Wash and rinse pinto beans
Soak overnight in unsalted water
This not only softens the beans, but gets rid of some of the side effects for which beans are best known.
Put into slow cooker and cover with vegetable broth plus 1-2 inches
COMBINE WITH
2 bay leaves
1 diced onion
1 slice of bacon cut into bits
Several cloves of garlic
Fresh cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Cook 6-8 hours on low heat
Check the beans every half hour starting at 5 hours to see if they are done to your liking, as some slow cookers cook faster or slower than others.
Use a potato masher to smash your beans
Add in some cheese and mix into the beans
Serve:
Add cheese, jalapeños and sour cream
Safety Note: If you are cooking kidney beans, boil them for 10 minutes before cooking. This neutralizes a toxin called phytohemagglutinin (say that 3 times fast) that can cause acute digestive distress. Thanks to www.thekitchn.com for this safety note.
Chef’s note: These beans were just OK. It is fun to make stuff like this from scratch, but for consistent results, don’t hesitation to buy your beans in canned form.
