black beans -refried style

these are yummy--my kids love them. 1 can black beans, drained not rinsed 1 t. onion pwd. 1 t. cumin 1/2 t. chili pwd. 1/2 t. oregano 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 c. chicken broth place all ingredients in a small pot. bring to a boil. Slightly mash with a potato masher and set aside to cool. The beans will thicken slightly as they cool. from http://www.andyandmeliss.blogspot.com/

Three Bean Salad

This is very easy and quite tasty, especially if you like beans.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
One 15-ounce can green beans, drained, rinsed, and drained again
One 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed, and drained again
One 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and drained again

Preparations Whisk the mustard, vinegar, and oil together in a small bowl until smooth to make a vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside. Place all of the beans in a serving bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette (you may not need it all) over the beans, and toss gently to combine. You can add the dressing up to 2 hours ahead of time; serve the salad either cold or at room temperature. (Makes 6 servings)

Taco Salad

This is a little different than the taco salads I have made in the past, but easy and good!

Tortilla cups (enough for each member of your family)
8 ounces lean ground beef or ground turkey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 8 ounce jar taco sauce
3/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn (optional, but recommended)
6 cups shredded leaf or iceburg lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large green sweet pepper, chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 medium avocado
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream (optional)

1. Prepare tortilla cups by lightly brushing 1 side of each 9 or 10 inch tortilla with a small amount of water or cooking spray. Coat one small bowl per tortilla with nonstick cooking spray. Press tortilla, coated side up into prepared bowls. Place a ball of foil in each tortilla cup. Bake at 350* for 15 to 20 minutes or until light brown. Remove the foil; let tortilla cups cool.
2. In medium saucepan cook ground beef and garlic until beef is brown. Drain off fat. Stir in kidney beans, taco sauce, and if desired, corn. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a very large bowl combine lettuce, tomatoes, sweet pepper, and green onions. To serve, divide lettuce mixture among the tortilla cups. Top each with some of the meat mixture and avocado. Spinkle with cheese, and if desired, sour cream.

From the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook