Pinto Beans

My dear neighbor showed me the best way to make great pinto beans. You will need a
1. crock pot
2. Clean dried pinto beans, about 3-4 cups. Light beans are freshest. Don't soak them first!
3. Goodies like boullion, onion, meat, garlic, chiles.
 Directions:
Put the beans in the crockpot; cover with a few inches of cold water. Turn it on high. In about 6-8 hours you will have tender, perfect beans. Or, you can put the beans on in the morning, but be sure to add lots of water, and let them cook on low all day, 8-10 hours.
After the beans are tender, then add stuff you like such as chicken or vegetable boullion, sauteed onion and garlic, red chile powder, cooked beef, or pork or chicken sausage, a few cubed potatoes. And, of course if you can, add pealed, de-seeded, chopped, roasted, green chiles, as many as you like. Frozen chiles work great. Simmer 30-60 minutes in the crockpot a bit longer after adding the goodies. If you like your bean broth thicker, you can thicken it with flour or cornstarch. But it will thicken itself if you simmer it a bit longer.
The crockpot is very forgiving. It's nearly impossible to goof up, as long as the beans don't cook dry. They turn out delicious.

* I wear rubber gloves when working with chiles. So does Mark. Our neighbors laugh at us, but at least we aren't walking around with hands on fire for hours afterwards.