We get letters! I've been meaning to share this one for awhile. One pot of beans means many meals. Make your beans on Sunday and eat well throughout the week. It's very simple recipe.

Hi Steve, I always find your newsletters to be inspiring! The one pot = 3 meals concept is my idea of meal planning! My husband and I own a cattle ranch in a remote area of Oregon and trips to town, especially during the winter months, can be weeks apart. In the summer we operate a small, destination resort on our ranch, but during the winter it is just the two of us out here in the middle of nowhere. We enjoy good food and a welcome break from our three-meals-a-day routine is a creative use of leftovers. Currently we are working through a pot of Charro Beans (your recipe) made with San Franciscano beans. First we served them ladled over a ground meat patty and garnished with cheese and red onion (like a chili size). Tonight I'll make cornmeal hoe cakes and pile the beans over the top, topped with cheese, scallions, sliced avocado and sour cream. Tomorrow, any leftover beans will probably accompany a salad and bread for a light dinner. Keep coming up with those great ideas! Happy New Year to you too! Karen Simmons Aspen Ridge Resort www.aspenrr.com

If you wanted to follow Karen's lead but didn't have San Franciscanos on hand, you might easily substitute Rio Zape beans.