Refried Beans

     J.T. loves Mexican food, but I only prefer to eat it occasionally and when it is prepared in my own kitchen.  I look back and laugh about our first few months of dating.  I knew J.T. loved hot and spicy Mexican flavored foods, so I threw hot sauce, chili powder, cumin and paprika into practically every dish I made.  He loved it but I grew tired of all that spice!  About a month ago, we celebrated his 29^th birthday (for the 7^th time J) and he requested homemade Mexican food.  I settled on a menu of Beef Tacos with Refried Beans.  In my own health conscious brain, I decided the refried beans would count as our vegetable for the evening.  Many people associate Mexican food as cheap food.  While it is one of the cheaper meals to purchase at a restaurant, it can be quite pricy to prepare at home.  All the fresh ingredients – tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, onions, avocados, etc. – can really add up at the grocery store.  Beans, refried beans to be exact, are always an economical choice in our kitchen.  I often tell J.T. we would starve to death if it were not for beans. 

A little side note – I actually photographed and edited the photos listed below this past February.  I photographed a lot before I began working full time, because I knew I would not be able to continue to keep up with the blog.  It has taken me this long to perfect my refried bean recipe.  My other big project right now is my cookbook.  It may never become published, but I love working on it.  As Julia Child would say “cook bookery” is difficult business.  The countless hours it takes to test recipes and write are not for the weary, but I love it and hope to make a career from it one day.  I can always dream…

Refried Beans

Serves 6

slow cooker

Ingredients

• 1 pound pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 3 teaspoons celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 5 ½ cups water

Directions

1. Combine the pinto beans, onion, garlic, jalapeno peppers, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, sea salt, pepper, and water in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
2. Use an immersion blender to puree the beans before serving.  

Make ahead:  After pureeing, transfer the beans to a large casserole dish.  Reheat, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  The beans can also be frozen.  Cool completely overnight in the refrigerator before transferring to freezer safe containers.  Freeze up to 3 months. 

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