Do they have beans in Heaven?

I'm not sure, and I reckon nobody reading this is too sure, either. I can only say that I hope there are beans in Heaven, and I bet they're made using the recipe I'm about to share. I'll let you know when I get there.

I love beans and eat them all the time. They're tasty and a seriously cheap, filling source of protein and fiber. Black beans have long been my personal favorite, but I'm starting to accept kidney beans as a close second. I made a new bean recipe last night and it was amazing. Amazing! The cookbook calls them refried beans, but they are NOTHING like the gross, gelatinous bean glob you get from a can. This may just be my new favorite way to cook beans, although I made a few changes. This would be great as a burrito filling or just as a dip.

Refried Beans with Cinnamon and Clove (adapted from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper, p.135)

olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly (I chopped the onion in half and then sliced the halves. It's easier to keep the onion still that way.)
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
2 fresh jalapenos, seeded & white membranes removed, finely diced (You can leave the seeds/white membranes if you like things pretty spicy. You could also omit this completely or substitute a hotter pepper if you want.)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (or more, to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground cloves (or more, to taste) (Ground cloves were $5.29 for a tiny jar at my grocery store, so I opted to use some pumpkin pie spice that I already had at home. It was a great substitute if you don't want to spend that much on ground cloves.)
one 14-oz. can of whole tomatoes, drained
two 14.5 oz. cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I use the dark ones because they're a prettier color, but light ones would work just as well.)
1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp. butter
salt, to taste

*Pour a generous amount of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute onions and garlic about 5 minutes or until they begin to turn translucent.
*Add the jalapeno, cinnamon, and cloves/pumpkin pie spice. Cook about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the spices. Add the tomatoes, crushing them once they're in the pan. Saute for another minute.
*Stir in the beans and water. Bring to a slow boil, smushing the beans as they cook. (I just used the back of the plastic spoon I was using to stir, but I reckon a potato masher would work great, too.) Scrape the bottom of the pan often to make sure the beans don't stick.
*Simmer until the beans are thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in the butter, and add salt & pepper as needed.

I ate this as a dip, with tortilla chips and some of my beloved Cholula hot sauce (found on the Mexican food aisle). Try this if you're looking for a unique new way to fix beans!