Pot O Beans

My mom taught me this concoction, like many of my other meals I prepare. She is a master of the kitchen. I'm so grateful for a mom who was so creative. She always cooked the staples like; beans, rice and potatoes. She also always made sure our meals consisted of a protein, starch and vegetable. I still haven't mastered that. Making a pot of beans probably costs a grand total of $1.25. Great for a family on a budget. 

So here it goes:
Get a pot with a lid, I prefer cast iron.
A bag of beans, any beans (black, white, pinto).
Half and onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
2 tsp of cumin
1 tsp of pepper
1 tsp of salt
* these spices can vary based upon your taste level

How to:
Heat oil in pot over medium heat, add onion and cook until almost transparent, add garlic and cook a bit longer. Add beans, mix with onions. Add water, about 3 cups. You want the water to completely cover the beans, about an inch over the beans. Now add the spices. Salt, pepper, bay leaves, and cumin. When putting the bay leaves in break them in half to release more flavor. Bring all of this to a boil and then cover and bring heat down to low and let simmer. That's pretty much it people! Now I set my timer on the stove for every 30min, just to check the water level. You want to water to stay right about the beans. They need to cook for about 3 hours. Check and eat one to make sure it's cooked through. Should be soft. Don't eat the bay leaf, remove before serving.