Slow Cooker Refried Beans

 This is a simple recipe for homemade refried beans, however in the high altitude, I let them soak in cold water overnight first then turn on the slow cooker to get them cooking. I also used home processed lard instead of oil. Be careful to drain (and reserve) ALL of the liquid and then slowly add it back in until it reaches the desired consistency. In order to keep the beans in the pot, I just used an electric immersion blender to puree the mix. I didn't see salt in this recipe, so I added some. 

1 bag dry Pinto beans

Water

1 lb. pinto beans

1 sweet yellow onion

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

4 chicken bouillon cubes

2 garlic cloves peeled

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

6 cups water

Salt to taste

1/2 cup salted butter (wait to add this at the end)

Crumbled cotija cheese or grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Sour Cream (optional)

Fresh Cilantro or green onion (optional)

https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/slow-cooker-refried-beans/

Slow Cooker Refried Bean Soup

So, we had a new tradition for Thanksgiving this year. I was asked to make burritos. I made tortillas, spanish rice and refried beans from scratch. However, the beans had too much liquid and ended up being a little runny, and I made too much (a whole pound of pinto beans!). So, I was looking for a good refried bean soup recipe and as always, Taste of Home had a great one!

Some changes I made were to substitute the stewed tomatos with rotel. Also added bacon, garlic and fresh, chopped yellow onion. I was out of canned black beans and didn't take time to soak and cook so I used canned Canellini beans instead. It worked out well. Also added redmond salt, pepper and, at the end, topped with broken tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro. 

The great thing about the slow cooker is you can keep it on the counter overnight and have leftovers the next day. 

*See separate posts for the tortillas, spanish rice and refried beans recipes. 

Refried Bean Soup

1 can (16 ounces) spicy fat-free refried beans

1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, cut up

1/2 cup water

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

1/4 cup salsa

Tortilla chips

Cuban Style Slow Roasted Pork

Picnic Roast can be fattier than a shoulder roast so I've been trying to find ways to cook it that make it irresistible. I typed "Picnic Roast" on Pinterest and came across this Cuban Pork recipe. Wowser! This is probably one of the best marinades I've ever tried. I wish I had the time to follow all the steps to the letter (i.e. marinade time, oven time to get it cooked and charred), but I settled for the good ole crockpot instead and it turned out great! I served with some rice and salad (with homemade Blue Cheese dressing). Definitely ruined my diet this weekend; I couldn't stop eating it! I think it was also extra good since it was from one of our farm raised hogs. :)

http://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/cuban-style-slow-roasted-marinated-pork/

Slow Cooker Gumbo

We had just enough okra from our garden to make a nice big pot of gumbo. I added some tiny potatoes and tomatoes from the garden as well as chicken broth, salt and rotel. Now I don't have to cook for the week. lol

https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/slow-cooker-gumbo/