Empowering your palate: Mike's Beans

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Neal Joiner
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Welcome to the latest installment of the "Empowering your palate" series. Today I bring you a recipe for Mike's Beans. Don't let the simplicity of the name fool you; this is pure deliciousness.

This recipe was created and contributed by Senior Master Sgt. Michael Brackenbury, the superintendent of the 100th Aircraft Maintenance Unit.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Portions: 10

Ingredients:
1 16 oz. tube of sausage (mild or spicy depending on preference)
2 28 oz. cans of baked beans
1 4oz. can of chopped mushrooms
1 large white onion
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large red bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic


Instructions:
1. Break sausage up in a medium pot, cook over medium heat.
2. While sausage is cooking, chop the onion and all bell peppers into ¼ inch pieces.
3. When the pink is almost cooked out of the sausage, squeeze the garlic cloves through a garlic press into the pot and mix.
4. Add the peppers and onions. Mix. Cook over medium heat until vegetables become soft but not mushy.
5. Drain off excess water from mushrooms and add to the pot.
6. Add both cans of baked beans. Mix.
7. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve. Beans may be kept warm on a simmer for as long as desired. The longer the beans simmer the more the flavors will blend.

Mike's tip:
"I usually make these beans with pulled pork but they go great with just about anything off the grill. I usually cook them and let them simmer on the stove while I'm at the grill." said Brackenbury. "Also the base of this recipe (sausage, peppers, onions, garlic) is a great base for other dishes and can be used for spaghetti sauce, omelets or scrambled eggs. All I can say is "Mike's Beans" are the best you have ever eaten!"