Simply Beans

What I love about making pinto beans is how simple it is! I never soak my beans; I prefer to cook them for hours like a soup, simmering them so they soak up all the taste of the vegetables.  So how to we make these simple beans?

Place beans in a large pot with ample water (they will swell as they cook; you may need to add more water the first time you do this, just keep an eye on them). Add the following into the pot:

6 whole garlic gloves
1 whole small onion
1–2 whole jalepenos
salt, pepper, garlic powder

And if you're not eating vegetarian, add in about 3 strips of bacon! This adds great flavor!

Bring to a boil, and then cover and simmer until beans are soft (about 2–3 hours). Remove all of the whole vegetables (the flavor will be cooked into the beans, and no one wants to munch a whole onion). After I remove the veges, I sometimes add in chopped cilantro. Adding it at the end helps keep it green and fresh-looking.

If using bacon, remove the bacon, and remove all of the fat. Cut the meaty parts into bits and put back in the beans.

Serve whole, mashed, refried, on breakfast tacos, mixed with rice...