on buttered toast with a drift of nice salt. You can companion it  with your bean soup. And don't forget how easy it is, to teach your kids how to make their own hot dog buns. Here's how. In a big bowl pour one and one eighths (fraction lesson for the kids) cup of water, three tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of yeast and let it sit and grow. When it has done that, toss in a stirred up egg, one third cup of oil, three and one third cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt and start mixing into a sticky dough. Oil your hands first if you don't like sticky. If you were smart enough to get a bread maker (not for baking but mixing) do it on the "dough" mark. The dough should be soft and sticky and that's good. Let it  rise somewhere cosy until it is double in size. Take it out and roll it and push it  to get the bubbles out and then form it into hot dog bun shapes. Lay these side by side on your cookie sheet, almost, but not quite touching. Let them rise up once again and then put into a 375 degree  F oven for twenty minutes. Oo la la!