Baked Barbecue Beans and Spicy Sausage

      We've been lucky this year, today was the first day all winter I had to cook in the snow.  I love cooking outside on cold, crisp days but when there is snow on the ground you really have to slow down and think about what you're doing.  One thing you never want to do is set a hot dutch oven in the snow, the rapid change in temperature could easily crack your oven.  Thankfully spring is right around the corner and camping season in many parts of the country will soon be upon us.  This recipe for Baked Barbecue Beans and Spicy Sausage from Cindie Haras of Vero Beach, FL was a winner in Aidell's 2005 Main Dish Recipe Contest.  If you're a vegetarian, the flavor of the beans is so good you won't even miss the sausage.  In my 10 inch dutch oven I sauteed the onions, garlic, sausage and pepper over a full compliment of coals then moved the bottom briquettes to a ring of 10 around the base with 18-20 on the lid.  Tangy, sweet, hot and spicy, this great dutch oven one pot meal has it all. 

Baked Barbecue Beans and Spicy Sausage
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. Green Chile or Cajun Andouille Chicken Sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 4 oz. can green chilies
2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Saute onions, pepper, sausage and garlic in olive oil over a full compliment of coals for 5-10 minutes or until onions are softened and translucent.
     Stir in tomatoes, green chilies, beans, barbecue sauce, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar.
     Mix ingredients thoroughly.
     Move bottom coals to a ring around base of dutch oven.
     Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until bubbling.
     Season to taste with salt and pepper.
     Makes 4-5 servings.

Saute onion, garlic, pepper and sausage over a full compliment of coals

Stir in remainder of ingredients

Simmer for 30 minutes at 350 degrees

This tastes even better the next day