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Slow cooker cheese beans

Gwen Schoen

Dry beans are inexpensive, easy to use and packed with nutrition. Don't have pinto beans on hand? Try this recipe with pink beans.

Ingredients

1 lb. dry pinto beans
6 cups water
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced, or 2 cups canned, chopped tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed, dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp. crushed, dried rosemary
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions

Soak beans in 6 cups of water overnight in the slow cooker with the heat turned off. Turn the cooker to high and cook for 2 to 3 hours or until beans are tender. Drain beans, reserving the remaining liquid. Return beans to the slow cooker along with tomatoes, onion, pepper, garlic, salt, oregano and rosemary. Add 2 cups of the reserved soaking liquid. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Turn heat to high; add cheeses and stir gently. Cook, uncovered, on high for 15 minutes. Turn heat off and let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Serves 8