Tangy Baked Beans

Picnicky barbecue outdoor food has to be one of my favorite cuisines.  The simple, utilitarian ingredients.  The easy, slow cooking methods.  The way people sit and talk when they eat ribs or corn on the cob or baked beans or coleslaw.  It's hard to be formal when the person across from you has sauce smeared across their chin or a smashed corn kernel stuck to the tip of their nose.

You can see how extensive my cuisine experience must be, to even list "picnicky barbecue outdoor" as a cuisine.  But anyhow.  This type of food done right, is more satisfying to me than almost any other.

I just thought of another vastly underrated cuisine.  Church potluck side dish.  I was at a church function Friday night and could have ignored the smoked pork butt completely, in favor of the delightful array of side dishes.  Potlucks are not for the weak of stomach or great of pessimistic imagination, of course.

I am really digressing.

I found this great baked bean recipe.  It calls for great northern beans rather than the typical melange.  Good stuff.  Tangy-sweet with an oniony edge.

Look at 'em.  And you don't have to smell up your house by frying bacon, either.  Chop a few hot dogs and you are set.

With no further ado, here is the recipe.

Tangy Baked Beans

3 cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed

4 all-beef, uncured hot dogs, sliced

1 1/2 c ketchup

1/2 c packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp molasses

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in an ungreased 2 or 2.5 quart baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until heated through.  If you use the smaller dish, beware of the beans bubbling over!