Pinto Beans that even your 6 year old will eat!

by Angela Scott
(Alliance, NE USA)

4-5c. dry pinto beans, sorted through and rinsed
4T. bacon drippings
3T. baking soda
water for soaking and cooking
2 sticks of butter or margerine
salt to taste

After sorting your beans, rinse them and place them in a large bowl. Cover them with water and add extra because the beans will absorb it. Mix the baking soda into the water and soak overnight. I usually put my beans on to soak after lunch the day before so that the will completely rehydrate.

The next morning drain and rinse the beans and place them in your slow cooker with water covering them about 2 inches over the top of the beans. Add your bacon drippings or if you have bacon you need to use up you can add that instead, it just depends on what you have. I have made these with no bacon or drippings and they were still good.

Cook on high all day until the beans turn a reddish brown color and the juice gets darker. Then add margerine or butter and let it boil in there until it's melted. Stir and then add salt to taste.

I make a pot every wednesday and am able to turn it into several meals during the week. My boys will add ketchup and cheese to a bowl one day, then we will make burritos the next couple of days. Sometimes I add converted rice to the leftovers and season it with cajun seasoning for cajun beans and rice.

You can make chili. Beans are one of the cheapest most versatile foods you can cook with. Doing this has saved our family a ton on groceries and all four of my kids and my husband are happy because they get to kind of decide what they want to eat during the week.

I store them right in the slow cooker and place them in the fridge when I won't be using them, then warm them up on low when I need them (anything hotter and you will end up with mush!)

Serve them with corn of any kind and you have a perfect protein.

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Pinto Beans that even your 6 year old will eat!

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sorry for any offense over this recipe :) to each his own
by: Anonymous

If you saw how much beans this recipe made, you would understand the amount of butter :) Also you don't have to fill your bowl with juice. I personally have a different attitude about fats like butter for children. My children consume lots of fats in the form of real butter and cheese. These fats are excellent for brain developement. My children are all 4 VERY healthy and lean. As far as poor food choices go, I think if it came from nature, it's best. The bouillion in the other bean recipe is loaded with MSG, known to be toxic. I read a very interesting cookbook called "Nourishing Traditions" and later researched a lot about it. Fat is very misconstrewed in the American diet. If it's too much for you, add one stick. And as far as it not being frugal because of the butter, I don't know what to tell you with ground beef being $3 a pound and ground turkey not much cheaper. This meal costs in the price range of $4 and will feed probably 15 people or a family of 6, like mine, for 2 meals. And for the baking soda question, the soda is there to help break the beans down a bit and makes them really soft when cooked. Many people won't eat beans as a staple in their diet because of the digestive issues they cause. The baking soda and the butter, both help with those issues. We eat A LOT of beans because of our budget and we have probably one of the healthiest diets around haha! In spite of the evil butter mwahahaha!

Housewife
by: Cheryl

I would not call this a frugal recipe because it calls for 2 sticks of butter. I pay almost 4 dollars for a pound (4 sticks) of butter where I live.
Also, while I am sure this is quite tasty, the fat content is crazy. You are setting your 6 year old up for poor food choices and a is just a heart attack waiting to happen.
I spray my pressure cooker or dutch oven with non stick spray. I put in the beans, water, then I add garlic, onion powder, black pepper a small amount of salt and a teaspoon of Knorr Beef Boullion powder.
When ever our family has a get together, I am always asked if I am going to bring some of my famous beans.

butter
by: Anonymous

of course anyone would eat this, it is butter with some beans. good grief that is alot of butter

What's the baking soda for?
by: Anonymous

The baking soda is supposed to help break down the beans and prevent so much gas. It also makes the beans soft.