Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit...

The frugal foods series at Frugal Upstate is chugging right along. This week's featured frugal food is beans - one of my favorites! (Remember, I used to be a vegan...)

In honor of Bean week, I am going to share some of my favorite bean recipes as well as a cooking method that you will thank me for later.


Crockpot Beans
If you want beans to pack for lunch:
Before you go to bed, rinse beans, pick out any small rocks.

No soaking required.

Put two cups of beans and five cups of water in crockpot. Cook on low over night. (Soybeans and chickpeas need to be cooked on high).

Beans should be tender in the morning.

To have them ready for dinner, just put in the crockpot in the morning.

You can add some chopped onions and garlic for flavor.

Bonus Tip: Freeze them in 2-cup portions in zipper-type freezer bags or semi-disposable storage containers. One bag/container equals 1 can of beans.

If you want to cook a whole pot of refried beans:
Refried Beans
5 cups pinto beans
4 cups chopped onions
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper

Rinse and sort beans and add to crockpot with onions.

Cook on high all day, or until beans are soft. Drain the beans and onion mixture, reserving some of the liquid. Puree in food processor (or mash with a fork) with remaining ingredients to desired consistency. Thin with cooking liquid if needed.

Ok, now that you have your beans cooked, what should you do with them?

My Grandma's Famous Ranch Beans
1/2 cup onion, diced
32 oz. can baked beans
16 oz. can kidney beans, drained
16 oz. can butter beans
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 envelope onion soup mix
1-2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Sauté onion until soft. Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees 35 to 45 minutes or until bubbly.

To serve as a main dish, add 1 lb. cooked and drained ground beef before baking.

My Mom's Chili
2 15 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
1 diced onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can light red kidney beans- drained and rinsed
1 can dark red kidney beans- drained and rinsed
1 can black beans- drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 Tablespoon chili powder

Dump everything into a big pot. Heat until boiling, reduce heat and simmer until cornbread is done.

Bonus cornbread recipe:
Lori M's Best Ever Cornbread
1 cup self rising cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup milk
1 can creamed corn

Bake at 400° for 30 min until browned. I bake mine in a 9" cast iron skillet sprayed lightly.

Picture from flickr