COUSIN ELLEN'S BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Spray 9x12 baking dish w/ nonstick spray.
• Slice the uncooked bacon into 1 to 2" pieces.
• Fry lightly over medium heat , stirring occasionally, until it begins to crisp up around the edges.
• Scoop out the bacon and set aside in a bowl. Do NOT drain.
• SAVE the bacon grease that is in the skillet. (optional, see step below).
• Throw the onions into the skillet with the bacon grease and cook long enough to wilt them a bit. Stirring them around in the hot grease a couple of minutes or so.
• NOTE: You have 2 options here: 1) remove the cooked onions and reserve them for the recipe or 2) add both the onions & bacon grease to the recipe. I found no difference, one way or the other, so I toss it.
• Combine the first 5 ingredients into a large bowl: beans, water, dark brown sugar, corn syrup and ketchup. Stir.
• Add the onions AND the grease from the bacon pan. Stir gently until mixed with bean mixture. Add 1/2 of bacon to the beans, stir to combine.
• Pour mixture into a 9x 12 prepared baking dish or any oven safe serving dish.
• Top with the remaining bacon pieces.
• Bake UNCOVERED for approximately 3 hours at 350°F . Watch so that it doesn't dry out. It will be thick and look very dark and almost caramelized when it is done.
• NOTE: You can stretch the recipe by adding an additional can or 2 of beans without compromising the end result. No need to add any other ingredients.
• I DO NOT recommend making this in the crock pot.