2 c. beans (red, pink or pinto)
8-10 c. water
1 med. size onion, cut in half
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Monterey Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese, grated or sliced
Oil, lard or bacon fat
Salt to taste

Clean and rinse beans thoroughly. Place beans in pot with enough water to cover them well. Add garlic and onion. When water comes to a boil, lower heat and slightly cover the pot, cooking until tender, about 2 hours. Then add salt to taste and simmer for another 5 minutes. You are now ready to fry the beans.

In a large skillet put 3 tablespoons oil, or 3 tablespoons lard, or fry 4 strips of bacon (discard bacon, leaving drippings).

When this is hot, spoon out beans with a large slotted spoon into skillet carefully. Be prepared to partially cover the skillet while adding beans to avoid splattering.

While frying beans, add bean broth gradually, mashing beans at the same time. Continue mashing beans and adding water until of desired consistency. Stir beans frequently to avoid sticking to bottom of skillet.

Add desired amount of cheese. Do not stir cheese into beans. Turn off heat and cover the skillet, to allow cheese to melt. Beans can be kept covered in a warm oven until ready to serve. If beans are too dry when ready to place on the table, add more bean broth and stir. Serves 8.