Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the entire inside surface of the pot with the oil. Layer half of one can of beans in the bottom of the pot, smoothing it out into an even layer with the back of your spoon.

Seed and de-vein one of the chiles and cut or tear it into 1/4"-wide lengthwise strips; distribute strips evenly over the beans. Place about a fourth of the cheese slices here and there over the chiles.

Repeat three more times for a total of four layers in all, saving some attractive slices of cheese for the top. Place the lid on the pot and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until heated through and slightly bubbly around edges.

Serves 15 to 20 as a potluck side dish. Recipe can easily be halved for a smaller crowd or doubled for a cast of thousands. Leftovers re-heat nicely, if youre lucky enough to have leftovers.

*Tip for carrying to the potluck: Set a trivet or heatproof tile on your kitchen counter top with several sheets of newspaper opened out over it; set the pot on the papers over the trivet, and wrap the papers up over the pot as tightly as you can, taping the paper together with masking or freezer tape or whatevers handy. Repeat wrapping once or twice with more layers of newspapers, taping as you go. You should end with a non-wrapped trivet and a thickly wrapped, well insulated pot that you can now pick up and carry to the car without benefit of potholders (which always get lost if you take them to potlucks). Leave the pot wrapped until serving time to keep the contents hot.

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