Amazing Kahlua Baked Beans

Mama's Kitchen (Hope)'s Note:

Perk up that same old boring dinner with these sweet and jazzy "baked" beans! Everything is done on the stove top using pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients for a FAST and simple prep yet a HOMEMADE look and taste! The leftovers freeze very nicely too, turning this into an OAMC dish too! Created for RSC 10. Good luck to all participants!

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 1 medium red onion, diced fine (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced fine (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 15 ounces tomato sauce (please see note) or 8 ounces tomato paste (please see note)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 tablespoons Kahlua
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, feel free to taste and add more if desired
• 3 (15 7/8 ounce) cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper (please adjust to taste, I use 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper)

Directions:

1. Sauté onion and bell pepper in a pan sprayed with cooking spray or a little olive or vegetable oil until they begin to soften. (I use a dutch oven but any large sauce pan will do).
2. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce (NOTE: if using paste mix with 8 oz water. ALSO, if you are using cherry tomatoes some tomato skin will remain in the finished dish. If you do not care for the skin please use the undrained canned tomato option.).
3. Bring to a boil, cooking until tomatoes break up, stirring often. If you prefer smaller tomato pieces help to break them up using the back of your spoon.
4. Once the tomatoes have cooked down to the size you prefer, reduce the heat to simmer and add brown sugar, Kahlua, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, drained and rinsed beans and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.
6. Uncover and taste. Adjust seasoning if you desire, i.e., more salt or mustard etc --.
7. Leave cover OFF and cook for another 10 minutes or until the beans have reached the desired consistency. Stir occasionally.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Reviews

[Susie D]

This recipe caught my eye as soon as I spotted it and it went on my must try list. I thought it was a very creative use of the ingredients. Both DH & I thought there was something lacking in this recipe flavorwise. The flavor was overwhelmingly tomato-ey and too acidic. I was expecting a sweet flavor with a coffee note in the background and was disappointed. I used the tomato paste option (and only 6 ozs). Maybe that is the problem. These are also prepared entirely on the stovetop and tended to stick unless the heat was very low. I thought it might have been better to place in the oven for the simmer period, but that would have eliminated the quick cooking aspect. I served with BBQ sandwiches and slaw. Thank you for your entry in RSC #10.

[NcMysteryShopper]

I made this tonight with grilled hamburgers and Barefoot Contessa's Herb Potato Salad and it was a wonderful addition. I did add more mustard right before serving, but other then that I did not change a thing. This is a great sweet dish that takes hardly any effort. I bet a jalapeno would be a great addition a bit more liqueur for us adults. Great Submission Chef! Good Luck! RSC #10

[Deb's Recipes]

Regretfully, this recipe did not go over well with my family who loves both baked beans and great northern beans. I carefully followed instructions using the tomato paste option but the resulting consistency was very thick and gooey, almost gelatinous. My subsequent attempts to improve upon the texture by stirring in additional water were only semi-successful and, once served, my family did not like the taste of this dish. I think this recipe has potential, but would recommend NOT using tomato paste when making it.