I’ve always been a fan of baked beans. One of my favorite renditions was my late Uncle Curt’s. He used to make them on Christmas Eve and other holidays. And, of course, he made them the traditional way, soaking his beans overnight before putting the dish together the next day.

Baked beans are a staple of summer outdoor dining events such as barbecuing. But people who make the dish the way my uncle did know that method just won’t do when you need to whip some up for the tonight’s potluck. Which brings me to the following recipe that takes only about two hours to put together and have ready to eat.

These are some mighty tasty baked beans. They would have even given Uncle Curt and his version a run for their money.

Bean apetit!

Quick Baked Beans
1 pound ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
¼ cup brown sugar
2 28-ounce cans baked beans
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 4-quart, heavy-bottom Dutch oven over medium heat, add ground beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic salt and onion powder. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the excess liquid. Add cooked bacon crumbles, brown sugar, baked beans, barbecue sauce and mustard. Stir. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Serve warm.