Barbecued Beans & Meatballs
| 3 beaten eggs | 2/3 cup milk |
| 2 Tbsp. instant minced onion |
3 cups soft bread crumbs |
| 3 lbs. ground beef | 2 31-ounce cans pork & beans in tomato sauce |
| 1 28-ounce can tomatoes, cut up |
2 12-ounce cans whole kernel corn, drained |
| 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce | 1/4 cup packed brown sugar |
| 1/4 cup light molasses | 2 Tbsp. prepared mustard |
| 8 fully cooked smoked sausage links OR frankfurters |
2 cups shredded American cheese |
In a large bowl combine eggs, milk, & instant minced onion; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in bread crumbs, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Add ground beef; mix well. With wet hands, shape mixture into 48 two-inch meatballs. Place meatballs in two 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch baking pans. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Drain off fat.
Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven combine pork and beans, tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce, brown sugar, molasses, & mustard. Heat till boiling.
Cut sausages or frankfurters crosswise into thirds. Divide sausages and meatballs between two 3-quart casseroles. Turn half the bean mixture into each casserole. Stir to combine. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake till cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes more. Makes 2 casseroles and has 12 servings each!
