Borracho Beans

These were relatively new to me when I moved to Texas.  After eating at quite a few taco places and trying them, I decided to make some myself.

Original link:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kikis-borracho-drunken-beans/

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound dried pinto beans, washed

2 quarts chicken stock

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle dark beer – I used Negra Modelo

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chopped stewed tomatoes

1/2 white onion, diced

1/4 cup pickled jalapeno peppers

6 cloves garlic, chopped

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1. Soak beans in a large pot of water overnight.
2. Drain beans, and refill the pot with chicken stock and enough water to cover the beans with 2 inches of liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Stir the beans occasionally through out the entire cooking process to make sure they do not burn or stick to the bottom of the pot.
3. Stir beer, tomatoes, onion, jalapeno peppers, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, and cilantro into the beans. Continue to cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until beans are tender.
4. With a potato masher, crush the beans slightly to thicken the bean liquid. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies…So Far

These are some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had.

Original link:
http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/21/thick-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.

4. Measure out approximately 2.25oz of dough per cookie. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.

5. Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a side metal spatula.