HELP....swap for Pinto Beans ?

[ChrissyV]

Hi,
i really want to make LITTLE MARY'S BEEF POTATO PIE and i can't find the pinto beans....
What can i use instead ?
I have blackeyed peas, cranberry beans, white beans, red and brown lentils, garbanzo beans...

Chrissy

[ChrissyV]

Thank you Little Mary,

i went to every store here in Hamburg and finally found some Pintobeans..

In case i am running out i still have the cranberry once..

Thanks again

Chrissy

[Clown Lady]

Look in the dry bean section of the store.  They take a little longer to cook but you know what you put in them.  Some cans can be quiestionable.  Don't here where I like it is a daily staple.  They sell the dry pintos in 25 and 50 pound bags  That is alot of beans
CL

[ChrissyV]

Thank you CL,

looks like the germans are not very good beaneaters..the biggest package of beans i found was 1 lb..
Even in asia store they have small packages.

Do i have to soak all beans overnight ?
I just looked at my butterbeans and they look kinda weird..

Chrissy

[Clown Lady]

Soaking over night helps speed up the cooking process.  About 15 min before they are done add about 1/2 can of diet soda to the pot and watch it foam  It is the gases being released into the air and not into you.  It doesn't change the flavor
CL

[MsHeirloom]

Really, Donna??!  I never heard that.  I gotta try it.  This board is full of so many helpful people (like you) and so much useful information.  Thanks. Pam

[abbys mom]

Just wanted to say that I made Mary's "Beef Potato Pie" the other night and cooked it last night.  At first I just tasted the meat mixture before putting the "potatoes" on and was a bit disappointed.  Just wasn't what I was expecting.

Then after I cooked it last night, I just HAD to sample.  Absolutely delicious!  On my top 5 LDL favorites....I can't say #1 because I love other ones just as well.  The combination goes so well together and I had to take back all of my "not just right" comments.  I guess I will eat those words and the rest of the dish!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING HEALTHY, FANTASTIC RECIPES EVERYONE (INCLUDING LITTLE MARY!)

Kathy

[ChrissyV]

Hey Donna,
thank you for the advice...otherwise...

[mrsj]

Chrissy you are a little stinker!

[Dina]

wow...I never heard of that...I have to try the soda in the water.  I have actually been thinking about buying dry bean instead of canned, it seems much much cheaper.  Any ideas for a substitute for butter beans?  I am having a hard time finding them, or are they called something else too?

[Twoshoes]

I had a rough time finding butter beans too until I saw a can that said, 'Lima Beans' and underneath, in small letters, 'sometimes called butter beans'.  They're yellowish flattish beans, quite large as beans go, and it seems to me that 'Lima' would do the trick anyhoo, tho' I stand to be corrected.

Twoshoes

[RB Kayaking]

Great northern beans are a good substitute as well.  Most beans don't have a strong flavor so you can pretty well use any bean you can your hands on. 

The dried beans are a cheaper way to go.  Just cook the whole bag, drain and spread them out on a cookie sheet and freeze.  Then put them in ziplock bags and they are ready to use.  A cup pretty much equals a can and the good thing is you don't have to read the ingredient list--just beans!

If you want that smokey taste, add a few drops of liquid smoke to the pot.

Beans.  They are not just for breaskfast anymore!

RB Kayaking

[ChrissyV]

Thank you RB,

never thought about cooking the whole bag...GOOD IDEA...
I am not used to beans at all. We here in Germany eating Bread for breakfast and dinner and
our main meal at Lunch and when we have beans than mostly the regular green beans. Some lentils when it gets colder.
I always hated beans, they tasted like i am eating flour...
But with these great recipes here on the board i really enjoy eating them...

Thank you all you nice people here for your great help....you are amazing...

Chrissy

[CodingQueen]

ChrissyV,

My aunt uses pink beans in place of pinto beans for her recipes.

CQ