Here's a slightly different type of refried beans:
REFRIED WHITE BEANS (serves 6)
1 TBL olive or safflower oil
1 small white onion, finely chopped
Coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
3 large cloves roasted garlic
30 oz canned white beans (navy beans work), drained
1/2 to 2/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions & a pinch of salt & saute until transparent. Ad the garlic & saute for an additional 45 seconds. Add the beans & remove from heat. Mash the beans until fairly smooth using an immersion blender or puree in a processor & return to saucepan. Add the wine & stir to combine. Bring to a boil, lower heat & allow the mixture to reduce & thicken. Stir occasionally for about 15 minutes. Once the mixture has reduced, season w/salt & pepper. Remove from heat & the beans will continue to thicken slightly. Garnish w/parsley before serving.~~Peace Meals

I have also been experimenting with different kinds of beans lately. We've been enjoying them, and I've made refried beans a couple of different ways. I soak the beans for a few hours, then drain, rinse and cover with fresh water by a couple of inches. Add a big chopped onion and lots of pressed garlic (lots - like about 8 cloves). Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium so it simmers and cover, but leave the lid off to the side. Give them a stir every once in a while and start checking to see if they're tender after about an hour - it'll probably take closer to two hours for them to be done. Once they're just about as tender as you want, add some cumin, chile powder and salt.

The best refried beans I made started with some chopped bacon. I cooked the bacon until it was crisp, then set the bacon aside and drained off most of the fat. Add big spoonfuls of drained beans and cook and mash with a potato masher until they're creamy. You'll know when the texture's right. When they're done add shredded cheddar cheese and the reserved bacon. Yum.

I've done basically the same thing only with butter or vegetable oil instead of bacon fat, and while they were good, they weren't as good as the ones with bacon.

Hope this helps - you can also add diced peppers to the beans as they cook, or brown some onions and peppers in the bacon grease before you add the beans.

Becky

I just cook pinto beans with some chopped onion and fresh garlic...no cumin no chili powder.
When they are soft, I mash them and salt and pepper to taste.
That's the way my favorite local mom and pop Mexican place doe it and they are wonderful!
The flavor is in the beans themselves.
Linda C

I also like pork added for flavor. I haven't used bacon but have used leftover ham. If I don't want the ham bone for split pea soup it's a wonderful addition at the beginning of cooking. In a pinch I've used a leftover (cooked) family style pork rib (the ones with lots of meat).

If the beans are too thick, thin with milk instead of water. A hint from a Mexican friend.

Once I bought 'old' pintos and they wouldn't soften - finally put them in the pressure cooker. They did soften but were flavorless.

For burritos I stir in a favorite very hot red salsa and grated Monterey Jack. Chili powders give me heartburn?!

Mine are pretty simple and pretty similar to Becky. I saute onions and garlic, add canned, drained black beans, and fry the beans. Once they get soft enough, I mash them with a potato masher (it takes quite a bit of mashing), add boiling water, and salt if I think they need it, and whisk (takes a lot of elbow grease here too) to combine, until I've got the right consistency.

Never tried adding bacon, but it sounds awesome.

Thanks to all. I don't know why but I have never tried using a bit of garlic, might be what I've been missing. Also might try with the bacon, sounds great.