I love it when Siggy Roo's jowls get stuck in his teeth, it's so endearing! This weather is hard on the old guy, I can see him picking up his feet while he tries to pee - not easy when you have long, shaky legs. He pulled it off, but just barely. He's such a sweetie. Rrrrrrooo!And speaking of sweeties, Nathan and I are having a mom/son night out tonight. Dinner and a movie, I'm really looking forward to it. Haven't decided yet where we'll eat, I'll see what he's up for. He digs Greek and Chinese particularly. And of course, the ubiquitous pizza, his true fav. He occasionally gets a bit burned out on 'za, however, so hopefully he'll be up for something a little more interesting. Maybe I can talk him into Mexican, I've had a hankering along those lines... Hmmm...
Today, a quest for productivity of some sort. Didn't achieve much yesterday, I have to confess. I just don't want to go anywhere when it's -10 degrees, funny thing. But I do have errands to run, I've got to brave it today. And of course, laundry is not very dependent on the weather, ha. No excuse there. OK, Stephanie, kick 'er into gear!
OMG, I just whipped up the most incredible lunch for myself. Wow. I should have paid closer attention to how I did it, I was just cooking a craving, basically. Talked to Nathan, he wants Chinese tonight, and I have that above-said Mexican desire, so I pulled out a can of pinto beans, made a quick chili sauce to simmer them in, cooked myself a couple of fresh tortillas (sooo easy, and sooo good, that store-bought won't much move you again), topped it all off with chopped arugula and raw onion. Even had to have a quick glass of red with it, it was so delicious. Damn! Now THAT took care of my Mexican craving, and it wasn't nearly as naughty as a big, cheesy burrito. (I'll write up what I did and post it in comments, below.)
posted by Stephanie @ 10:46 AM
1 Comments:
Homemade Tortillas with Spicy Beans
Stephanie Levy
Serves 2-3
This is fast, simple and rustic; the tortillas are slightly thick, crisp on the outside, chewy in the center.
1 Tbsp. oil
¼ c. minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1 ½ c. water
1 14-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp. instant masa harina (available in the Mexican food section at grocery stores)
¼ c. water
1 tsp. salt
1 c. instant masa harina
1 tsp. salt
water
4 Tbsp. oil
½ c. chopped onion
½ c. chopped arugula
½ c. shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, queso fresco, even crumbled feta)
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until starting to soften, 5 minutes. Add garlic and chili powders and stir until fragrant, 2 minutes. Stir in water, pinto beans, and salt, turn heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Taste for heat – add more ancho chili powder if desired. In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp. masa harina and ¼ c. water to make a smooth paste. Whisk by spoonfuls into the beans. Simmer for another 5 minutes to thicken. Add more salt if necessary.
Meanwhile, prepare tortillas. In a medium bowl, combine 1 c. masa harina and salt. Slowly stir in water, a bit at a time, until a ball of dough forms. Knead dough briefly in the bowl. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Scoop out a couple of Tbsp. of dough into a ball and using your fingers, press into a ¼-inch thick round, probably 2-3 inches wide. Lay into the hot skillet and bake for 3 minutes, flip and bake the other side for three minutes. Remove to a plate. Use all the dough, baking tortillas as you go, preparing approximately 8 of them. Add oil to the hot pan, turn heat up to medium high, and heat for few minutes until oil is hot enough (I test by dipping an edge of tortilla in, see if it sizzles – if so, it’s hot enough). Fry tortillas, 2-4 at a time, side-by-side but not touching (or crowding the pan) for 3 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Transfer to paper towel to drain. Serve immediately topped with beans, sprinkle of cheese, chopped arugula, and chopped onion. (This is knife-and-fork food!)
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