crockpot pintos and bread (Denise)

[Guest guest]

--- " organic_homestead " wrote:

>

> Hey Shawn,

> do you do anything special to make your crockpot pintos? I have a bag

> of pintos I've been wanted to make in my crockpot and still haven't

> done it. How much water do you add to the crockpot to a pound of

> pintos?

 

Hi Denise. I generally go by my amateurish guestimations. Generally,

I put in enough thoroughly rinsed and picked over beans to fill the

crockpot about half way and then add enough water to fill up to 3/4 of

the way up. I add water as needed. I generally add plenty of water

because I make my pintos brothy and almost soupy (after a few hours

the water thickens up a bit and turns brownish).

 

I started it on high for about 3-4 hours and turned it down to low for

2-3. The beans turn a bit pale at first and then start to get brown

all around. At that stage you know things are close to being done.

Gotta test 'em.

 

>Do you add any seasoning?

 

I add my staple ingredients *lol*. Slightly sweated onions, jalapenos

and garlic go in at the beginning with the raw beans and water so that

the beans will take some of that flavor on.

 

Later on I added Mexican oregano, garlic powder (love the garlic),

fresh cilantro, pepper, veggie broth and I add salt at the end, to

taste. This last batch I added some liquid mesquite smoke to it.

 

>

> Since Sunday is supposed to be cold and rainy I think I'll spend the

> day cooking.

 

We've got rain coming late tonight and tomorrow too. Stay dry and

keep warm!

 

I'm going to try baking bread again. I think this time

> I'll use the bread machine for the dough part, but bake it in the

> oven. I didn't like the taste when I made it in the machine, it had a

> hint of plastic.

 

Oofa. No need for plastic bread *lol*. That dough setting can save

much time and alot of hand cramps! Just add ingredients. Do you ever

add cheese or herbs to the mix - anything like that?

 

I have a lot of bread recipes from our recent

> Electrical Co-op magazine I'd like to try.

 

That sounds awesome.

 

Shawn

 

Oh, btw, I looked for a bean guide that I had saved but I can't find

it. It stated how much beans expand after cooking and such (double in

size, etc.).

 

I did find a recipe for stove top beans which stated 1 pound of beans

and 10 cups of water (add as needed). that recipe was for hand mashed

pintos - included green onion, white onion, garlic and monterrey jack

cheese. Mash 'em at the end. It was REALLY good.