Fake Refried Beans

Everybody needs beans in their burritos- even Fajitas are served with a side of beans. Usually I am lazy (okay, always) and I buy a can or two of beans to cook down to refried beans status. I'll include a recipe for cooking beans, but only for the sake of being thorough.

Different beans will require a different cooking time, so please follow a link to this chart.... or just wing it. Beans are finished when they smoosh easily between your fingers.

Soaking your beans will cut the cooking time down dramatically, so I advise that you soak your beans over night. Take clean, dry beans and cover them in water for 6-8 hours.

Beans require a 3:1 ratio when cooking (or, if you didn't soak them 4:1)

When I made Black Beans I used:
1 cup of beans
3 cups of water
dash of salt
dash of pepper

Cook for 45 minutes - 1 hour (until they are soft)

OR you can be lazy and pick up the recipe from here:
Pinto, Black, or Kidney beans are the best for Mexican food

1-2 Cans of Beans
1/2 small carrot (finely chopped)
OR
1 Green Onion (finely chopped)
1 cup Beer or Water
Olive Oil

Open 1-2 cans of Beans. Rinse several times with water to get the 'canned' taste off, set aside. Add carrot or onion to olive oil and cook for a minute or two (until it starts to smell good). Add beans and liquid (beer or water)- you only need enough to keep the beans moist. Cook for about 15 minutes smashing them as you stir- be sure the beans are not too soupy or too dry.

If your beans have too much liquid: cook it off, or drain into the sink
If your beans have too little: slowly add beer/ water until you have the proper consistency