Refried Beans

Making your own refried beans is much more economical and tasty than buying it in cans. Try splitting up the recipe into family size freezer containers and pulling one out whenever you serve Mexican food.

1 2 lb. bag of dried pinto beans

Cover beans in enough water to cover, and soak for at least 3 hours or overnight (or up to 3 days, the longer the soaking period the easier the beans are to digest. If they sprout that's ok too.)

After soaking, bring beans to boil then simmer for 1 - 2 hours or until done. (Sprouted beans cook much more quickly.) You can also drain off the soaking water and add fresh before cooking if you have a hard time digesting beans.

Meanwhile, cook 1-2 chopped onions in a few Tablespoons of olive oil until soft. Add a few cloves chopped garlic at the end of cooking time. Remove from heat and add to cooked beans along with 2-4 teaspoons cumin, sea salt and pepper to taste. Mash with potato masher until texture you like.

Optional: You can also add a chopped green pepper to the vegetables.