Bacon, Beans and Taters Bake (reduced sodium, gluten free)

Bacon.* Beans. Taters. Simple, solid food. If your family likes bacon, this one-dish wonder will be a hit!  Everything is layered into a casserole dish so that the flavours percolate downward.

 Bacon, Beans and Taters Bake

1 lb farm-fresh bacon
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, either frozen or canned
4 medium potatoes
8 oz unsalted tomato sauce, homemade or canned
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp molasses
(1 tsp parsley, optional)
(1 tsp salt, optional)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a lidded casserole dish with butter or coconut oil.

Wash and chop the potatoes. If the garbanzos are cooked and frozen, thaw them in the microwave. If they are canned, rinse and drain them. Thaw the bacon if needed.

Place the chopped potatoes on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle garlic, ( parsley and half the salt) over the potatoes. Pour the garbanzos over the potatoes. Sprinkle with the onion powder (and remaining salt.) Pour half of the tomato sauce and drizzle half of the molasses over the garbanzos. Layer the bacon over top, in a single layer. Top with the rest of the tomato sauce and molasses.

Cover and bake for an hour. Uncover and bake for another fifteen minutes. Let the casserole rest a few minutes before serving.


*Our oldest son was three the first time he ever tasted bacon. Years  ago, when I learned about the treatment of hogs in those huge, nasty factory farms I decided to never buy pork again. Period. Poor Stealthy Dad went without ham and bacon. Sometimes, when he travelled for work, he would secretly order pork chops. What happens in Vegas...  Last spring, I dropped into an Amish grocery store and saw a sign for hogs raised "the old fashioned way." We ordered half a hog, just to see. This year we bought a whole one. Now we have a freezer full of pork that is lean, fresh, and tasty. While we had most of it ground, how could we resist a little bacon?

This recipe is linked to Monday Mania, Fat Tuesday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways,  Healthy2Day Wednesdays,  and Full Plate Thursday.  Check out these link-ups for great ideas from all over the web!


www.stealthymom.com