"Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit..."

Ok, I know, I know another walk down meg's memory lane? But I'm sure my family will appreciate this recipe...or they will remember eating beans and be glad they don't have to as adults. We still love the beans around here, and were just saying the other day that it's been over two years since we've been out to War Eagle Mill for beans. We went a lot when we first moved here because the beans are so yummy, it's pretty, and...well they have cobbler.
As a little girl, I remember sitting with Mom and sometimes Mi-Ma (grandma) at the kitchen table sorting beans. My job was to pick out any rocks, pebbles, broken, or just plain nasty looking beans, before adding them to the enormous pot on the stove, where they would soak overnight. Then, we would wait ALL day long for them to cook, stirring and adding water every hour or so to make sure they were cooked to perfection.

They always were.

I still LOVE pinto beans, and still find myself sitting at the table sorting through a bag of beans before adding them to an enormous pot on the stove. But now I make them with MY daughters, and it is their job to pick out the rocks and broken pieces and throw them in the trash. Then we soak the beans overnight and wait all the next day for the beans to cook to perfection.

And they are always are.

Today life just got easier! My friend, Shelly, suggested cooking dry beans in the crockpot. Why have I never thought of this? Because that's not the way my mom did it. Why did SHE never think of this? Because that's not the way HER mom did it, that's why.
Well, Reese and Quincy...life is good for you, because your momma discovered a little secret today. Beans are even EASIER in the crockpot!

1lb dry pinto beans (sorted by the preschooler, of course)
1/2 bag (1/2 lb) diced ham
enough water to cover the beans about 2 inches (6 cups approx)
1 bullion cube
1 cup salsa
a little garlic salt

dump all ingredients into the crockpot and cook on low for 4 hrs, (stir occasionally after 2 hrs)
and that's it. No soaking, no all day adding water, no hot stove, no boiling pan, no work at all, really. Could it be this easy to make a pot of beans this delicious? YES! Our home smelled yummy and our tummies gurgled in anticipation for a bowl of corn chips and delicious beans, not too sweet, not too spicy, but cooked to perfection.

And they were.

And so cheap! Who doesn't love a delicious meal for less than 50 cents a serving? I will never go back to babysitting that pot on the stove. I think I might try black beans next time.