Cooking Hints and Tips   
Beans, Peas and Lentils

To avoid tough beans, add salt during the last half of cooking. Before cooking beans be sure to rinse beans and pick over to remove any grit or rocks Purchase dried beans that are bright in color, which is an indication of freshness, and uniform in size and shape so they'll cook evenly. Lentils and split peas do not need to be soaked and should never be cooked in a pressure cooker or slow cooker, as they foam up and can clog the pressure valves. If you cannot soak beans overnight before cooking, use the "quick" method. Overnight Soaking Method: For overnight soaking. For each pound, add 6 c. water. Soak overnight, drain and rinse. Quick Soaking Method: For each pound of dried beans, bring 2 qt. of water to boil. Add beans and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover pan and soak at least 1 hr. Drain and rinse. The cooking time for dried beans varies. It depends on where they were grown, their age, and on the hardness of water in which they are cooked. Generally speaking, most beans will take 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hr. to cook, with lentils requiring less time and garbanzos more. When using dried beans and peas, keep in mind that 1 cup dry beans or peas makes 2 1/2 cups cooked. Sugar and acidic foods, such as tomatoes, tend to have hardening effect on beans; therefore, always soften beans thoroughly before using them in baked beans, chili, and similar recipes. Three large stalks of celery, chopped and added to about 2 c. of beans (Navy, pinto, brown, etc.) will make them easier to digest.

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