You know all of those plastic bags, each with just a little bit of beans in them, tucked into a corner of your pantry? Today I decided to mix them all together, put them up to soak, and invite them for dinner.

I used the quick-soak method: boil for 5 minutes, let rest for 1 hour, drain, refill with water and then cook for a couple more hours. After I refill the pot with water (covering the beans with about three inches), I’ll add a couple of cloves of garlic, a bay leaf and some salt. When the beans are cooked just right, and not overly soft, I’ll add a can of chopped tomatoes, a little oregano, a dash or two of cayenne, and some more garlic. We’ll eat this with some rice, some fresh tortillas, and some stir-fried vegetables.