Meaty Baked Beans

Cannellini, black, and Bush's beans with ground turkey and bacon

Five out of six of us give Meaty Baked Beans a "something good" rating. If you like beans and meat, this is your dish. If you don't like beans, well... even adding bacon can't change everything.

Meaty Baked Beans
1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
1 1b. ground beef or turkey
1-2 onions, chopped
1 16 oz. can Bush's Baked Beans, with sauce
3 15 oz. cans other beans (black, kidney, cannellini, etc.), drained and rinsed
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the bacon.
• Remove and set aside the cooked bacon, drain the grease (save the grease if using turkey).
• Add the ground beef and onion to the pan, season with salt and pepper, cook over medium high heat for 7-10 minutes until the meat is brown and the onions are soft. If using turkey, add 2 Tablespoons of the bacon grease back to the pan while frying. If using beef, drain off the extra fat from the pan after cooking.
• Turn heat to low and add the remaining ingredients.
• Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste.

Notes: Some beans like garbanzo tend to be a little firmer in the can. If you are using different types of beans, add the firmer kind first; then add the softer kind after 10-15 minutes.