Don't count refried beans out

When I moved last year, I was befuddled and dismayed to discover not one, not even two or three, but seven cans of refried beans shoved to the back of one of my kitchen cupboards. How did it happen? I had only the faintest memory of purchasing even one can. \nOf course, I had no one to blame but myself, because I was living on my own at the time, but that did not stop me from feeling that somebody had duped me, somehow. Now what, I wondered? Should I be frugal, dig in and eat with a spoon for the next two weeks? Throw a giant taco party? Stucco the walls with the stuff?\nI overcame the fleeting urge to tip the entire bounty into the nearest Dumpster and instead attempted to recruit several friends and acquaintances to join me in a refried bean-eating blowout. They were wise to me and would have none of it. So I resigned myself to my fate and set to work creating a few fresh ideas.\nIt was easier than I thought and I was reminded of why I like refried beans to begin with. Healthfulness is one of the top reasons. Although soaking and cooking beans from scratch yields the best texture, there is an added nutritional bonus to the convenience of refried beans and other beans in a can. The canning process acts as a miniature pressure cooker, sealing in a slew of nutrients including protein, carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, iron and vitamins B and C.\nThe "refried" on the label is something of a misnomer, too. Ironically, most canned refried beans are not fried, let alone "re"-fried. \nFat-free refried beans, as well as many of the organic brands (check the health food section of the supermarket) are typically cooked in water or chicken broth with a shake of spices and little or no vegetable oil. Check the label and compare brands to be sure.\nBut for a plain old cook like myself, who is less than ambitious at the end of a long weekday, it is the prospect of a tasty dinner without much effort that makes a can of refried beans worthwhile. When dinner desperation sets in, refried beans offer a large return in the form of a creamy bean soup, a hearty quesadilla or a Southwestern pizza for a small investment of time and money. \nThe Santa Fe hummus is one of my all-time favorite cheap and easy recipes. It comes together in minutes, requires no cooking skills other than measuring and stirring, and both your carnivorous and vegetarian friends will love it. I can make a meal of it, some good bread and a salad. Unless you want to live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, there is nothing easier.\nIf a wave of mild ambition takes hold, or if your supply of refried beans simply runs out, make your own; it's well worth it. Although the established medium for frying the beans is melted lard (and with good reason; it's delicious) I have lightened and simplified the preparation with vegetable oil (a whole lot less of it) and an ample dose of herbs and spices. I am partial to the flavor and texture of black beans, but red or pinto beans work just as well.