Mom’s Baked Beans

My mother was the best cook. Even though her specialty was Greek dishes (since she was Greek), she was great at making any type of dish taste good. This is a version of her recipe that I learned as I watched her make it. As with all the other recipes on this post, these beans are so easy to make. It uses canned baked beans, onions, ketchup, and some bacon and brown sugar to round out the flavors. You just throw all the ingredients together and bake them. You can even prep them the day before, or even cook them and just heat them up the day of. If you don’t want to start your oven then you can slow simmer everything in a pot, although I like when I can bake something because you put it in and forget about it until the timer rings.

You can make these with any type of canned baked beans, there are plenty to choose from, like original, brown sugar, country style, bourbon and brown sugar, southern, homestyle etc, etc. Just choose the type that you and your family like the most. I personally like the original since I add stuff to it.

My mom just added ketchup for the sauce but I have also added my favorite BBQ sauce too, when I’m in the mood, to give it a bar-b-que-y flavor. If you want to make these vegetarian style, use canned beans that are vegetarian and leave out the bacon.

You will need:

• 2 large cans of pork and beans (28 oz each), drained of most liquid (see Notes)
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked half way and chopped in big pieces
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup

Steps:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the drained baked beans, onion, brown sugar and ketchup. Mix well.
2. Add in 1/2 the bacon and mix again.
3. Pour into a baking dish and top with the rest of the bacon.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly and thick.
5. Let sit for 10 minutes before eating.

Notes: If you like your beans thicker then drain 3/4ths of the liquid. If you like them a little more saucy then drain half of the liquid.