Crockpot Spicy Baked Anasazi Beans

The Anasazi are now referred to as Ancestral Puebloans, and you can visit their abandoned homes in multiple locations throughout the Four Corners region. The beans are cream-colored speckled with burgundy splotches, and they taste slightly sweet and nutty. They also cook more quickly than many other beans. You might find them marketed under the name "Jacob's Cattle" beans or "Aztec" beans. You can also use pinto beans. Because the orange juice toughens the beans' skins a bit, you need to boil the beans ahead a bit before putting them in the crockpot. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Anasazi or pinto beans, soaked overnight or at least 6 hours at room temperature
• ½ lb. bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbls. chile powder (a top-quality powder such as ancho will make a favorable difference in the flavor)
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tbls. ground cumin
• ½ cup molasses
• ½ cup maple syrup
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 28 oz. can diced plum tomatoes with juice
• 1 ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt

Preparation:

Drain the beans. In a Dutch oven or large pot, cover beans with cold water and bring to boil. Boil 5 minutes and drain again; discard water. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil again, but this time simmer one hour. Drain and discard water; set beans aside.

Fry bacon in skillet until just crisp; drain and set aside, reserving the fat in the skillet. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and saute until translucent. Add chile powder, cayenne, cumin, molasses, maple syrup and orange juice. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Place skillet mixture with drained beans and tomatoes with juice in crockpot and cook 6 hours on low (check 4-5 hours in and add water if needed). Before serving add salt and pepper; adjust seasoning to taste.