Jenny's Baked Beans

I'm loving the time I've been spending on Just A Pinch, the recipe site I talked about in my last post. Jenny Moretz, another Blue Ribbon winner, posted her recipe for what she calls Land Your Man Baked Beans. And even though I'm not looking to land anything but a good night's sleep, I had to try this simple, creative and cost efficient baked bean recipe. Aside from all the condiments that you already have in your fridge, she included a package of Taco Bell Seasoning Mix that I found in the international aisle of my grocery store. How easy is that?


Jenny's Baked Beans

2 28 oz cans Bush's Original Baked Beans

1 large onion chopped

1 large green pepper chopped

1.5 pounds ground beef

1/3 cup ketchup

2 T yellow mustard

4 T brown sugar

3 T hot sauce

6 slices hardwood smoked bacon

1 package Taco Bell Seasoning

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Brown the ground beef on stove top in large pan on medium heat. Halfway through browning, add Taco Bell seasoning and cook until beef is cooked through. Set aside. In large bowl, combine beans, onions, peppers, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar and hot sauce.

Pour into large baking dish that's been prepared with cooking spray. Add the seasoned beef to the top of the bean mixture. Place bacon on top. I didn't have any bacon in the house so I ended up omiting it, but I imagine it would only enhance the fabulous flavors already in the dish. Cover with aluminum foil, leaving one corner folded back for venting. Bake 1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes or until bacon is brown and excess liquid has cooked out.

This dish was fantastic. Every ingredient in the recipe worked, and the hint of Mexican spice was a pleasant addition to one of my favorite comfort foods. Give this one a try. Oh, and for my second helping I added some sharp cheddar cheese. Yummy.