Meatless Monday

Greetings from Natchitoches! No, I can't pronounce the name of this town, so don't bother yourself, either.  We're staying the night in a cabin on the bayou, in the same town where Steel Magnolias was filmed.  Louisiana is lovelier than I imagined!  Seeing the Bayou with my own eyes is so much better than watching it in movies.
One of our family traditions that comes and goes over time is "Meatless Monday."  It's not Hubby's favorite.  Truthfully, it's not always mine, either.  I am a recovered vegetarian, who gave up meat for three whole idealistic years, long ago.  But Meatless Monday can save you money and fortify your health in one fell swoop.

One recipe I turn to repeatedly is Laine's Easy Pinto Beans.  Keeping a sack of dried pinto beans around relieves my worry over possible future hard times; at least we won't starve for a while, right?  Yet, those beans need to be used up and replenished sometimes.  So I keep this simple recipe close at hand.

This is not my original recipe.  You may as well get it straight from its author by employing the following link:

http://lainesletters.com/recipe/pintobeans.html

When I mash up the beans and we spread them onto crispy corn tostados, topped with shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa and sour cream, everyone is happy!  Don't forget a few black olives...