BEANS!

"Beans, beans, the magical fruit...." remember that song, so inappropriate, yet so fun to sing! I want to talk a little bit about them, and how inexpensive they can be!  I read awhile back about how much cheaper it is to buy dried beans than it is to buy them canned, and it makes them much healthier too, no preservatives, salt, or other additives.  Really easy to do, I is soak the beans overnight, the next day I bring them up to boil then simmer and let them cook for about 40-90 minutes (depending on the bean) or until tender, like the consistency of the canned beans, not mushy.  Be sure to stir often, to keep them from sticking.  Don't cook them too long, or they will become too soft and you will be forced to make bean soup!  I then drain and rinse them with cold water.  I put them in freezer bags in 2 cup measurements, which is about the same amount as 2 cans of beans.  I make sure to get as much as the air out as possible (I use Reynolds Handi Vac bags), mark what they are and the date, then freeze them flat.  I then can pull them out to use whenever I want!  The price difference? A can of kidney beans costs about 98 cents.  A bag of dry kidney beans is about $1.47, it makes about 6 cans worth of beans! BIG price difference, and peace of mind of knowing whats in them!