Dude Ranch Beans

Yield: Serves 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

Dude ranches were the epitome of cowboy culture in the early twentieth century, and no food embodies the Wild West more than classic pork and beans. Cowboy Westerns filled the airwaves in the ’50s, and kids grew up dreaming about the freedoms of living out west. While more sophisticated dishes might be reserved for the adults, the kids would live out their cowboy fantasies with “real Western food” like beans and hot dogs.

INGREDIENTS

2 (15-ounce) cans pork and beans in tomato sauce

1 pound hot dogs

1 onion, cut into eighths

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

8 thick slices dill pickle

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Coat an 8-inch round baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Pour the pork and beans into the baking dish.
3. Cut each hot dog into 1-inch pieces slightly on the diagonal. Thread eight 6-inch wooden skewers with alternating items: hot dog, onion, tomato, and pickle.
4. Lay the skewers over the beans in the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Serve.