Superbowl Sunday

Tonight was the one and only NFL game I watched all year.  I was excited to root for the Packers (and was happy they won!) because two former BSU players now play for the Packers - Daryn Colledge and Korey Hall.  I even wore a green sweater in support of the Packers :-)

For the game, we all got together at Jared's house and had a feast of chile verde, pork nachos, chips and dip (including my homemade refried beans - see the recipe below!), sushi, meatballs, little smokies, etc.  After all, isn't the Superbowl partly about the game, partly about the commercials, and partly about the food?!

We also played some mean games of air hockey during halftime - I was the reigning champion!  Okay, I only played two rounds, but I won them both!

As I mentioned above, I made homemade refried beans to bring to the party.  It's not my recipe, it's actually my friend Jessica's.  She served a mission in NYC and met a lot of Dominicans, and she learned this recipe from them.  I think it is delicious - way better than any canned refried beans.  I think the secret is the bacon - everything tastes better with bacon, right?  It actually makes a LOT more than I thought.  Jessica says that it freezes nicely, so that is what I'll be doing with my leftovers.  Thanks for sharing Jessica!

1 lb bag pinto beans, rinsed and soaked overnight (if possible)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
4 strips bacon, chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 1/2 t salt

After soaking the beans, place in pot with garlic, bacon, onion, salt, and enough water to cover the beans by an inch or two.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer beans for 3-4 hours, adding water as necessary to make sure the beans stay covered.  Once the beans are soft enough to easily smash with a fork, remove from heat and drain, reserving the juice for later.

Puree beans (with bacon, onion, etc) in a food processor, with about 1 lb grated cheese (I used 1/2 cheddar, 1/2 pepperjack).  Add reserved juice and additional water if necessary to get to the right consistency.  You might need to do this in batches.  Add salt and cumin to taste.