This recipe came from a bowling partner several years ago. It is by far the easiest and tastiest baked bean recipe I've ever used. It can easily be doubled or tripled to accommodate large gatherings. I find it handy because I usually have the ingredients on hand to throw it together.
I love having friends over for a "winter picnic" each year, and these sandwiches are really a hit with potato salad and baked beans. The beef freezes well, which makes it handy to have on hand for last-minute meals.
Most people seem to have a particular way they like their gravy. This one is of the thick, southern-style kinds that you serve on the side and is great for dipping your biscuit or potatoes in. Since everything is pureed, don't be too particular about how you chop the ingredients up. The thyme leaves don't have to be meticulously pulled from the stems; so long as the stems are tender enough to chop them up, too—that way everything comes together fast. An immersion blender comes in really handy here, but if you don't have one, a blender is just fine, too.