Now that you have learned to make SOFRITO (see last post), you can make some wonderful beans so easily!  I always made beans the long way–soak overnight, rinse, cover with water and cook all day.  For some reason I can never get my beans to be really soft the way my hubby likes them.  Enter the PRESSURE COOKER!  I am ashamed to say that after almost 60 years of cooking, the only pressure cooker I ever used was my mom’s–probably around 1965.  It was scary!!!  But my daughter (the good but oh so seldom cook), bought one and urged me to try it.  Eventually I gave in, as I was dying to have some of those wonderful beans we tasted in Puerto Rico.  Really, there was nothing that unusual about them.  Nice mild flavors, soft beans, always served with white rice.  But we had them at every meal and I simply craved them (even above Mofongo!)  But I have learned over the years that often the simplest things are the most difficult to duplicate.  After a couple of trial runs, I decided to risk it, and try making beans.  I took one lb. of dry pinto beans, rinsed and picked through them for rocks, and brought a pan of water to a boil.  Dumped the beans in and soaked overnight.  The next day I dove in.  Dumped the beans with the water (just to cover them), and followed the directions on the Cooker, setting the time for 12 minutes.  TWELVE MINUTES!   I was so sure it wouldn’t work, but wowsers!  I got the softest, juiciest, most wonderful beans I’ve ever made-almost as good as those in Puerto Rico!  Now I was confident and motivated.  I did all the prep as before, and this time added 3 tsp. of Sazon* (a nice Latin spice for beef or chicken available almost everywhere).  Then I added 3 of my ice cubes of Sofrito.  That’s it.  Covered the pot, cooked the beans this time for 14 minutes.  So excited to report that the flavor and texture was excellent and I am now a Bean Expert…..not really, but I do feel I have conquered my fear of the Bean…

*if you cannot find Sazon, season your beans as you usually do with salt, pepper, or even seasoned salt.  But those Latino spices are just a little more flavorful….ask me how I know…