Slow-Simmered Kidney Beans

Sweet and tasty. Beats the heck out of pork-n-beans. From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Jan/Feb 2008 issue

• Ready In: 6 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 6  slices bacon, diced
• 1⁄2 lb  fully cooked Polish sausage or 1⁄2 lb kielbasa, chopped
• 4 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 2  medium  sweet red peppers, chopped
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 1  cup ketchup
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1⁄4 cup molasses
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon ground mustard
• 2  medium apples, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/2 in pieces (optional)

Directions

1. In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels.
2. Add sausage to drippings; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In an ungreased 5 quart slow cooker, combine the beans, tomatoes, red peppers, onion, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt and mustard. Stir in the bacon and sausage.
4. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
5. Stir in apples.
6. Cover and cook 2 hours longer or until bubbly.
7. Cook's notes: I have never used the apples and never will. Also in a pinch you can cook the onions and bell peppers in the bacon drippings, after the sausage, until translucent then add to the crockpot. This will cut down on cook time.