Beans and Rice are Nice....

....and healthy, inexpensive, easy to make, and quite yummy too :)

Here are some recent questions from our readers:
Can you share your recipes for the rice and beans, even if you consider it "basic"?
Do you season the beans?
too was wondering how you prepare the beans and how you get little ones to eat it??!!
Personally, I have always loved beans and rice. Daniel loves beans though he isn’t too fond of rice...if I hide it in something, then he’ll eat it ;)
Timothy (our oldest) was 7 years old when we moved to Mexico and he and Elijah are the only two that really remember living in the USA. So our children have grown up eating what the people here eat...and beans and rice accompanies most every meal.
After working and playing hard, they always come to the table hungry, so I make lots of beans and rice!
I make the beans very simple:
*I sort the beans (so you don’t chomp onto a rock)
*I wash the beans and then soak them overnight
*I then put them in new water and bring them to a boil; after they boil, I turn down the heat and let them simmer for about 3 hours.
*When they are finished, I add salt and crushed garlic (because we all really like garlic :) ).
*We either eat them whole or I will re-fry them
Refried beans:
*Drain off most of the water from the cooked beans
*Melt some manteca in a pan (pig lard...I know it sounds gross, but makes them taste super yummy!)
*Add the beans to the manteca and smash them with a potato masher until they are to desired consistency
Refried beans can be eaten as a meal, a side, or in part of a dish (bean enchiladas, bean burritos, nachos, tacos ect...)

The rice they make here is so simple and so good! I have learned to cook here like they have taught me; they never “measure” anything...it’s all by sight and feel, so I’m not sure on exact measurements, but I would assume if you measured, the rice would be cooked with 2 to 1 water to rice.
This is how I make our rice:
*Pour some oil in a pan (I put a couple tablespoons or so for about 2 cups of rice)
*Add desired rice (I almost always add garlic too...you c an also add chopped onion or carrots or whatever you’d like too)
*Cook on high heat stirring continually until rice turns a nutty brown color...careful not to burn it...you might want to have your water on hand nearby to add quickly once the rice turns brown.
*Add the water (like I said, I would imagine it is 2 to 1... For a cup of rice add 2 cups water)
*Add some tomato sauce (I add about half a cup) and some salt or add a cube or two of tomato bullion
*Cover and let simmer until rice is tender

Tacos
Quesadillas with refried beans
Tostadas