I am on a bit of a "south-of-the-border" kick lately. I have not really been a fan of refried beans, but Sarah loves them, so I have been trying to find an alternative to canned beans. I really like this recipe I found on allrecipes. First, I can make them in my crock pot. Second, they don't call for bacon fat, or other funky ingredients, so they're actually pretty healthy. Third, it makes a lot of beans which keep really well in the freezer or refrigerator. Fourth, even I think they are REALLY YUMMY as a side dish or wrapped in a warm tortilla. I have made several batches over the last few weeks.
1 onion peeled and halved
3 cups dry pinto beans; rinsed with stones removed
1/2 fresh jalapeno; seeded and finely chopped
2 Tbsp minced garlic (5-6 average size garlic cloves)
5 tsp. salt
1 3/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
9 cups water
Add all ingredients to crock pot, adding water last. Cook on high* for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if you need to add more than 1 cup of water, the temperature is too high.
After beans have cooked, drain them reserving some of the water. Mash with a potato masher adding reserved water until you get the consistency you want.
*My crock pot tends to cook really hot, so I cook the beans on high for 1-2 hours and then turn it down to low.
