This was my first attempt at making refried beans from scratch using dried beans. Holy cow! Nobody loves refried beans more than me, and these were awesome. I realize that they're not the world's prettiest food, but you have to believe me– they're super. (FYI– the clippy thing holding the spoon is the Trudeau pot clip, an unnecessary but fun kitchen gadget.)
I must confess that I haven't a clue if I did this the "right" way, as I just made things up as I went along. But who cares? They taste good.
Refried Black Beans
-1 1/2 cups dried black beans (could also use pinto beans, mine look light colored because a lot of the color cooks out when you use dried black beans)
-2 bay leaves
-2 cloves garlic
-1/4 teaspoon taco seasoning
-1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
-1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1. Soak the beans overnight, then drain and rinse.
2. Cook the beans in water for about an hour or so at a simmer, along with the bay leaves and crushed garlic cloves. Cook until tender.
3. Drain and rinse, remove the bay leaves. Remove the garlic, or leave in if you like garlic. 
4. Return the beans to the pot and add the chicken broth and other seasonings. Simmer for a few minutes until most of the liquid is gone.
5. Blend up with your stick blender, if you have one. You could also do a rougher mash with a potato masher, or use a blender or food processor.
6. Eat and enjoy.
We spread these on tortillas and added sharp cheddar, chicken, and salsa (also homemade), then browned them to make quesadillas. It was a great meal. I'm salivating just thinking about it, actually.
It is a long process, cooking dried beans, but I promise you won't be disappointed. I plan to make a few batches of these and freeze for easy taco nights. Mmmmmmm…..
