Homemade Refried Beans



It's no secret that I L-O-V-E bean burritos. From the time I was a little girl, Taco Bell had a firm grip on my heart. The only problem is, I've started getting grossed out when opening the cans of refried beans from the store.'

They're kinda' slimy when you first open it. Then, a day later, they're completely crusty and almost...evaporated. Kinda'.


I put off making these because they were going to be hard. I'd spend hours sweating in the kitchen like the Mexicans of old. Or so I told myself.

These are easy peasy. I'll never open a can again.

Ingredients:

  • 14 oz. bag pinto beans
  • Water
  • 1/2  Onion, Chopped
  • ½ Tablespoons Red Pepper Flakes, Or More To Taste
  • ½ Tablespoons Paprika
  • 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons Salt, Or As Needed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

  • First and foremost, if you have the time, soak the beans overnight in water. Just make sure they're covered. If you don't have the time to do this, no problem. I didn't. We'll just cook them a little longer.
  • Pour the beans into a tall pot, filling with water and covering the beans several inches. They will act almost like rice and absorb a good bit of water, so don't be shy.
  • Bring the water to a boil. Once it's bubbly, take it down to a simmer. Leave it simmering for 2-2.5 hours (1.5 if you soaked your beans overnight) or until the beans are tender. Keep an eye on the water, and if it gets low, add more.
  • In a separate pan, heat up the olive oil. Add the red pepper flakes, paprika, brown sugar and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until onions are slightly browned.
  • When the time is up and the beans are nice and soft, drain them, except for one cup of the liquids.
  • Mash 'em up like they're mashed potatoes.
  • Add the cup of liquids and the sauteed mixture and, using a hand mixture, whip them up until they've lost most of their chunkiness. Some chunkiness is okay. This thought comforts me in other aspects of life.
  • Once it's combined, add a good bit of salt. You may need to taste-test these until you find the right amount.



Serve warm!

Love and better-than-the-canned-stuff,

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