Refried Beans and "Flat Enchiladas"

Refried beans are a staple of so many Mexican meals, and there is nothing quite so good as those you make at home. Here's a list of just a few of the meals you can prepare focused on this great dish:

• Burritos--bean and cheese, bean, bean and vegetables (sauteed peppers, onions, and spinach or other greens is a great combination), bean and ground beef, breakfast (egg) burritos, etc., etc.
• Enchiladas--pretty much the same list of variations as for burritos
• Refried bean soup--if your family isn't really excited about the old standard bean soup, this is a good one to try
• Bean and cheese nachos--try this dip with apples and raw vegetables as well as with chips
• And then of course there is the addition of a side of refried beans to any Mexican main dish, stretching the meal economically and nutritionally.

If you start with a bag of dried beans, this is also one of the most frugal foods you can prepare. Cooking up a two pound bag of beans takes no more real time to prepare than smaller amounts, and most of the time doesn't require your attention at all.

If you have never prepared dried beans, this is a good place to experiment. Pinto beans are almost always the least expensive of all your choices and they are pretty resilient in how you prepare them, and they are the usual basis for frijoles refritos. However, lots of other beans can be prepared in the same way--and we all know how popular refried black beans have become at a lot of restaurants.

First, the basics of dried bean cookery:

1. Almost all beans will need to be pre-soaked. There are primarily two approaches to pre-soaking:

Wash the beans and add water, covering to at least an inch above the beans. Allow to sit at least five to six hours or overnight.
OR
Wash the beans and add water, covering to at least an inch above the beans. Bring the beans to a boil and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for an hour or so.

2. After the beans have soaked, drain well, rinse lightly if desired, and then cover with fresh water, again allowing about an inch of water above the top layer of beans.

TWO SIDE NOTES HERE--Changing the water and salting--or not--the beans

About the rinsing and changing the water--yes, you probably lose a few nutrients by not cooking the beans in the same water in which they soak. However, these little guys are so nutrient-dense, they still are packed with minerals and fiber...and the water that is washed away carries with it at least most of the "flatulence producers" for which beans have a sometimes well-deserved reputation. For this reason if no other, don't forget to drain the soaking water and add in one more rinse if desired!)

And a debate that probably only hardcore cooks really worry about: do I salt the beans while cooking or not?

• There are two basic schools of thought on this. One group of cooks insists that adding any salt before the beans are well-cooked will toughen them and they will never become truly soft. The other group says Nonsense, if you don't salt them first, they will never really pick up the flavor you want.
• I have generally been a don't salt them till they are cooked person, but I did find a third way awhile ago that seems to be a great compromise. Add salt to the soaking water but then, when you drain the beans, don't add any salt to the cooking water. This works very well--my only problem is that I all too often forget to add the salt at the beginning and think of it only after the beans have finished their soak.

3. Bring the beans to a boil, turn down the heat, and cook gently until the beans are soft. Test by mashing a bean or two against the side of the pan. You will need to allow about an hour or so for this phase.

• Instead of cooking on the stove top, you can instead place the beans in a very large slow cooker; cover the beans with water and cooking on LOW for five to six hours or on HIGH for two to three hours.

Note that the cooking time either on the stove top or in a slow cooker will vary, rather dramatically at times. Why? Dried beans will stay perfectly edible and nutritious on the shelf for literally years. However, the older the beans, the longer it will take to cook them to tenderness. Since you probably won't know just how old the beans are when you buy them, you will have to use your best guess for the cooking time, always being ready to cook them longer than you had planned!


When the beans are tender, they are ready to be made into refried beans (or for any other recipe calling for canned beans for that matter). You can also freeze some or all of the beans in their cooking liquid at this point too. That two pound bag of beans you started with (just $1. 39 right now at my local Aldi store) will yield at least six pounds of prepared beans, so you have lots to work with.

Now, for the "re-frying." That is truly a misnomer, since, as Wikipedia points out,

The name is based on a mistranslation.In Mexican Spanish, the prefix re is an informal form of emphasis meaning "very" or "well", not to be confused with the English re and the most common use of the Spanish prefix re outside Mexico, which indicates repetition. Thus, frijoles refritos, the Mexican name of this dish, should translate to English as "well-fried beans", not "refried beans". However, this still does not explain the reference to frying in the name. In this dish, the beans are not fried. Indeed, beans are never fried, so the name is bizarre on any count. A sensible name in English for this dish would be "mashed beans."

So our "sensible" cooking style will include very little oil as well, just enough to keep the beans from sticking to the pan as they are gently cooked with seasonings. As with so many of these basic, "ethnic," dishes, the recipe proportions here are easily adjusted to suit your family's own preferences. Oh, and if you just can't get the time together to cook beans from scratch, you can still make refried beans from canned beans; just be sure to avoid adding any salt until you have tasted the mixture, as most canned beans are way too high in salt. (One more reason to make your own!)

Frijoles Refritos--mashed, not fried

1 T canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 4 oz can diced green chiles
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced (OR 1 to 2 t garlic powder)

3 to 4 c cooked pinto beans, with liquid

2 t oregano (Mexican, if available)
2 t cumin
1 T cider or balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 T chili powder (optional)
1/3 c chopped cilantro, stems and leaves (optional)
salt to taste
Saute the onion in the canola oil until just starting to turn golden. Stir in the garlic, beans, oregano and cumin. Add enough of the bean liquid to make a rather runny mixture.

Using a potato masher, mash the beans while stirring over medium heat. Add the chiles, vinegar, and chili powder and continue stirring. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan--a little bit of crust formed at the bottom will add flavor to the mix, but you do not want the beans to burn on. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed, along with additional bean liquid or water if the mixture becomes too thick. (These will thicken when cooled, so you want to be sure that they maintain the consistency of thin cooked oatmeal.) Add the cilantro near the end of cooking.

One of the challenges I had in this post was trying to come up with a picture that would be both appetizing and would show how the beans start to come together as you prepare them. Not sure I succeeded, but this is what the mashed, seasoned beans will start to look like.





And now a quick enchilada recipe that uses some of your homemade refried beans.

Flat Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

Yes this is a large recipe and can easily be divided. However, make it in an 11 X 13 or similar casserole dish for a crowd, or divide it between two 7 X 11 pans and freeze one to pop in the oven on another day.

2 to 3 c refried beans
3/4 c cubed or sliced processed cheese
1/2 c yogurt (optional)
12 to 15 corn tortillas
12 to 16 oz grated cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese

Enchilada Sauce:
28 oz can or jar spaghetti sauce, preferably a garden vegetable variety
1 c prepared enchilada sauce
1/3 to 1/2 c finely chopped onion
1 t garlic powder OR 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 t cumin, to taste
chili powder to taste--start out with about a tablespoon or two
8 oz butternut squash puree (optional, but see NOTE)
1/2 c chopped cilantro (opt)
1 4 oz can diced green chilies OR 1/3 c diced bell or jalapeno pepper (optional, to taste)

1. Combine all the enchilada sauce ingredients and heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
2. Meanwhile, combine the refried beans and processed cheese in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for a minute or two to soften the mixture. If it is still very thick, add a little yogurt to make it "spreadable.)
3. Spread a few spoonfuls of the sauce over the bottom of an 11 X 13 or similar sized casserole dish. Arrange tortillas evenly across the sauce, tearing as necessary to completely cover the bottom of the baking dish.
4. Spread about half the refried bean mixture evenly over the tortillas, then layer with a third of the remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with a little of the grated cheese.
5. Repeat the layers--tortillas, remaining beans, a third of the sauce, and cheese.
6. Finish the dish with one more layer of tortillas, the remaining sauce, and a thick layer of cheese. Be sure that the tortillas are completely covered with sauce to avoid any hardened edges when done. If freezing one part of the enchiladas, cover tightly at this point, label, and freeze.
7. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 to 45 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted and golden. (If the cheese begins to brown, cover with foil for the last 15 minutes or so.)

NOTE: If you do not use squash, you may want to reduce the amount of spaghetti sauce slightly to avoid having the final dish too thin. You could also precook and mash carrots or sweet potatoes to substitute for the squash.

Cilantro, Veggies, and Beans--the Perfect Vegetarian Combo

If you are one of those people who find cilantro an herb to be avoided at all costs, you will probably want to move along. However, for the rest of us, this will be a refreshing spring vegetarian feast.

With lovely big bunches of cilantro on sale at a local chain, 3 for 99 cents, it was time to indulge. All colors of bell peppers were also on sale, and I had dried garbanzos already cooked and in the refrigerator, waiting for inspiration. The result was this colorful, quick, and inexpensive vegetarian main dish. As a nice plus, it also served as a vehicle for a few other leftovers--hence the small amounts of cabbage, frozen peas, and broth. Make your own variations with your own leftovers and enjoy.

Cilantro Chickpeas

1 to 2 t canola oil OR chicken fat (I had some at the top of the refrigerated broth so used that for a little more flavor)
1 c sliced carrots (2 small)
1/2 c chopped onion (1/2 medium)
3/4 c coarsely diced green bell pepper
3/4 c coarsely diced red bell pepper
1/2 c shredded cabbage
1/2 c frozen peas
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c chicken broth (convert this to a vegetarian/vegan dish with vegetable broth)
1 c chopped cilantro--leaves and stems
1/2 t Cajun seasoning (or red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste)
seasoning salt to taste
2 c garbanzo beans, with liquid

Optional toppings:
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
Salsa
Plain yogurt or sour cream

1. Saute the carrots and onion in the fat for about 5 minutes, until the onions are just beginning to turn translucent.

2. Add the peppers, cabbage, and garlic, and simmer at medium heat another 5 to 10 minutes, until the peppers are just barely tender.

3. Stir in the cilantro, beans, and seasonings, and cook just until the mixture returns to a good boil. Stir in the frozen peas, remove from heat, and serve as is or with optional toppings as desired. Serves three to four.

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As given in the recipe, this will be a little "soupy," perfect for serving in bowls like a thick stew. If you'd rather have it a little thicker, use less of the bean liquid or let the juices simmer down a little (not too long--this is best with the veggies just barely done). This could be served with rice, good crusty rolls, or warmed tortillas. Add a tossed salad and perhaps some fresh fruit of the season for a really fast, really healthy meal...and for a very reasonable cost as well.

Frugal note: The total cost of this dish, due to the sales this week and the use of home-cooked beans, was less than $1.50. If peppers are not on sale, you could substitute Trader Joe's frozen pepper strips (just add a few minutes after the cabbage) and still have a main dish well below $2.00. The cheese will add more to the cost, but using a dollop of yogurt (or just glasses of milk) to add the complementary amino acids will mean a lot of nutrition for not a lot of cost. (The broth was virtually free, since I just saved the juices from some chicken breasts that I had sauteed for another dish earlier in the week.)

Fast note: With the beans already cooked, the prep time for this includes washing the carrots and peppers and doing the chopping, not at all the big production that it may seem. (For more information on cooking dried beans, scroll down to my September 2010 post on this topic.)

Dump all the vegetables to be washed in some water, scrub well, and drain. (If you are tossing a salad and/or preparing some fresh fruit, wash it all at once--and no need to wash the onion; you'll just have a mess trying to get the peelings off!)

Then use one cutting board and one knife and just chop one thing after another. No need for washing the board or knife in between.* As for measuring, you can just guestimate and chop about the amount of each that looks like what you'd like. If you do want to measure, use the same cup, with no need to rinse between. At the end of the process, here is the stack of what you will have to clean up:




















*Some notes on cutting boards

I keep one cutting board just for onions, peppers, and garlic, even some herbs and some of the fresh veggies from the garden--it's the one in this photo. According to my mother my great grandfather made this for my great grandmother early in their marriage back in the 19th century. Still going strong after all these years, it's a little hollowed out in the middle, but it's the perfect size and I use it almost every day. To care for it, I usually just swish some plain water over it and let it drain dry. If it needs a little more attention, I wipe it with a soapy cloth and quickly rinse, but that's about it. There is something very comforting to knowing that there is so much heritage in such a simple piece of kitchen equipment, and it holds a place of honor on my counter top.

And yes, I never, ever, let this board be used for meats or anything that might provide unwelcome contamination. For meats or anything that could lead to contamination problems, I use dishwasher safe boards.

This is also not the board for cutting up pineapple, melons, etc., either, not because of the cross-contamination problem. Rather, the old "onion board" is all too likely to impart just a hint of the strong flavors of the things it is used for, so I have another couple of boards of different sizes for these foods.

Do you need a whole set of cutting boards? Of course not. But I strongly recommend having at least two--one like my heritage board for cutting the strong flavored foods you'll be cutting and another that can be washed in the dishwasher or otherwise well-sanitized.

Cassoulet for a Crowd

One of the things I enjoy doing on a periodic basis is providing food for a group of medical residents, medical students, and other "miscellaneous" medical staff that meets weekly through the school term for dinner and Bible study together. Earlier this fall, I had the privilege of providing a main dish for the group. I needed to come up with something easily carried to the meeting place and sufficient for about 30 people. I also wanted to try something different from prior offerings as well as take advantage of whatever the local stores had on their weekly specials.

As I considered my options, I began to think a cassoulet would be good, but then I had to do a little research to be sure what I would be serving was really cassoulet. Every time I had been served something by this name, I had enjoyed a wonderful meal, but there were tremendous variations in each instance.

Off to the internet to get some clarification. The source of my "truth" was every college professor's most dreaded source, Wikipedia, but it provided me with enough information to know I was on the right path:

Cassoulet (from Occitan caçolet [kasuˈlet], French: [kasuˈlɛ]) is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the south of France, containing meat (typically pork sausages, pork, goose, duck and sometimes mutton), pork skin (couennes) and white haricot beans.
The dish is named after its traditional cooking vessel, the cassole, a deep, round, earthenware pot with slanting sides.

I felt better after reading this, because I realized that none of the cassoulets I had ever tasted completely fit this definition, so why couldn't I be just as free-form with the dish? I definitely wouldn't be using a cassole, since my large scale recipe was going to have to fit into my nice big electric roaster. Goose, duck, mutton, and pork skin would also be out, but the rest of my planned dish would be pretty close to this description--as long as you ignored the fact that I would be using plain old navy beans instead of haricots.

The final dish, as prepared in the recipe below, was a hit. Full of flavor (even if not a low fat choice), it also was extremely economical. A local store had bone in pork roasts on sale for $1.19; because they trim their meat well, the 9.4 pound roast yielded 7 1/2 pounds of boneless meat for a total of just $11.19. The other meats were also bargains at almost the same per pound price; adding in the vegetables and the various seasonings, I was still able to prepare a main dish for 30 people for less than $20! (The bone that I cut out before cooking was the basis for another meal, a simple vegetable and bean soup, so that stretched the cost even further.)

This was so easy to make in this quantity that I think I will plan to make this again in the same quantity even if serving fewer people. It freezes well and would be great to have in the freezer for a last minute supper or meal to pull out for after church guests.

Cassoulet for a Crowd

2 cups dried navy beans, pre-cooked and drained
6 cups water OR combination of water and liquid drained from beans
3 to 4 cups chopped onions--about 3 large onions
1 pound pork/bacon sausage (the kind in a tube) sliced into 10 patties
9 to 10 pounds bone-in pork roast, cut into 1 to 2 inch cubes
7 cups sliced carrots
1 cup celery
2 T mixed dried herbs--as usual, my mix was two parts each basil, thyme, and rosemary and one part marjoram
1/2 head garlic--at least 5 to 6 cloves--minced
2 t salt
8 oz miniature chipotle sausages, sliced (Little Smokies is one brand to look for)
1 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

Pre-cook the beans according to directions; this may be done well in advance of the main preparation, with the beans refrigerated or frozen.

Place the slices of sausage in a very large skillet and saute until golden brown. Remove, cut each in quarters, and place in a large roaster (or roasting pan if using the oven).

In the sausage drippings, slowly saute the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic until the onions are golden brown and the carrots just barely tender. Add the vegetables to the sausages in the roaster.

Turn the heat under the remaining drippings to medium high and begin browning the pork cubes in batches. Do not crowd. If necessary, add a bit of canola oil to the pan as you proceed. As the meat is browned, move it to the roaster with the vegetables and sausage.

When all the meat is browned and in the roaster, sprinkle the seasonings over all. Rinse the pan used for sauteing with the water and add to the roaster, along with the cooked beans. Cover and begin simmering at 275 to 300 for several hours. About two hours before serving, add the sliced chipotle sausages and taste for seasoning.

Serve over rice.

Large Quantity Rice

Baking rice is one of the easiest ways to prepare this side dish for any number of people, especially if you don't have a rice cooker.

8 cups rice
16 to 17 cups boiling water
2 T salt

Place the rice in a large flat pan. If using the disposable restaurant sized pans, use two together to insulate the edges and cook more evenly.
Place the salt in the water in a large pot and bring to a boil. When boiling, carefully pour over the rice and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Stir. If the rice is not quite done, cover and return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serves 25 to 30.

 NOTE:

Even if you aren't cooking for a crowd, you can cut these amounts in half, using one 9 X 13 pan or similar-sized casserole. This will provide enough rice for a week's worth of menus (OR you can even freeze some of the extra in meal-sized packages). This is good to keep in mind if you don't want to invest in a rice cooker.

Frugal, Fast, and Fun for Fourteen Friends

Take eight children, ages six and under, and add six adults. Stir in a schedule that keeps the hostess away from her home for about 6 hours the day of the meal, bringing her home only an hour before the first guests arrive. Blend well with a lot of fun and informality and you have the makings of an altogether wonderful evening.

Really.

Sure, we are by now comfortable with this informality because we eat together about every two weeks. Still, I do like to think that every meal should reflect warm hospitality, but an especially busy week made last Wednesday's dinner a little more challenging than usual.

The hardest part was deciding what to serve. I provide the main dish while others bring the rest of the meal. This week, that would include a special first birthday cake for the youngest in our group. So how could I balance such a special ending with something simple and yet not too unhealthy?

Looking in the freezer, I decided on hot dogs on buns with a crockpot of baked beans. Along with the birthday cake, there was also a wonderful spinach salad and lots of sliced oranges. While I often make my beans from scratch, the week was so hectic that I used canned beans as the base. The turkey hot dogs were put in a 7 X 11 cake pan in the oven at 350 degrees, long enough to "grill" them; I then turned the heat down to 200 to stay warm until ready to serve. There were buns, ketchup, three kinds of mustard, two kinds of relish, and chopped onions to include most favorite toppings. (I know, no sauerkraut; I always forget that since it something I really don't care about. Maybe next time I'll remember.)

The food seemed rather like a picnic, even if the weather outside is still way too cold to think in those terms, so I pulled out my bright and orange plastic plates and put them on my sand-colored tablecloth to help us think warmer thoughts. The beans and franks were served buffet-style from the counter, while the salad and oranges sat on the table along with a fat candle lit for the occasion.

The end result was a lot of satisfied eaters and conversation—with the kids playing peacefully at our feet—until almost 9 pm. Gratifying too was the fact that the kids had chosen large servings of the healthier parts of the meal and there didn't even have to be any "no dessert until you finish your food" comments. In fact, six-year-old Sam proudly stacked up twenty-seven pieces of orange rind to reflect how much he had eaten of his favorite part of the meal.

Frugal? I had purchased the hot dogs and beans on sale over time and tucked them away on the pantry shelf and in the freezer. The hot dogs were lower fat turkey dogs so not as inexpensive as some brands might have been, but the sale prices meant that the three packages cost well less than $4. The total cost of the beans—which served us all with almost a quart left over—was also under $4. I bought the whole wheat buns at the bread surplus store for a total of $3 and still have one package left. The beautiful cake was made from a mix also purchased on sale for less than $1, with a basic cream cheese and powdered sugar icing, so it may have cost less than $3. We ate a four-pound bag of oranges that were featured this week for $2.50, and the salad was probably around $3 to $4. Even at the higher cost for the salad, the total food for 14, with a few pieces of cake and a lot of beans and buns left over, came to well below $20.

Fast and Fun? Sara says the salad was "really easy" to put together, the oranges were sliced while we put the rest of the food out, and the beans and hot dogs couldn't have been easier. The cake was probably the most labor intensive, but Michelle used this as an opportunity to teach one of the middle-schoolers in our church about cake decorating, so it sounds like the time they put into it was a lot of fun.

Healthy? Whole wheat buns, pinto beans added to reduce some of the overly sweet sauce in the canned variety, reduced fat hot dogs, salad and oranges on the side to balance the not quite so healthy finale, and milk for all the kids. Maybe not your perfect nuts and granola meal but still a lot of good nutrition overall.

NOTE: Everyone was aware of the potential choking hazard of hot dogs for small children, but we were careful to cut up these for the youngest among us, and none of the children was allowed to walk around with their food. When serving this meal to those under four, you really do need to exercise extra caution and watchfulness.

Quick Beans in a Pot
Serves 12 to 16

2 28 to 30 oz baked beans, any style (NOT "pork and beans")
1 29 to 32 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 to 2 15 oz cans pork and beans, drained (optional)
1/2 medium onion, chopped—about 1 cup
1/2 finely diced green pepper (optional)
Barbecue sauce to taste (optional)
Yellow mustard to taste (optional)
Dash of balsamic or cider vinegar (optional)

Open beans and put in a slow cooker. Add onion and green pepper if used. Turn to high for 2 to 3 hours (or low for up to six hours). Taste after a few hours of cooking and add barbecue sauce, vinegar, and/or mustard if desired. It is likely the beans may have more sauce than home-baked beans, so serve with a slotted spoon.

I used two different kinds of the local store brand baked beans—maple bacon and vegetarian—and found the combination to be especially good. I would not include the pork and beans next time; I tossed them in only because I wanted to be sure I had enough for everyone, but I don't think they add much more than sweetness to the overall mix.

Orange Smiles

Okay, so this isn't so much a recipe as a method. The point is that, where children are concerned, presentation can often be everything.

Oranges, preferably navel or other seedless variety

1. Wash the oranges and dry. Using a sharp knife, cut each orange in half from the stem end to the navel.
2. Lay the half orange face down on a cutting board and slice into quite thin half circles.
3. Arrange the oranges on a plate or on the cutting board—this is a good "helper task" for beginning cooks, as the end result can look quite festive.

Be prepared to serve lots of these orange smiles, allowing at least half an orange per person unless you have other fruits alongside.

CAUTION: This is a casual meal food, as you should allow—and expect—everyone to eat the smiles with their fingers. At a more formal dinner, the peeling should be cut off with a knife and then the orange can be eaten with a fork, but these are a lot more fun the casual way!