Bean Cassarole

[kirra]

Bean Cassarole

Any type of canned beans will work in this recipe. For a festive presentation worthy of its name, it's recommended using beans or varying shapes and colors such as kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, and pinto beans.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained and rinsed (see note)
2 (28-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
12 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans

Preparation:

Sauce:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook beef in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Drain beef in colander, then return to pot. Stir in onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, sugar, vinegar, pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and bring to boil.

Bake:
Transfer bean mixture to oven and cook, covered, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in green beans and lima beans and continue to cook, covered, until green beans are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (Casserole can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days or frozen for 1 month.) Serves 10 to 12