Habichuelas

Authentic Spanish mother-in-law homestyle beans, though adapted to Arizona and it's lack of Caribbean grocery store ingredients. This recipe makes saucy beans, which is how I like them. After the overnight soaking, plan on these taking almost 3 hours to cook, and feeding a lot of people.

Habichuelas

First you have to make a sofrito.

Sofrito
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, minced
4 oz tomato sauce
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 green pepper, minced
1/2 red pepper, minced
handful finely chopped cilantro (or culantro if you can find it)
1/2 packet Sazon Goya con culantro y achiote

Throw in a blender or food processor, or crush in a mortar and pestle, then saute in olive oil for 8-10 minutes or until it resembles a sauce rather than a chunky salsa.

Now back to the beans.

1 lb pinto beans(or red kidney, or whatever you want)
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 ham hock
2 bay leaves
1 small bottle olives
1 small red potato, cubed
1/2 green pepper, cut in 1" squares
1/2 red pepper, cut in 1" squares
Sofrito
olive oil

Soak beans overnight in water in a large pot. Put same pot on stove and bring to rapid boil. Check every 20 minutes and add more boiling water as original water evaporates.
After 60 minutes of boiling has passed, add the boullion and ham hock, and keep boilin'. About 30 minutes later, add the sofrito, peppers, olives, and potatoes, lower to a simmer and cook until everything is tender. Serve over white rice.