Babu’s Baked Beans

Around this time of year it’s getting warmer, kids are out of school and holidays are around the corner – which means a summer full of cookouts and gatherings!

Now if you’re invited to a cookout this summer the question always is, “What should I bring? Should I get that cold store bought potato salad or should make a salad? Or maybe a dessert?”

All these are great options, but my choice is a no-brainer: it will always be my Babu’s baked beans.

My Babu is my wonderful grandma and her baked beans are without a doubt the best I’ve ever had! Every summer event my family would have when I was younger she would always make these beans… And as I’ve gotten older my aunts make them, and now even the grandkids.

The thing about these beans they are so easy, pretty much a no-fail.

The story is that years ago when my mom was little, my Babu went to make her beans for a cookout. She placed them in the oven and people started coming over, and as she was entertaining and having a good time she realized she forgot to take them out… Well, it ended up being the best thing that could have happened because they got so smoky, thick and rich.

We all joke about it now, but they turned out so amazing that we make them that way every time – and  I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Note: Because this is a family recipe there really aren’t exact measurements on everything, so a little here and a little there and you can always add more later to taste!

Ingredients:

2 (normal size) cans of Bush’s vegetarian baked beans
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup Grandma’s molasses
6 bacon slices, cut small
ketchup
mustard

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. In a oven safe bowl/pot (sprayed with cooking spray) add beans, brown sugar, molasses, bacon (small pieces), a squirt of mustard and ketchup.
3. Stir everything together until all incorporated.
4. Place in the oven covered for 2 hours, take out and stir, then place back into the oven for another 2 hours uncovered.
5. After that, they should be fully cooked, dark brown and bubbly with a nice caramelized top.