Mom's Beef and Bean Burritos

There is nothing fancy about these burritos. I've tried fancifying them with extra ingredients or spices, but I always return to them in their simplest form. So that is what I'm going to share with you. Let's get started, shall we?
We start with the beans. I've gotten in the habit of making my own refried beans, because it's easy and delicious. But, you can easily skip this step and use a can of refried beans. You'll still get full credit.

Dump a large can of pinto beans (drain a little bean juice off first, but not all of it) and a small can of diced green chiles into a medium saucepan. Add a pat of butter and stir it all around. Let it simmer on a low/medium stove for a while and bubble and brew all together. When they're done cooking, use a zhuzher to zhuzh them into the blissful smooth beans they were meant to be.

Next, brown a pound of ground beef in a frying pan. Add some spices--salt, pepper, and cumin. I also like some of this Mexican all-purpose seasoning.

Next, it's time to drain the fat. Push all of the meat to the end of the frying pan furthest from the handle. Tip the pan so the grease drains away from the meat and toward the handle. Give it enough time to really accumulate and think of all the calories you're saving by doing this. Take a few paper towels and stick them right in the pan to absorb all that fat. If you don't have any paper towels, you could use a maxi pad or diaper.

Now it's time to marry the beans with the beef. (If you're using canned refried beans, this is where you dump them right into your meat.)

Do you, Beef, take Beans to be your lawfully wedded fiber? And do you, Beans, take Beef to be your lawfully wedded protein? You may now get busy!

Don't they make the best couple? You should have a nice, thick, beefy-beany paste. Let it honeymoon for a minute while you heat your griddle to 300-350 degrees.

Now you're ready to set up a little burrito making station. Get out your flour tortillas, shredded cheese, and two plates.

Take a tortilla and spread some of the beef and bean mixture right down the middle, then sprinkle it with cheese and place it on a plate in the microwave for 22 seconds. (Why 22 seconds? Because I feel bad for all the numbers that aren't integers of 5; they always get left out of the microwaving fun.) You need to warm this in the microwave so that your tortilla is nice and pliable. While one burrito is in the microwave, begin preparing the next one. That's why you need two plates--one in the microwave and one at your fixing station.

Take your soft tortilla and tuck the ends in first and then roll it up, nice and tight.

You're ready to grill! Place the burrito on the grill, with the fold directly on the grill. This will seal it closed and help to keep it's shape. Add the burritos one by one to the prepared grill.

You want to grill them on four sides for maximum tastiness. This is the grilling order: bottom (with fold), top, side, side. The burritos will all be at different stages of grilling, so they will rotate and come off the grill in the same order that they went on.

If you're making a lot of burritos, you can turn your oven to a low heat (as low as it will go) and put the finished burritos on a tray in the oven to keep them all warm until serving.

Alright, it's time to eat! Serve your burritos with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or my personal favorite--KETCHUP! Mmmmm!

I think you should make these today. I think they will make you happy. Plus, your house will smell amazing. 

Fresh Broccoli Salad

Fresh Broccoli Salad

1 bunch broccoli (about 1lb) cut into florets
1/2 small red onion, chopped finely
1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise (light mayo works as well)
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 cup craisins (optional)
1/4 cup toasted almonds (optional)

Place broccoli, onion, cheese and bacon in a salad bowl.  In a small bowl, combine sugar, mayonnaise, and vinegar; mix until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth.  Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Chilupe

4-5 lb. pork roast
2 lbs. dry pinto beans (4 cups) or less
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cumin
1 t. oregano
2 T. salt (add salt during last hour of cooking)
1 small can diced green chilis

In 8 quart pot or dutch oven, sear roast on all sides in hot olive oil. Season meat with salt and pepper while searing. Add all other ingredients except salt and cover all with water. Bring to a boil; lower heat to keep simmering; cover and cook for 6 hours.
Remove meat from pot; break up with fork and remove fat; add salt to beans, stirring in. Add meat back into pot; cover and cook another hour. If needed, add more water for final hour; or if it is too watery, cook uncovered and turn up heat a little.

Serve in soup bowls over fritos or tortilla chips. Top with shredded lettuce, diced fresh tomatoes, grated cheese, sour cream or ranch dressing. (All toppings are optional.)

Tamale Pie

2 lbs. ground beef
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 T. chili powder (dissolved in small amt. of water)
1 1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1 T. salt
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can creamed corn
1 small can diced or sliced olives
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk

Brown meat, add onion and garlic, cook until onion is transparent. Add corn, tomatoes, chili powder, salt, and stir. Combine eggs and milk and add with corn meal and olives. Cook 15 minutes over low heat, stirring often. Bake uncovered in 9x13 pan for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Inspirational Thoughts

The power to do is in doing.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Alfredo Sauce
1/4 cup of butter
2-ish tsp garlic
1 can chicken broth
1-ish cup of cream
1/2-ish cup of half -n-half
3/4 container of Kraft shredded parmesean
1/4 - 1/2 cup Kraft Three Cheese blend
1 big spoonful plop of low-fat mayonnaise
Salt to taste (approx. 1 - 2 tsp.)
pepper to taste
Fresh chopped parsley, several Tbsp.

Melt butter over med-low heat, add garlic and saute. Pour in chicken broth then cream and 1/2-n- 1/2. Add salt & pepper and cheeses and continue to heat over medium to medium-low heat until cheese melts into sauce. Plop in mayonnaise and stir in. Add fresh chopped parsley just before pouring over noodles, chicken sausage, and veggies.

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Cook fettuccini noodles to al dente in chicken broth.
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Saute chopped chicken sausage (Bistro Sensations, smoked mozzarella with artichoke and garlic) in chicken broth. Add more chicken broth, add chopped broccoli and chopped red bell pepper. Cover and steam for a few minutes.

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Combine everything and serve with garlic bread and Ceasar salad.

Spinach Dip

Spinach Dip
1 package (10 oz.) baby spinach, chopped, or 1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup Hellmann's or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise
1 package Knorr Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 green onion, chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with your favorite dippers. I like to serve it with really good bread to dip in it.