Recipe #36 - Black Beans

Whenever I make Mexican food, I'm never sure what to serve as my side dish.  I love Mexican rice and refried beans, but my kids never touch them.  Chips and salsa are another option, but they seem more like an appetizer.  I needed something that my kids would eat.  So I thought we'd give this recipe for black beans a try.

You can find the recipe in the cookbook on page 202 or online here.

You start by sauteing the onions and garlic in a skillet.

Then you add the beans and seasonings and bring it to a boil.

Once it starts boiling, you turn it to low and simmer for 7 minutes.

After they're done cooking, you add some lime juice and smash some of the beans to thicken it up.

You can serve it with some cheese on top.  I find that anything I serve with cheese on top is more likely to be eaten by my children.

Speaking of the kids, the black beans were received differently by each of them.  My oldest said, "These are surprisingly decent."  He ate his entire serving.  My middle child (who is my pickiest) said, "What's for dessert?"  This is her trademark question when determining if its worth it to finish her dinner.  And my youngest ate able half of her serving and didn't want any more.  This is typical for her though, unless it involves chocolate.

The only thing I would change is that I would cut my onions up much smaller.  You need the onion taste in there, but sometimes they were a little chunky for my liking.  I think that was "cook error" though, not a flaw in the recipe.