"Beans and Cornbread..."

"They go hand in hand..."

Thank you Mr. Louis Jordan for the inspiration: listen to it here!  And when I think of the song, I think of blanket forts in the family room, TBS Dinner and a movie night, and watching The Money Pit for the first time. Oddly enough, I don't think even tasted beans and cornbread until our fifth year of marriage... last year! Crazy! 

My apologies for the picture. Oh never mind that my beans are a little on the, well, dry side.  However, Sam went back for seconds, so he didn't seem to mind too much-- sweet husband that he is! And just for the record,  butter and sour cream do wonders for dry beans! 

Ingredients:
dried pinto beans (I used the small bag from Publix)
water
salt
pepper
sour cream, for topping it all off

drum roll please.... Jiffy Corn Bread (1 box), 1 egg, 1/3 c milk, butter

To do:

• Rinse and drain beans in a colander, picking over them to remove any debris or unsightly beans. 
• In your pot of choice, cover the beans with a couple of inches of water.
• Bring the beans to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and well... simmer for about two 1/2 to 3 hours until the beans are tender. 
• Add salt and pepper to taste. 
• Important note to self: Check on the beans during the cooking process, and add more water if necessary! 

Prep time: 15 minutes total, maybe.

And just FYI... leftover beans make a fabulous base for nachos!