This seems like a very humble lowly meal, but it’s actually pretty delicious! You can serve it with cornbread or corn chips, but I usually just serve it with cheese and crackers. I usually serve it as the main dish, but it also makes a great side dish.

Ingredients:

• Pinto beans – I have to admit I didn’t measure them, but it was probably about 1 bag worth.
• 2 slices of cooked bacon – I’ve done this recipe plenty of times without bacon, but adding just a couple of bacon slices and maybe even a drizzle of the bacon grease really adds amazing flavor!
• Seasonings – Salt, pepper, dried minced onion (or onion powder), garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne and paprika.

Soak and cook your beans. You can do this in the crock pot or stove top. Go here for more details on bean cooking. Once they’re completely soft, crumble the bacon and add them to the beans. To add a little more flavor you can even drizzle some of the grease in, but of course if you’re watching your fat intake you can skip that step. Then add the seasonings. Since everything is already cooked, I just used my crock pot to keep them warm while helping all the seasonings to meld together, and so when I got home it was all ready and hot for us. You’ll feel like a cowboy eating this meal!

Crock pot tip: I got this idea from Ruthie. If you have a lid on your crock pot that doesn’t fit just perfect (like if you’re using a regular pot lid, because the crock one broke like mine), then you can put a big piece of aluminum foil on the crock pot before putting the lid on. It should help keep the heat in and seal it, and you can even wipe the foil off and save it for next time! Thanks Ruthie!