Frijoles Fritos, and a Poll

Okay, so refried pinto beans aren't necessarily Cuban (although they could be if they were black), which means this doesn't count as this week's official post. But I made refried beans last night for the first time and I wanted to share. And actually, I followed the recipe correctly! The only change I made was doubling it--well, sort of (which was probably a mistake, but I'll get to that).

Here's the recipe I found.  When I first saw it, I knew it wasn't like my mother-in-law's, but I considered the source and decided it would probably be a good bet, nonetheless. What I didn't consider was the time I SHOULD have started them. This recipe calls for 12 hours of cook time. First the beans soak for at least 6 hours, then simmer on the stove for 4-6. So since I get home from work around 5pm, you can guess that I was up in the wee hours of the morning stirring and mashing. Not so bright, this one.

As far as the flavor goes, they seem just a tad too salty. And I didn't even double the amount of bouillon. I also didn't double the amount of chili powder because I didn't want too much kick.  The main reason I'm going to start making beans is for Logan (our 7-year-old) and he wouldn't like them if they were too "hot". He loves Grandma Lety's beans, and her's aren't spicy at all. Quick aside: Logan stays with Grandma Lety and Grandpa Mark on occasion, and during the most recent visit, he said while eating dinner, "Grandma, my house is lame. There are no beans there." Hence this post. That means this was definitely a gamble, and I probably should have just cooked 1 pound of beans rather than doubling a brand new recipe. But hey, they'll freeze, and I'll eat them eventually, even if no one else will.

While searching for a recipe, I discovered that many label themselves as "authentic". Who knows what that could mean! Next time for any Mexican cuisine, I'm defaulting to my mother-in-law! But I'd like to know: what is your favorite recipe for refried beans? Or if you don't make them who or which restaurant makes the best?