Black beans are among the most versatile foods in my pantry. Every month, I buy a bag of dry black beans and dry pinto beans to add to the meal rotation. My favorite things to do with black beans are: toss cooked beans with corn, pasta, taco seasoning and a little mayo or olive oil for a taco inspired pasta salad; plain ole black beans and rice, and black bean chili over sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:

1/2 of a 1 lb bag of beans

1/2 small white onion, diced

3 large cloves garlic, diced

2 dried guajillo peppers and 2 dried California peppers, seeded and rehydrated in boiling waer

Spices to taste: cumin, salt, ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning blend

1 baked sweet potato per person

Orange slices (optional garnish)

Servings: 4-6 generous one cup servings of beans, 1 potato per person

1. Cut tops off dried guajillo and California peppers and roll a few times in your hands to loosen seeds. Discard seeds. Open peppers and scrape out remaining seeds.

2. Add peppers to a pot with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once boiled, remove from heat and let cool.

3. Puncture sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Bake in oven at 450 until soft, or air fry for 40 minutes on the highest setting

4. Add 1 TBS olive oil to cooking pot. I made these in the Instant Pot. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and sauté together for 1 minute.

5. Add beans and stir. Combine peppers and cooking liquid in a blender and blend until smooth. Carefully open the lid, making sure the bright red pepper purée doesn’t explode onto your new shirt from ThredUP. Pour into the pot with the beans and stir.

6. Add spices and 1-2 cups more water and stir. If using stovetop, cook over medium heat for 40-45 minutes then check for doneness. Adjust cooking time as needed. In the Instant Pot, use the bean chili setting.

7. Serve over baked sweet potatoes and add favorite toppings: cheese, green onions, hot sauce, etc; and orange slices to add brightness and depth of flavor. Enjoy!