Paul's Bean Dip

Ingredients

• 1 lb. dried pinto beans, pebbles picked out and soaked for cooking
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• Oil for saute
• 2 t salt
• 1 t (dry measure) oregano
• hot stuff to taste (last week I used:
  
  • 1 jalape~no pepper, minced
  • 1 t cayenne pepper
  • 1 t fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 T chili powder)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced fine or crushed
• 1 medium to large tomato, chopped
• 1 small can (3 oz.?) sliced black olives, drained
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (3/4 cup?)
• 12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 8 oz. sour cream

Procedure

1. Boil the beans until tender. Retain cooking water.
2. In a large pot or saucepan, saute the onions until translucent.
3. Add beans and enough cooking water to cover the beans by about 1/2 inch to the onions. Also add salt, garlic, oregano, and hot stuff. Bring to a boil.
4. Turn down to a simmer. Stir and mash with a potato masher occasionally (every 5 minutes or so) until desired consistency is reached--about 40 minutes usually does it. (Note--it gets thicker when it cools.)
5. Toss together the tomato, green onion, olives, and grated cheddar. Add all but 1/2 cup or so to the beans and stir until cheese melts and is incorporated. Stir in sour cream.
6. Pour into a large casserole. Garnish top with the remaining 1/2 cup of tomato, etc.
7. Serve with tortilla chips, or use as filling for burritos.