Favorite beans dried, canned, frozen?

[Artfuldodger]

I'm trying to expand my horizons and eat more types of beans/peas to include dried, canned, frozen & fresh. I grew up eating mostly black eyed peas, white acre peas, & lima beans or butter beans.
Today I bought some dried cranberry beans, black beans, chick peas, & mayaccoba beans(pinto bean variation from South America.)
I also bought some Lentils & Barley.
What are some of y'alls favorites to include cooking ideas as well? Do y'all prefer dried, canned, or frozen brands?
I've always thought one could season more with dried or frozen.
Kroger only had canned crowder and field peas other than the usual standards of black, pinto, chick, lima, etc.
I might have to hit up a fruit stand/farmers market for some frozen White Acre, purplehull, zipper, & cream peas.
Any secret ingredients to a good pot of peas other than some bacon grease or a ham hock?
Any favorite ideas or recipes like bean dips, soups, refried, bean salads, Texas Caviar, baked beans, fritters, cakes, fudge, ice cream?
I'm trying to think outside the box a little. In Asian countries they use red beans in desserts like ice cream bars. I tried one and didn't like it. My sister made a cake and some fudge with beans that was pretty good.

 

[Artfuldodger]

RED BEANS AND RICE

1 TBS BACON GREASE
1 HAM HOCK OR BONE 8 OZ TOMATO SAUCE
½ LB SMOKED SAUSAGE ½ C ONION
1 LB PICKLED PORK ½ C CELERY
4 CLOVES MINCED GARLIC ½ C GREEN PEPPER
1 TSP SALT 1 TBS HOT SAUCE
1 TBS CHICKEN BOULLION 1 TBS CHIPTOLE SAUCE
½ TSP MARJORAM 1 lb DRY RED BEANS
½ TSP THYME
2 BAY LEAVES
1 TSP CREOLE SEASONING
½ TSP CUMIN

COOK BEANS, HAM HOCK OR BONE. GARLIC, AND SPICES TILL BEANS ARE DONE AND STARTING TO BREAK APART. 2 TO 3 HOURS. DO NOT ADD ANY SALT AT THIS TIME. CHOP ONION, CELERY, AND GREEN PEPPER(THE TRINITY) FINE IN A PROCESSOR.COOK TRINITY IN A SEPARATE PAN IN A LITTLE OIL UNTIL TRANSPARENT.WHEN BEANS ARE DONE ADD THE TRINITY,SALT, BOULLION, SAUSAGE AND/OR PICKLED PORK, TOMATO SAUCE, AND CHIPTOLE SAUCE. REMOVE ANY MEAT FROM HAMBONE AND ADD TO BEANS. COOK FOR 1 HOUR OR UNTIL THICK AND VEGGIES ARE DONE.
SERVE OVER RICE.

 

[Artfuldodger]

I haven't tried the above recipe with Pickled Pork yet. Pickled pork is used by some in Louisiana and other places for seasoning soups & beans:

Pickled Pork or Pickle Meat Recipe

2 lbs. Very Fresh Pork Cut into 2 inch cubes (I use Pork Shoulder/Boston Butt)
1 Qt. White Vinegar
1/2 Cup Mustard Seed
6 Each Whole Cloves
6 Each Whole Allspice
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
3 Fresh Bay Leaves
6 Whole Garlic Cloves
1/2 of a Medium Onion, Coarsely Chopped
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
1 pinch Pink Meat Cure/Prague Powder

Add all the ingredients except the Pork to a 2 qt Saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes, then place it into a container to cool in the refrigerator. When the mixture is completely cold, add the pork. Make sure the pork is completely covered; stir to remove any air bubbles. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 4 days before using. Use for Red Beans & Rice.

 

[bigelow]

I usually only eat baked

 

[Artfuldodger]

I usually only eat baked

These were all the rage a few years ago:

Keri's Hog Apple Baked Beans

ingredients

4 slices bacon, diced
2 cans (27 ounce size) baked beans
1/2 cup sweet-spicy bbq sauce
1 pound leftover smoked pork or beef, or crumbled cooked pork sausage
1 can (15 ounce size) apple pie filling
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mustard (prepared)
1 teaspoon chipotle or cayenne powder (optional, to taste*)
1 teaspoon bbq rub
directions

Brown bacon, and saute onion and green pepper in bacon grease. Mix in remaining ingredients. Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour, or simmer on stovetop in large pot for 30 minutes if you don't have time to do them in the oven.

cook's notes

This recipe began life as APPLE PIE BAKED BEANS from somewhere on the web, but I think I've made enough changes to it now to claim it as my own. This is my standard for baked beans anymore. Jack's Old South does something similar to this, but I understand that they use peach pie filling instead.

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/493/Keris-Hog-Apple-Baked-Beans108976.shtml

 

[Canuck5]

I've been roasting (canned) chickpeas in the oven, for a healthy snack.

Rinse them, dry them, coat them in a little olive oil, I sprinkle them with some Slap Ya Mama seasoning (whatever you prefer) (http://www.slapyamama.com/ Walmart carries it now), put them on a sheet pan with parchment paper. Roast them at 400 degrees for 40 minutes and every 10 minutes or so, I shake the pan a little, to try to roast them evenly. A nice snack!

http://www.naturalfoodbenefits.com/display.asp?CAT=2&ID=86

 

[fulldraw74]

- one can of pinto beans
- one can of pork and beans
- one can of kidney beans
- one can of black beans
- onion (diced)
- bell pepper (diced)
- lb of hot sausage (browned and drained)
- tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne

 

[TrueBlueEagle]

For canned, I like Margaret Holmes brand. The 'seasoned' flavors usually require nothing other than warming in a pot. If you're trying to watch you're sodium you probably want to stay away from these though.

Canuck- I like the sound of that, will have to try it!

I made 15 bean soup a while back...Bought the pack of beans and dry ham seasoning at walmart and soaked the beans overnight. Added to crock pot with seasoning and several chunks of homemade bacon that I had smoked.