FEED YOUR FACE: Beans, Beans. . .

Everybody sing! Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat. . . well, you know.

Beans are fun and almost everybody likes beans in some form or another. There are so many types of beans! Green beans, black beans, kidney beans, chili beans, pinto beans, Navy beans, white beans, pork-n-beans, beanie wienies, jelly beans. Pick the ones you like.

There are lots of things you can make with beans. You can glue them down on cardboard and make a bean picture. Iwish I could remember the right name for that! You can pour different types of beans into jars, layered, to make a pretty calico bean soup mix. Then, there are even some desserts you can do with beans. Today, we're gonna make Pinto Bean Fudge. Yay! It takes just five ingredients. Or six if you add nuts. And you can, if you want to.

It's simple to do. Here's what you need:
1 cup of cooked pinto beans, mashed
3/4 cup of melted butter
1 T. vanilla
3/4 cup of baking cocoa
2 pounds of powdered sugar

• First, mash the beans. I used a potato masher, 'cause I like to still be able to tell there are beans in there. If you don't, then use a food processor so you can get them real smooth. Ummmm. . . looking at those mashed beans makes me hungry for burritos.

Then, combine the mashed beans with the melted butter, vanilla, and cocoa.

After that's all combined, add the powdered sugar. You can also add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts or so. I don't 'cause I'm allergic to the good ones (pecans, walnuts, etc.). Nothing serious -- I just get little blisters on my tongue. But enough about me. Go ahead: I won't feel bad if you add 'em. Well, unless you share yours with me, that is. Well, and then only my tongue will feel bad.

Combine everything together really good until it is all blended. This is good exercise for your stirring arm.

Then, butter a 9"x13" pan. Spread the fudge mixture into the pan. Then put it in your refrigerator. That's where you'll have to store this fudge or it will get too soft.

We usually cut ours into about 60 pieces, 'cause it's kinda rich and you'll probably only want a little piece at a time. Unless you are a chocoholic, then feel free to make this just one big piece.

After it has chilled awhile, we usually cut it into pieces then move it into a food storage bag or little plastic container so it doesn't dry out. You can avoid the drying out part it you eat it fast.

Now, go ahead and make this tasty fudge recipe, and FEED YOUR FACE!