How do you use dry pinto beans?

[battlemaiden]

Other than math counting exercises? :D

 

I would actually like to prepare this bag o' beans for eating.

 

Let's discuss.....

[Dooley]

I soak them in water for about 4-5 hours, rinse, fill back up with water, add a few strips of bacon, a few crushed cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, some chili seasoning and let 'er boil for a few hours. Dont forget to keep adding water.

 

Fry up some corn tortillas, get some toppings and have a easy dinner, Battlemaiden!

[OnTheBrink]

Other than math counting exercises? :D

 

I would actually like to prepare this bag o' beans for eating.

 

Let's discuss.....

 

Well, I was going to say as math manipulatives.:glare:

 

I can't seem to ever get them soft. I can soak them for days, and they still come out hard and crunchy. So, I buy canned.

[Heather in the Kootenays]

It's a favourite around here.

[battlemaiden]

It's a favourite around here.

 

No fair. I think that's cheating. :D

 

You have to tell me how you like to prepare them.

[The Girls' Mom]

I have a pot on the stove right now! Salt, water, and bacon (if you have it). The longer they cook the better :tongue_smilie:

[LaxMom]

I usually soak them overnight (or a couple of nights, if I forget I'm soaking them) in about twice the depth of water as beans. Then, I cook them on low overnight in the crock pot with some onion, garlic, cumin, salt...

 

Then we go all sorts of things with them - bean burritos, mostly.

[vettechmomof2]

I soaked them for a few hours then bolied them lightly for I think about 30 minutes.

They were still "slightly crunchy" almost like a softer nut.

Then I mashed them up as much as I could with some olive oil and mixed them in wraps with turkey meat and spices. We did cajun seasoning and some other hot spices but I think you could go basic as well.

The texture was really good, kids loved them and my husband who is not a bean and nut kind of guy loved then as well.

Allene

[mellifera]

You can soak them overnight (or about 4-6 hours), then bring them to a boil, cover and simmer for about an hour. Or if you're like me, you can just bring the pintos to a boil, cover and simmer for about 2 and 1/2 hours and skip the soaking part. Generally it's about 3 cups of water to 1 cup of beans. One cup of dry beans makes about 2 cups cooked. Once they're cooked you can try putting them in different things: soups, salads, casseroles, whatever.

[Kate CA]

We make Chalupa! I prefer to use the crockpot for this recipe as it is a no-brainer and life is easier with no-brainers. :D We also cook them up in the crockpot and use them for burritos, tostadas, home-made refried beans (and all that means is that I take the cooked beans and blend them in the blender with some of the juice from the beans, and a little salt). If I am feeling really wild I will cook the beans with sautéed garlic but most of the time I just cook them with garlic powder. I don't salt until the end when I am cooking plain beans. The crockpot is your friend with pintos because they take a long time to cook and make a giant mess on the stove if you lose track of them and let them boil over. So cheap and so easy! Oh, and chili is very good with these beans too.

[dn42592]

I learned from my aunt that you don't even need to soak them overnight . I boil them (simmer) until they are soft (a few hours maybe). And then I mash them with a potato masher, add canola oil, salt. If they dry out just add more water and they will be the perfect consistency. My kids love them as 'pintos and cheese' (beans, taco sauce-chk for msg--, and shredded cheddar on top) and tortilla chips to eat it with. And you can use it in tacos, burritos, etc. I'll never buy canned refried beans again because it is so easy to cook and MUCH better for you. :)

[LaxMom]

...I prefer to use the crockpot for this recipe as it is a no-brainer and life is easier with no-brainers. :D ...

 

Yes, indeed!

 

Thanks for the recipe, Kate!

[Aggie]

Our favorite way is to cook them in broth from the chicken or roast that we had in the crockpot. Have roast tonight, soak beans during the day, then after supper throw the beans in the crock pot. Sometimes I leave the meat in, sometimes not.

 

If I think about it in time, we'll make some rice to go in them. Serve with raw veggies or a nice salad.

[jojomojo]

I usually use the quick soak method and then cook them in the pressure cooker. For quick soak, cover beans with about twice as much water and bring to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from the heat and let it soak for 1-2 hours. After it's done soaking, pour the soak water out, rinse the beans in a colander (rinse the pot out too), put the beans in the pot with just enough water to cover the beans and other ingredients (usually just a diced onion). Add a bit of fat (some recipes say lard, I've used coconut oil and canola before) and pressure cook for 5 or 6 minutes. The first night I make these I serve them with "spanish rice" (made in the rice cooker) and blue cornbread. Then throughout the week we use them up (sometimes make up some taco meat, homemade tortillas, etc).

 

I just made black beans this way the other day (except instead of diced onion, I just used some garlic & onion powder). I added 3 tablespoons of salt to the soak water to see if it would help them keep their shape (black beans get so mushy) and it seemed to help. We used them the same way pretty much - first night taco salad on corn chips, the rest of the week leftovers and burritos with homemade tortillas.

[KatieJ]

I dont know how to post a reference to my previous post, but I posted a "bean cooking lesson" one day last week. Just do a search on my name. I twas info I gathered watching America's Test Kitchen.

[Katiebug_1976]

Kate,

Can I ask how long you usually cook them in the crock pot? On high or low?

 

Thanks,

[NutriMom]

Other than math counting exercises? :D

 

I would actually like to prepare this bag o' beans for eating.

 

Let's discuss.....

 

Here is the recipe that I use along with the recipes I use for the leftovers. This is a long post. I hope it looks right and you can decipher.

 

Crock Pot Refried Beans for Burritos

 

 

Put into crock pot:

2 cups of dry organic pinto beans, rinsed and sorted. (1 lb.) (I do usually soak the beans overnight and drain)

1 large onion, chopped

7 cloves of garlic

7 cups of water

 

Cook for 8 hours on high. Pour off almost all of the water and mash with a potato masher right in crock-pot. Add ¾ tsp- ½ Tbl of sea salt. I usually pour the water into a container just in case I need to add more back in.

 

For spicier refried beans add:

(½ Tbl ground cumin, 1 tsp chili powder and ¾ tsp oregano.)

OR

(½ Tbl ground cumin, ½ Tbl chili powder, ½ Tbl dried cilantro, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder)

 

 

We lay out

*Whole wheat or fat free flour tortillas

*Salsa (Pace mild and medium)

and let everyone wrap their own.

 

If I am ambitious I will chop

*a romaine heart

*green onions, or sweet onions

*cilantro and

*tomatoes or make Pico de Gallo

 

(Leftover roasted potatoes, brown rice, Mango Salsa or Pineapple Curry Sauce are also great on the burritos)

 

This usually makes 8 large burritos.

 

 

I serve this with a Dark Green Salad with lots of raw veggies, Mexican Coleslaw, Carrot Salad or Broccoli Salad. Sometimes I even adda green steamed vegetable. (sautéed kale, spinach, collard greens or steamed asparagus, green beans or brussel sprouts)

[Michelle in AL]

We had this recipe from http://www.vegkitchen.com the other night and everyone loved it:

 

FRIJOLES BORRACHOS

Serves: 6 or more

 

The word borracho was a 19th century term for a drunkard, so this recipe's name literally means "drunken pinto beans." Simmering the pintos in beer, with lots of cilantro, results in a very special flavor.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped ripe tomatoes or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes

2 large scallions, chopped

4 cups cooked pinto beans

1/2 cup beer

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I omitted this)

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced, or one 4-ounce can chopped mild green chilies

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the tomatoes and scallions and sauté over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together, then simmer, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes. If there's too much liquid in the skillet at this time, cook, uncovered, until it thickens up a bit. Serve hot.

[NutriMom]

Here is the recipe that I use along with the recipes I use for the leftovers. This is a long post. I hope it looks right and you can decipher.

 

Things to do with leftovers

1. Burritos:Wrap Refried Beans in remaining tortillas and freeze. Bake for lunch/dinner at a later date.

2. Bean Enchiladas:Roll Refried Beans in heated soft corn tortillas and freeze. When ready to serve put ½ cup enchilada sauce in bottom of dish and place 12 frozen enchiladas. Top with remaining enchilada sauce (1 ½ cups) and bake at 350 for 45 min. or put in refrigerator at lunch and let thaw for dinner therefore reducing the baking time.

3. Mexican Pizza: Layer in order on a whole grain crust- Refried Beans, chunky salsa, canned green chilies, chopped onion, cilantro and black olives. (use whole grain pitas to make it easy)

Mexican Pizza Crust

 

1 ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour or other whole grain

¾ cup corn meal/flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2/3 cp rice milk

¼ cp extra virgin olive oil

Mix and rest 10 min. Pat/roll into large pizza pan. Bake @400 for 12 minutes. Put on toppings and bake another 15-20 min.

4. Black Bean Mexican Pizza: Layer in order on a whole grain crust- Refried Beans, 1 cp picante sauce, 1 cp whole kernel corn, 1 cp black beans, ¼ cp green onions, sliced jalapeno’s.

Top with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes.

5.Mexican Layered Dip

Layer in order. 2 cups refried Refried Beans mixed with 1 cup Pace mild picante; 8oz sour cream +1/2 tsp chili powder +1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1 cup grated cheese; 2 tomatoes chopped; 1 avocado, chopped or guacamole; 3 green onions, chopped; 1 small can of black olives; pickled, slice jalapenos, if desired; Serve with baked tortilla chips

6. Bean and Corn Enchiladas from (McDougall Newsletter)

This is another variation on our favorite enchiladas. I make these often when I have leftover pinto beans from our usual bean burrito meal. We like all the ingredients inside the enchiladas, so it is very easy if you just mix the ingredients together and then spread the mixture on the tortilla. Preparation Time: 40 minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes Servings: 6-8

Sauce:

2 8 ounce cans tomato sauce

3 cups water

4 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons chili powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Place all ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan. Mix well with a whisk until well combined. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and add more chili powder if desired. Set aside.

10 whole wheat tortillas

4 cups mashed pinto beans (Refried Beans)

1 cup chopped green onions

1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 2.25 ounce can sliced ripe olives, drained

1-2 tablespoons chopped green chilies (optional)

grated soy cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To assemble casserole:

Place the beans in a large bowl. Add the onions, corn, olives and green chilies (if you wish). Mix gently until well combined.

Place 1½ cups of the sauce in the bottom of a large non-stick oblong baking dish. Take 1 tortilla at a time and spread a line of the bean mixture down the center of the tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas, placing them snugly next to each other. Pour the rest of the sauce over the rolled up tortillas, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle a small amount of grated soy cheese over the top, if desired. Cover with parchment paper, then cover with aluminum foil, crimping the edges over the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with salsa and tofu sour cream, if desired.

Variation: This may also be made with corn tortillas instead of the wheat tortillas. You will need about 15-16 corn tortillas. The remaining directions remain the same.

7. Pinto Bean Enchiladas

1 2/3 cup cooked pinto beans, drained and mashed

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided 1 cup each

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 1/4 oz sliced ripe olives

15 oz tomato sauce, divided ¾ cup + remaining

4 oz diced green chilies

2 tsp garlic salt

12 (7 in.) corn tortillas

1 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp bottled hot pepper sauce

Combine mashed beans, 1 cup cheese, onion, olives, ¾ cup tomato sauce, chilies and garlic salt to taste. Mix well.

Place about 1/3 cup bean mixture along center of each tortilla.

Roll up and place in two 11-3/4 x 7-1/2 x 1-3/4-inch baking dishes.

Combine remaining tomato sauce with chili powder and hot sauce.

Spoon sauce over filled tortillas.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over sauce.

Bake at 350F 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Makes 12 enchiladas or 6 servings.

 

8. Refried Bean Soup

 

 

Refried Bean Soup

 

An Excellent hearty, meatless soup. You won’t believe that a soup this easy can taste this good. The Rotel tomatoes (tomatoes with green chilies) provide the perfect seasonings, so don’t substitute plain tomatoes for them.

 

Adapted from Southern Living.

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 can refried beans-31 oz

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained 16 oz

1 can Rotel Tomatoes, undrained 10 oz

1 can chicken broth, 14 1.2 oz

Garnishes:

crushed tortilla chips

shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey jack)

sour cream

Cook onion and garlic in oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until tender.

Add beans, both tomatoes and chicken broth, stirring until smooth. Be sure to mash the lumps of refried beans until completely dissolved.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Ladle soup into individual soup bowls; top with crushed tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 hearty servings.

Julia’s Notes:

I use Rotel Milder instead of the original. I also skip the onion and substitute my own leftover refried crockpot beans which have onion already in them.

9. Hot Bean Dip to use with fritos or tortillas

1 1/4 cups refried beans

4 jalapeno slices (bottled nacho slices)

1 Tbl juice from bottled jalapeno slices

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp paprika

1/8 tsp garlic powder

pinch cayenne pepper

Mix and eat with fritos or tortillas

[NutriMom]

Here is the recipe that I use along with the recipes I use for the leftovers. This is a long post. I hope it looks right and you can decipher.

 

Extra Recipes

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Spanish Rice

 

Sauté

 

1-2tbl olive/coconut oil

 

1 ½ cups rice

 

¼ cup onion chopped

 

1-2 cloves garlic

 

 

 

When onion is soft and rice is “translucentâ€, add

 

2 cups veggie broth and

 

1 cup Pace Mild Salsa.

 

 

 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed.

 

(Skip the onion and garlic if you are in real hurry)

 

Guacamole

 

2 avocadoes, seeded and peeled

¼ red onion, chopped (I use more in summer and less in winter)

½ lemon or 1 lime, juiced

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

pinch crushed dried red pepper or chopped jalapeno

tomato, seeded & chopped

1/8 tsp sea salt.

 

Put into bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until avocado is just chunky.

 

(Quick & Easy version: squeeze lemon or lime juice in a bowl, add dried minced onion and garlic. Let set while you are cutting the avocadoes. Add avocado and mash.)

 

Eat with baked tortilla chips or use as topping on potatoes/tacos.

 

 

 

Easy Garden Salsa

 

When tomatoes are ripe from the garden this salsa is on our table daily.

 

Put into food processor

2-4 cloves garlic, minced or halved

12 sprigs cilantro

4-8 boiler onions (about 1 cup) or 1 med onion cut into 8

1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into four

40 cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups)

salt and pepper to taste

 

Pulse until it is the consistency that you desire. We like it chunky, so we just pulse it a few times. It is easy to make "soup" so be careful.

 

You can also stir in black beans and or frozen sweet corn.

Sometimes I throw in a small peeled cucumber or a bell pepper. 1 Tbl Lime/Lemon juice is always a great addition also.

 

Salsa

 

8 Roma tomatoes, chopped

¼ cup red onion, chopped (or 4 scallions)

1-2 tomatilloes, chopped

1-3 large jalapenos, seeded and chopped (or cayenne pepper to taste)

½ large lemon, squeezed (or 1 lime) (2 Tbl)

½ tsp salt

1-2 cloves garlic

 

Options:

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

A pinch of basil or up to ¼ cup of fresh cilantro

 

Mix and let set in refrigerator. Serve with tortilla chips. (May freeze!)

 

Julia’s Salsa

 

Sauté until tender

1 Tbl or less olive oil

1 large sweet onion, diced

 

 

Add and sauté about 2 minutes

3 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 dried whole cayenne pepper or 1 fresh jalapeno w/ seeds, chopped fine

 

Add, simmer about 5 minutes and let cool just a bit

2 teaspoons sea salt

2.5 lbs roma tomatoes, chunked

 

Put into VitaMix and pulse 5 times

~1 cup cilantro

Tomato mixture

 

Refrigerate and eat when cold.

Makes 4 cups of salsa and freezes well.

 

 

Mango Salsa

 

 

2 large mangos, peeled & chopped

¼ red onion, chopped

1 lime, juiced

2 tbl cilantro, chopped

1/8 tsp salt

pinch cayenne

½ jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

 

Mix & serve with Blue Corn-Sesame Tortilla chips or

use on tacos/burritos.

Pico de Gallo

1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 cup onion, diced

1 tablespoon jalapeno, minced

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 limes

Kosher Salt, to taste

Mix the tomato, onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro in a bowl. Squeeze the limes over the mixture and add salt, to taste. Mix thoroughly and let stand for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to marry.

 

 

 

Trader Joe's Pineapple Curry Sauce

From: a vegan message board

Date: November 11, 2004 at 9:11 am PST

TJ's is discontinuing this and it has been a staple for me. Here is a recipe to replace it (tweak to your tastes):

 

 

1 can crushed pineapple in juice (20 oz)

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

2 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 T brown Sugar (use a sweetener of preference)

2 T white sugar

1/3 Cup vinegar

arrowroot to thicken

 

Bring all ingredients to a boil, add arrowroot/cornstarch. Blend half of the sauce until smooth and return to the pan. Makes about 3 cups.

 

 

Use this on

 

• chickpeas with brown rice, diced veggies.

• Over salmon steaks

• Stir fries

• Soy nuggets

• Spring rolls

• Rice with steamed vegetables

• Rice for a quick snack

• Onions, carrots, broccoli, and garbanzos over brown rice

• Bean burritos or tacos

• Black beans and brown rice

 

 

Poster’s Notes: Here's how I tweaked it:

I blended half of the pineapple first (I used a 20 oz can), because I don't like dealing with blending hot food. Then I added everything and heated it.

I used 1 tsp of sweet curry and 1 tsp of vindaloo curry (both from Penzeys.) Since the vindaloo is already hot, I used only 1/4 tsp of the crushed red pepper. It turned out just right for my taste.

[NutriMom]

Here is the recipe that I use along with the recipes I use for the leftovers. This is a long post. I hope it looks right and you can decipher.

Mexican Coleslaw

(from the San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook Volume II)

 

Dressing

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbl maple syrup

1/2Tbl Dijon Mustard

1 Tbl rice vinegar

1 Tbl fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1 garlic clove, minced

1 or 2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced

 

Slaw

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup minced cilantro

 

To make the dressing: Mix together the mayonnaise, maple syrup, mustard, rice vinegar, lime juice, cumin, salt, minced garlic and chiles in a bowl. (If you want a mild salad, add just 1 chile.) May be made 1 or 2 days ahead; refrigerate in a covered container.

 

To make the slaw: Combine the cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and cilantro in a large bowl. Add two thirds of the dressing and toss to combine. (If you like a creamier slaw, add all of the dressing.)

 

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Keeps well for up to 1 day in the refrigerator.

 

Serves 6

 

 

Next Day use for Fish Tacos: Cook fish with Mexi spices and serve on warmed corn tortillas, topped with Mexi-Coleslaw.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

 

 

Bon Appétit

June 2006

CILANTRO SLAW

 

12 ounces purchased shredded three-color coleslaw mix (about 7 cups)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

Place coleslaw mix and cilantro in large bowl. Whisk canola oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper in medium bowl to blend. Add to cabbage mixture; toss to coat.

 

Makes about 5 cups.

 

Bon Appétit

Menus

June 2006

Jill Silverman Hough

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved

 

 

Chick-fil-A Carrot & Raisin Salad

(Top Secret Recipes)

Makes 8 small servings

 

1/3 cup mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

 

2 tablespoons crushed pineapple

 

4 cups finely shredded carrots (5 to 6 carrots)

1/3 cup raisins

 

1. Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and sugar until sugar is mostly dissolved.

 

2. Whisk in crushed pineapple.

 

3. Fold in shredded carrots and raisins. Cover and chill overnight before serving.

 

 

Broccoli Salad

 

½ cup vegenaise

½-1 Tbl honey

1-2 Tbl apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

 

 

3 cups chopped broccoli

½ cup carrots, shredded

½ cup red cabbage, shredded

½ cup toasted sunflower seeds

1 cup raisins or sub 2 cups red grapes, halved

2 chopped green onions, or red onion

 

Sprinkle with Fakin’ Bacon before serving

[Marie in Oh]

It is how I deal with stress. :lol:

 

No, I cook them like the other ladies say-- par boil, soak for an hour, drain, cover in 6 qts of water, cook on low for 2 hours or in crock pot over night. To the 6 quarts of water I add taco seasoning. When they are soft, I put them in the Kitchen Aid and beat them til the sun don't shine. We use them in burritos mostly.

[MomsintheGarden]

Well, I was going to say as math manipulatives.:glare:

 

I can't seem to ever get them soft. I can soak them for days, and they still come out hard and crunchy. So, I buy canned.

 

 

Michelle,

 

If you soak/cook your beans for a long time and they still are crunchy, then they are too old. Unfortunately, some grocery stores leave beans on the shelf for a long time. Or, maybe they sat on your shelf too long. You might want to try buying from a store or co-op that has a good turnover. You should have much better results.

 

FWIW, we've found that organic beans really do taste better! We buy ours from Frankferd Farms in PA. They must have a good turnover, because their beans have always been good. They deliver to our home in Virginia.

 

HTH,

GardenMom

[Jen in PA]

I soak them overnight, drain the soak water, and cover them with fresh water. Then I cook them in the crockpot on high for 3 or 4 hours. I woke up early this morning to turn on the crockpot so that they would be ready for this morning's breakfast:001_smile: I like to add just a sprinkle of sea salt and a handful of shredded cheese for a quick breakfast or lunch. I do some of the things already mentioned when I use them as part of dinner.

[Lovedtodeath]

follow package directions. drain liquid. reurn to pot. cover with white american cheese, which melts and gets mixed in. add milk. salt.

 

delicious!

[jamnkats]

We make Chalupa! I prefer to use the crockpot for this recipe as it is a no-brainer and life is easier with no-brainers. :D We also cook them up in the crockpot and use them for burritos, tostadas, home-made refried beans (and all that means is that I take the cooked beans and blend them in the blender with some of the juice from the beans, and a little salt). If I am feeling really wild I will cook the beans with sautéed garlic but most of the time I just cook them with garlic powder. I don't salt until the end when I am cooking plain beans. The crockpot is your friend with pintos because they take a long time to cook and make a giant mess on the stove if you lose track of them and let them boil over. So cheap and so easy! Oh, and chili is very good with these beans too.

 

Where I live, a chalupa is the housing for an electrical outlet. :)

[Ohdanigirl]

Well, I was going to say as math manipulatives.:glare:

 

I can't seem to ever get them soft. I can soak them for days, and they still come out hard and crunchy. So, I buy canned.

 

Rinse, soak 4-5 hrs, or over night, cook. DO NOT ADD SALT UNTIL TENDER. I learned this the hard way as a child. They will never get tender if you add the salt to soon. You can also throw in a few garlic cloves, an onion or just plain water, depending on taste

 

Danielle

[Peek a Boo]

It is how I deal with stress. :lol:

 

No, I cook them like the other ladies say-- par boil, soak for an hour, drain, cover in 6 qts of water, cook on low for 2 hours or in crock pot over night. To the 6 quarts of water I add taco seasoning. When they are soft, I put them in the Kitchen Aid and beat them til the sun don't shine. We use them in burritos mostly.

 

Same here, but ......Skip the cooking.

 

I hate beans, but they are so darn cheap i'd be stupid to not use them. Someone shared a tip about grinding the dry, uncooked beans to a powder in the blender, then just adding a few scoops to whatever dish you're making. WORKS LIKE A CHARM!!! no soaking beans, no worrying about old beans, no nasty bean-y texture, very versatile!

[Kate CA]

Kate,

Can I ask how long you usually cook them in the crock pot? On high or low?

 

Thanks,

 

I usually cook them all day on low, but I quick soak or overnight soak them first so they are already in the process of cooking/soaking. In case you don't know what that is (forgive me if you do!) you take the amount of beans you want to cook and cover them with water at least two inches over the top. If you are overnight soaking them then I just leave them until the morning, drain, change the water and start the crockpot. (8 hours on low or 5 on high.) If you quick soak, I cover the beans with water and bring the water to a boil. Turn it off and then leave the lid on for an hour, then drain, refill water and cook in the crockpot. (Same times.)

 

HTH! :D

[Kate CA]

Where I live, a chalupa is the housing for an electrical outlet. :)

 

That is so funny! :D

[alpidarkomama]

I soak them overnight, then the next day I cook them until done (just water). Then I saute onion, garlic, and cumin and add the beans. Mash them. I usually do this in huge batches, then bag the re"fried" beans and put them in the freezer. We can have tacos, burritos, huevos ranceros 6-8x off a big batch of beans. CHEAP MEAL! Hmmm... better get to sleep before this makes me hungry. :)

[chickenpatty]

We have beans & rice for lunch fairly often around here. After breakfast, I rinse the beans, and simmer them on the stove for a couple of hours (adding more water every now & then.) Then, I add seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic, onion - my kids don't like them spicy so I add tobasco to my own bowl. And then I add some chopped keilbasa & cook 15 minutes or so more. Serve it over rice & add cheese if you want.

Edited March 4, 2009 by chickenpatty