Our family has been kind of busy this fall. On top of our own responsibilities, my husband and I have three children who all like to try new activities, so they keep us on the move. This cuts down on the amount of time I have to prepare meals. To make up for this lack of time in the kitchen, I rely on quick and easy Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes like our October recipe of the month – Slow Cooker Refried Beans.

A coworker gave me this recipe because she thought it would be a good addition to our collection and I loved it from the first time I tried it. In the morning, I put all of the ingredients in my slow cooker. By evening, I have refried beans that I can use for several meals. Here are a few tips I have for making this recipe:

• After finishing the recipe, separate the refried beans into at least three or four containers. One to eat from that night, one to save in the refrigerator for another meal that week, and at least one more to freeze for future meals.
• Be sure to save the extra cooking liquid. I almost always stir it in to the leftover refried beans when I reheat them for future meals.
• Have some favorite foods on hand to go along with your refried beans. We like tortilla chips or tortillas, shredded cheese, and chopped vegetables (avocado, onions, peppers, and tomatoes).

Try our Slow Cooker Refried Beans recipe!

Enjoy!