Canned baked beans,like bena sin tomato sauce...what can we do with them?

[MamitaM]

I have a bunch of these b/c this is what the food bank gives me a lot of. I make beans on toast with a little cheese on top,broiled in the oven. It's a nice cheap comfort food. What else can I make with them though?

[Llyra]

We mostly use these as a side dish. They're great if I have just a little bit of ham or chicken or something like that, but not enough to really make a meal out of. So we'll have the ham, and put some of the canned beans on the side, and maybe some potatoes or cornbread or sweet corn. I've never used the beans in a recipe at all, though I do heap them over top of baked potatoes sometimes, and then top with some crumbled bacon or a bit of shredded cheddar.

[Kreeblim]

One of my FAVORITE things to do with them is to saute' chopped onions in some olive oil until they are just caramelized, then add the beans and some molasses and brown sugar, and then add brown rice (usually equal or a bit less than the beans) with salt and pepper to taste.  It's a really filling yummy meal.  Sorry I don't have measurements, since I just do it to taste.  I used to make a non-veg version with ground beef browned with the onions, and have done versions with crushed garlic or a little hot pepper as well.  It had an oatmeal consistency, and doesn't take very long if the rice is pre-cooked (like, a few minutes at most).  I know I used to do it with instant rice as well and would just add more water to it.

It's kind of trial and error, and you can adjust it to taste.

[MamitaM]

I was thinking to add some sauted sweet red onion next time I make them actually. I could add some brown sugar too, since I have that on hand right now.

I'm not sure about rice, it sounds yummy but I had some issues with rice when I was pregnant and the memory is still there so I'm not sure when I'm going to try rice again.

[choli]

A spoonful of curry powder makes them very tasty over rice.

[Kreeblim]

Originally Posted by MamitaM 

I was thinking to add some sauted sweet red onion next time I make them actually. I could add some brown sugar too, since I have that on hand right now.

I'm not sure about rice, it sounds yummy but I had some issues with rice when I was pregnant and the memory is still there so I'm not sure when I'm going to try rice again.

Maybe another grain then?  I mean, I'm sure it would taste great even without a grain added, but I always eat this as a meal, and I keep thinking that a whole meal of baked beans would be dangerous to the air quality of your home (if you catch my drift...).

[MamitaM]

Originally Posted by Kreeblim 

Originally Posted by MamitaM 

I was thinking to add some sauted sweet red onion next time I make them actually. I could add some brown sugar too, since I have that on hand right now.

I'm not sure about rice, it sounds yummy but I had some issues with rice when I was pregnant and the memory is still there so I'm not sure when I'm going to try rice again.

Maybe another grain then?  I mean, I'm sure it would taste great even without a grain added, but I always eat this as a meal, and I keep thinking that a whole meal of baked beans would be dangerous to the air quality of your home (if you catch my drift...).

LOL Yeah it could be dangerous! I thought I could try it with some Quino. That might work,not sure, but I could try it.
 

[Caryliz]

We love them as topping on baked potatoes. I prefer them on regular potatoes, but DS (age 5) thinks they are heaven on sweet potatoes! Just bake the potatoes of your choice, split them open when done, fluff the insides a bit, add butter or marg if you like (I do, DH doesn't) and pour the warmed beans over and in the potato. YUM!

I also like them in franks and beans - chop tofu or veggie dogs into the beans, warm them up, add a squirt of mustard, serve with bread and butter. 

Finally, and I'm channeling my New England Yankee grandmother here, cold bean sandwiches: cook the baked beans down to a sludge (just leave them on the back of the stove at a low uncovered simmer while you do other things), then when the sauce is basically gone, pop them in the fridge to cool and stiffen up. Later on, butter some wheat bread and use the beans as sandwich filling. Sounds weird, but since I grew up on them they are comfort food to me