1. In a large colander, drain the pinto beans. Rinse them thoroughly. Pick through the beans, discarding any that are damaged or visibly deformed. Fill a 6-quart or larger slow cooker halfway with rinsed beans.
2. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the heated oil. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Toss everything into the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and the remaining teaspoon of salt to the sautéed vegetables. Over the top, pour the broth and water.
3. Cook for 8 to 10 hours on HIGH, until the beans are cooked. Because every slow cooker is different and heats things differently if yours tends to overheat, check it earlier. There may be some liquid left in the slow cooker depending on the model. Remove the bay leaves and toss them out.

For regular (not refried) pinto beans:

• Drain the liquid if desired, or leave it in the crockpot and serve the beans with it, or serve with a slotted spoon and drain the beans before storing. Season to taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

For refried beans:

• Set aside 1 cup of the cooking liquid, drain the beans, and return them to the slow cooker (you may use ordinary water if your slow cooker doesn’t have that much liquid). Mash the beans with a potato masher or pastry cutter until they achieve the consistency you want, adding some of the reserved liquid as needed. (Alternatively, you can scoop the beans into a blender in batches and puree them that way—just let them cool a little first so they don’t splatter.) Season to taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
• Serve with any toppings of your choice, and enjoy your meal.