I know the request for baked beans brought some great recipes to the newsletter, but this recipe can be made for great groups or small ones. The first time I tried this was when my husband was a volunteer firefighter in our town. The group had a big BBQ and Snooks Dean was in charge of making the beans. So the name of this recipe is:

Snooks' Beans (Medium sized group) The bigger the group the more beans, bacon and onion you use.

4 cans of Chili beans (We use the Ranch Style beans here in Texas) If you can't get this bean I am sure any kind of chili bean will work.

3 pieces of bacon, cut up
1 large onion, cut up
1 can beer

In a cast iron pot (or you can use any pot on the stove according to amount of beans)cook the bacon and the onions until the onions are translucent.
Add the four cans of beans, drain 3 and leave one undrained
Let the beans cook under low heat for about 30 minutes.
Add the beer, very slowly as it will foam up.

After they get hot they are ready to serve.
Mr. Dean added Tabasco sauce to his beans, but I am a wuss and don't like Tabasco.
Most of this recipe is depending on how big a pot of beans you want to cook and you can adjust the ingredients accordingly. When I cook this I often use just two cans of beans and a half a can of beer. it is simple, economic, and tastes so good!!! I even use Pork and Beans added to the Ranch Style beans sometimes.
Enjoy!

Thanks for all you do Nancy. I don't know about you, but I am ready for winter around here.
Sandi Hutson in Jasper, TX

http://www.nancyskitchen.com