Easy Homemade Refried Beans

Again with the beans? Yes. One thing that WIC is good for is filling up your cabinet with beans, both cans and bags. My mother-in-law makes the best homemade refried beans, and they're so easy, so I started making them for my family. Talk about cheap and filling! Make them as a side or to put in a tortilla and eat as a burrito. You will love these beans; I promise.

WIC Items:
2 cans of pinto beans (one with the liquid removed)
Onion (1)
Garlic (2-3 cloves)
Green pepper (optional)
Cheese to taste
Tortillas (if you'd like to make burritos)

Non-Wic Items:
Vegetable Oil (a couple of tablespoons)
Cumin to taste
Salt to taste

Saute onion and garlic in the vegetable oil until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are translucent. Add the beans, cumin and salt. With a potato masher, mash the beans while they're warming. Mash until most of the beans are smooshed, but it's OK if you don't get every bean. Don't sweat it. That's what makes these homemade. Taste the beans and decide if you need any more salt or cumin. I add a ton of cumin and salt, because I'm a flavor hound. Once you're happy with the flavor, add cheese. Stir and let the cheese melt. Yum. You will die. These beans are just that good.

Texas Caviar

One of the things I've noticed about WIC beans is that if I don't continually use them, they tend to overwhelm my cupboards. To help use up some beans and get a great serving of vegetables, I like to make Texas Caviar. This dip reminds me of a bean salsa, but it has hominy to add some extra flavor. You can eat it with tortilla chips--homemade or packaged--tortillas, as a garnish or side or just straight out of a bowl.

Texas Caviar

WIC foods list:
1 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained [dried also works; you can also use pinto beans]
2 cups corn [fresh or frozen tastes best]
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup seeded and chopped jalapeno peppers
1 cup chopped green onions
1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped
*Note: Produce is purchased with a produce check.

Other foods:
1 16-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained [frozen works too]
1 16-ounce can white hominy, drained
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 tbsp ground cumin
6 tbsp lime juice [or about 4 limes juiced]

Combine all of the ingredients and let the dish sit for a few hours.

Recipe credit: Deanne Witzke

To make your own tortilla chips, simply cut corn tortillas (also a WIC food!) and fry them until crunchy and golden in an appropriate frying oil. Sprinkle them with salt. While you can use vegetable oil for frugality sake, coconut oil is a nutritious oil that is excellent for frying.