Disappearing Easy Baked Beans

Following Saturday’s Spring Fling yard sale was a Neighborhood Watch picnic. Our friend and NW coordinator (Colonel Jan) reminded everyone that not only did we need to bring a covered dish, but actually put something in it to share! Grenville’s contribution was rosemary potato salad which he made Friday night.I volunteered to bring baked beans and since these are best served warm, I waited until after the yard sale and cleanup to get started because I had an easy recipe plan. The recipe below is virtually foolproof and will work with any canned beans, even Campbell’s®.

Easy Baked Beans       
Open cans of baked beans (or pork and beans if you prefer). My choice was (3) 28 oz cans of Bush’s® Best Maple Cured Beans.

1. Open beans and pour in pot.
2. Cook 1/2 lb of bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, drain, crumble and set aside. Reserve drippings.
3. Chop small onion; Cook in reserved drippings until tender.
4. Add cooked onion and following ingredients to beans.

2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp ketchup (catsup if you prefer)
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Sample after adding and adjust amounts as needed.
Heat on stovetop for 15-20 minutes over medium to low heat.* Place into 1 ½ quart casserole. Top with bacon. Bring to event.
HOW you will know for sure that everyone enjoyed the baked beans?
By the nearly empty casserole dish you take home.

* Optional: Instead of heating on stovetop, bake uncovered in a 350°F degree oven for about an hour. (But why bother heating up the kitchen on a warm day?)

The after-picnic night time maneuvers were cancelled due to attacks of marauding seagulls in search of leftovers and no-see-ems starting their own evening maneuvers.