Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit...

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Pinto Beans: A "Good for You" Food!

...The more I eat...Well, you get the picture. Pinto Beans are an awesome addition to just about any meal. Cook them in large batches and you will have plenty to last over several meals.

Pinto beans are easy to make, they freeze well, and they are good for you! Homemade pinto beans beat canned hands down. So pull out your Crock Pot and lets make some beans...

The Nutritional Benefits of Pinto Beans
Pinto Beans ain't the Only Beans...
Serving Ware for Your Pinto Beans

more...

What are Beans?

The common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, is an herbaceous annual plant domesticated independently in ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes, and now grown worldwide for its edible bean, popular both dry and as a green bean. The leaf is occasionally used as a leaf vegetable, and the straw is used for fodder. Botanically, the common bean is classified as a dicotyledon. Beans, squash and maize constituted the "Three Sisters" that provided the foundation of Native American agriculture. Beans are a legume and thus acquire their nitrogen through an association with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. This article discusses other species of beans in addition to Phaseolus vulgaris.

read the rest of the Wikipedia article

Cooking Pinto Beans Made Easy

Pinto Beans

Pinto Beans

What You Need:

1 16 oz package of Pinto Beans
3 slices of raw smoked Bacon
1 large whole Jalapeno (from the can, sliced with seeds intact)
1/2 tbsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/2 tbsp Lawry's Garlic Salt

Rinse and sort your pinto beans. Remove and discard any rocks. Most, if not all, package directions tell you to pre-soak, or quick soak prior to cooking. I'm here to tell you I quit doing that.

Pinto Beans

I learned, by a stroke of luck, I did not need to do over night/quick soaking. A party came up and I needed to make some beans fast. I rinsed and sorted my pinto beans, threw them in my crock-pot, covered them with water and hoped they would be all right. They were not only all right; they were perfect!

Supposedly presoaking helps prevent the pinto beans from splitting. I never found it to be true. My beans always split horribly until that fateful day.

Pinto Beans

I tested this non-soak method of mine several times after, with several different brands, and every single time since my beans are always whole. Pretty amazing and quite a time-saver.

So, once you rinse and sort your pinto beans, put them in your crock-pot. Cover them with water, about an inch over the bean level.

Pinto Beans

Slice your raw bacon into 1-inch segments and toss it in.

Pinto Beans

Cover and turn the crock setting to high. Once it starts to get hot and steams, you should begin watching it carefully. Stir occasionally to prevent any sticking.

Pinto Beans

If your pinto beans get low on water, you need to add more. Make sure you only add HOT water to cooking beans. If you add cold or cool water to hot beans they will split.

After the beans have simmered for about 2 hours, reduce the crock heat to low. Continue stirring occasionally.

Cooking Pinto Beans

At about 4 hours of cooking, you add your sliced whole jalapeno, seasoned and garlic salts. (If you wish you could add 1/2 cup chopped onion, a 1/2-cup of your favorite Mesquite flavored BBQ sauce, or both, for a ranch styled pinto bean.) Stir well and continue to cook on low for 1 more hour.

These beans are mild, even with the jalapeno. You can add more jalapeno, if you like them hot. We never add salt or pepper; you don't have to. You can add more seasoned salt or garlic salt if you think it needs a little more punch.

Both Lawry's seasonings used in this pinto bean recipe are MSG free, which is better for your heart.

Lawry's is MSG Free!

Pinto Beans Cook Best in a Crock Pot

I Wish I had This One!

I can dream. I have three separate crocks in these sizes...Live and learn, I should have shopped around. This model can do everything from warm dips to cook pinto beans. This is going on my Christmas Wish List!

Hamilton Beach 33134 3-in-1 Slow Cooker with 2-, 4-, and 6-Quart Crocks

Amazon Price: $39.99 (as of 07/11/2009)
List Price: $69.99

The Nutritional Benefits of Pinto Beans

Pinto beans, like most beans, are a good source of fiber, which has been proven to lower cholesterol. For diabetics, adding pinto beans to meals may help keep blood sugar from increasing rapidly after eating.

It is a given that beans are virtually fat-free and a high quality protein. But did you know pinto beans are also an excellent source of folate, manganese, molybdenum, and vitamin B1? Pinto Beans also contain the minerals phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, and copper.

All of this combined make pinto beans a good heart health food too! (Learn more benefits on WHFoods)

Want to have some fun? Read about "Beans, Beans the Musical Fruit!

Pinto Beans ain't the Only Beans...

Some Good Lookin' Bean Cookbooks

366 Delicious Ways to Coo...

Easy Beans: Fast and Deli...

The Bean Harvest Cookbook

Full of Beans: 75 Excitin...

The Beans and Pulses Cook...

Serving Ware for Your Pinto Beans

This set is perfect to go with your Crock Pot! It won't scratch your crock, pans, or fine china. The ladle is perfect for scooping up a big dish of pinto beans. The whisk is especially nice to have because of its large size. Oh, and how could I forget, the spaghetti spoon is awesome for getting those slippery noodles on your plate!

OXO Softworks Tool Set (6-pc.)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
List Price: $19.98

Pinto Beans in the Blogs

Wheat Berry and Pinto Bean soup Recipe | Chef In You: I have some weird habits/likings. For today's discussion I would reveal one of those. I hate eating alone in a public place ! You will rarely (make it.
Blah « Pinto's Beans: July 9, 2009 by Pinto. So, blah blah bla blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah! Blahahaha. Blah? Blah blah blah, ?blah blah blah. Blah bla bla bla.? ?Blah blah?? ?Blah.? So, blah blah blah. And blah. Blah. Posted in 1 | No Comments Yet ...
Put a ring on it « Pinto's Beans of Marketing Wisdom: There is normally not a lot to be excited about when you are visiting a dentist or doctor's office. However, for whatever reason, I always look forward to perusing the reading material they lay out in the waiting room. A lot of times, ...
Fried Chili Chicken: Recipes to Die For!: In addition, you will find it is easy to make pinto beans in the Crockpot while at work. This is a great way to insure you are not getting added sodium from canned beans. Also, I can choose the herbs and spices my family loves. ...

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Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit...

Pinto Beans: A "Good for You" Food!

Contents at a Glance

Contents at a Glance

What are Beans?

Cooking Pinto Beans Made Easy

Pinto Beans Cook Best in a Crock Pot

I Wish I had This One!

The Nutritional Benefits of Pinto Beans

Pinto Beans ain't the Only Beans...

Some Good Lookin' Bean Cookbooks

Serving Ware for Your Pinto Beans

Pinto Beans in the Blogs

Do You Have a Recipe Lens?

Please add it here and help expand our recipe collection on Squidoo!

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