From Ree Drummond who is famous for her blog, The Pioneer Woman. Ree’s recipes, definitely geared towards traditional American meat-eaters, always taste great.
1 pound dried pinto beans
1 onion, peeled and shredded
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
7 cups water
salt and pepper, to taste
Rinse dried beans and put in the slow cooker. Add shredded onion, garlic, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper. For a richer flavor, add a ham bone or a couple of bacon strips to the crock.
Pour the water over the top of the beans and cover tightly. Turn slow cooker on high and cook for 8–10 hours. You can also cook on low for 12 hours or longer.
Once beans are very tender, remove the ham bone or bacon if necessary. Depending on your slow cooker, you may have excess liquid in the crock. Scoop 1 ½ cups of the bean liquid out of the crock and reserve.
Use an immersion blender or a potato masher to smash the beans into a relatively smooth texture. Add some of the bean liquid back in if needed to reach the right consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve as is or sprinkle with your favorite toppings such as shredded cheese, sliced jalapenos, chopped green onions, sour cream, and cayenne pepper . Serve warm.