Knowing Beans About Beans

We had an enrichment activity where we learned how to prepare beans from "scratch". I don't know about you, but I have always been intimidated by making beans, plus I always forget to soak them overnight (I don't usually think about what I'm having for dinner until the day of). I have a storage room full of dry beans that I've never used because I don't know how to make them properly. I have since used the tips I learned at enrichment & made Chili, Taco Soup & Refried Beans from "scratch" & they turned out great...even better than when I make them with canned beans from the store. Plus it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I figured I would pass along some of the tips we learned and a couple of recipes in case anyone else is interested. I'm no expert, so if you have any other tips please feel free to share them!

• An older lady in the ward said that she never soaks her beans, she just adds about 1/4-1/2 tsp. of baking soda to the beans & then she cooks them as usual. The baking soda helps the beans to soften.
• Add one teaspoon of salt per cup of dry beans that you cook.
• Use three times the amount of water as beans (ie. use 3 cups of water per 1 cup of beans).
• Also, if you want to use dry beans in a recipe, a little less than a cup of dried beans is the equivalent to a can of beans that you'd buy in the store.
• If you do remember to soak your beans, add a spoonful of garlic or a couple cloves of crushed garlic to the water & it is supposed to reduce the gassiness of the beans.

Here are a couple of yummy recipes that you can try:

Crockpot Refried Beans

3 c. dry pinto beans
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
8 1/2 c. water
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. taco seasoning (opt.)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot or slow cooker. Cover & cook on medium-high for 8 hours.

Drain out most of the water. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding back in some of the liquid if needed.

*I also added 1/2 tsp. of baking soda when I made this recipe. We had bean burritoes for dinner & my kids absolutely loved them. If it makes more than your family will eat you can always freeze it in quart size ziploc bags & defrost them when you're ready to use them.

Basic Beans

3 c. dry beans (you can use any type, I used black, pinto & white)
9 c. water
3 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker or crockpot. Cover & cook on medium heat for 8 hours.

*This is the recipe I use when I make my Taco Soup & Chili from "scratch". Once the beans are soft (which really only takes about 6 hours on low for me) I make Taco Soup by browning 1 lb. hamburger and add it to the beans. Then I add 2 small cans of tomato sauce, 1 regular can diced tomatoes, & 1/2 to 1 packet of taco seasoning (to taste) and put the lid back on & let it cook until it is heated through (about 30 minutes). I serve it with cheese, sour cream, & tortilla chips and my family loves it!