Refried Beans

Grab your crock pots for this freezer Master Mix!  These yummy refried beans are technically without the refry, which is much healthier, and just as tasty!  You can make several batches of creamy refried beans at one time , while controlling the ingredients, and the cost!  I've had this recipe for many years, so I don't remember the source.

In this Master Mix, I can get 3 quart sized bags with 2 cups each of refried beans. The crockpot does most of the work!  I keep the seasonings simple, so feel free to use it as a base recipe and change it up for your own taste!


Master Mix: "Refried Beans"
Ingredients:
 1 onion peeled and cut in half
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
2 Tablespoons minced or granulated garlic
4 teaspoons salt (can reduce this our leave it out!)
9 cups water

Optional:
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Directions:
Place all ingredients into the crock pot and stir to combine.
Cook on high for 8 hours. Add more water as needed.
Once beans are cooked to tender, strain them over a bowl to reserve the liquid (you'll need it in a minute!)
In a large bowl, mash the beans with a potato masher. Add reserved liquid as needed to attain your desired consistency. ( I tend to use about 3 ladle fulls (1/2 cup ladle).
Divide into freezer containers/bags.
Freeze till ready to use.
Thaw and warm before serving.

Jan's tips:  1) You can run this through your food process or mix with a hand mixer if you want additional help making it super creamy.

                 2)  Many of you may ask if you need to pre-soak/soften your dry beans overnight (8 hours before cooking them).  They will cook up faster and use less water in your cooking if you pre-soak them. I happen to be using up a large amount of  very old pinto beans that are having a hard time cooking all the way to tender (typical for beans that are older or stored improperly), so I do pre-soak them overnight in a bowl of water. Always drain the water they soaked in and cook them in fresh water. (It helps reduce the ummm. well the gas  you your dear family is gonna experience.)