I'm cooking beans and it's easy!

[JJsMom]

I bought a 5 lb bag of pinto beans from our coop and I am loving them! It saves so much money! We never been big bean eaters in my little family so I never really thought to do this, but my kids love beans. I make tortilla soup and refried beans the most, but we do chili occasionally. Here's what I do, I pour some dry beans in a pot the night before and fill it with water. I let them soak overnight until I'm ready to use them and then I drain and add new water. I turn them on and cook them until they are soft. Then I add them to my tortilla soup or chili or I blend them with a little water and olive oil and some spices (garlic, onion, cumin and a little chili powder) and cook the puree with some salsa and yummy, refried beans!

[RealLifeMama]

:yum
I :heart refried beans

[Maggie]

How do you make refried beans? :O

[JJsMom]

I don't know how it's supposed to be done, but I just throw the cooked beans in my vitamix with salt, olive oil, water (just enough to make it blendable), onion and garlic powder (I would saute some but powder is quicker :shifty ), cumin and chili powder. Then I add salsa and heat it up. That's all I do and it tasted like canned refried beans. We eat them on burritos or just scoop it up with chips.
I could try to be more exact if you'd like. :)

[Maggie]

No, that's helpful! Thanks, Krissy! Sounds yummy and easy! :D

[Bonnie]

I don't know how it's supposed to be done, but I just throw the cooked beans in my vitamix with salt, olive oil, water (just enough to make it blendable), onion and garlic powder (I would saute some but powder is quicker :shifty ), cumin and chili powder. Then I add salsa and heat it up. That's all I do and it tasted like canned refried beans. We eat them on burritos or just scoop it up with chips.
I could try to be more exact if you'd like. :)


Oooooh, I would LOVE it if you could give amounts-ish...I've been (figuratively) burned too many times trying to wing it in the kitchen. :blush But it sounds yummy.

When you want to soak beans "overnight" but don't need them til the next night, what do you do with them?

[illinoismommy]

so what is tortilla soup?

[JJsMom]

Ok, ummm...amounts (this is funny bc I used to need to follow exact recipes and never experimented and now I just throw stuff in :giggle ), I'll try.
I'd start with 1 cup of dry beans and add about 3 cups of water in a pan. I let them soak for a long time, I don't think it's like 8 hours, it really varies. I'll put the beans in water the night before and make them after lunch. :shrug Then, I dump the water and refill and cook them for at least 3 hours. I just check them by eating one to see if it's soft enough. (so scientific :giggle )
Okay, then drain and put in blender/vitamix. I would say put in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then maybe 1/8 teaspoon each of garlic and onion powder and chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon cumin.Also, add about 1/4 tsp or so of paprika and a few good shakes of salt. I can't say exactly how much water, I would say 1/2 c or less. Just so it can actually be blended. Then, I add about a 1/4 or so of salsa and heat it up.(I also tried putting a clove of garlic in my garlic press and that was yummy!) I'm sure others have better recipes, this is just my made up version. Taste it as you are cooking it and see if you need anything else, I like to change things a bit as I go.
Ok, tortilla soup is kind of like *my* meal. If people come over, that's what I serve (ask WI mama05, she knows :giggle ) and if I bring a meal to someone, that's what I bring. We eat it alot. It's great for lunch or dinner. It's one of our only "convenience" meals bc it uses mostly canned stuff.
Ok, so here it is
Tortilla Soup
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can corn
1 can chicken (or cooked chunk or shredded chicken)
1 can of pinto beans (or 1-2 c cooked pinto beans)
1/4-1/2 c salsa
1/4-1/2 c chicken broth
about 1/4 teaspoon or so cumin
a few shakes chili powder (I use mild)
(I sometimes add a few shakes of onion/garlic powder)
Just dump it all in, heat it up and eat it by scooping it up with corn chips. :yum It's so easy and I don't think I've run across anyone that doesn't like it. Even toddlers seem to love picking out the beans.

ETA: I realized that I used paprika in my refried beans last time, otherwise they look a little grayish and less appetizing. I also added salt and changed the water amount from 1/4 to 1/2.

[Bonnie]

You. Rock. :rockon :heart

[gentlemommy]

Ooooh, thanks! I'm gonna try this! :rockon

[WI Mama05]

:yum Tortilla soup! YUM!!!!!!!!! I just had some leftovers for lunch today. I will occasionally add cheese to it and DD1 calls it pizza soup!