Recipe # 1:
Crock Pot Pinto Beans aka Soup Beans
When I was a kid, Mamaw always had a pot of Soup Beans on the stove. They became a staple in my home early in my marriage one because they are so easy to make and two because they always made me think of Mamaw. The thing is, she always stood over the stove for hours stirring her beans to make them soupy and creamy and delicious. I'm lazy. I love my Crock Pot. There hasn't been a meal yet, I haven't tried in said Crock Pot. So this recipe was inevitable. ;-)
Ingredients:
1lb bag of dry Pinto Beans
1 Medium Onion Chopped
1 Tbls of Salt
2-4 Slices of Bacon
6 Cups of Water
Directions:
Soak your beans either over night or on your counter top for about 2 hours. Clean and discard any of the bad pieces. Pour into Crock Pot. Add Onion and Water. Set to Low and cook for 4 hours. Add Salt and more water. Allow to cook another 4-6 hours on low, check your beans periodically to assure they have enough water. The beans should cook a total of 8-10 hours this will vary depending on the Crock you are using. My Crock cooks hot, if yours doesn't, you may not need to cook as long or add as much water. I usually add my bacon the last hour or two before eating. These beans will be so creamy. I can never get over how good the Crock Pot makes these beans. Sorry Mamaw.
Recipe #2:
Homemade Refried Beans
Ingredients:
Leftover Pinto Beans
Soup of Leftover Pinto Beans
1 Tbls Cumin
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
Directions:
Reheat your beans on the stove top. Place a strainer in a clean bowl. Pour the beans into the strainer until the beans and soup are divided. Stirring the beans in the strainer helps.
Keep the soup!
Once your beans are divided grab your tater masher and mash them up really good. Add some of the soup back into the mix. This will help your refried beans to stay moist. They will definitely dry out quick if you skip this part.
Add the cumin, garlic, and onion powder. Mix well. You can adjust the taste to your liking. I may have went overkill on the cumin for some people. We loved it. Just start small and add more if your not happy. Viola! Homemade Refried Beans! They are yummy yummy all by their lonesome. Run a tortilla chip through it and you got lunch! ;)
Recipe #3:
Freezer Meals: Beef and Bean Burritos
After completely this recipe, I fully understand why everyone is going nuts over freezer cooking. This recipe alone has saved me countless times for lunch, dinner, and a quick snack! My husband swears these are better then anything frozen he's ever had. The man lived on these at one point so that is a compliment. And they are just too easy to put together for a great burrito anytime.
Ingredients:
1 lb Hamburger
About 2 1/2 Cups Refried Beans
1 Packet Taco Seasoning(or you can use this homemade version.)
1 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Shredded
1 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese Shredded
20 Medium Tortillas
Reynolds Wrap
Aluminum Foil
Directions:
Prepare hamburger according to seasoning directions. Warm tortillas in Microwave between two paper towels in 2 batches, this makes them easier to fold. Prepare you assembly line. I would lay out a tortilla, spoon on beans, spoon on beef, sprinkle cheese and fold.
I'm not the best folder in the world or anything. And because I'm Miss Link Lady to my friends here is a link that teaches you step by step how to fold a burrito. Once I folded them a covered them in Reynolds Wrap.
Once I got them all filled and wrapped I then wrapped them in foil to keep that nasty freezer taste out. I labeled them BB with the date.
Now whenever we want a fresh homemade burrito we unwrap, place it on a plate and cook for about 2 minutes in the microwave. You can top it with salsa and sour cream for a meal. Stick it in a lunch box to thaw by lunch and then 30 secs to 1 min in the microwave. You could always heat one up at midnight for a snack. I won't tell!
I really hope you enjoy these recipes. They are tried and true in my house. The beans go over two generations. So if you like it then please put a pin on it. ≧◠◡◠≦✌
Have a great day and Happy COOKING good looking!
