Grandma’s Brown Sugar
Baked Bean Casserole

This dish originated from the slow-cooked New England baked beans made with white beans, salt pork, molasses and mustard. If you can't find lima beans, look for kidney-shaped butter beans or use garbanzo beans.

     1 pound lean ground beef
     1 tablespoon olive oil
     1 cup chopped yellow onion
     2 tablespoons real bacon bits
     1 (15 ¼-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
     1 (1 lb 15-ounce) can pork and beans
     1 (15-ounce) can lima beans, drained
     ½ cup dark brown sugar
     ½ teaspoon white vinegar
     ½ teaspoon Dijon-style prepared mustard
     ½ cup ketchup
     1 tablespoon mild molasses
     1 (14 ½-ounce) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
     1 (15 ¼-ounce) yellow corn kernels, undrained
     1 garlic clove, crushed in a garlic press

1.  In a 5-quart sauté pan, brown beef and chopped onion in olive oil.

2.  Turn a 6-quart crockery cooker on high. Add the beef, onions,       
     bacon bits, kidney beans, pork and beans, lima beans, brown sugar,
     vinegar, mustard, ketchup, molasses, tomatoes, corn and garlic.
 
3.  Cook for 4 hours.

     Makes 8 servings