Yay for vacations!

We made a wonderful Mexican dinner…

Since you want to know, I’m going to tell you how I made stuff!

Black Rice: 

Soak the rice in water for several hours before you cook.  Black rice still has its husk, so it needs more water and to cook longer.  Usually for white rice in the rice cooker (my most favorite kitchen gadget), you use one cup of rice to two cups of water… But with black rice, you have to use one cup of rice to 2.5 or 3 cups of water.  After it cooks, I let it stay warm for several hours in the cooker.  Then later, I add a spoonful of vegetable shortening, some salt to taste, and chili powder.

Refried Black n White Beans:

I soaked black beans and navy (white) beans for several hours.  Then I put them in a pot and boiled them in water with salt for several hours until they were soft. I left a little of the water from boiling and threw the beans and water in the blender.  Blended them until they were the desired consistency.  Threw the blended beans back in their pot.  Added some vegetable shortening, curry, chili powder (all to taste).

Homemade Tortillas:

Mix 6 cups of flour, two tablespoons (or more) of salt, 2 teaspoons (or more) of baking powder in a big bowl.  Add 1/3 - 2/3 cups of vegetable shortening or lard.  Mix in with your fingers, breaking the shortening clumps up well.  Slowly stir in 2 and 2/3 cups of warm water, kneading it with your hands.  The dough should be soft and easy to ply and keep in balls, but not completely sticky.  Add flour if it’s too sticky.  Pull into small balls and allow the balls to sit for 15 minutes.  Heat your skillet to a hot temperature and roll out the tortillas with a rolling pin.  They should be flat and thin, and when you put them on the skillet, they should bubble almost immediately.  As soon as one side begins to brown, flip it, and leave it on the skillet for about a minute.  Cooking for both sides shouldn’t exceed longer than a minute– otherwise you end up with chips and not tortillas you can wrap things in!!

 Enjoy!

6 Comments »

1. 

   That truly looks very yummy!! Yay for your family all together again! And Rice and Beans!

   Comment by Colleen — June 25, 2008 @ 8:56 am

2. 

   Indeed, yay!!!

   Thought of you, Colleen, when I shared this recipe!
   Mmm mmm Yum!

   Comment by POHA — June 25, 2008 @ 8:57 am

3. 

   very beautiful dinner! it looks like indian prata.

   Comment by Annie — June 25, 2008 @ 9:08 am

4. 

   Hmmm. I wonder what Indian Prata looks like!

   Comment by POHA — June 25, 2008 @ 9:11 am

5. 

   Just in case you don’t hear this often enough, you guys make a beautiful family.

   Comment by AmberLotus — July 1, 2008 @ 10:39 am

6. 

   Awww. *blush*

   Comment by POHA — July 1, 2008 @ 10:40 am

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