10 Course Pinto Bean Meal

I borrowed "From the Queen's Kitchen, A Collection of Pinto Bean Recipies" which is an amazing cookbook!  The book is for sale on Amazon for around $7.50.  "This collection of Pinto Bean Recipes has been compiled from entries in the Pinto Bean Cooking Contest.  The recipes were created and tested in the homes of Southwestern Colorado families" from 1957 to 1980. 

Let's start with the basics: 

WASH in clean water, remove any foreign objects.  a colander is handy for washing the beans

SOAK at least 8 hours (preferably 24 hours).  Keep beans covered with clean water.  Use no seasoning while soaking.

COOK according to the recipe, do not add salt until beans are tender.
ADJUST recipies to modern day ingredients.

De-gassing beans.  I have been told that if you add a Tablespoon of millet for every pound of beans from the beginning soaking process, then you wont get the gas problems.  I have no comment on the matter.

C=cup

T=tablespoon

t=teaspoon

Drink

Thirst Quencher

3 1/2 C strained pinto bean juice

2 C orange juice

2 C pineapple juice

3 C hot water

2 packages lime jello

1 quart ginger ale

Dissolve jello in water.  Add juices.  Chill thoroughly.  Just before serving, add ginger ale.

Appetizer

Pinto Bean Balls and Dip Sauce
Dip:
1/4 C cooked pinto beans chopped fine
1/2 C Ketchup
2 t prepared horse-radish
1/4 t grated onion
1/2 t worcestershire sauce
Combine all ingredients, set aside

Pinto Bean Balls:
2 C cooked pinto beans
1T butter
1 t vinegar
garlic salt to taste
satl and pepper to taste

Any remains of left over beanse may be used this way.  mash beans well, add remaining ingredients and mis well.  Form into small balls, dip in a raw egg, well beaten, and roll in fine bread crumbs.  Fry balls in deep fat, and serve while hot on cocktail picks with the zippy pinto bean sauce (above).  makes 45 balls.

Soup

Tomato-Bean Chowder

2 C cooked pinto beans

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 1/2 C water

1/2 C onion slices

1/2 C chopped green celery

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1/8 t pepper

1 C salami (bacon would be good too) cut in strips

combine ingreadients and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.  Serves six

Salad

Chuck Wagon Pinto Bean Salad

Handsome and hearty.  Mash 1 clove of garlic with 1 teaspoon salt; stir into 2 cups cooked pinto beans.  half fill a big salad bowl with chopped lettuce; sprinkle with 1/2 cup red-pepper relish.  Mound 1 package (6 ounces) cubed cheddar cheese at center of bowl; ring with 2 cups diced celery, then garlic pinto beans, and then 1 cup grated raw carrot; toss with french dressing.  Makes 8 servings.

Bread

Crusty Pinto Bean Bread

2 pkgs active dry yeast

1 1/4 C lukewarm bean juice

1/2 cup condensed milk

1 T salt

6-7 C sifted flour

1/2 C lukewarm water

1 C mashed pinto beans

2 T shortening

2 T sugar

Onion or garlic salt may be added if desired.  Soften the yeast in lukewarm water.  Heat bean juice in large pan, then add milk, oil, salt, sugar, mashed beans and 2 or 3 cups flour.  Beat with mixer until smooth.  next add softened yeast and mroe flour until dough is easily handled.  turn out on floured board and knead until smooth and satiny.  Place in greased pan and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk.  Punch down and let rise again.  Now cut dough into loaf sizes, shape and place in greased baking pans.  Let rise again and bake 40 to 45 minutes or until done in a 375 degree oven.  For extra room in oven and more crust on bread bake in two pound coffee cans.

Side

Baked Pinto Beans

3 C dry pinto beans

1 medium size onion

2 t salt

1 heaping teaspoon prepared mustard

1/8 t black pepper

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1/3 C molasses

1/4 C brown sugar

1/4 pound bacon or salt pork

Cover beans with boiling water.  Cook on low heat until tender.  Drain.  Slice onion in bottom of bean pot and add drained beans.  Mix all ingredients with liquid from beans and pour over beans.  Cut meat into small pieces and stir carefully into bean mixture.  Place in 300 degree oven and bake for two or three hours, last half hour uncover.  Add water if necessary.

Main dish

Surprise Casserole

1 1/2 lbs hamburger, cooked

2 t salt

pepper

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t oregano

1 t cumin

1 T chili powder

2 4oz cans green chilis

2 C mushroom soup

2 C water

3 C cooked beans

2 C sour cream

2 T hot sauce

Combine all ingredientts

9 oz jack cheese, grated

12 oz mild cheddar chesese grated

1 8oz noodles cooked

3 T minced dried onion

Put 1/2 into casserole.  Sprinkle with Jack cheese and 1/2 of cheddar cheese.  Put rest of meat mixture on and top with rest of cheese.  Bake at 350-375 until hot and cheese is bubbly [around 45 minutes]  [It doesn't say when to put the noodles in, but I would put them under the jack cheese]

Cake

Pinto Fiesta Cake

2 C cooked pinto beans, mashed

2 C diced raw apples

1 C sugar

1/4 C butter

1 egg beaten

1 C flour

1 t soda

1/2 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 t allspice

2 t vanilla

1 C raisins

1/2 C chopped nuts

Cream sugar and butter, add beaten egg.  Add mashed beans,  Sift all dry ingredients together and add to sugar mixture.  Add apples, raisins, chopped nuts, and vanilla.  Pour into well greased 10 inch tube pan and bake in 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Glaze and decorate with marachino cherry halves and walnut halves [or pecans, I LOVE pecans]

Pie

1 pie crust

2 eggs well beaten

1 C sugar

1 C canned milk

1 C mashed plain cooked pinto beans

1/2 C coconut flakes

2 t vanilla

1/8 t salt

Mix all together well and pour in a pie dish lined with crust.  Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  When cool top with Dream Whip.

Doughnuts [What, you don't have doughnuts at the end of every  meal?]

Raised Pinto Doughnuts

1 C boiling water

1/2 C sugar

1/4 C shortening

1 pkg dry yeast

6 C flour

2 C pinto beans, blended

1 t salt

1 C evaporated milk

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

Pour boiling water over shortening and sugar.  Stir until dissolved.  Soften yeast in lukewarm water.  Sift dry ingredients.  Mix milk, well beaten eggs, vanilla, yeast, pinto beans, and half the flour into shortening mixture.  Beat hard.  Beat in remaining flour, cover and let set in warm place until doubled in bulk.  Put dough onto a heavily floured board, knead several minutes until dough doesn't stick to board.  Roll 1/2 inch thick, cut with doughnut cutter.  Let rise again until double.  Fry several at a time in deep fat.  Drain on paper towels.  Put in paper bag with sugar, or frost with maple flavored powdered sugar frosting.  Makes 24 puggy beauties.