LED,

How did the bean eating weekend turn out, just curious.

Stargazer

My wife makes a great 6-bean chili. Sometimes we add meat, sometimes not. This would probably be pretty good with the sausage and the rice. Sounds good anyway. Yum, dinner plans aplenty. I will try it and let you know. Unless someone else beats me to it.

My beans and rice recipe is pretty simple.

-One bag of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice (usually the whole grain type)

-One 8.3oz (small) can of Bush's Baked Beans Original [Seasoned with bacon and Brown Sugar]

=Heat 'em up in a pot mixed together, then spice to taste.

I know it's probably not the healthiest bean and rice combo out there, but it's easy to make since you don't need to boil water (just heat and serve), it's easy to carry since it's already in sealed containers, and it's pre-proportioned so it's easy to measure my daily intake. It's one of my go-to hiking/camping meals.

Paul, your camping menu is barbaric. In other words, your camp cookery is a lot like mine. Unless DW is along, which changes everything.

I have no worries about a slow-cook bean-and-rice recipe, with pigeon/rabbit, plus lots of cayenne or curry. But I have a wood stove, so I have slow and regular heat to spare.

In an apartment, with a minimal camp stove, the can-of-beans-plus-quick-rice could just be a hit.

What wine would you pair with that? (Kidding!)

Haha, my brother is the cook in the family, I just do what I can to get by. Usually that means putting together whatever I've got sitting in the cabinet and seeing if it's edible or not.

As far as wine goes, I prefer whiskey. A little bourbon goes well with the mix.

Stargazer, first time I used too much water and it turned out not so good. Second time was much better, maybe cause I used more bacon and less water. Anyway, I'm still on a bean kick. Been experimenting with black, kidney, pinto, and next I'm on to limas. Friend of mine made an amazing lima bean and black eyed pea dish with some red pepper and I forgot what else. Gonna look for recipies and try that next. I'm just trying not to use too much water or overcook 'em.

LED,

If there is too much water try this idea.

Start with enough water to barely cover the beans. Then add 1 full cup (8 oz) to your pot. If this looks too skimpy add only 1 more and then cook. If the beans look to dry, but are not yet cooked add more water. REMEMBER: You can always add more water, or spices, but you have a hard time taking it back out if too much.

Beans are usually done when they mash easily with a fork, or the fork inserts easily, but doesn't break the bean, this is called fork tender, and is used by cooks everywhere.

Since your still trying recipes a traditional Thanksgiving recipe the Native Americans (First Nations)people brought a dish to the feast (Not the traditional known Thanksgiving) of Corn, Onions and Lima Beans and a few other ingredients. According to one of my Archeology (Ethnobotany) books the recipe had Venison, Suet, Turnips, the Onions, Beans, Squash and Corn. Everything was cooked and then made into a paste. The corn was added (cooked) and it was served. The Pilgrims named it Succotash to honor the man who had helped them the most. I don't have a recipe for this one though.

Have fun.

Stargazer

You can overcook beans? Don't tell my wife. Of course it's all about your personal taste and preference. Just remember refried beans are nothing more than pinto beans (we call them soup beans here) cooked previously that are mushed and refried. So even if the beans are a little overcooked (i.e. too mushy) you still have a filling meal.
We didn't get to try the chili beans recipe I mentioned before. Son had a ball game last night so not enough time. My wife did remind me of another of her recipes with beans though (along the lines of refried beans). No rice but you gotta try this. Fry some breakfast sausage; when it is done break it apart in the pan and add some scrambled eggs; cook until eggs are done; add some of your left over pinto beans (sorry my wife doesn't measure, she adds "about that much" to everything - with this concoction add about what you would eat as a serving times however many people are eating), mix it all together and continue stirring until the beans are warmed over to your liking. If it looks like dog food when it is done, you did it right, but man it is good (maybe I'm part hound dog). The best part, if there's no left over pinto beans we keep a stash of Luck's brand canned pinto beans on hand. Almost as good as homemade and does the trick every time. Sorry to stray from the topic (not by much) but had to share.