Spicy Beans Tex-Mex (Crock Pot)

daisygrl64's Note:

Posting for ZWT. From my crock pot recipe book. This would make a great recipe for pot lucks or camping trips. Enjoy

• Total Time: 6 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 35 mins
• Cook Time: 6 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1⁄3; cup lentils
• 1 1⁄3; cups water
• 5 slices bacon
• 1 onion , chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans , rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans , rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ½ ounce) can diced tomatoes , undrained
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. combine lentils and water in large saucepan, boil 20 to 30 minutes, drain.
2. cook bacon in med skittle until crispy, transfer to paper towels to drain, cool then crumble bacon. in same skittle cook onion in bacon drippings until tender.
3. combine lentils, bacon, onion, beans, tomatoes with juice, ketchup, garlic, chili powder, cumin, pepper flakes and bay leaf in crock pot.
4. cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
5. before serving remove bay leaf.

Reviews

[Sydney Mike]

Taking other reviewers tips to heart (as well as my own reluctance to make things TOO HOT), I cut back in half the amounts of cumin, chili powder & red pepper flakes, & we thought it was "Spicy-Enough Beans Tex-Mex!" Very nice dish, though, & a recipe I'd like to make again! [Tagged, made & reviewed in the ZINGO portion of ZWT5]

[NELady]

These really are spicy beans - my mouth was on FIRE after eating these (wimp). I followed the recipe as directed except I subbed BBQ sauce for the ketchup, omitted the cumin, and doubled the chili powder (I used ancho chili powder). Served alongside beef enchiladas I made using The World's Easiest Basic Enchilada Sauce. I chopped up some green onions and threw them on top of the beans for a little crunchy zing. Good flavor, but I would cut down the heat next time. Made for the Groovy GastroGnomes, Zingo, ZWT5.

[Charlotte J]

I cut the bacon into 1/8 inch stripes before I fried it. Then drained the onions after cooking them in the bacon grease. I think the cumin is what I did not care for in this recipe, I think I'll try a little less next time. Made during * Zaar World Tour 5* 2009 game for team *Genies of Gourmet*