Keri’s Killer Pot of Beans

A pot of beans is an easy, economical and satisfying meal, side or component to any number of dishes.  Serve it with cornbread the first night and turn it into a pot of chili on the second night.  Warming and comforting on a cold winter night and a great go-along with bar-b-que in the summertime--a pot of beans is great anytime on the year!

The only thing to remember about making a pot of beans is that when using dried beans, you must plan ahead--they take a while to soak and to cook.  But--they're well worth the extra planning time!  

I use a guajillo pepper in this recipe.  They are large, red peppers that you can get dried in almost any grocery store.  Do not be alarmed by their appearance--they are very mild peppers and add a subtle spiciness and a nice smokiness to a pot of beans.

And here's a tip: Look for dried beans at your local farmer's market--they are still inexpensive and have more flavor because they're fresher!  Also, farmers at your market like to experiment with different kinds of varieties, so you never know what you're going to find.  While I've experimented, I tend to make pinto beans the most often because I grew up with them and I just like them; but this pot of beans recipe is good with almost any beans you want to experiment with yourself, or that you happen to have on hand.  

Also--this recipe makes a TON.  Keep that in mind.  I will make this recipe at the beginning of the week and then re-imagine the beans into other meals, like chili and beans and rice.  But--if you have a small family, this recipe is easy to cut in half!