Pinto Beans

Pinto Beans

Ingredients:

1 pound dried pinto beans, sorted and washed and soaked over night in 6 cups water

3-4 cups water

1 large onion, chopped

4 to 8 ounces cooked ham, chopped

include hambone, too, if you have it

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Cover beans with water and soak overnight; drain. Fill bowl with water again and swirl to loosen any remaing dirt; drain again.

Place beans in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker with water and remaining ingredients except salt and pepper. You may want to dice green pepper or even hot peppers, optional. If you choose to add diced tomatoes, wait until the last hour or so of cooking. Acid items added can toughen the beans if added too soon.

Cover cooker and cook on low setting for 9 to 11 hours, OR on high setting for 5-6 hours.

Stir a couple of times during cooking and add more water if necessary.

Season with salt and pepper right before serving. If you add the salt too early, it will toughen the beans. Consider other seasonings, too: cumin, chili powder, oregano, it's your beans.

Serve with cornbread, or over rice, or with ham and biscuits.