Bean Pot Casserole

Thanks to Sharon Balke for this EASY recipe for a week night meal!  If you don’t have time to wait an hour to bake after getting home, plan ahead the night before. You can brown the meat  in a microwave and cook everything in a crock pot all day long.

• 1 lb. ground meat
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ½ cup ketchup
• 3 Tbl. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 can pork and beans
• 1 can lima beans, drained slightly
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained slightly

 

Make right now: Brown meat, onion, bell pepper and garlic.  Drain fat.  Add rest of ingredients and mix well.  Bake, uncovered, one hour in a 350 degree oven.

Make ahead: Brown meat in a microwave safe bowl by shaping it like a large donut (hole in the middle).  Cover with lid or plastic wrap and heat on high for 5 minutes.  Remove lid or plastic wrap carefully to avoid steam burns and use a fork or wooden spoon to b reak up the meat ring.  Reshape the partially cooked meat into another large donut shape and heat on high again for 5 minutes if the beef is still red in places, or 3-4 minutes if the meat is only slightly pink inside.  Drain off fat and place cooked meat in crock pot, add all other ingredients.  Refrigerate overnight (if you started this the night before).  Cook on low heat in crock pot 6-8 hours.