Beans, beans, the magical . . . um, nevermind

I don't even bother to make beans if I'm not going to make a lot of beans - I'm talking A LOT of beans here! I do this so that I can put a lot of effort into cooking at one time, and gain the reward of beans throughout the month with little effort.

Here's what you'll need:

10 pounds dry pinto beans
ham bone (if possible)
4 large onions, large chop
20 garlic cloves, cut in half, or 2/3 cup garlic paste (more on garlic paste in a future post)
6 cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies
4-6 jalapenos, thickly sliced
chili powder
cumin
paprika
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Sort and wash your beans then pour into a large pot (mine has a 30-quart capacity). Cover with water; make sure that the water covers the top of the beans by several (8-10) inches. Bring to a rolling boil. Turn heat off and cover pot; soak for 1 hour. Drain beans (you'll definitely need another strong back to help you with this), return beans to pot. Tie ham bone in cheese cloth and add to pot with beans. This is done to keep all the cartilage and other yucky stuffy from becoming part of the beans; you can chop any ham later to add back to the beans. Add onions, garlic or garlic paste, tomatoes and jalapenos. Cover completely with water, again by a few inches. Now, for the seasonings my measuring amount is a handful, NOT a palmful, a handful, where it starts to overflow. To your pot add 4 handfuls of chili powder, 2 handfuls of cumin, 1 handful paprika, 1 handful black pepper and 2 handfuls of kosher salt. Stir to combine and bring to boil. After it comes to a boil, lower heat to medium-low and cook for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Date and label gallon freezer bags for beans. Line large drinking glasses or a 4-cup measuring cup with freezer bag and ladle beans into bag. Remove as much air as possible, lay flat in freezer, and stack to store compactly.

Uses: of course, beans and cornbread for supper the evening I cook, but also, burritos, quesadillas, chalupas (layered on chalupa shell and topped with cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, onions and cilantro) - one of my family's absolute favorite meals! Also, breakfast tostadas (again layered on a chalupa shell with cheese, an over-medium egg and homemade salsa (another favorite - and a great Saturday morning breakfast!)