I Really Need More Camera . . .

Just about every morning you get a chance to see what 65,000 feet looks like . . .

The tiny white dot in the approximate center of the pic is the balloon . . .

Zoomed in through software . . .

With a decent pair of binoculars ( and knowing what it is ) you can pretty much tell it is a balloon – if I can convince my ex-son-in-law to trot his happy ass all the way across South Dakota and there is a launch – and – the weather plays nice – maybe I can get you folks a good pic – I am NOT spending a ridiculous ( to me ) sum of money for a camera and a lens as long as my arm for a pic – but that’s just me. I will dig out my little Canon and see what I can do with it.

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!

OK – So Let’s Do The Re – Fried Thing!

Nothing complicated at all about this stuff . . .

The only real thing? Metal pan = metal tools / teflon type pan = plastic tools – depending on the type of coating you can do a lot of damage to the pan in a hurry with high heat and metal tools!!

And the star of this show . . .

Get your skillet hot ( depending on burner size ) 3 – minutes – add a tablespoon or so of lard – when it melts down – in with the diced jalapeno – give it a couple of minutes – then . . .

Add 1/2 of the diced onion . . .

Give it a minute or so – the skillet is hot!

Since I keep these in jars in the fridge – the beans tend to soak up the water in the jar – cooking them I add about 1/4 cup of water to the skillet . . .

When you start boiling – start mashing and moving them around . . . ( with the star of the show )

In just a minute or three the beans are pretty much mashed / cooked and starting to steam off water and thicken . . .

When you scrape across the bottom and the beans don’t run and back fill – you are just going from runny beans to sticky beans – which is pretty much where we like them for most stuff . . .

When the water stops cooking off you are pretty much full on sticky beans . . .

Besides just straight up eating them – let’s put them in a tortilla for lunch – remember I only used 1/2 that onion for the beans? Get the griddle hot – some avocado oil – the rest of the onion and a cup or so of pork carnitas – smelling good!

All you are doing is putting a little “crisp” on the carnitas – 3 to 5 to 7 minutes – just depends how much crispy you want . . .

Put a layer of beans then cheese on 1/2 the tortilla . . .

A layer of carnitas then a layer of cheese – then onto the griddle . . .

Cook them on the griddle to YOUR pleasure – crisp as you want – you can keep flipping until it’s “there” . . .

Slice – garnish – serve – Enjoy! ( used Guatemalan crema for garnish )

Here’s a couple of videos – Simply Mama and Arnie Tex are both great channels for good and simple ( for the most part ) recipes and how-to’s . . .

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!

But first – You’ve got to cook the Pinto Beans!

Everybody loves Refried Beans – and if YOU don’t? What is your major malfunction?? – But first you have to cook the “Pintos” . . .

You start with 5 Cups of beans . . .

Put them in a strainer and wash and pick them – the little grungy looking ones – funny colored ones – the better brand you start with the fewer rejects – take your time and roll them through the water several times at least . . .

It’s as easy as anything that catches your eye – pick it out and throw it away – your also rinsing any dust or dirt off prior to cooking . . . into the crockpot . . .

Get yourself a package of salt pork . . .

And dice/chop it up – you need a SHARP knife as the skin is tough . . . and into the crockpot . . .

Then get some magic bacon and chop it up – 12oz or 16oz? Whatever floats your boat – remember one of the simplest cooking rules there is – when in doubt – add magic bacon. And if any doubt remains?? ADD MORE MAGIC BACON!!

Slicey Slicey – sharp knives always work better . . . and put the magic bacon into the crockpot . . .

3 large jalapenos ( or 4 or 5 little ones ) – take just a sliver off of the stem end – slice lengthwise into quarters – then dice from there . . . into the crockpot the jalapenos go . . .

Seasoning is simple – one tablespoon each salt – black pepper – garlic powder – and into the crockpot the seasoning goes – that was easy enough – wasn’t it?

And then you add 16 cups of water – give it a good stir – turn it on high – lid on – stir again in about two hours – you can cut this recipe in half or use your bigger crockpot! ( i use my bigger crockpot – more beans is better )

Crockpot on high . . .

Once it starts gurgling good – takes about 2 hours or so – give it a stir – then let it cook for 4 to 4 1/2 hours – you want to get to a slight resistance to bite or crush between thumb and finger – you really don’t want to cook it down to “mush”.

Then shut the crockpot off and let it sit for an hour – this is the hardest part of the entire recipe – because by now the whole house smells like a good Mexican restaurant – LOL!

Scoop the pintos out of the crockpot with a slotted spoon – top off with juice – lid on and spin the ring down . . .

Set them on the counter to cool down – then put them in the fridge . . .

Bruce – shouldn’t all those beans have made more than 7 pints??

well i suppose the batch made 8+ pints – but i made a skillet of cornbread – and nature took its course . . .

Next “pinto” post we will go through “refried” beans – and yes I know there are probably a gazillion or so how-to videos on the tube – I’m going to show you how I make them – even the people in the family that don’t like “refried” beans load up on these . . .

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!

J&M Auto Service – Sioux Falls – Let’s Talk . . .

We had just moved to Sioux Falls – looking for an auto shop to do oil/filter changes / tire rotations – the usual suspects. J&M had just started to move in and renovate their shop on 41st Street ( 909 W 41st St. – 605-860-5412 ) – I was doing my usual Gary’s gun shop / Great Plains Pawn Shop thing (talk about location-between a pawn shop and a gun shop!) and I noticed the activity. I stopped and talked to the owner about an oil / filter change – he said he wasn’t quite ready yet – the place was a total shambles – but give him a couple weeks to gut the old out and start getting the new in place.

I wish now I had taken some before pics – the remodel / upgrade came out sweet!

Fast forward to now – my old ’17 beater of a Titan was due it’s 40k TLC and a set of tires as well. So I set an appointment and took my old beastie in. Two real pleasant surprises – the actual OEM tires ( matching size / brand / and tread pattern ) were still current production ( Generals ) and when everything was set up – I said I was going to call a cab – surprise number two – the nice young man behind the counter pushed a button on his computer and said your “Free!” ( my favorite price! ) LYFT ride will be here in 5 minutes – and it was! And when they called to say it was done? A LYFT ride showed up to go and get my beastie . . .

What was done to the beastie . . .

Synthetic oil change – lube / oil / filter –

Cabin air filter replacement –

( a real POS to get to! )

Engine air filter replacement –

Replace battery –

( was going to replace it when we moved up here – but – basically forgot – DOH! )

BG Fuel / Air Induction service –

( I have never noticed any improvement with that service – BUT – when I was told that B&G Products had their finger in that pie? Here – take my money – B&G Products is some incredible stuff! – and yes a noticeably smoother power flow from a dead stop )

Mount and balance 4 tires and alignment check –

( no charge for what ended up being a 4 wheel alignment – the tech worked hard on it – ended right up against factory specs – remember when this stuff is mass produced – be it automobiles / industrial machinery / etc everything is set up on a plus/minus basis – so that parts all go together to a factory spec – I hate to say it but basically stick it together and get it out the door . . . the tech got it oh so close to factory – to get the last nudge into factory specs they would have had to the replace eccentric bolts in the suspension then redo the alignment – it ended up close enough enough that it really is not worth the time and money – at some future point it will be done but not now . . . – – and what is this eccentric bolt you speak of?? Go here and start down the rabbit hole if you wish – dealt with them for years in food processing machinery )

Bottom Line? – Without the slightest reservation completely recommend them for your auto service needs – I am quite sure you can find a less expensive place – however – so many times a so called “good buy” is simply a “get by” – straight up front – the only thing keeping your feet from walking down the street? That’s right – your car! And folks – there is money to be lost being late to work – or screwing up a job interview – because of issues with your car – family shindig in Brookings- or whatever – get in the car and go! – don’t worry about it. Take care of your car and it will take care of you. And the better your car is maintained the longer it will work for you and the more value it will retain if you decide to trade it off on a new/used one.

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!