BEANS BEANS THE MAGICAL FRUIT

Refried Beans is another one of those foods that I make pretty regularly.  The boys love them, its extremely versatile, they freeze perfectly and its unbearably inexpensive.

This is everything you need.  It could not be simpler.  

I'm not a hotshot for specific measurements,  I cook on smell, sight, taste and occasionally sound. But I realize that this fact annoys a lot of people, so I'll do my best to give you an idea of amounts here. Like anything when you cook, if you want less or more- adjust and don't doubt yourself.  

1 1/2 pounds of dried pinto beans. 

2 -3 yellow onions

A package of salt pork

3-4 garlic cloves

ground cumin--- maybe a few teaspoons full?  This is the one that depends on smell.

Chicken Stock.

The first thing you must do is soak the beans.  Before you go to bed the night before you make them,  throw the beans in a big bowl and cover them with a lot of water.  Really cover them well.  You can't over water the beans, so don't be afraid. 

In the morning strain the beans and give them a rinse.

Put them in a crock pot.

To the pot add the onions, which have been peeled and quartered, the salt pork which has been sliced up, and the garlic cloves which have been smashed when you took the paper skin off. 

Sprinkle the cumin over all of the other ingredients.  When it smells really good, thats when you know you have enough.  If you are afraid of spice,  you can always be conservative and add a little bit later on.  No salt is needed,  the salt pork will cover that.  I suppose you could put in some pepper if you'd like, whatever floats your boat.

Next, cover the beans in liquid.  You can use water, but that's boring.  If you've ever eaten my beans,  the only reason they are any good is because I use chicken stock that I make from scratch. Before you decide that that is too hard,  you had better realize that chicken stock is the secret to any decent food.

In my freezer, at any given time is a bag full of chicken bones, scraps and skin and a bag of vegetable scraps and peelings.  -onions, celery, carrots, potatoes primarily.

When I have time, usually in the evening when I watch TV,  I put all of that stuff in a big pot , cover it in water add a bit of salt and then simmer it on low for a while, then I strain it and BOOM,  everyone thinks I'm a highly skilled cook when in fact, I'm just really, really cheap and can't stand the idea of buying stock, or using salt filed bouillon cubes.

Believe me, once you get the hang of stock, you'll never go back,  but if you must- use store bought stock or the cubes.  Do what you've got to do, I won't judge.

Once your beans are in the crock pot (you could do this on the stove on low too) you are done.  You might want to keep an eye on it from time to time to make sure the beans are still covered in liquid.  I really cover them in liquid so I don't have to check.  I've murdered a few good pots for lack of bean checking. 

About 3-4 hours later, test the beans- you want them very soft.  This is the key to optimal digestion.  Believe me when I tell you that you don't want to serve your family (particularly boys) anything but well cooked beans.  Soft, squish-able with a spoon is what you're after.

Next, you blend them. Hopefully you have one of these nifty immersion blenders.  If you don't, you could use a regular blender or processor, but you'd probably want to let the beans cool a bit if you do that so you don't cause yourself harm. (Speaking from experience here)

Finally, if you are finding that your beans are too runny- DON'T DESPAIR!!! Its a super easy fix.  

The first thing to do is to just let them sit there uncovered for a little bit.  Let them steam and a lot of the excess liquid will evaporate.  Then, if you still need to make them thicker- just add a little bit of whole wheat flour to them.  Sprinkle it on,  and then run the blender again.  Keep repeating until you get to the consistency you like. 

Then,  well, then just let people at it.  Jack cheese and chips, burritos with leftover chicken,  whatever, they'll devour it. 

Enjoy!

GAPER DAY

 They keep giving us this flyer, but we've yet to see this attraction in person.  Someday!

We needed a family adventure after the last couple of weeks of craziness, so we decided to skip the last soccer game (what the hell was I thinking?) and loaded up for an adventure of the tourist variety.  Its always nice to go to Yellowstone, especially earlier in the season before it gets too crowded.  Its a very special place and honestly we overlook it most weekends in favor of our beloved Grand Teton National Park.

This was Elis's first ever trip up there.  Sully had been but did not remember.  I think the last time we went was 2010?  Scandalous, I know, but 2011 I was pregnant all summer and not up for much and last summer we were busy hiking GTNP most weekends.  Anyhow- this was our chance to go and we took it.  

We've been doing trips up to Yellowstone since the spring after we moved here.  Our first trip being in 1997. We don't go up there a lot.  Mostly just because it gets so crowded with tourists.  Of course tourism is our bread and butter and the reason we get to live here, so we do love them.  But Yellowstone tourists are often of a specific variety that we seem to get less of down in Grand Teton National Park and in town.  They still come down there, but I guess in Yellowstone we tend to feel overwhelmed with the concentration of tourists.  So we tend to avoid Yellowstone and that's too bad because it really is something to see and enjoy.

We particularly love witnessing the recovery from the big fires in 1988.  When we first saw Yellowstone the landscape was still very much a desolate charred looking place.  I knew then that ultimately the forest would recover and be better than it ever was, but still- the desolation was a jarring thing.  Back then it was just miles of burned out trees, most still standing in their charred blackness or fallen all over the ground. 

In the past number of years the new growth pinetrees have really started to take hold.  For many years they were little guys, but now they have all grown to be quite tall- like teenaged trees? Lots of  straggling old poles are still trying to stand and tower above the youngsters,  they'll keep falling as time marches on, and eventually, there will be no sign of the fires whatsoever. The greeness and the smells of this new growth is so lovely, always a treat. 

At the first pit stop we took the boys down to the lake at Grant Village in West Thumb.  The water was freezing (as it always is) which bothered Sully, but not Eli.  He enjoyed the lapping waves and the ice water.  Sully enjoyed just getting filthy.  Can't go wrong with boys and dirt.

 

Then it was off to the main attraction.  Old Faithful.  Its crowded, its smelly, its not great for people with claustrophobia and a hatred for stupid people who ignore signs about staying on boardwalks (so that you don't fall through the earth's thin crust into hot liquid earth) or people who think the ground is their ashtray or garbage can. (seriously, people who liter in the parks,  I fucking hate you and hope  you spend eternity picking up litter in the afterlife).  But despite the things about Old Faithful that give me hives,  its so worth it, especially with little kids.  You just can't go wrong.  Its frigging Old Faithful!  You've known of it your whole life and LOOK!!! THERE SHE GOES!!!!! WOWIE WOW! What can I say,  I'm sentimental for National treasures.

Also, its important to Mike and I that the boys understand how our little microcosim of society works.  We get to live in an earthly paradise because hoards and hoards of people want to travel from every corner of the globe to see the stuff that is literally in our backyard.  Because of that we feel its important to emphasize how fortunate we are and how that good fortune requires a considerable amount of hospitality and respect for the kind folks (and the litterbugs) who hand over truck loads of cash to keep our economy humming along.

We explained to Sully that while he rolled out of bed, ate some oatmeal, got a haircut then drove a short distance  to see a world famous landmark, only to return and sleep in his own bed again, others had to put in a whole heck of a lot of effort to see what he sees, and that he should not take that for granted.  Sully has been hearing this stuff for years and it pays off.  He's become quite the little ambassador.  He's always introducing himself to folks and asking where they're from and telling them he "hopes they enjoy their visit".  I love that.  I love that so very much! 

 USA! USA!USA! Yes, its a bit cheesy, but come on! Its Old Faithful!  As an American you are contractually obligated to be in awe of it.

I told you we were having a gaper day.  How could we drink anything other than this?

Super snazzy newish visitor's center.  Looks like the Inn but with a Dr. Suess sort of vibe to it. 

Another reason that I will always go to Old Faithful, is to spend some time in the Inn.  Its an enormous log structure that is just so unique and incredible.  I like to sit in the lobby and watch people come in through the front doors.  At first the ceilings are somewhat low and then you step into this huge 3 plus story open lobby.  I've determined that there are two types of people in the world: Those who walk in and instinctively look up and get an incredible child like look of wonder on their faces and those that walk through like they are going into the dentist's office.  The former group comprises about 95% of people and that makes me think the world is completely worth living in.

 

This is Eli.  He is kissing the gorgeous wood bannister.  He is definitely my offspring!

 Aside from all of the people thumbing furiously away on their smartphones, the Inn is very much like stepping into the past.  I love the feel of the place.

 The Crow's Nest. If I am ever an obnoxiouos rich and famous person, I am going to buy my way up into that thing with a big fat check.  In the early days of the lodge, musicians would play up there and guests would dance in the lobby below, but an earthquake rendered the structure unsound.  

 Front door of the Inn.  I had never noticed the funky doors before.  

After doing the gaper thing at Old Faithful for a long while, we kept going just a little bit to Biscuit Basin, which is just past Old Faithful.  The boys were clearly getting wiped out from all of the sunshine and excitement, so we headed back after this so they could both nap.  We're looking forward to doing this again.  Maybe sometime over the summer, but probably in the fall when the crowds thin out a bit.  

 Biscuit Basin Bison.    Biscuit Basin Bison.     Biscuit Basin Bison

The bison like to snooze around these thermal spots.  But the earth's crust is very thin in spots so its not uncommon to see bison bones at the bottom of pools, or spurting bubbling holes where a bison poked through and lived to tel the tale.  This guy was obviously a pro, we watched him step ever so delicately to move around, testing each step before he made his move.  

Pooped out adventurer. 

I like going to Yellowstone in spring so you can see the baby animals.  This is the only one we saw and its Mama did a hell of a job protecting him from the paparazzi. 

Mike took a picture of his car.  Because "he was having a nice day too".

And the best thing about a trip to Yellowstone?  Well, I may be biased, but for me its getting to look at these beauties on your way home.