Some Good Eats!

I like cooking and enjoy browsing recipes, but hardly stick to one. Just get inspired by them and like to do my own thing. This weekend I have made a batch of homemade refried beans and salsa. I love making things that taste better, are better for us and save a few bucks too. They have to be quick, easy and tasty of course! I am not a photographer and the pics do no justice to how yummy these really are.. sorry folks!

Salsa inspired from The Pioneer Woman This stuff is my favorite, I won’t buy it anymore from the store, so darn good! If you like more tomato flavor, follow her recipe, we don’t like tomatoes so this is how we make ours!

1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce

1 can of Rotel Tomatoes (any variety but I like the lime and cilantro one!)

Handful of Cilantro chopped

1/2 onion chopped

1 jalapeno

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cumin

1 clove of garlic chopped

1/4 c. water

Add tomato products, seasonings, water, jalapeno, lime juice, garlic and half of the onion and half of the cilantro and blend till the desired consistency. Add in the other half of the onion and cilantro for texture and taste. Add more salt or sugar if needed.

Making Salsa

Served best on Juanitas tortilla chips!!

Nice size batch or double the recipe for more goodness!!

HomeMade Refried Beans (made in a big crockpot)

2+ pounds of pinto beans

1 onion, quartered

1-2 jalapenos chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic chopped

1-2 tablespoons of taco seasoning, cumin or a mixture of both

1 tbl salt (beans have no flavor so you add to taste at the end)

16-20 ounces of chicken stock (or water)

Dump beans in the crockpot and fill with water till its covered and then a couple inches more overnight (or all day). Dump out most of the water and add chicken stock till its covered. (you can add water to keep them vegetarian or to save money, but i think it adds great flavor). Add in the rest of the ingredients and turn on low to cook all day or high if your in a hurry to eat them like me. Use an immersion blender to blend it all up when done or batches in a blender or a masher would work too. I like my beans thinner more the restaurant style then the cans you get at the grocery store. Adjust seasonings to desired likeness. I then freeze them in ziploc bags and pull them out when serving mexican food, they heat up great! I haven’t bought canned refried beans in years, love this!