Salvadoran Breakfast

Our Labor Day trip included an overnight visit with friends in Portland.  Sara, from El Salvador, was one of our international student friends years ago.  She and her kids and mom welcomed us into their home on Sunday evening and on Monday served us a delicious Salvadoran breakfast.

We had coffee and South American pastry while we waited for breakfast, which consisted of fried pantains, Huevos Ricadios (eggs with tomatoes, onions and peppers), homemade refried beans and homemade tortillas.  It was quite a treat!

Our love and thanks to Sara and her family for their hospitality and for the many years they have been a special part of our lives.  Their prayers have had a significant impact on our family and it has been a joy for us to watch the children over the years grow into very fine young people.

The hands of a pro making tortillas!

I asked Sara how she makes the refried beans.  Here's her recipe.

Sara's Homemade Refried Beans

Wash carefully 1 pound of dried red beans, and put them into the crockpot.  Cut a large onion in half and add it to the beans, as well as 7 or 8 cloves of garlic.  Salt to taste.  Cover with water and cook for 10-12 hours.  Add more water to the beans two or three times while they cook.  When they are soft and plump, they are done.  Discard onion; set beans aside to cool.

Closer to serving time,slice an onion and fry it in oil until it is well cooked.  Remove and discard the onion, but save the oil in the pan.  Blend the cooled beans in the blender, then cook them in the oil in the frying pan.  When they reach the desired consistency they are ready to serve.