Cindy's Refried Beans

On a hunch I asked my sweet friend Cindy Montoya if she knew how to make good Mexican rice and refried beans. With a name like Montoya I figured my chances were good. And I was right! She told me that Roberto told her she had to learn to make tortillas like his mother before he would marry her. What a great story, right. So when I asked her if she could give me her recipe, she did me one better...she offered to come over and show me! Not being dumb, I accepted and we proceeded to make one rocking pot of beans and the some of the best flavored rice I've ever had. However she did warn me that the tortillas were a process to make and she wasn't kidding. I think I'll still have to get the bag of 20 at Walmart for $1.18 for now.

6 cups of dry pinto beans
2 heaping tablespoons of garlic (I used the garlic in the jar already minced)
1 tablespoon of sea salt
2 serrano peppers or 1 large one, leave whole to get a little bit of heat
1 medium onion, chopped

Sort the stones out of your beans, rinse them 2 times (you'll be amazed at the dirt that comes off), then cover with water and let them soak for a few hours.
Drain the soak water and refill covering them about with about twice as much water. Cook on med-high heat, covered, stirring occasionally for about 3 hours. Be sure to add water as necessary while checking a bean for doneness. The time could vary depending on the burner temperature, your pot, the weather, etc.
Once the beans are done, drain them keeping all the ingredients. Add in a chopped tomato and a handful of cilantro. Fresh cilantro is the best.
I decided to cut the serrano in half lengthwise, scraping out the seeds. I then scooped everything into the food processor and processed it smooth. It took about 3 batches to get them all processed. You will want to stir them all up once they are done so that you don't have a hot spot in the part you chopped the serrano in.

Thanks Cindy...I'll be making these forever!