Super Easy Refried Beans
1 onion, peeled and halved
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
9 cups water
Throw it all into a slow cooker and cook on high for 8 hours or on low overnight.
When the beans are cooked soft, remove as much liquid as you can from the pot. You can strain them (reserving the liquid) or what I just do is "skim" the liquid with a ladle. No need to get all of it, just most of it.
Using a potato masher, mash the beans right in the pot. The onion will be cooked soft and will mash right along with the beans. Add additional reserved liquid if needed. You can also add lard or butter, milk, etc. for extra creaminess.I modified this recipe from one here just reducing the salt mostly and increasing the black pepper. Omit the jalapeno if you don't want any spice. If you don't have a jalapeno and you want spice, you can use cayenne pepper or chili powder.
We go through beans a lot since Tommy is a huge burrito fan. I make 2 batches of this in a row and freeze the extras for quick bean burrito dinners. I haven't calculated the cost, but I imagine it's only pennies... cheap! And these will make your house smell AWESOME while they are cooking, too.
