The snow continues to fall and we are nearing a foot of accumulation! Weather reports are calling for another 4-6 inches overnight! I can’t get over it! The snow is falling so hard we cannot even see across the road! The satellite TV is out which is fine because there probably isn’t anything on anyway. Richie spent most of the day playing chess online, which he enjoys and doesn’t get to do very often. I spent most of the day reading and cooking. I made homemade brown beans and made soup out of half of it and refried beans out of the other half along with homemade tortillas and dirty rice. We are saving the soup for tomorrow but had the bean burritos today. They were warm and yummy and perfect for this cold day!
Brown Beans (Soup and Refried Beans)
1 lb. Pinto Beans (soaked over night)
5 slices salt pork, chopped (you can substitute bacon)
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, grated
1 jalapeno, chopped
6 cups of water
Salt
Pepper
Ground Cumin
3 Bay leaves
Oregano
In a large pot cook onion and salt pork until the onion is just starting to cook and the pork is just starting to render some of its fat. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook a minute longer. Add beans and the water. Add each of the spices to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on a low burner for several hours until the beans are soft and cooked through. When cooked to your liking, remove half of the beans with a slotted spoon and put them in a frying pan over low heat. Use an immersion blender to whip the beans to a desired consistency. (If you don’t have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender or food processor.) If beans are too dry, spoon in some of the cooking liquid from the soup pot. Serve the refried been with homemade tortillas. Enjoy the soup with a delicious grilled cheese sandwich.
Homemade Tortillas
2 Cups Flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbs. butter
2/3 cups water
Melt butter and water together in the microwave. Combine all ingredients in a mixer. Need the dough for about two minutes by hand and allow it to rest for about 20 minutes. Divide the dough into 12-18 pieces depending on the size of tortilla you are needing. Roll each piece into a thin round. Cook on a DRY skillet over high heat until light brown blisters begin to form. Flip and cook on the other side. Stack on a towel lined plate. These can be put in the fridge and reheated either in the microwave or in a skillet.
