Mom's Baked Beans

Long before baked beans came in a can, you made your own.  I remember when mom would make these, and serve them hot and bubbly from the oven.


I've served my share of baked beans from a can, and some are even pretty good.  However, this Memorial Day, I decided to dig back into my recipe archives; the card file with the recipes written in "little girl" handwriting and make mom's baked beans to enjoy  later this Memorial Day with traditional grilled burgers and dogs and homemade potato salad!


This recipe is very easy and most nearly all ingredients are ones you would have in your pantry or fridge.  The exception maybe the molasses.  I had just enough molasses for this batch of beans and my shopping list has been updated to buy a new bottle on my next trip to the grocery.

Mom's Baked Beans


Ingredients:


2 cans of pork and beans
4 Tbs. ketchup
2 Tbs. molasses
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. bacon fat*
3 Tbs. minced onion
3 Tbs minced celery
3 Tbs. minced green pepper
Salt & Pepper to taste


Directions:


Open the cans of pork and beans and remove the "pork" (if you can find it).
Pour the beans, juice and all into a medium mixing bowl.
Measure and add the remaining ingredients to the beans.
Stir until well combined.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease a shallow oven proof baking dish.
Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.  
Bake for 60 minutes or until bubbly and starting to brown.


*I didn't have bacon fat, so I used 2 Tbs. olive oil and added 4 Tbs. of Hormel real bacon pieces to the mixture.

Enjoy your celebration this Memorial Day, but please pause and take a few moments to remember those who gave their lives protecting our freedoms.

 ...and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!