A pot of hearty beans hit the spot last week when the frigid temps were hovering in the teens. I soaked some pinto beans overnight, then drained and rinsed them. I then sautéed some garlic and onion, added them to the beans and then put them in my slow cooker to simmer on high along with a can of Ro-tel tomatoes and about a 1/3 cup of Whole Foods Roasted Chipolte Salsa and a couple of tablespoons brown sugar and a splash of molasses for sweetness. I added salt, coriander and cumin for seasoning and upped the spice level a little with some chili powder and red pepper. Then I sat back and enjoyed the smell as they bubbled away. After about 4 hours I cut them back to low and let them cook a couple hours longer as I chauffeured the kids to after-school activities. They were perfect for dinner served alongside some turkey tacos (my son's favorite). Even better for lunch the next day as shown in my photo above!