California Casserole
                     Teresa Carlson

4 15oz. cans    pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs.              canola oil (or your favorite salad oil)
2 cups              onions, chopped
1 cup each       red and yellow bell pepper
2 Tbs. each      chopped garlic, ground cumin and chili powder
1  28oz. can      Italian style tomatoes, drained (reserve the juice)and chopped
1  cup               chicken stock (see Chicken Stock for recipe) (broth is OK)
1  tsp.               hot sauce (like Tobasco)
8 - 10 Tbs.        celantro, fresh and chopped
1  cup                finely crushed tortilla chips
1 cup                 Montrey Jack cheese with jalapenos, grated

                      Preheat oven to 400   
Puree one can of the drained beans in a food processor.
    Heat oil in a Dutch Oven, add onions and bepp peppers and saute untio soft. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two.  Stir in the cumin and chili powder.  Mix in the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the juice, chicken stock, pepper sauce, whole and pureed beans.
     Simmer 5 minutes, or so, stiring often,  Add 6-7 Table spoons of the chopped celantro.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips over the mixture and bake about 30 minutes or heated through.  Top wioth the cheese and bake another few minutes until the cheese is well melted.  Top with the remaing celantro and serve.
    We usually make this a day ahead of when we will have it and keep it in the outside refrigerator over night.