Frijoles con Queso, Etc. Casserole

This recipe is from 'The Enchanted Broccoli Forest' by Mollie Katzen, the author of the Moosewood cookbooks. I found the beans a bit too cheesy and rich but Cole really like it.

Here is the recipe as it is written by Katzen.

This is  3-layer casserole and almost like a cobbler with spicy, cheesy beans on the bottom, vegetables in the middle, and a crusty cornbread topping. Soak your beans well in advance, and prepare other parts of the casserole as the beans cook. (1 1/2 hrs to prepare; 40 mins to bake)

1 1/2 cups raw pinto beans
4 oz (1/2) cup cream cheese
1 cup firm yogurt
1/2 cup backed mild white cheese
1 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 cups onion
2-3 large cloves crushed garlic
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried basil
lots of black pepper and cayenne
1 medium zucchini, in chunks
2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
a few dashes each, salt, pepper, oregano, basil


(1) Soak the pintos in plenty of water for several hours (overnight is best). Cook them twice in as much water until tender (approx. 1 1/2 hrs). Drain, and immediately cut in the cream cheese, so it will melt nicely into the still-hot beans. Mix in yogurt and cheese. Set aside.

(2) YOU CAN DO THIS WHILE THE BEANS COOK. Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil with 3/4 tsp. salt, the cumin, the 1/2 tsp basil, and the black and cayenne pepper...about 5-8 minutes. Add this saute to the bean/cheese mixture. Mix well, and transfer to a buttered, 2-quart, deep casserole.

(3) In the same skillet you used to saute the onions, etc. pan-fry the zucchini chunks (you don't need to add extra oil if you are careful) with a little salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Use medium heat, and stir constantly. Cook them for only about 3 minutes, then add the chopped tomato, turn the heat up a little and continue to stir and cook another 5 minutes. Spread this mixture on top of the beans.

CORNBREAD TOPPING

1 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup yogurt
1 large egg

(1) Combine the 4 dry ingredients. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
(2) Beat together the yogurt and egg, and stir onto the dry mixture until well-mixed.
(3) Spread this batter on top of the zucchini/tomato layer of casserole.
Bake 40  minutes at 375 degrees F, uncovered. Serve immediately.