Mix It Up Baked Beans

Disclaimer: this is truly a dump recipe. The aunt who gave it to me really didn’t have any measurements. She just said to throw in what you can find! Customize at will!

Before you start, go ahead and open all of the cans of beans. Drain them all except the pork and beans and put the reserve liquid in a nearby bowl, just in case you need it later.

1. Fry up whatever meat you’re using. This recipe goes very well with ham or bacon (plus it leaves the house smelling yummy!).

*Optional step: saute onion in bacon or ham grease.

2. Dump the pork and beans, lima beans and kidney beans into a large bowl. Add in barbecue sauce and brown sugar. Mix.

3. Add meat into the bowl. If using bacon, tear into small pieces before adding to the mix.

4. Put a little salad dressing. Whatever you have in your fridge will work. Italian is a favorite, but ranch turns out good, too!

5. Mix it all together. Add in extra liquid if necessary.

6. Plop into your pan of choice and bake it at 350 F degrees for at least 30 minutes. Once it’s hot, you’re good to go!

Note: Feel free to experiment with different beans and ingredients! You can always make it as large or small as you need.

Variations we’ve tried:

1. No onion
2. Two cans of pork and beans
3. Great Northern and pinto beans
4. Caesar dressing (not as good as ranch or Italian)
5. Apple (not my favorite, but some people love it!)