Fiends for beans

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Laurel and John Wetzork of Wendell, N.C., have figured out how to save money by cooking dried beans and stockpiling their freezer with the meal staple.

Laurel Wetzork shared how they process dried beans. A pound of dried beans generally costs less than $1 and produces six cups of cooked beans, which is typically cheaper than buying three cans of the same beans.

In the evenings, Wetzork or her husband will remove any pebbles from a pound of dried beans, then place the beans in a large pot, covered with at least three inches of water.

Then the beans soak overnight.

The next day, while brewing their tea, they follow these directions:

Drain the beans and then rinse the beans and the pot with cold water. Put the beans back into the pot covered with 1 to 2 inches of cold water.

Bring the beans to a boil and skim off any foam.

Then lower the heat, partially cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the beans are done.

Drain the beans, then divide them into batches for freezing.

The Wetzorks repeat this over several nights with different types of beans so they have them on hand for chili, baked beans, hummus and other dishes.

Please continue to share your suggestions for putting low-cost meals on the table.

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© 2009, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.).