RECIPE: Refried Beans & Salsa

I adore Mexican food.  It's comical how many people remark - "Oh wow, Brazil!  You must get some GREAT Mexican food out there!" ..well, actually, NO.  The only thing that Mexico and Brazil have in common is that they are both "Latin American" countries, but let us remember - they aren't even on the same continent!  If you want great Mexican food, go to Mexico.  Come to Brazil, and you'll be sorely disappointed.

For starters, Brazilians do not like spicy food.  In the US, salt & pepper are married.  In Brazil, they've never even met!  It is salt only on the tables out here folks - pepper wasn't invited to this party!  That's not to say you can't find the occasional imported jar of salsa or taco shells.. you'll just pay a good ole' hefty imported price for them (think R$35 for taco shells - that's about $15!!).  No thank you.

THIS is what brought me to search for this priceless recipe:  Refried beans.  In the slow cooker!  Seriously, it doesn't get easier than this - and the taste??  I swear you will never see a can of beans in my house again - once you try these, you'll never go back!  The hubster doesn't even like refried beans.. or at least he didn't.. until now! :)  Click here to get the recipe.  You won't regret it!  (If you have a food processor, a few quick pulses when it's done will save you the mashing and you don't have to pre-chop the jalapeno.. SO SIMPLE!!)

And while you're at it, hop on over here for some LOVELY salsa.. YES PLEASE!!  And now I'm off to the kitchen..