{Faux-Fried Beans (my version of refried beans)}

A few months ago I shared a recipe for enchiladas and mentioned I was making refried beans to go with it! Well, the emails and comments poured in....how do you make refried beans from scratch?

So I decided to do a photo tutorial with you on how to make them because they are so easy and taste so good, you will never want to buy them out of a can again! Plus, mine are not actually fried so they are even better for you!

Here is what you will need to start:
1 bag dried pinto beans (sort through them and make sure there are no stones or dirty beans)
1Tbsp chili powder
1tsp. cumin
1tsp. salt
1tsp. black pepper
water to cover beans by 1 inch in crockpot
1 onion chopped
*bacon grease (I just save it in a clean coffee can every time I make bacon)
*this is completely optional, but it does add to the flavor and makes them more "restaurant style"

first, add all ingredients EXCEPT for onion and bacon grease into your crockpot and turn to high for about 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours until beans are soft. You might have to add more water depending on your beans. If they start to look dry, just add about a cup of water at a time.

remove your beans and place in large bowl.


Reserve cooking liquid for thinning out the beans


Saute the onion until just see through


add the onion to the beans and start to mash together. I am using my hand blender here. If you don't have one, I highly recommend getting one so you get that smooth texture. If you cant get one right now, then use a regular potato masher! :)


keep mashing until you are at the consistency you want. If they get too thick, this is where you can add in your cooking liquid a little at a time.


Stir in 4-6 Tablespoons of bacon grease (or to taste)


And that's it! Beautiful faux-fried beans! Now, this makes a TON of beans, so I usually use half of the batch for dinner and freeze the other half for another time.

{Tomato Cheese Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese Dippers}

YAY! A recipe!! This is what we ate last night, and boy was it good! The soup reminded me of the tomato basil from La Madeline....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......*drool*


Here is what you will need:
3C V8 Juice (you can use regular or spicy...I used regular from walmart)
1 can (10 3/4oz) cheddar cheese soup
1 can (10 3/4oz) tomato soup
1tsp. Italian seasoning

1 french baguette
1C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2C butter

How to make it:
For soup, combine V8, Italian seasoning, cheese soup and tomato soup. Whisk together and bring to a slow simmer on medium heat.


For sandwiches:

slice the baguette on its bias into 1/2in. thick slices


spread butter onto one side of the bread slices


on a hot pan, place butter side down on half of the bread slices and top with cheese


top with second half of bread, buttered side up.


grill these until the cheese inside is melted, then flip over and cook on other side until golden brown.


Dip your cheese sandwiches into your soup and enjoy!!

HEY EVERYONE!!!!!!

Gosh, I feel like I have been gone forever! I wanted to catch up with you all and let you know why I am so slow to post!

First off, my Internet got cut off about a week ago! So I have been making trips to my sisters house and bouncing off any signal I can get anywhere else....its not working too well! And a $300 bill to get it turned back on is a LITTLE out of my price range! LOL So until I can afford that, this is going to be my life....bouncing off signals.

In other news.... I GOT A PROMOTION AT MY WORK!!!! I will be working 5 days a week instead of 2 MAYBE 3 if I was lucky! So this should help for the bills....no so much for the blogging, but I am going to try. I love this job so much, I am really excited to be at it everyday!

I also have some projects coming up that I want to share with you all and I still have that furniture re-do that I haven't posted! Its all coming soon enough, I promise.

So please don't hate me while I am trying to still get in the grove of having two full time jobs and a life, its a little more than I thought it would be, but I am making the most of it! I hope everyone is doing well, let me know what I am missing by not being able to catch up on your blogs! I MISS YOU!!!! talk to you all soon......I HOPE!!