Instructions: Cover tightly and bake 1 hour.

Combine lentils, bay leaf, water, and salt in a Dutch oven or saucepan.

Bring to a boil Cover tightly and reduce heat. Simmer 30 minutes. Do not drain. Discard bay leaf.

Preheat oven to 350. Combine separately and add to lentils the remaining ingredients to lentils.

The written recipe includes partly stirring in and partly sprinkling on top
4 slices of bacon cut in 1" pieces. I never have, and never missed it. It also says to take the lid off for the last 10 min to brown bacon. Cant remember if I take the lid off anyway. Probably. Also, the first time I made it I didnt have powdered mustard, so I put in a little glob of a prepared, whole grain horseradish mustard. I liked it that way, so thats what Ive done ever since. Dont know how much difference that makes.

I hate baked beans, so I bring this to every baked bean type occasion.

Everyone winds up eating this instead and raving about it.

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