National Beans ‘n Franks Day | Smokey Baked Beans

When I was younger, I went to daycare. Children’s Nest is what it was called. It pretty much gave me some of the best memories ever, with some people I’m still Facebook friends with to this day, over 20 years later.

One of my favorite things about daycare was the food. This statement has perhaps never been stated before now, but there was something about Ms. Betty’s food that was wonderful and worthy of many pieces of my memory all these years. At daycare, I would always mix my mashed potatoes with beanie weenies. Best daycare lunch ever, and I would love to go back and have that same lunch, on plain paper plates, with $1 fruit juice.

To this day, I sometimes make beanie weenies with mashed potatoes. BUT, I don’t have to all the time because of this recipe for baked beans. Just like Aunt Shirley’s Pecan Pie ^[4], Cuban Black Beans ^[5], and Spanish Bean Soup ^[6], her baked beans is another staple in our family.

Would it be totally wrong to want some even now as I write this, at 10:30pm?

Print Recipe ^[7]

Smokey Baked Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 (16-ounce) cans pork and beans
• 3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 pound bacon strips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine all ingredients and top with bacon pieces. Cook an hour and a half.