AH, cooking ... not my long suit

I have a few tried and true recipes. Potato soup, fruit salad made with pudding, roasted brussels sprouts (the only way to eat BS), roasted chicken (on a bed of veggie). I also make a mean pot roast in the crockpot, and also an excellent fish stew in the pot. But my "will you please bring {this} to the potluck" dish is Calico Beans.

It's simple:

1 lb. hamburger
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
an onion

Brown all together, drain, put in crock pot with:

1/2 cup (or whatever) of ketchup
salt, dry mustard, a dab of vinegar (3 tsp of each? about that)
3/4 c brown sugar
1 can each (drained): Northern beans, baked beans, kidney beans
(if you use Northern beans from the bag, soak 'em overnight)

Bourbon (I pour using the "1-Mississippi, 2-Mississippi, 3-Mississippi" method). I use a LOT of bourbon (probably a cup or so).

Cook on low until it smells done or people in the office can't resist eating it. It's great with big hunks of bread. If it looks too soupy, just crack the lid a bit and let it reduce down.

I don't know why, but this dish is the one that goes first at the potlucks. I think it's because it smells so good as it cooks and people get a whiff of it as they walk past my office ....

If it wasn't for the crockpot, I don't know what I'd do -- I use it at least once a week. Whoever invented that gets the Peace Prize, in my book!