Tex-Mex

I live in Texas, and that means plenty of Tex-Mex food.

For dinner this evening I decided to take a stand by menu of refried beans, Spanish rice, and chicken fajitas.

I have made variations of this multiple times and each time, I learn something new, and make it that much better.

This evening, I am going to share with you my recipes for the beans and for the rice.

Refried Beans

6-8 Cups prepared pinto beans
1/4 C. lard (vegetable shortening can be substituted)
1 C. grated cheddar cheese
1 t. salt
1 T. Chili powder
1t. Cumin

Place the beans in a large sauce pot and mash with a potato masher. I leave a few of the beans un-mashed for a varied texture. If you desire a puree of beans, a food processor could be used.

Once beans are mashed, place pot on the stove and heat over medium heat. Stir in lard, cheese, and spices and combine thoroughly. Continue over medium heat until beans are warmed through.

This recipe easily becomes Vegan when vegetable shortening is substituted for the lard.

Spanish Rice

1 T. Lard
1 C. Long grain rice
1 1/4 C. Chicken Stock
1 C. (8 oz can) Tomato sauce
1/2 Medium onion finley chopped
1/2 Green bell pepper finley chopped
2-3 Cloves garlic, finley minced
1 Can diced tomatos with green chilis
1 t. Chili power
1 t. Cumin

Place lard in medium sauce pan and melt over medium high heat. Once lard is melted, add rice and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent. Add chicken stock, tomato sauce, and spices. Bring to a boil for one minute then reduce heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until most moisture is absorbed and rice is done.

Again, this recipe can become Vegan by substituting vegetable shortening for the lard.

I combined these with some marinated chicken breast that I grilled indoors and some fresh flour tortillas and some fresh sour cream.

Delish!

For all the Vegans out there....

Ok, so I have a dear friend, one who is probably the FIRST person who will even read this, who is a Vegan.

I make many jokes at her expense, and I really probably tease her too much about it. But its fun, and its always done with an upbeat attitude.

The truth is that I really respect her and her decision. I am certain that there are many health benefits from her lifestyle. However, I am in no position to be capable to coming even close to Vegetarian, much less Vegan!

So here is the one and only one of my recipe repertoire that I know is certifiably Vegan. It also meets Cortney's standards.

Hummus

2 Cans of garbanzo beans, some of the liquid reserved
2-3 T. Tahini Sauce
3-4 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1 Lemon
2-4 cloves of Garlic
2 t. Kosher Salt
Paprika to taste
Other seasonings to taste

Empty both cans of garbanzo beans, 2 T. of Tahini Sauce, Lemon juice, and garlic into a food processor and pulse until it has a rough consistency. Then continue to proceed with blending with the gradual addition of EVOO, Tahini, and reserved bean juice until desired consistency is reached.

Once all is combined, I add the spices to taste. Most of my friends prefer a spicier hummus, so I add more paprika, chili power, and cayenne pepper.

Remember that hummus develops its flavor overnight, so if in doubt, under season it and correct the next day.

I also top the hummus with a small additional amount of EVOO when I serve it.

Try this recipe, and learn with it...the variations are limitless.

Last night, I shared it with my mom with hopes of giving my parents a healthier option for dips and snacks.

I will report her response once she makes it!

The photo is web based, not my hummus!