Mexican Black Beans

Mexican Black Beans

These beans are awesome. They make a great side dish, or add a side of cornbread, and a salad or rice for a complete meal. Any other dried beans such as Pinto Beans can be used in this recipe.

Ingredients

1 - 1 pound package of black beans cleaned and rinsed
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 clove of garlic
6 slices of bacon
1 medium onion diced

Place beans in large pot cover with 2 quarts of water bring to boil, after beans come to boil cover with lid and turn of heat. Let set for 1 hour. After 1 hour drain and rinse beans,  cover with 2 quarts cold water, add garlic and bay leaf  bring to boil reduce heat to medium high and cook for 2 hours or until tender. I've had  beans be done in 2 hours and sometimes take 5 hours. Check beans often stirring and adding water as needed, once beans reach desired tenderness, add bacon mixture, and cook for another 30 minutes. Enjoy

Bacon mixture:

While beans are cooking slice bacon into 1/2 inch pieces add to pan and cook until crisp, remove bacon from  pan with slotted spoon drain grease and add chopped onion to pan,  cook 3 - 4 minutes
add diced tomatoes and cook for 3 more minutes, add bacon and remove from heat, and set aside.

Marinated Chicken Wings or (The Walking Dead Chicken Wings)

Can't wait for the season premier !!!
I call this recipe for marinated chicken wings,  The Walking Dead Chicken Wings because I was thinking about the show when I first made them, and when you remove them from the oven they are so dark and gooey they kind of resemble a charred zombie, okay maybe isn't the best description to make you go yum, but this easy recipe is awesome!

The recipe is real simple.

You will need:


12 Chicken Wings or 12 Drumsticks
1 Cup of Soy Sauce
1 Cup of Dark Brown Sugar
1 Clove smashed garlic hull removed

This chicken is best if it marinates for 24 to 48 hours but 1 hour will do. It's really all about the glaze. Mix soy sauce and brown sugar in a bowl and stir until sugar is mostly dissolved. Put chicken in a gallon size storage bag pour sugar mixture in and add smashed garlic close bag and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees line a cookie sheet with foil. I use a baking rack with these wing, but if you don't have a rack use non stick foil or spray well with cooking spray. Place cookie rack on cookie sheet remove chicken from bag reserve marinade in a medium size sauce pan, place chicken on cookie rack and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes

The U.S. Dept of Agriculture says marinade can be reused if it has been constantly refrigerated  and is brought to a rolling boil,  but if you are uncomfortable reusing marinade just start fresh with another cup of soy sauce and another cup of dark brown sugar.

While chicken is baking bring marinade to a rolling boil reduce heat to a medium simmer and cook marinade until reduce to half, stirring often, when it is done it will be very thick and gooey.
After 30 minutes begin to baste chicken with marinade, after 15 minutes turn chicken and baste, turn chicken and  baste for a final 15 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy.