Restaurant Style Refried Beans and Refried Bean Torte

Ingredients

• Restaurant Style Refried Beans
• 3 cups dried pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
• 7 cups water
• 2 T chicken bouillon granules
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 t garlic powder
• 2 1/2 t ground cumin
• 2 T vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• salsa
• queso cheese
• Add all ingredients except the salt, pepper and oil to the crock-pot. Cook on high for 7 to 9 hours. (My refried beans were done in 7 hours)
• Use an immersion blender to puree the beans until smooth. Add more water if needed. Add vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve as a side dish with salsa and shredded queso cheese.
• A torte is a delicious layered dip made for any occasion.
• Torte's can be made with cream cheese, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes,
• salsa, shredded cheese, or guacamole.
• Layered in a plastic wrap lined mold, bowl or loaf pan,
• refrigerated several hours or overnight and
• then carefully unwrapped on a platter.
• Refried Bean Torte
• 3 cups restaurant-style refried beans, divided
• 1 cup salsa, divided
• 2 cups queso fresco cheese, shredded
• Line a 6-cup mold, glass bowl, or 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap
• Spoon half of the refried beans in bottom of mold,bowl or pan; smooth top with spatula
• Spoon salsa evenly over refried beans; smooth top with spatula
• Sprinkle with shredded or crumbled queso cheese
• Repeat layers ending with cheese