Refried Beans and Dessert!

So here is the way I make my refried beans:

I typically will use a can of black beans, but you can use whatever beans you'd like or even make then from dried beans. I will drain and rinse the beans and the place in a food processor or blender to mush up the beans. Don't ever mush them or they'll be gummy. You can also do this with forks or a potato masher, but it takes a lot longer. After they have been sufficiently smushed, add them to a frying pan where you have softened some onions in oil. Mix the oil and onions together and just let it heat for a while. (This is a good step to do while you're other veggies are cooking) Near the end, I'll had seasonings, depending on what I'm using them for, but I almost always add salt, pepper and lime juice to taste. Delicious!!

Frozen Lime Dessert

• 2 cans of sweeten condensed milk (the really goopy kind)
• 1 small container of cool whip
• zest from 3 limes
  
• juice from 6-7 limes
• Some kind of crunchy cookie (something really crunchy because they're going to absorb moisture from the cool whip and milk mixture and if they're not really crunchy to start with, they will just be mush. Nilla Wafers will NOT work)

Mix most the juice from the limes and zest together with the sweetened condensed milk. Then fold in the cool whip. Have a taste. If it needs more lime, then add more lime. *Note: since this is a frozen dessert, the flavor of the lime will be muted so you want to add a little more than tastes good at room temperature* In a 9X9 pan, place a layer of cookies on the bottom. Add some of the frozen mixture. Repeat layering cookies and lime mixture, leaving enough of the lime stuff to be the top layer. Place this into the freezer for several hours prior to eating. When serving, garnish with cookies and lime zest and allow to soften ever so slightly prior to eating.

Well, I hope you enjoy this as l much as I do! I love limes!!



Photos courtesy of Whatscookingamerica.com and photobucket.com