Refried Beans

I guess the name of this dish is really a misnomer since I don't actually do any frying of the beans, but the end result has the same texture as canned refried beans.  My husband thinks these are a lot better than canned.  3 of my kids love refried beans with tacos, which we seem to eat on an almost weekly basis, so I make up a big batch of these and freeze the leftovers in 2 cup portions.
Yield: ~8 cups

4 cups dried pinto beans, rinsed (no need to presoak)
12 cups water
4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup minced dried onion

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for ~8 hours or until beans are soft and mashable.  Use a potato masher and/or hand mixer to mash and blend the hot cooked beans and liquid together until smooth.