Santa Fe Frijoles Refritos

4 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 cups well-cooked pinto beans, drained (reserve cooking liquid)
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
Salt to taste

Heat oil in large skillet and saut onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saut 2 minutes.

Add beans and chipotles; mash mixture with bean masher or back of large spoon, adding reserved bean cooking liquid or water until a thick paste is formed.

You also can use a food processor to "mash" beans. To do this, transfer about 3/4 of bean mixture to food processor and pulse until mixture is coarsely pureed.

Return mashed beans to pot. Continue to cook, stirring, until heated through.

If beans seem too dry, add a little more cooking liquid. Add salt to taste.

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 183 calories, 25g carbohydrates, 6g total fat (1.4g saturated), trace cholesterol, 8g fiber, 299mg sodium, 51mg calcium. Calories from fat: 30%