And more on-set snacking during another long day of shooting. I left at 7:30 am, and just arrived home at 11 pm. I know a lot of people work hours this long, but today I spent maybe 20 minutes sitting, and my legs hurt.

Once again I have no idea what the boys ate for dinner, but I suspect it was whole wheat rotini (Mike’s favorite standby) with tomato sauce or pesto. On the set we had pasta for lunch, but we generally don’t break for dinner, so end up grazing on whatever we’re making on the show – every act ends with Ned and I digging in to the finished product – in this case it was sauces: cheese sauce, mushroom-Guinness gravy, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce and custard sauce. Not really enough to make a meal, so I mostly snacked on the leftover baked beans from yesterday. I adore baked beans.

Baked Beans
 
If you’re lucky enough to have a slow cooker, you can let these simmer all day long while you work or play or sleep.
 
2 slices bacon, chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cup (185 mL) ketchup, barbecue sauce, or tomato sauce mixed with 1/4 cup (60 mL) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) water or beer
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) molasses
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) Dijon, yellow, or grainy mustard or 2 tsp. (10 mL) dry mustard
1 – 19 oz. (540 mL) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 – 19 oz. (540 mL) can white kidney, Great Northern, navy or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper
A few shakes of Tabasco sauce (optional)
 
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
 
In a medium ovenproof saucepan, sauté the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove it from the pan, crumble and set aside. If you’re not using bacon, heat a drizzle of canola or olive oil in the pan and sauté the onion in the oil or bacon drippings for about 5 minutes, until tender and beginning to turn golden.
 
Add the ketchup, water, vinegar, molasses, mustard, beans, and salt and pepper to taste and bring the mixture to a simmer. Put the saucepan in the oven for an hour, stirring once or twice, until it’s thickened and bubbly. (If you aren’t using an ovenproof saucepan, transfer the mixture to a baking dish.) Stir the bacon back into the beans after about 45 minutes. Add a few shots of Tabasco sauce if you like, and serve the beans hot.
 
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