Refried Beans

This recipe for refried beans (which, by the way, aren't really fried at all) is from Recipes for You more a method than a recipe. You can easily adjust the seasonings to your own liking. 

1 lb bag pinto beans
1 tea. salt
1 tea. chili powder
1/2 tea. ground cumin
1/2 tea. garlic powder
1/2 tea. onion powder
1/2 tea. dried cilantro
a few drops of Louisiana Hot sauce
juice of half a lime 


On The Morning the Day Before You Want To Eat Them: Rinse, drain and sort through a bag of pinto beans. Sometimes you'll find rocks and other debris which needs to be removed so you don't break your teeth. Soak them in the morning in a large bowl.

That Evening, the Day before you want to eat them: Drain the water from the day's soaking. Add the pinto beans to a large slow cooker. Pour in enough water to cover the beans with about 2" of water over the top of the beans. Cook on low overnight.
The Next Morning: Turn off the slow cooker. The water will look dirty and the beans should be mushy. Pour off the water and return beans back to the slow cooker crock. Add the seasonings. Mash the beans using a potato masher. You can choose to mash them all or you can leave some beans whole. It's whatever you like. Squeeze the juice lime. Stir well. Divide the mixture into 2-4 equal parts and ladle up the beans into freezer storage baggies. Label and freeze. When you're ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight or heat in the microwave for a minute or so until soft enough to use.