KC Baked Beans

Baked Beans. A national staple here in the UK. They are used for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a very simple form straight out of the can. The ever popular English Breakfast puts beans right in the center of the dish. The cafe at work for both breakfast and lunch has beans as an option for either creating your own English breakfast or for lunch with a jacket potato (baked potato). For dinner beans on toast seems to be another staple of comfort food. Good or bad I have not joined the Heinz bean on toast group and still like my beans with a bit of spice. To me these beans are similar to Pork 'n' Beans of childhood before the fancy brands of beans came to the grocery stores. My discovery of the homemade version of beans came from a summer visit to family in Missouri, my mother-in-law Linda made these beans for a bbq. I was in heaven! These have a good spice and are easy for bbq's and feeding a crowd. Since then they have been present at many events and get rave reviews every time. Recently we hosted a bbq for Alan's work team most of them English and they even liked them so I take that as a good sign.

This recipe doubles easily!

KC Baked Beans
from Linda Tetley

2 cans of baked beans (in the states they should be plain with no additional flavouring)
3/4 cup bbq sauce - I use spicy but not necessary
1 green apple, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 bacon slices, halved

Stir together first 8 ingredients in a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish; top with bacon.

Bake at 350 degrees/160 degrees for 1 hour