Slow Cooker Refried Beans

 Yum, I love these beans so much!! So does everyone who tastes them.  So here is the history behind them.  My husband and I enjoy going on dates to Rubios sometimes, and we love their pinto beans.  So one time while we were there, I asked them how they cooked them.  And the guy said that it was just pinto beans, garlic salt, and pepper.  "That's it?" I said, and he goes "yup, I've seen them make them and that's all they put in."  So that got me thinking, and I began experimenting at home.  I had learned to make beans in the crock pot from my friend Bertie, so I made several batches of beans and this is the recipe I came up with.  This couldn't be any simpler, and except for maybe the beans, you have everything you already need at home!!  You can literally start these in less than 2 minutes in the morning and later, you have a simmering crock pot of delicious homemade beans to use in burritos, on the side with tacos, or whatever your favorite Mexican dishes are.  I made these for a superbowl party and all my girlfriends there asked for the recipe and have made them now too.  A quick note:  my friend who taught me about making beans in the crock pot told me to get my pinto beans at Costco because they are clean and never have rocks or junk in them.  So that is always where I buy my dried pinto beans.  They come in two sizes of re-sealable bags and last me a while in my pantry. I love them.


Slow Cooker Refried Beans

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Note: This makes a large batch.  They freeze well but you could easily cut it in half, my family of 8 eats these over a course of a few days.  We use them in burritos, tostadas, and as after school snacks with our most FAVORITE tortilla chips EVER, On the Border chips.  You MUST buy these at the store if your store carries them, I get them at Walmart.  They are even better warmed in the microwave.

4 cups dried Pinto Beans
9 cups Water
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (I use the pure olive oil, not the extra virgin)
1 1/2 Tablespoons Garlic Salt
1/2 Tablespoon Black Pepper

Place all ingredients in a 4-5 quart crock pot that is sprayed with cooking spray.  Cook on low for about 7-8 hours or until beans are very soft and mash easily.  You can speed cook them on high, or a combination of high and low, but if you do this you must watch them carefully because they can scorch and lose water.  So keep an eye on them and add more water as needed.

When they are done, remove some of the water but DON'T discard it.  You will want to add it back in as needed.  I always add some back in the next several days because the beans dry out a little in the fridge.  So keep your extra flavored water in a tupperware in the fridge.  Then mash the remaining beans and water together until desired consistency, you can leave some beans partially mashed or whole, depending on how you like them.  After mashing, adjust seasonings if necessary, but if you add in extra salt, use a little at a time.  I sometimes add in a little extra kosher salt, but just a little!  You won't believe how good these are for how easy they are to make!!