Southern Style Baked Beans

A classic Southern-style baked beans recipe made with brown sugar topped with crispy bacon.

You know how you lay slices of bacon on top of baked beans and they cook up all glorious? Except that they shrink up so much that when the beans are done only the center of your dish has bacon? And you’ll have like 5 slices but it’s impossible to cut them with the serving spoon so only 5 people actually get the bacon.

And the other people are walking around mumbling under their breath like, That heifer just had to get that last slice of bacon.

And, He was all ‘ooops, didn't mean to snag that bacon but oh well!’ knowing good and damn well he hooked it with his thumb.

And, That youngin ain't got no raisin’ taking that bacon like that. His mama ought to teach him better. Bless her heart.

There are the recipes that call for cooking the bacon first and crumbling it on top. But, as I've said many, many times around here, ain't nobody got time for that. So here’s what I do! I mix up my very favorite baked beans then top them with a gozillion nuggets of bacon that crisp up and work their magic while the beans are cooking.

End result? Bacon for everyone!

HOW TO COOK SOUTHERN-STYLE BAKED BEANS

• Mix together ketchup, barbeque sauce, brown sugar, mustard, worcestershire sauce, Liquid Smoke, garlic and pepper then set aside.
• Open each can of beans then pour off all the standing liquid in the top of the can then gently stir beans into the ketchup mixture. Pour into a shallow baking dish.
• Cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces then place pieces evenly in a single layer on top of bean.
• Bake beans, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 to 1.5 hours or until bacon is cooked through and starting to crisp. 

NOTES ABOUT MAKING SOUTHERN-STYLE BAKED BEANS

• In the recipe card, you’ll notice I call for canned “plain pork and beans”. What I mean by that is we just want plain jane pork and beans, not “baked beans” or “barbeque beans” or anything fancy like that as they’re already jazzed up. I usually buy Van Camp’s or Libby’s.
• We’re going to pour off the standing liquid in the cans to ensure our beans are rich and thick. Be sure to keep the cans upright until you’re ready to cook. You want all the liquid to settle on top so you can pour it off easily.
• Once the bacon is cut into small pieces, I like to kinda crumple each piece a bit when topping the beans instead of laying the bacon pieces flat over the beans – like little inchworms (the cute ride-on toys from the 80’s not actual worms). This is totally optional but it makes the finished dish look extra gorgeous!

Be sure to check out my recipe for COWBOY BEANS too! The recipe has a lot of the same ingredients plus ground beef and sausage!

Southern-Style Baked Beans

Yield: 10-12 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

A classic Southern-style baked beans recipe made with brown sugar topped with bacon.

Ingredients

• 2 28-oz. cans plain pork n’ beans
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup barbeque sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• A few drops Liquid Smoke (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 5-6 slices thick-cut bacon

Instructions

1. Combine ketchup, barbeque sauce, brown sugar, mustard, worcestershire sauce, Liquid Smoke, garlic and pepper in a medium-sized bowl then mix well; set aside.
2. Open each can of beans and pour off all the standing liquid in the top of the can. Discard liquid then add beans to the ketchup mixture. Mix beans gently with the ketchup mixture until thoroughly combined then pour into a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
3. Cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces then place pieces evenly in a single layer on top of beans. I like to kinda crumple each piece a bit instead of laying them flat – like little inchworms. The cute ride-on toys from the 80’s not actual worms. Bake beans, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 to 1.5 hours or until bacon is cooked through and starting to crisp. Enjoy!

Notes

When I say "plain" pork n’ beans, I mean not “baked beans” or “barbeque beans” or anything fancy like that as they’re already jazzed up. You just want plain jane, inexpensive "pork n' beans". I usually buy Van Camp’s or Libby’s.

Be sure to keep the cans upright until you’re ready to cook. You want all the liquid to settle on top so you can pour it off.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2014/08/southern-style-baked-beans.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2014

baked beans, bbq, barbeque, barbecue, cowboy, beans, bacon, southern, southern-style, recipe, best, authentic, traditional, easy, side dish, potluck

side dish

american, southern

Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!

FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

Chipotle Shrimp Tostada Bites

A super fun and easy appetizer recipe made with tortilla chips, chipotle glazed shrimp and guacamole sprinkled with a confetti of red onion and cilantro.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Sometimes I look back on my adventure with Food Network and I think did that really happen to me? Did I really get to be a cast member on America’s Best Cook? Did I really get to work with chefs I've admired for years and years? Like Michael Symon and Alex Guarnaschelli and Cat Cora?

Cat-frickin-Cora, man. I mean, come on?!  Did that happen to me?

There were hundreds of little moments that are emblazoned in my memory that I will cherish forever. Walking through Chelsea Market to the undisclosed location of the studios every day. Spending my last night in an Irish pub in Manhattan with new friends, many of whom are now my forever friends. Cooking for an Iron Chef in Kitchen Stadium. And her telling me my food was cooked perfectly; that it was delicious. And that she’d love to spend a day in my kitchen cooking with me. Did that happen?

Ugh. What a journey. What an amazing journey.

Anywho, I’d been wanting to cook the shrimp I made for Cat again so when I saw gulf shrimp at the market yesterday I pounced on them. And I didn't have to rip the heads off and clean these with the clock ticking down either, thankyouverymuch Food Network.

I decided to make these into an appetizer since I was really just cooking them for fun. I whipped them up, poured myself a beer and let myself take a stroll back down memory lane.

These are super easy and delicious! It only takes a minute or two to assemble the tostadas once you have the shrimp cooked. These would make a beautiful appetizer at any event or party. I can’t wait to make these for football season!

Minus the marinade time I can assure you this can be made in under 30 minutes because I've done it. With 87 cameras in my face. Running for ingredients and equipment like a 3-legged cat running for dirt. Oh no, it won't be anything at all like Chopped. Not at all. Right.

Recipe for Chipotle Shrimp Tostada Bites

Chipotle Shrimp Tostada Bites

Yield: 35-40 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 15 Min

A super fun and easy appetizer recipe made with tortilla chips, chipotle glazed shrimp and guacamole sprinkled with a confetti of red onion and cilantro.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp
• 1 7-oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Juice of one lime
• 1 8-oz. package prepared guacamole
• 1 bag bite-sized round tortilla chips
• Chopped cilantro
• Finely diced red onion
• Coarse-grain sea salt or kosher salt

Instructions

1. Peel and de-vein shrimp; set aside.
2. Combine chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, garlic, brown sugar and lime juice in a large bowl and mix well. If you want yours spicy, chop open the peppers to release the seeds, if not, leave them whole. Add shrimp and gently stir to combine ingredients. Cover bowl and refrigerate shrimp for 4 hours to marinate.
3. Cook shrimp on the grill, in a grill pan or in a large skillet (grease whichever you use with oil or cooking spray) over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes on each side or until shrimp are cooked through. If cooking in a pan or skillet, cook in several batches to ensure the shrimp aren't overcrowded. Set cooked shrimp aside until ready to serve. The tostadas are perfectly delicious served at room temperature so feel free to prepare the shrimp ahead of time.
4. To assemble, spread a dollop of guacamole onto each tortilla chip (about a teaspoon). Place one shrimp on top of guacamole then arrange tostadas on a serving platter or cutting board. Sprinkle tostadas with cilantro, diced red onion and sea salt. Serve within one hour of assembling.

Notes

• Feel free to make your own or make my Quick & Easy Chunky Guacamole but seriously, I think the prepared kind is perfect for this! Easy, peesy, bo-deezy!
• You might want to buy two of these or get the family-size in case there are lots of broken chips (you just never know, ya know?) and you’ll need as many chips as you have shrimp.

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2014

tostada, mini, bites, tortilla, chips, shrimp, chipotle, appetizer, snack, recipe, super bowl, tailgating, football, mexican, guacamole, easy, how to, best

appetizer

Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!

FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

Semi-Homemade PARTY Guacamole

An unbelievably easy and inexpensive semi-homemade guacamole recipe using fresh ingredients like avocado, onion and garlic with prepared guacamole from the produce department of your favorite grocery store.

I have a major love affair going on with guacamole right now. Actually, it’s been going on for over a year.

I thought I was pregnant. Twice. Mom, I’m not. You can get up off the floor.

My friend Mary got me hooked on those vacuum-sealed packs you can get in the deli section at the grocery store.

No lie. I pack it with tortilla chips for lunch, I use it instead of mayo on sandwiches, I put it on burgers, I have it with my omelets, etc. When you have it ready to go in the fridge you’ll be amazed how often you’ll use it.

And speaking of guacamole, have you seen the price of avocados lately? It costs me like $12 to make a batch of homemade guacamole these days. That’s a lot of money for one little dip.

So guess what I figured out? While I’m completely satisfied with the prepared grocery store packs for my own use, when I’m having guests over, I like to have homemade stuff out.

So I cheat and use the prepared stuff as a base. I buy one pack for like four bucks and just one avocado (instead of 40’leven) and rock out a semi-homemade guacamole that’s chunky and fresh.

If you're looking for more fun party appetizers, try some of these recipes too!

• Party Shrimp – Super easy shrimp appetizer recipe with just a few ingredients that cooks up quick in the oven. 
• Buffalo Feathers – Grilled chicken tenders sauced like wings for all the fun and flavor of buffalo wings with half the work! 
• Monte Cristo Party Sliders – Party sandwiches made with ham, turkey and cheese baked in a rich buttery topping dusted with powdered sugar. 
• Chipotle Shrimp Tostada Bites – Mini tostadas with chipotle glazed shrimp and guacamole sprinkled with a confetti of red onion and cilantro! 
• Original Sausage Balls – The original recipe for sausage balls using Bisquick, cheddar cheese and sausage. 
• Ham & Swiss Party Pinwheels – A super easy appetizer recipe using puff pastry, ham and cheese that's perfect for entertaining.

Semi-Homemade Party Guacamole

Yield: About 2.5 cups

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

prep time: 5 Mcook time: total time: 5 M

An unbelievably easy and inexpensive semi-homemade guacamole recipe using fresh ingredients like avocado, onion and garlic with prepared guacamole from the produce department of your favorite grocery store.

ingredients:

• 1 8-oz. package prepared guacamole
• 1 avocado, peel and pit removed
• 3/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• A dash of garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

instructions:

How to cook Quick & Easy Chunky Guacamole

1. Cut avocado into small chunks (about 1/2 inch in size).
2. Gently combine avocado, prepared guacamole and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

NOTES:

Don’t just wrap your bowl in plastic wrap or put a lid on it. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to seal it so no air can get to it until ready to serve to prevent browning.

guacamole, avocado, mexican, dip, appetizer, homemade, semi-homemade, easy, shortcut, recipe, how to, best, chips and salsa

Created using The Recipes Generator

Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!

FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM

EMAIL LIST | TWITTER

No-Fail Buttercream Frosting

A foolproof buttercream frosting recipe with one box powdered sugar and one stick of butter and almost no measuring! Flavor with your favorite extract such as vanilla, almond, lemon, coconut or peppermint!

Here’s the thing with buttercream recipes… many of us don’t really use a recipe. You just mix butter, powdered sugar, some flavoring and a splash of milk or cream and keep adjusting until it looks right.

Well, that’s hard to put in a recipe. Another thing that’s hard for folks following recipes is measuring powdered sugar (and flour, by the way). Three cups at my house probably isn't the same as the three cups you measure at your house. In most recipes, that’s OK but when you’re making buttercream with just ounces of liquid, it matters.

That’s why I love this recipe. It uses one 1-pound box of powdered sugar. Ain't nobody got to measure anything. It’s a pound. Period.

The only variance is whether you need 3 or 4 tablespoons of milk or cream and that’s really about preference and climate. I usually use milk because it’s what I have but cream makes for a waaaay more luxurious, silky buttercream so I definitely recommend using it if you have it!

This recipe makes enough for 24 normal cupcakes or 16 heavily frosted cupcakes (like these) or one 13x9 cake. If you’re making a layered cake, double the recipe to ensure you have enough.

You can also make chocolate frosting by adding 1/3 cup cocoa powder when you add the powdered sugar. You’ll just need about a teaspoon more milk or cream for the perfect consistency!

NOTES ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

• Flavor with your favorite extract such as vanilla, almond, lemon, coconut or peppermint!
• Make chocolate frosting by adding 1/3 cup cocoa powder when you add the powdered sugar (you’ll need about a teaspoon more milk or cream if adding cocoa).
• According to the manufacturer of the box I used with this batch, one pound equals 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar.
• Yields enough for 24 normal cupcakes or 16 heavily frosted cupcakes (like these) or one 13x9 cake. If you’re making a layered cake, double the recipe to ensure you have enough.

frosting, icing, buttercream, old fashioned, traditional, classic, bakery, easy, no fail, 1 box, 1 pound, powdered sugar, confectioners sugar, icing sugar, vanilla, almond, lemon, coconut, peppermint, cocoa, chocolate, cupcakes

Yield: Enough for 24 normal cupcakes or 16 heavily frosted cupcakes

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

No-Fail Buttercream Frosting

A foolproof buttercream frosting recipe with one box powdered sugar and one stick of butter and almost no measuring! Flavor with your favorite extract such as vanilla, almond, lemon, coconut or peppermint!

prep time: 5 Mcook time: total time: 5 M

ingredients:

• 1 1-lb. box powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (see notes)
• 3-4 tablespoons milk or cream

instructions:

How to cook No-Fail Buttercream Frosting

1. Whip butter and vanilla extract (or whichever flavor extract you're using) on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). 
2. Add 3 tablespoons milk or cream and powdered sugar then continue mixing on medium speed until well combined and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
3. Add more milk or cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

NOTES:

Flavor with your favorite extract such as vanilla, almond, lemon, coconut or peppermint!
Make chocolate frosting by adding 1/3 cup cocoa powder when you add the powdered sugar (you’ll need about a teaspoon more milk or cream if adding cocoa).
According to the manufacturer of the box I used with this batch, one pound equals 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar.
Yields enough for 24 normal cupcakes or 16 heavily frosted cupcakes (like these) or one 13x9 cake. If you’re making a layered cake, double the recipe to ensure you have enough.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2014/08/no-fail-vanilla-buttercream-frosting.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @southyourmouth on instagram and hashtag it #southyourmouth

Created using The Recipes Generator

Fall-Off-The-Bone Baby Back Ribs

An easy recipe for baby back ribs baked low and slow in the oven on a bed of onions that are so tender the meat falls off the bone.

When I say these ribs are “fall off the bone” good, I mean it. My kitchen looked like a voodoo den today. There were bones everywhere. Without a scrap of meat on them.

It looked like some phantom from Scooby Doo had been through and left nothing in its wake but bones.

These ribs cook low and slow in the oven on a bed of on thick onion slices to keep them out of the pan juices (so they roast instead of boil). Then you finish them off with barbeque sauce and you’re ready to chow down.

A friend of mine popped over when I was making these one day and I was somewhat apologetic about cooking them in the oven instead of on the grill. Because, I mean, we’re in the South so we’re all supposed to be grill masters, right?

[Cut to scene of me standing next to a giant grilling contraption (prolly made out of steel barrels on wheels with a trailer hitch) with a stack of hickory chopped and on the ready behind me with a Bud Light in one hand and a barbeque baster the size of a janitor’s mop in the other]

He surprised me by saying he used to work at one of the big rib restaurants in town and the way I was cooking them was almost exactly the way they cooked them at the restaurant. They cooked them low and slow in the oven and only popped them on the grill when it was time to sauce them.

Get. Out.

I love it when I figure this stuff out on my own. And it sure beats standing out in the heat, sweating my gonads off, swatting mosquitoes for hours.

Fall-Off-The-Bone Baby Back Ribs

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

prep time: 10 Mcook time: 4 hourtotal time: 4 H & 10 M

An easy recipe for baby back ribs baked low and slow in the oven on a bed of onions that are so tender the meat falls off the bone.

ingredients:

• 2 racks baby back ribs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Paprika
• Barbeque sauce
• 3-4 onions, peeled
• 1/2 cup beer (approximately)
• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)

instructions:

How to cook Fall-Off-The-Bone Baby Back Ribs

1. Remove the thin skin (or membrane) from the back of the ribs. Simply slip the point of a knife under the skin on one end then lift up to create a gap. Slide your fingers under the skin then pull the skin off. I can usually get a better grip if I use a paper towel to grab the skin.
2. Season both sides of ribs liberally with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika; set aside.
3. Slice onions into 1/2" rings and place them in the bottom of a large roasting pan (or two smaller ones – use whatever you need so that the ribs can cook in a single layer). This is to create a layer that will keep the ribs elevated so that they’re never sitting in (boiling in) the cooking liquid.
4. Pour just enough beer into the pan to cover the bottom.  Add liquid smoke to the beer.
5. Arrange rib racks in a single layer on top of onion slices. Cover pan tightly with two layers of aluminum foil (if your pan has a lid, cover with a layer of aluminum foil and the lid). Bake at 300 degrees for 4 hours. Remove ribs from oven and uncover.
6. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Drain pan juices from pan (either with a turkey baster or by carefully tipping the pan). Baste ribs with barbeque sauce then return to oven. Continue baking ribs, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until sauce is heated through and slightly sticky. Remove ribs from oven, tent with foil and rest for 15 minutes before serving.
7. Discard onions.

NOTES:

Feel free to use apple juice, water, root beer or another cooking liquid if you'd prefer.
You can use carrots, apple rings or celery instead of onions if you prefer. The veg is there as an aromatic and to lift the ribs up out of the cooking liquid so they don't boil.

ribs, babyback, baby back, tender, moist, best, grilled, baked, oven, fall off the bone, chilis, beer, recipe, how to, bake, bbq, barbeque, smokey

Created using The Recipes Generator

This recipe was shared at the Weekend Potluck!

Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!

FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM

EMAIL LIST | TWITTER

Chicken and Dressing Casserole

A comfort food casserole made with stewed chicken and Southern cornbread dressing. Great with leftover turkey too!

I think I've lost my mojo. Or my mind. Or both. All I know is I cooked three amazingly delicious recipes for the blog this weekend and couldn't get any pictures that were worth a toot.

I think it might be time to invest in a camera. And get a proper lighting setup. But, dang y’all. I don’t want to fool with all that. I’m not a full-time blogger. I’m just like y’all. I have a full-time job (that has nothing to do with food or recipes or blogging). I have a family. And kids. Who all play sports. Ain't nobody got time for professional photo shoots.

It’s got to be easy for me. And fun! I don’t cook stuff just for the sole purpose of taking pictures and blogging about it. I cook it so we can eat it. And that means I’m taking pictures at supper time when all the good natural light is gone. If I make things too complicated, it’s not going to be fun anymore. It’s going to be a chore. And cooking and blogging is my happy time. Not my work time.

I used to be perfectly happy with my perfectly mediocre photos but it’s like everyone else is seriously stepping up their game out there. Have you been on Pinterest lately?

Anywho! Let’s talk about food! My buddy Lynn at Southern with a Twist posted this recipe many moons ago and I have wanted to make it since the first time I saw it. She did a great job with her picture. Obviously. Because I still see it in my sleep. My pictures just didn't turn out and do NOT do this recipe justice! This was delicious and would be great to bring to Thanksgiving or a potluck dinner!

Chicken & Dressing Casserole

Yield: 10 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

prep time: 15 Mcook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 H & 15 M

A comfort food casserole made with stewed chicken and Southern cornbread dressing. Great with leftover turkey too!

ingredients:

• 3-4 chicken breasts (2 lbs.)
• 1 14-oz can chicken broth
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 6 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 pan of cornbread* (6 servings), crumbled
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning (plus more to taste if desired)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 boiled eggs, peeled and diced (optional)

instructions:

How to cook Chicken & Dressing Casserole

1. Slowly cook chicken breasts in broth over medium-low heat in a covered pot until cooked through. Don’t boil them to death or they’ll turn out hard and rubbery. Remove chicken and allow to cool then shred with two forks or dice into bite-sized pieces; cover and set aside. Measure out two cups of chicken stock and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, sauté celery and onion in butter until onion is translucent.
3. Combine reserved 2 cups chicken stock, cream of chicken soup, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper and garlic and stir well.
4. In a large mixing bowl combine cornbread, chicken, sautéed veggies (with butter), chicken stock mixture and boiled eggs and mix well. Spoon mixture into a greased baking dish and cook, uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until nicely browned on top. Remove from oven and let rest 15-20 minutes before serving.

NOTES:

*You can use a box mix but I don’t recommend using a sweet cornbread for this. I just use the recipe on the back of my House of Autry corn meal bag.

casserole, chicken, turkey, dressing, stuffing, cornbread, southern, recipe, easy, best

Created using The Recipes Generator

Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!

FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM

EMAIL LIST | TWITTER