Maple Baked Beans

I love my Le Creuset French Oven and it has a permanent home on my stove top.  Plus it's Cassis which I also love.  Today I made a new form of baked beans with real maple syrup so your house is guaranteed to smell heavenly.  

Maple Baked Beans

1 lb dried beans - I used great northern
1/2 tsp baking soda
½ lb applewood smoked bacon, cooked in small pieces
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup onions, diced
3/4 cup real maple syrup
1/3 cup dark brown sugar

Rinse and pick out bad beans.  Place in your french oven, add in 1/2 tsp baking soda and cover with cold water and let soak overnight.  In the morning, drain and rinse the beans, cover again with water and boil until soft.  Drain and save the water.  In a separate pan, cook onions in 1 tbsp of olive oil, remove and add to beans and then cook the bacon.  Let cooked bacon drain on paper towels before adding to beans.  Add in salt, dry mustard and real maple syrup.  Cook over a low heat for 8 hours.  Stir occasionally and add in saved bean water if necessary.