Alright, ladies, if you’ve been reading my emails, you might remember I said I was on a diet.  That lasted for 10 days while my husband was in Indiana.  Now he’s home and I fell off my wagon, and I get to start all over again, like so many times before  :roll:  But while he was gone, I found this great recipe for a bean casserole – so filling and tasty – kind of like a western bean recipe but with MEAT!  Girls gotta have MEAT!  I even went to all the trouble of calculating calories and # servings and points, if you’re following a Weight Watchers plan.  It makes 12 (1 cup) servings, 284 calories, 4 fat gms, and 5 points each.  My husband made it for our kids (who he was staying with) and Nick, our son, turned up his picky nose, and claimed, “I do not eat lima beans”.  But it was Nick who scarfed down most of that casserole, so it must be good!

BEAN CASSEROLE

2# lean ground beef (LEAN!)
2 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
1 can cream of tomato soup, undiluted
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1/2 c. ketchup
1 can green beans (16oz), drained
1 can lima beans (16 oz.), drained
1 can wax beans (16 oz), drained
1 can red kidney beans (16 oz), undrained
1 can pork-n-beans (16 oz), undrained
1/2 c. packed brown sugar (I used 1/4 c)
2 T. prepared mustard
1/4 c. real maple syrup (optional)

In large dutch oven, brown beef. Drain fat.
In same pan, add onion & celery; cook til tender. Add drained ground beef.
Stir in soup, tomato paste, & ketchup; simmer 15-20 min.
Add all remaining ingredients; stir well.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for one hour.
NOTE: The 2nd time I made it, I didn’t bake it. Just made it on
the stove, like chili. I suggest you bake it as directed the first time.

Good topped with sour cream and shredded cheddar.

Eat well.  Enjoy!