Make Your Own "Refried Beans"

I tried making these refried beans the other day that I found at Pennies & Pancakes. Her site isn't proclaimed allergy friendly but I have found there some easy recipes that are easy to adapt. I had some pinto beans kicking around that I keep meaning to cook, but get overwhelmed just thinking about the work of it. I followed this ultra simple recipe and whammo! After putting them in the food processor my children were gulping them down. We love to eat them with Ruffles chips or in between two grilled corn tortillas with Daiya cheese. Wow! I think I would soak my beans overnight next time to make them easier to digest. But they turned out well even though I didn't this time. In fact, my son was begging for some the next day.

photo (evidently) from Pennies & Pancakes

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs pinto beans
1 large onion, chopped
4 Tbsp. jarred minced garlic
*Up to 2 1/2 Tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin
10 cups hot water

* You can use as little as 1 Tbsp. It depends on how you like your beans.

DIRECTIONS
Rinse the beans in a colander. Pick out any bad beans.

Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot. Remove any floating beans. Cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours and on LOW for 2 hours.

Uncover, and remove extra liquid. Leave enough liquid to reach the desired consistency when the beans are mashed. (We like our beans somewhere between the very-liquidy restaurant style beans, and the canned version of refried beans.)

Mash beans with a potato masher to desired consistency. 

Serve warm. Store in air-tight containers in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks, or freeze in ziplock bags for later use.

~ Savings ~

(and I love that she gives a cost breakdown!)

Cost Breakdown:

4 lbs dry pinto beans - $3.68 = $0.92/lb = $1.84

3 lb onion - $1.96 = $0.245 each = $$0.49 for 2 small

26 oz. salt - $0.42 = 122.75 tsp = $0.003/tsp = $0.023

32 oz. jarred minced garlic - $4.48 = 181 tsp = $0.025/tsp = $0.216

8 oz. black pepper- $3.84 = 37.75 tsp = $0.102/tsp = $0.204

2 oz. cumin - $3.12 = 22 tsp = $0.142/tsp = $0.284

Total Recipe Cost: $3.06

Cost per Cup: $0.19