Shortcut Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 31-ounce can pork and beans in tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup catsup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or molasses
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. In a skillet cook bacon till crisp. Remove bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings. Drain and crumble bacon. Set aside. Cook onion in reserved bacon drippings over medium heat tender but not brown.
2. To bake in the oven, in a 1 1/2-quart casserole combine onion, pork and beans, catsup, brown sugar or molasses, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Bake in a 350° oven about 1 hour or to desired consistency. Stir bean mixture; top with bacon. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
3. To cook on top of the range, in a medium saucepan combine onion, pork and beans, catsup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat about 15 minutes to desired consistency, stirring frequently. Top with bacon.
4. Microwave directions: Spoon off and discard about 1/2 cup juices from pork and beans. Cut up bacon and micro-cook in a 1 1/2-quart casserole, covered with paper towels, on 100 percent power (high) for 3 to 4 minutes or till crisp stirring once. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Drain bacon and set aside. In the casserole cook onion in reserved drippings, uncovered, on high for 2 1/2 minutes or till tender. Stir in pork and beans catsup, brown sugar or molasses, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, covered, on high for 6 to 8 minutes or till heated through, stirring once. Top with bacon. Let stand 5 minutes.
5. Crockery-cooker directions: Double ingredients. Cook bacon and onion as above. In a 3 1/2- or 4 quart electric crockery cooker combine cooked onion, beans, catsup, brown sugar or molasses, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Top with crumbled bacon just before serving.