Maybe ethnic food tastes better because people had to work with the ingredients they had at hand in the olden days (no air-freight or barges!), but they also had time to experiment and discover what flavors went well together. At any rate, it's time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo again, and that calls for some ingredients on sale:

• Pork Sirloin Chops, Boneless
  • Choicemart - $2.59
  • Foodland/S'nS - $2.99
  • KTA - $2.79 (Not sirloins, but center cut boneless chops - closest they had)
  • Safeway - $3.49
• Beef Chuck
  • Choicemart - $3.59 (Boneless Steak)
  • Foodland/S'nS - $3.99 (Boneless Steak)
  • KTA - $3.59 (Boneless Roast)
  • Safeway - $1.99 (Bone-in Steak)
• Refried Beans, Canned, 15-16 oz
  • Foodland/S'nS - $1.59 (Old El Paso)
  • KTA - $.99 (Taco Bell - Coupon - Limit 5)
  • Safeway - $1.25 (Rosarita)

I put refried beans on the values list above because they are convenient, but here's a recipe I use that Tori swears are the best beans she ever ate. It takes a while, but it's worth it. 

Tori's Favorite Frijoles 

• 1 lb dry pinto beans, sorted, washed and soaked overnight (or you can power soak with hot water for about an hour),
• the water you soaked the beans in
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced, any color
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 whole bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 cups meat stock, any kind, preferably homemade and unsalted
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust if your stock is salted)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Optional - 1 good squirt of ketchup (it's weird, but works)

Put the soaked beans and the 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large, heavy, covered pot and add enough of the soaking water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, until the beans are soft but not fully cooked, about an hour. Make sure they don't run dry! (When they are done enough, the skins will curl up if you remove a spoonful and blow on them.) Drain the beans in a colander, reserving the cooking liquid.

In the same pot cook the onion, bell pepper and garlic in the oil until they're soft and the onion is clear but not browned. Add the bay leaves, thyme, cumin, meat stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the beans back to the pot and simmer about another hour, adding reserved cooking liquid as needed to keep beans just barely covered. When the beans are fully cooked, add the squirt of ketchup and stir, then correct the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Ladle into bowls to serve. Cornbread goes well with this recipe. 

These beans freeze well, but they tend to break up and take on more of a refried consistency. I like them in burritos after they've been frozen, and you will too.