Bar-B-Que Beans

I've been going to potluck dinners for most of my life.  Now that I live in the mid-west I go to pitch-in dinners. They both deliver the same result - lots of fantastic food shared between friends. Not once have I ever seen anyone leave hungry.

Most of the time women bring the dishes.  Occasionally a man will bring a favorite dish. It is my opinion that a man will share a recipe with anyone who asks.  Just being asked is a reward for him. It is also a reward for women, although  many women won't share their recipes.  I never liked those women, somehow I thought they should just be gracious and share.  But then I realized that I had become just like them. I have this recipe for baked beans that most people tend to like - especially the guys. People have asked me for the recipe numerous times and I always said sure - but I never, not once, gave it away. I can't remember the name of the woman who gave it to me.  It was a friend I worked with in Nashville, TN over thirty years ago. So today I'm giving it up.  I hope you enjoy it. If I run into you at either a potluck or a pitch-in and were both carrying baked beans I'll be sure to ask you for your recipe.

Bar-B-Que Beans

1 pound ground beef

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, choped

3 150z. cans of pork and beans

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

7 oz. of catsup

1 tablespoon. worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon chili sauce

3 tablespoons bar-b-que sauce

2 to 3 pieces of bacon, cut up

Directions:

Brown ground beef, bell pepper and onion in a large skillet. Drain.

Add pork and beans to a large bowl.  Pour ground beef mixture on top of beans and gently mix. Try not to smash beans.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl then pour over beans and beef. Mix well. Pour into a 9"x 13" greased casserole dish and top with 2 to 3 slices of bacon that has been cut up. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Do not cover. Life is good-enjoy!