Beef N' Bean Casserole

This was a recipe I saved from my mother's recipe box. Many of them just are clippings from magazines or newspaper's over the years. This said it was the $25,000.00 dollar winner, but I'm sorry I don't know what contest it is from. I've made this recipe many times and my family just loves it. I omit the pimento-stuffed olives and the slivered almonds in the biscuits, not because I don't love them - because I do, but because I can't get my daughter to eat them. If you love baked beans and ground beef, you'll love this recipe! It makes quite a bit so we always have leftovers the next day. It reheats nicely.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• Casserole

• 1  lb ground beef
• 1  cup celery (sliced)
• 1⁄2 cup  vidalia onions (chopped) or 1⁄2 cup sweet onion (chopped)
• 1⁄2 cup green pepper (chopped)
• 1  garlic clove (minced)
• 1 1⁄4 cups water
• 3⁄4 cup tomato paste
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon paprika
• 1 (15 ounce) can  pork and beans (undrained)
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (undrained) or 1 (15 ounce) can lima beans (undrained)

• Biscuits

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup shortening
• 1  egg
• 1⁄2 cup milk (less than 1/2 cup)
• 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 cup  pimento stuffed olive (sliced)
• 1⁄4 cup  blanched slivered almond
• 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika

Directions

1. Saute in a large skilled the ground beef, celery, onion, green pepper, and the garlic until the vegetables are tender. Drain. Add water, tomato paste, salt and paprika. Simmer for 5 minutes. (Reserve 1 cup of this mixture for the biscuits) To the remaining mixture add the baked beans and chick peas (or Lima Beans). Spoon into a large casserole dish.
2. Biscuits:
3. Sift flour with baking powder and salt into a medium/large mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening until particles are fine. In a measuring cup crack the egg and enough milk to measure 1/2 cup together. Add to the flour mixture, stir until dough clings together. Knead lightly on floured surface. Roll out to a 12 X 9 rectangle. Brush lightly with oil.
4. Combine olives, almonds, paprika and the reserved meat mixture. Spread over the dough.
5. Roll up starting with the longer side. Seal edges. Cut into one inch pieces. Place on top of meat mixture in the casserole. Dot with butter and sprinkle lightly with paprika.
6. Bake 425 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes.