1/2 lb. bacon slices
3 lbs. ground beef, or ground chuck
3 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 pkgs. hot dogs (type is your choice)
2/3 c. boiling water
1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. catsup
3 tbsp. prepared mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cans (29 oz.) each molasses style baked beans

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Fry bacon until crisp; set aside. Drain fat from pan.

In same pan, cook and stir ground beef, onion and celery until meat is brown and onion is tender. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water; stir bouillon and remaining ingredients into meat mixture. Cover; bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Crumble bacon; sprinkle over beans. (12 servings 1 cup each).

Because ground beef varies in fat content, you may want to spoon off excess fat after browning the meat.

This recipe was used by cooks in their chuck wagons on the cattle drives north to Kansas railroads. I believe that the meat they used was not ground beef, but choice ground steak from cattle who expired as a result of the weather or stampedes. The hot dogs are my idea, and it worked just fine. I used all beef hot dogs. In any recipe you can usually alter the product to suit your tastebud likes or dislikes.