Refried Beans without the Refry (adapted from Allrecipes.com)

• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 5 teaspoons salt (I use 3tsp)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
• 9 cups water

Directions

1. Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.
2. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.