Slow-Cooker Cuban-Style Black Beans and Rice

Like I said before, we are buying a condo, so at the moment, it feels like we're hemorrhaging money. It seems like every day we write a check for something, so it's more important to me to be frugal in the kitchen. Enter a standard staple meal: beans and rice. I like this version because it adds some color with the pepper and tomatoes. I did find it a tad bland, so I spiced mine up at the table with Tabasco sauce.

I changed up a few things in the recipe, which is reflected below. I soaked the beans overnight and then cooked it on low for 8-10 hours. Here's another reason to feel good about using your slow-cooker: it's been shown that cooking in a slow-cooker is the "greenest" and most energy-efficient way to cook! This also makes a ton of food, so I'm set for lunches for the next week.

Slow-Cooker Cuban-Style Black Beans and Rice
adapted from: Andrea's Recipes

Ingredients
16 ounces dried black beans, rinsed and drained and soaked
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 dried bay leaves
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (28 ounce) can water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Rice, to serve

Preparation

1. Stir together all ingredients in the slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 hours or more, until beans are tender and some of the liquid is absorbed. Remove bay leaves.

3. Serve beans over cooked rice.