Spice up beans for social occasions

Looking for something to bring to a church social, a family reunion, perhaps a party? That’s when we break out the cookbooks, talk to friends, peruse saved favorites. Bean dishes are a popular choice, but it’s nice to have a different recipe every now and then.

Instead of baked beans, try something with black beans, garbanzo, kidney or navy beans. Spice them up with chili powder and Ro-Tel tomatoes. It’s a recipe that goes with lots of different entré es, from hamburgers to chicken.

For convenience, use the canned variety. It will be necessary to drain the beans, unless you want bean soup. Adding a 1/2 cup of chicken broth and the juice from the Ro-Tel will be all the liquid necessary.

As for chili-seasoning packets, they now come in original, mild or hot. The hot may be a little too much for some people, especially since the Ro-Tel will be added. The Ro-Tel also now comes in mild, original and hot, so choose carefully.

Julie Kay has written for the Food section for 24 years and has written “What a Crock!” for 17 years. She can be reached at [e-mail].