Mexican Pinto Beans

1 pound dried pinto beans
5 cups water
1/4 pound bacon, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 tbsp cilantro

Combine beans and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 3 hours. Add more water if necessary while beans are cooking.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until it is beginning to brown. Stir in onion, and continue cooking until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, and jalapenos, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cilantro.

Stir bacon and onion mixture into the beans, and continue cooking for 1 hour or until beans are soft.

Editor's Note: You can add chopped bell pepper with onion of you like, and you can also use fresh cilantro for a lighter fare. This is good as a side dish or as the main dish with cornbread.

Enjoy!

An Ode to Endless.com

I ordered a pair of shoes on Wednesday from my favorite shoe site in the entire world - Endless.com. I received the shoes on Thursday, and for anyone living a cave that was also Valentine's Day. Inside my package from Endless.com along with my new shoes was a small box of Godiva chocolates, with a note asking me to be their Valentine. My answer is yes Endless.com, yes, I will be your Valentine. Thank you for the chocolates!

Petite Pecan Pies

Crust:
8 tablespoons butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour

Blend butter and cream cheese, add flour. Chill dough for 1 hour. Shape into 24 balls. Place in greased mini muffin tin. Press down to form crust.

Filling:
1 egg
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together egg, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Divide half the nuts among the pastry cups. Add egg mixture. Top with remaining nuts. Bake for 25 minutes or until filling hardens. Cool on wire rack.

Yield = 24 petite pies

Enjoy!

Monday thru Friday

Monday:
Erin and I were twins in a past life.

Tuesday:
We had disastrous winds roar through town. I spent an hour sitting in my truck in the middle of the bridge rocking back and forth because traffic was parked. Apparently a drunk driver clipped a Jeep in a construction zone causing said Jeep to flip. All parties survived - I hope the drunk gets beat up badly in jail. Did I mention that I was in the middle of the bridge and that there was high wind? I was wind sick. At home we had no power for about 5 hours, so we all sat around the fire place. It was very Little House On The Prairie except for the fact that I was playing poker on my iPod. I got in bed around 10:30 and the power came back on, ironic right?

Wednesday:
We woke up to find the lovely patio pergola had become the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The majority of the day was spent in meetings. I recently purchased an XM/iPod connector item for my truck. I received this item on Tuesday, obviously I could not install it in the dark. To install this item you have to un-bolt the bottom dash for which I lacked the proper tools. So I enlisted my dad's help with the search for tools. I pulled down three HUGE tool cases from the highest shelf in our storage room before he realized that the tool I needed was actually on the bottom shelf. He is really more comfortable in a supervisory role. So, equipped with the right tools I un-bolt the dash only to be shocked by the amount of cables. The instructions on this item are complicated to say the least, so I did not read them. I reached deep from my childhood to match shapes with holes. I was always very good at matching. I could not find the correct hole for the two cables I was looking at. After about 45 minutes I'm convinced that the company must have shipped an incorrect cable, as I could not have possible missed something important. So, I re- bolt the dash, pack up my tools, store them to where I can find them again and go inside. I sent the incorrect cables with my mom to work so she could show her IT man (who originally introduced me to this product) the stupidity of the supplier. I went to bed grumpy.

Thursday:
We woke up to find our brick mail box scattered across the lawn with nary a note behind. I was pulled out of an important meeting where I was part of a presentation by the HR lady to solve an accounting crisis. I do not work in the accounting department. I solved the crisis but I missed the entire meeting. I had company tickets to go see Brad Paisley but I gave them up after the morning crisis and being told to make myself available for the French auditors. In the afternoon I'm informed by my mom that the incorrect cables are actually in fact correct. Damn. So I give it a go one more time. I quickly find the tools from the night before and un-bolt the dash. Armed with new knowledge of the product I quickly install it. Success! I organize the cords, re-bolt the dash, and put away the tools. I spend the next 30 minutes learning how to use it. This product is FANTASTIC.

Friday:
I joined a gym last week. I spent 22 minutes on an elliptical trainer this morning. That is 7 minutes more than my goal of 15. I'm quite proud of myself. My commute to work was spent playing with the XM/iPod nonsense. I still feel like it's a fantastic product.

I am full well aware that I lead a truly blessed life, however this is an accurate account of my week with very little dramatization.