XX Beans

I love beans!

"Beans! Beans! A musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you toot!" ~Bart Simpson

Not only are they great for the tummy, they are great for your heart. Make them often as they are easy, inexpensive and good for you.

Ingredients:
2 cans Bayo or Pinto beans, drained

2 cans whole black beans, drained

1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 jalapeño chile — stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
2 bay leaves
One 12-ounce bottle XXDos Equis beer

1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce or use two tablespoons salsa de chipotle
2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (can omit or use parsley)

1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt to taste

Directions:

Pour beans into a heavy large pot or dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, brown sugar and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered for 10 minutes. Stir in the beer and simmer for another 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the chipotle chiles, vinegar and cilantro; season with salt. Stir well, cook for five minutes more and serve.

These beans are fabulous served as a side dish with anything grilled. Try it with chicken, steak, pork chops or salmon.

Now...save that charcoal for dessert!

When the coals start burning down, throw a few fresh fruit kabobs on the grill for a refreshingly different summertime dessert.

Fresh Fruit Kabobs

Dip:

Honey Raspberry Down Low Dip

16 ounces of Lite Sour Cream
1/3 cup seedless red or black raspberry jam
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix well and refrigerate. Serve with fruti kabobs.

* Idea!
Serve the dip inside of the hollowed out pineapple and garnish with fresh mint sprigs

Fruit Kabobs

Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least minutes before adding the fruit so they do not burn on the grill or you can use metal skewers.

Basting mixture:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 capful rum extract

Melt in small sauce pan on the stove until sugar has broken down and combines with the butter.

Fruit Ingredients:

Pick three or more of the following and alternate fruits on the skewer.

Grill about 2 minutes on each side or until fruit is golden but still firm with grill marks. Bast the last minute or two with basting mixture.

Firm bananas (cut into 1 inch circles)

Fresh pineapple (diced into 1 inch chunks)

Nectarines (quartered and pitted)

Apricots (halved and pitted)

Peaches (quartered and pitted)

Kiwi (peeled and cut into 1/2 inch circles)

Pears (cut into chunks)

Granny Smith Apples (cored and cut into chunks)

Fresh Strawberries (hulled and cut in half or if small, use whole)

Enjoy! Buen provecho!