Baked Beans – a classic comfort food that brings back memories of family gatherings and cozy winter dinners. Originating from Native American cuisine, this dish has become a staple in many American homes, especially during the colder months. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity – a handful of ingredients and a little bit of time is all you need to create a hearty and satisfying meal. What I love about this dish is its versatility. It can be served as a main course, a side dish, or even a topping for a hot dog or a piece of toast. The combination of beans, bacon, ketchup, and sugar creates a sweet and savory flavor that’s absolutely irresistible. Plus, it’s packed with protein and fiber, making it a nutritious option as well. In this blog post, I’m going to share my version of this beloved dish. It’s easy to make, delicious, and guaranteed to warm you up from the inside out. So, let’s get cooking!
Ingredients
- 4 (15 oz.) cans Great Northern white beans
- 3/4 lb. bacon, cooked and cut in pieces
- 3/4 to 1 c. ketchup
- 1 c. white sugar
Baking Instructions
- Combine all ingredients well in a casserole dish.
- Bake for 1 hour at 325°.
Calorie: 500
Total cooking time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
A Comedic Culinary Tale: The Baked Beans Saga
The Great Gathering of Ingredients
You know what they say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step… or in my case, the journey to a full stomach begins with a trip to the grocery store. I found myself in the canned goods aisle, staring down at the cans of Great Northern white beans. Four 15 oz. cans, to be exact. It’s always a little daunting, standing there, the beans gazing back at you from their metallic homes, as if to say, “Are you ready for this, kid?”
Next on my shopping list was bacon. Oh, bacon, you salty siren of breakfast foods, you. I plucked 3/4 lb. of the finest strips money can buy. I swear I could hear a choir of angels singing as I placed it in my cart.
Then, off to the condiment lane. Ketchup, the tangy lifeblood of every casual barbecue, was next. Between 3/4 to 1 cup should do the trick. One detour to the baking aisle later, and I had the final piece of the puzzle: 1 cup of sweet, sweet white sugar.
The Great Mixing
Back in the comfort of my kitchen sanctuary, the real fun began. Now, combining all these ingredients well in a casserole dish is a task that requires the precision of a surgeon and the artistic flair of a painter. Who am I kidding? You just dump everything in and give it a good stir.
As I mixed, I couldn’t help but marvel at the sight before me. The beans, the bacon, the ketchup, the sugar, all coming together in a symphony of flavors that Beethoven himself would’ve been proud to conduct.
The Great Baking
Okay, so we’ve arrived at the moment of truth: the baking. Preheating the oven to 325°, I started to feel like a contestant on a cooking show. The countdown was on. T-minus 1 hour until a casserole dish full of baked beans (hopefully) deliciousness.
As I slid the dish into the oven, I bid it a solemn “Good luck, soldier,” and shut the door. Now, the waiting game. I put on my apron, grabbed a glass of wine, and settled in for the longest hour of my life.
The Great Tasting
Finally, the oven timer dinged, pulling me out of my wine-induced reverie. I donned my oven mitts, took a deep breath, and opened the oven door. The smell that wafted out was a mix of smoky bacon, tangy ketchup, sweet sugar, and the earthy aroma of the beans.
With a final, triumphant flourish, I set the casserole dish on the table. This was it. The culmination of my culinary journey. I took a spoonful, blew on it gently, and took a bite. The combination of flavors was like a fireworks display for my taste buds. The beans, the bacon, the ketchup, and the sugar all harmonized perfectly.
So there you have it, folks. This Great Northern adventure was a success. I stared down those cans of beans, wrestled with that bacon, tamed that ketchup, and sweetened the deal with sugar, all to create this masterpiece. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with a casserole dish full of baked beans.
