Spicy Refried Beans

Spicy foods might intimidate you. Lord knows, they intimidate me. I have numerous instances seared into my memory - taking a bite of a pepper I misjudged to be mild, or ordering a dish at a Mexican restaurant that had too much heat to it.

Almost all of those times, I was out of reach of a glass of water or anything to quench the fire eradicating my taste buds. I don't always plan these things out well.

But don't let this dish intimidate you, because it demonstrates an important point - that "spicy" doesn't always have to mean "painful". It can mean "delicious". And that's what these are - De-Fricking-Licious. (DW)

One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is make food that you normally buy in a jar or can at the grocery store, and, instead, make it from scratch. By making it yourself, you have control over what ingredients you put in your recipe, the quality of the ingredients you use, and the amount of sodium that goes into your food.

Refried beans are a food that we eat quite frequently using the canned form, but this recipe just might make canned refried beans a thing of the past in the Walker household. When I set out to make this recipe, I was just planning on following the recipe I got off of Real Mom's Kitchen website, but I just got a little carried away with adding ingredients we had in our refrigerator. The result was spicy and flavorful. If you don't want them spicy, just leave out the chipotle and jalepenos.

3 cups of dry pinto beans, rinsed
1 yellow onion, chopped
9 cups of water (I actually used 3 cups chicken stock, and 6 cups of water)
5 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon The Art of Chipotle Gourmet Paste (optional)
1/4 cup pickled jalepeno peppers, finely chopped (optional)

Put all ingredients in a 5-quart Crock-Pot. Cook on high for 7-8 hours, until beans are tender. Drain the beans, reserving the excess water (you will use the excess water to thin out the beans after you mash them). Using a potato masher, mash the beans, adding a little bit of your reserve water at a time, until a desired consistency is reached. Serve warm. (AW)

Chipotle Beef with Potatoes

Let me tell you about Crock-Pots, all right? Crock-Pots are BOSS. They make your house smell amazing, and they’re really not a lot of work, both pre- and post-meal. If I hear anyone ever talk bad about it, I’m going to fight them. In front of everyone.

This is one of those meals that if Amy tells me is on the docket, I get excited and kind of giddy. Crock-Pot meals have been a staple of our Saturday nights. You see, I work most Saturday nights, and Amy is often with me as well (I’m an airline pilot; she’s a stewardess), and there is, seriously, nothing better than putting my key in the front door, stepping into my house after a long night of forgetting lyrics, and immediately smelling something like this recipe.

The things that makes this dish so phenomenal isn’t just the combination beef and potatoes; although that alone will rock your face off. It’s the plethora of things you can have it, which, when I think about it, is what I love about most Mexican or Mexican-themed dishes. You got cheese, you got sour cream, you got avocado, maybe some green onions. You can improve, too – like throw in some lettuce or cilantro on top. I don’t care what you do – it’s your dinner.

This dish is messy, too, but it just doesn’t matter. Go nuts, people. I would get some good tortilla chips to go with this, because that’s what’s going to make it a party. (DW)

3-4 lbs. chuck roast, fat trimmed
1 lb. baby red potatoes
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 can (4 oz) mild green chilies
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons The Art of Chipotle Gourmet Paste*
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder

Cut chuck roast into 1 inch cubes. Mix all ingredients in a 5-quart Crock-Pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.



Serve with flour tortillas, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream.








*The only store in the Livermore area that I have found the Art of Chipotle Gourmet Paste at is Nob Hill/Raleys. (AW)