Three Bean Bake

 Last week was one busy week.  Thank goodness I am not working...I don't know how I would have fit everything in if I had been...additionally, I was to make a side dish for a church function that would be attended by about one hundred people!  Two of us decided that we would make a baked bean recipe that had been recommended by a friend. She said it was a regular dish prepared for church functions when she lived in Louisiana.

I noticed the vinegar and brown sugar and thought Southern BBQ....must be good!  And, they were!  I wasn't used to sweetened baked beans and thought about making a little sugar adjustment.  That is as far as it went....I thought about it.  When I got to preparing the dish, I totally forgot to do it!!   They were perfect....sweet but not overly sweet for me.  The beans got rave reviews!!

You must be thinking that doesn't make sense....well, to try out the recipe before the event, I made a pot of the beans the week before and thought that they were too sweet.  I made my plans for adjusting and totally forgot to do it!  (I prepared three batches of beans at the same time...three pots, to be certain that there would be enough.) What I did differently was in the preparation.  I let the sauce simmer longer than before..it thickened up nicely, not certain how that would effect the final out come, but they were fine, not too sweet.  Any ideas how it could have made a difference?

Three Bean Bake

4-5 slices bacon, chopped
3 Tbsp bacon drippings from above.

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed (about 1/2 tsp)

3 medium onions, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 - 28 oz can pork & beans(undrained)

1 - 15 oz can cannelini beans (undrained)

1 - 15 oz can black beans (undrained)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vinegar

1/2 cup catsup

1 Tbsp prepared mustard

Cook bacon in a large pot.  Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.  Saute onions and garlic in drippings until onions are transparent.

Add remaining ingredients plus the crumbled bacon and pour in 1 1/2 quart casserole or use the same pot.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

If you like a different mixture of bean types, then use what you like; just don't drain them.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

It was hard for me not to drain the cannelini and black beans as I always drain canned beans.  I followed the recipe (draining just a smidge....couldn't help myself.)  They were quite a hit.

I made them the day before I needed them allowing the flavors to meld.  I then reheated the beans and placed them in a crock pot to take to the church.  Perfect!!

I am sharing today at Full Plate Thursday hosted by Helen's Country Cottage, Foodie Friday hosted by Michael at Rattlebridge Farm and Foodie Friday hosted by Diane at Simple Living.