Beans

Question: beans....??? my pet beans wont stop jumping into the pool wat do i do and they wont keep there pants on there not that big u know they will die if i nail them to a pice of wood :(

Answer: Sorry about your bad luck buddy!*

Question: Beans??????????? Because of its difference to other fruits, the bean is given a special name. What is the name? what are the seeds particularly rich in? What is another name for a bean (not legume) ?

Answer: If you are thinking of dried beans, perhaps "pulse" is the special name you were looking for? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse_%28legume%29 Dried beans/legumes are a great source of protein.

Question: How many beans can grow off of one bean when planted? I planted some beans, some corn, and some peas (which aren't doing so well) I mostly wonder how many beans will grow off of one bean plant. (It would be greatly appreciated if you can include any of the other ones too) Thanks!

Answer: realistically, about 50 beans per bush bean, maybe 30 pea pods per pea plant, and one good ear of corn per stalk...

Question: Are white beans and cannellini beans the same thing? I am trying to make a recipe that calls for white beans, but I can only find cannellini beans in my grocery store... they look similar?

Answer: The versatile cannellini bean can be used interchangeably with other white beans in recipes. A popular bean in Italy, the creamy white cannellini bean is fairly large, about the same size as a kidney bean. Because it maintains its shape well when cooked and has a mellow flavor, the cannellini bean is excellent in many dishes, and can be used interchangeably with other white beans in many recipes. Cannellini beans are sometimes referred to as white kidney beans and are related to navy and great northern beans.

Question: How many beans do you have to remove to be certian which beans are in which bowl? There are 3 bowls. One bowl is colored blue, the second bowl is colored red and the 3rd bowl is colored a mix of red and blue. In one of the bowls are 7 blue beans. In the other bowl are 12 red beans and in the third bowl are red and blue beans, 19 in sum in that bowl in an unknown mixture. The bowls are wrong colored. Now you can only remove a single bean at a time to know its color How many beans do you have to remove to be certain which beans are in which bowl

Answer: Get one bean from the RED/BLUE bowl. If it is red, all beans in that bowl must be red; there can't be a blue bean since the bowl is colored wrong. Therefore the RED/BLUE bowl contains red beans only. The BLUE bowl cannot contain blue beans only (it is colored wrong) nor red beans only (they're in the RED/BLUE bowl). Therefore it contains a mixture of red and blue beans. The remaining RED bowl contains blue beans only. Thus only one bean is needed to be removed to be certain which beans are in which bowl.

Question: What is the difference between great northern beans and cannellini beans? I made a recipe with great northern beans recently and I just made it again with cannellini/white kidney beans and it tastes slightly different though I thought the beans were pretty much the same. What's the difference and are there other white beans that are called something else? Or other names that white beans go by?

Answer: They are the same.

Question: How do I make beans not to give my family gas? I love cooking beans for my family and they love it too but the gas that we suffer from after eating beans is too much of a punishment. My friends have suggested adding some baking soda so the beans while cooking but that didn't work, another one suggested draining the first boiling water when cooking...I don't think that is a good idea as to me it means I would be removing some of the nutrients of te beans. Please advise/assist.

Answer: What causes the gas is a carbohydrate that you can not digest. The best way to reduce it is to boil your uncooked beans for 1 minute then allow it to soak for an hour. Then you drain and cook normally. This reduces that nasty carb by 42.5%. However I understand that beans made in this way aren't as tasty. The runner-up method is to soak them overnight, drain, and then cook normally. This removes 28%. They also tested epazote, kombu, bay leaves, and baking soda and saw no results, but they admit that "it is possible that they act only during digestion."

Question: What is the difference between red beans and pinto beans? I am very confused! I thought they were the same. Can you use them interchangable in recipes? Are "red" beans really kidney beans. I've heard of "red beans and rice", but isn't pinto beans and rice the same?

Answer: They are the same bean, they are only called different names by differnet regions of the country. For example, the main Indian Princess of the Hopi Tribe "KimKim Chickaauwa" calls them kidney beans, while in South Texas, country music singers like Eric Stone always refer to them as Pintos. Kidney beans are larger than pinto beans and are solid red. Pinto beans got their name from the Spanish word "pintado," which means "painted." Hence, pinto ponies and pinto beans, which are smaller than kidney beans and are reddish brown and speckled. Kidney beans and pinto beans are not the same bean.

Question: What beans are good to use in a chili recipe? I'm planning on making chili in the crockpot and am just wondering what kinds of beans are good to use in chili and if anyone has any good recipes. In my opinion, there are many different beans that could be used and even combined, but I'm not really sure what the best kinds together are. Is there such a thing as having too many different kinds together in one chili recipe? Thanks! :)

Answer: No. I have some amazing styles of chili that I make, and they all have multiple types of beans in them. Kidney beans are good because they stay firm no matter how long you cook them. Pinto beans are good because they absorb all the flavors well. Surprisingly enough, I would not recommend chili beans,(they are not named after "chili" the dish,)they are nothing special, and have a bitter taste, which can be a sore spot in any chili or stew dish,(trust me!) I also highly recommend butter beans, They are soft, and also absorb a lot of flavor.

Question: What kind of beans can I use to make sprouts? Do I have to have something specially prepared? I would like to start sprouting bean sprouts and alfalfa sprouts but have no idea where to find/or what kind to look for, where the beans are concerned. Will any dried bean work? And what about alfalfa? Any help would be appreciated.

Answer: I believe the sprouts used in Chinese cooking are soy bean sprouts. Google "growing bean sprouts" and you'll probably get ALL kinds of sites to choose from.

Question: Can I make homemade baked beans with kidney beans? It´s hard to find baked beans in stores here in Germany, so I must compromise. How would I make kidney beans taste like baked beans?

Answer: Yes- the beans aren't the most important thing, it's the flavor and cooking- my grandmother used dried lima beans! Here is one recipe, it's pretty basic but I would add some molasses if you like baked beans to be sweet: BAKED KIDNEY BEANS 2 reg. size cans kidney beans 1/2 c. granulated sugar 1 scant c. ketchup 1 green pepper, diced 2 med. onions, diced 1 1/2 lb. bacon Fry bacon and add to the above ingredients. Put in baking dish and bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees

Question: How many cups of dry beans equal a standard can of beans? I have a recipe that calls for "2 cans of red beans" but I have dried beans. What's the conversion for dried and canned beans?

Answer: what sized cans? What type of beans? I'd use 1/3rd to 1/2 cup of dried beans in place of 1 cup of canned beans. Edit... sorry... I didn't see the Red Beans descriptions. Red beans... use 1/3 cup dried for every cup of canned. When you soak the dried beans they will swell to fill the volume. You don't have to be 100% accurate, but at least this gives you an idea of how much will get you close.

Question: How long do I soak different types of beans? I really want a chart or site that tells how long to soak certain varieties of beans. If you can't give me that, then please tell me how long to soak the following types: black beans, black eye peas, chick peas, pinto beans, and pink beans. I'm going to use the long soak method because I don't really care about creativity with food. Do I need to keep the soaking water, or can I just pour it in the sink? I don't plan to cook the beans, I'll just eat them after they're finished soaking. Do certain beans need to be cooked after soaking?

Answer: You are talking about dried beans aren't you? A good rule of thumb is to soak overnight. However, if you cook them in a slow cooker, you can just go ahead and cook them without soaking them first. But, if you intend to eat them raw, I would think they need to be soaked at least 8 hours. If you just eat raw food they will be fine. But I would never prefer to eat them in this state. They all need to be cooked is my opinion. Throw the soak water away or use on your plants. If you cook them, eat the juice too. Now, fresh beans are pretty good raw and don't need to be soaked.

Question: How do you cook beans on toast? I was just wondering coz i've heard it's one of the easiest things. Please give me details i.e a step by step guide and any extra tips if you have any. Please include whether you put the toast in first or the beans and what number to have the toaster on etc. What part is the oven is that the top bit with the round things on? I'm a bit unsure of this. I suppose I could cook the beans in the microwave but i'm a bit unsure of what setting to put it on as mine is a 900w so how do you know how long to do them for??? Much obliged oh and do you put butter or marge on the toast or beans what's the difference?

Answer: Open a can of baked beans - heat them up Make a piece of toast - Put the beans on top of the toast. Voila!!! beans on toast.... Do NOT put the beans in the toaster.. Ummm on second tought - better get your Mum to do it.

Question: Why do coffee beans need to be roasted? What does roasting do for the coffee? I am thinking about juicing beans, to create a very strong cup of coffee, that does not have any burnt taste. For this I believe that I should use un-roasted green coffee beans. I have a lot of ignorance in this area though and need help and suggestions.

Answer: If you have ever tasted under-roasted (or even green) coffee, you would find that it has an extremely sour, acrid, flat, and unpleasant flavor. During the roasting process, several chemical reactions (including the Maillard process, Strecker degredation, and caramelization) take place between the sugars and amino acids in the beans. These reactions are responsible for developing the flavors, aromatics, and sweetness within a coffee. Through extensive tasting, smelling (during and after the roast), and science, an excellent roaster should be able to find the best balance of flavors within a bean. When coffee is initially tasted (before purchasing from the farm), it is always done so with a light roast. This amplifies the flavors of the beans themselves, but it also amplifies the defects. Many roasters will choose a darker roast in order to mask any of these defects and create their own consistent "signature roast" flavor. It is impossible for a large coffee company to achieve consistency between batches with a light roast - coffee is a seasonal crop and varies far too much, even from hillside to hillside on the very same farm. Even with the world's best roasters, when consistency is more important than quality, the end product quality suffers. If all the coffees you have tasted have a burnt taste, I would wager that you have never had the opportunity to taste exceptional coffee. If you are interested, I would recommend searching for local roasters on www.coffeegeek.com. Look for high quality coffees from farms who have won awards such as the Cup of Excellence. Look for a shop that advertises the roast date, not expiration date. Coffee is generally best between 4 and 10 days after roasting. Look for lighter roasted beans that do not appear black or show visible oils. Ask questions! A passionate roaster will be willing to tell you way more than you ever wanted to know about his or her coffee. Many smaller "third wave" coffee shops will focus on quality above all else, even if it means that the flavor of their coffee is constantly changing with the seasons and growing conditions. By the way, you might have just opened Pandora's box of coffee - enjoy your journey.

Question: Why do the beans in my homemade soup have a "skin" when I cook them? I purchase various types of bags of dried beans for my homemade soup. I usually soak them overnight, or for many hours prior to cooking them. I cook the soup for about 2 hours. The beans come out with a skin around them. They taste good but the skin seems like it shouldn't be there. My question is, "Am I cooking them too long, or not long enough?" Thanks.

Answer: All beans have skin. Not all beans texture and skin break up when cooking. Beans are cooked properly when you take a sample and blow on it and the skin begins to peel back. Here is a link to a sote that will help you choose which bean is best for your purpose.