TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY

This is for Miss Paula who mentioned my charro beans. Nobody taught me how to make these...and honestly, I don't know how I came to start making them like this. It is one thing that I make that I truly love and think I make well. Several have asked me for this recipe. SO...from my kitchen to yours....ENJOY

CHARRO BEANS

Ingredients:

dried pintos
water
dried, minced onion
garlic powder
salt
pepper
cumin
canned tomatoes (I like the chili style)
fresh cilantro

I will apologize now...there are no amounts...I just wing it. Of course, the more you make, the more of everything you need.

instructions:

sort and rinse dried pintos (I don't know if this is common knowledge, but there are rocks in most bags of beans...sort those out. I also sort out shriveled or broken beans)

I usually fix at least a 1 pound bag (the smallest bag...I think it's a pound) but if taking them somewhere, I fix more.

Put the beans into an 8 quart pot...cover with at least 4 inches of water. Put on burner...bring to boil. Check and stir often. This is where you get a good and thick, dark juice. Add water when needed. Do not let your beans get too dry.

Please note that you have added no seasonings as yet...if you add your salt before the beans are cooked, they will be tough.

After about 4 hours, reduce heat to a low simmer. Add, to taste, the onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cumin. Add 1 or 2 cans of tomatoes (you want them diced). Add your cilantro. (Be sure you rinse it first as it tends to be gritty. Also, pull the leaves off the stems. I don't always chop my cilantro, but I don't add stems.)

Cook beans for at least another hour. Serve.

These will be even better the NEXT day, so be sure you have some for leftovers.