Cook with Dry Beans
Cheaper and better for you and in some cases able to be purchased in bulk! Still, I know many many people who shy away from them simply because they've never used them and aren't sure where to start. Here are some pointers compiled from here and there:
*Soak dry beans over night to speed up cooking time. For each pound (2 cups) dry-packaged beans, add 10 cups cold water to soak.
*Quick soak by adding 10 cups hot water for each pound beans; heat to boiling and let boil 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for at least one hour before cooking.
*Discard the soaking water when preparing dry beans from scratch and rinse beans thoroughly before cooking them to prevent gas.
*Spice up beans while they cook. Seasonings such as garlic, onion, oregano, parsley orthyme can be added to the pot while beans are cooking. Add acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, vinegar, wine or citrus juices, only at end of cooking, when the beans are tender.
*Add salt only after beans are cooked to tender. If added before, salt may cause bean skins to become impermeable, halting the tenderizing process.
*To test for doneness, bite-taste a few beans. They should be tender, but not overcooked. When cooling, keep beans in cooking liquid to prevent them from drying out.
***most of this info was taken from http://www.calorieking.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeID=583***
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