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Refried Beans

This dip is best served cold. I tasted it right after I had made it and said to myself that it wasn't as flavorful as the cans of  Amy's Refried Beans (highly recommended if short on time). I was wrong because the next day I couldn't eat enough of it. It had a slight spicy aftertaste that wasn't overpowering. 





Refried Beans

2 c. pinto beans (cooked)
1 c. onion finely chopped (I used a red onion)
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
3 tbs chopped jalapenos
1 tomato chopped
2-3 bay leafs
1 c. vegetable broth
1 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
2 tsp paprika powder (or to taste)
2/4 tsp liquid smoke
salt & pepper to taste

• Fry onion in pan. When the onion starts to soften, add the garlic & jalapenos. Cook for 5 min.
• Add beans, vegetable broth, bay leafs, tomato & cook for 10 min or if not using canned beans, until beans soften. Liquid will cook down.
• Add chili, paprika, & liquid smoke.
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Let cool & remove bay leafs
• Mash with potato masher, put in blender or leave as is for a more rustic looking dip.

Refrigerate overnight for best results.

Powered by Veggies tee!! by Ula Nice

WOW! What an amazing response I received from the Not Your Mama's Craft Fair crowd! I almost sold out of pillows & looks like I need to get more Powered by Veggies tee's soon. They were selling like hot cakes.

So much great stuff out there. It was truly an eye opening experience for me. Will share photo's of the booth once my friends share them me. I posted an etsy widget on the side of my blog for anyone who wants to check out the etsy shop.

Sugar, Butter, Flour & Substitutes

What is it about the combination of sugar, butter, & flour?

I must confess. I am not a great baker. Mostly because I have a very low tolerance for white flour in my recipes. I NEVER add flour to my soups in order to "thicken it up". Something about that just makes my blood boil. The soup isn't think because its hardy, full of vegetables. No, its thick because the recipe calls for flour? Flour in my soup?

Get out of my kitchen. Get out.

Instead of adding this empty ingredient, I puree a cooked potato or zucchini with some soup broth. As you can see I have very strong feelings on this subject.



I will substitute ingredients like NOBODY'S business.....and I'm NOT sorry about any of it. If a recipe calls for white all purpose flour, I put in 1/2 whole wheat. Unsalted butter? Earth Balance to the rescue. Milk, well that's almond milk of course.

Sugar? SUGAR...hahaha I will cut that shit in half! I no longer metabolize it like a seven year old. I crash and feel sluggish. My energy level gets depleted. That doesn't make me stop eating it, but it does mean that sweets make less appearances in my kitchen.



There is one problem with all of this substituting & his name is James, my boyfriend (<3 him & his sweet tooth). "And don't you go replacing any of the ingredients." He'll say as I got to make cookies. James is the only reason I make sweets.



As I'm writing this, I'm also suffering from a sugar crash induced by a Rhubarb Raspberry Tart. I used all the sugar it told me to. I used all the REAL butter it called for. The only thing I didn't use was white flour. It was....packed with layers upon layers of stimulation for my taste buds. Once I could only manage 1/2 of a square before putting it away.

I hope that I still have a link for this because James loved this tart. It might make an appearance again, in like 4 years.