It’s not what you think. {and all the readers breathed a collective sigh of relief}
It’s just that last night I put beans in a bowl to soak, and then I woke up to beans that were threatening to overtake my kitchen. {Wow, Laura. Fascinating.}
See, when you add water to beans – they grow. They grow and they grow and they grow. So if you aren’t thinking about what you’re doing, and you scoop 13 cups of beans into a bowl, then cover the beans with water before you go to bed – beware of the growing bean monster which will greet you when you walk into your kitchen to make breakfast.
I strained the beans and added fresh water, but of course, none other than my largest stock pot would hold the monster.
Why, you ask? Why so many beans?
I told you already. I wasn’t thinking about what I was doing. I needed a large amount of beans for a big batch of chili, so I just kept scooping. I also forgot that beans in a bowl will soak up the water until they become bloated and ready to burst. Whoa, good morning, beans. That. That is what I said when I walked into my kitchen this morning to find the bloated beans trying to crawl over the top of the bowl onto my counter top and floor.
I didn’t really tell the beans good morning. I don’t talk to my chili beans. Coffee beans, though – for sure. Don’t even doubt that one.
After cooking the chili beans (which of course bubbled up and overflowed onto my stove-top because I forgot that they were cooking and because there were so many of them), I realized that I had way, way too many cooked beans for the big batch of chili I was planning to make. All I’m doing is trying to do is to be prepared to feed our high school youth group on Sunday night, see? But we’re going out of town Thursday afternoon and won’t get home until late Saturday night. And I don’t know if you knew this or not, but we have to change our clocks this Saturday night, so we lose an hour of sleep. No one asked my permission to do that this weekend. This is not okay with me.
So in my effort to get ahead, I got very, very ahead. I have beans for chili on Sunday night to feed an army. Plus I now have three other big containers of beans in my freezer to be used another time. Yay me. I am so efficient.
It seems that I just spent 404 words telling you about my beans – as if I have nothing better to talk about. Blah, blah, blah, beans. Wow everyone. Look at my beans.
So now I shall leave you with this important reminder and advice:
Do not become distracted when you are scooping beans. Stop scooping beans if you know what’s good for you. But if you forget and over-scoop, simply go ahead and freeze your cooked beans for future use.
526 words to tell you that you can freeze beans. Sometimes I amaze myself.
Carolann says
I’ve been there, too!! At least it’s better than forgetting to soak beans overnight… and realizing, in the morning, that you don’t have any beans to use.
Now I’m inspired to trying freezing beans! Blessings to you :)
Faith says
What kind of beans do you use? I had canned kidney beans so my children aren’t getting extra preservatives etc but they seem so big and my 2 year old carefully scoops around them and eats everything else!:-)
Laura says
I use small red beans. This seems to work well for many recipes, including chili. :)
Jessica G says
I did this 2 days ago myself! I soaked red kidney beans & forgot how much they grow. I froze several bags of them. I use them mainly for hummus.
The recipe is so easy — 3 cups beans, 2 T each: olive oil, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, 1/2 t each: salt, cumin, crushed garlic. Process. Add a little water if needed & 2-4 T of a nut butter at the end if you want. Dip with carrots & celery – yum!
almas.nathoo says
Hi,
I am in same limbo like you today. Last night I measure 31/2 cups of beans and soak them. When I got up and look at the beans oh so much. I measure again and I had now 8 cups of beans. I am boiling now and then I will put in plastic containers and use in future. I am also making chilli for my family and try to use all the garden vegetables from my freeze and clean it up for future vegetables which we will grow very soon if god is willing give us spring early. Have fun and enjoy. I learn one thing that is when cook home food multiply in plenityful and we can share with the family and friends. thanks almas
Lisa says
Thanks for this, I have been freezing beans like this for awhile now. I am just curious though for your large group on Sunday will you add any beef? and if so how much? what else will you serve with this? thanks Lisa
Laura says
Yes, I will add some beef, though I only plan to add 2 pounds since the beans will make the recipe go so far. :)
Christy Simmons says
I do not soak my beans overnight. In the morning I simply wash the beans, sort, cover with water, and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Then I turn off the stove and let the beans rest for 1 hour. I continue cooking until they are done. Don’t have to worry about forgetting to soak the night before.
kentuckylady717 says
Love your bean story….really funny….I too soak my beans, I think they cook faster….I usually cook pinto beans & northern beans together…I prefer those to just plain pinto beans…they are good in chili too, try mixing pinto & kidney beans in your chili….they are really better :)
Brooke says
Laura, so have you ever made your beans in the crockpot?!?! So much easier. You don’t have to soak them even ???? I recommend trying it.