Beans Slow Cooker Style (Recipe)

Whether your dried beans are white, black, red, or spotted, the slow cooker is the way to cook them effortlessly.  Best of all, no presoaking is required.  Cooking time will vary depending upon the size of the bean, how long it's been stored, and even where the bean was originally grown; so it's a good idea to begin checking after 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low.  Store the cooked beans in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.  You can throw the beans into soups or stews, refry them, toss them with pasta or try one of my salads, which follow.

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package dried beans, rinsed and picked over

5 cups very hot tap water

Steps

1.  In a 3 1/2 quart electric slow cooker, combine the beans and hot water.

2.  Cover and cook on the high heat setting 3 to 4 hours (or on the low heat setting 5 to 7 hours), until the beans are tender but not falling apart.

3.  Drain the beans into a colander and rinse with cold water.  Drain well before using.