How to Cook Dried Beans in a Slow Cooker

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Ingredients:

- 1 pound dried beans (any variety)

- 8 cups water

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon black pepper

- 1/4 cup chopped onion

- 1/4 cup chopped celery

- 1/4 cup chopped carrots

- 1 bay leaf

- 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions:

1. Rinse the beans and sort them, removing any debris or discolored beans.

2. Place the beans in the slow cooker.

3. Add the water, salt, pepper, onion, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and oregano.

4. Stir to combine.

5. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the beans are tender.

6. Serve the beans hot with your favorite sides.

Tips:

- To speed up the cooking time, you can soak the beans in water overnight before cooking them.

- If you don't have a slow cooker, you can also cook dried beans in a pot on the stovetop. Just simmer them for 1-2 hours, or until they are tender.

- You can add other vegetables to the slow cooker along with the beans, such as corn, peas, or tomatoes.

- You can also add different seasonings to the beans, such as chili powder, cumin, or garlic.

- If you want to make a thicker bean soup, you can mash some of the beans with a potato masher before serving.