Summary of Spring Days with the Moodys

[VodouDoll]

Bravo for making the recipe! And interesting that Steve informed everyone that he couldn't taste a difference between bean borritos and meat, and so it would be beans from now on.

[Trynn]

I wonder if the chili powder taste is due to Steve removing the meat from the burritos, but didn't bother to adjust he recipe accordingly, so now there is an imbalance of chili powder vs base ingredients.

[RandomTrivia]

I make a darn good pot of ham & beans, but I only cook mine for 4 hours max, at a simmer/low boil, after a 6 or 8-hour soak. Does the Maxhell recipe call for cooking on a super-low heat or something? That's the only way I can think to cook beans for 12+ hours and not have them practically dissolved. Of course, I'm an ebil heathen and only cook 3 cups (dry) at a time. And I like my beans to still have some texture - the only refried beans I could ever eat were at Chevy's Fresh Mex; their's look like beans still, while every other Mexican restaurant makes theirs look like grey paste.

[lilith]

I don't understand why they purée the hell out of everything. Is that the usual way to make burrito filling in the US? I wouldn't even consider pureeing the beans, and the liquified onion mix looks positively vomitus. I have a child who isn't too keen on chunks of onion, but chopping them finely does the trick.

[Rebelwife]

I don't understand why they purée the hell out of everything. Is that the usual way to make burrito filling in the US? I wouldn't even consider pureeing the beans, and the liquified onion mix looks positively vomitus. I have a child who isn't too keen on chunks of onion, but chopping them finely does the trick.

I agree. I've never even considered pureeing things like onions or peppers if I'm making something like that. Why would you unless you're making baby food? When I make chili I do puree half the beans - I don't like my chili to have too many beans and this way it thickens it up a bit and I still get all the low fat protein without feeling like I'm eating a batch of beans with some chili flavor added.

[thoughtful]

I don't understand why they purée the hell out of everything.

I don't either, but doesn't it seem in character for the Maxwells, somehow? It's like the edible version of their whole lives -- create lots of extra work for no reason, and make a bland mush, broken down to eliminate all interesting texture and individual personalities flavors.

[polecat]

I don't understand why they purée the hell out of everything. Is that the usual way to make burrito filling in the US? I wouldn't even consider pureeing the beans, and the liquified onion mix looks positively vomitus. I have a child who isn't too keen on chunks of onion, but chopping them finely does the trick.

No, it isn't the way to make it in the US. I enjoy various textures in my filling, so I simply chop onions and peppers. I also add TVP (instead of ground meat) for even more texture.

[Joan of Snarc]

I make a darn good pot of ham & beans, but I only cook mine for 4 hours max, at a simmer/low boil, after a 6 or 8-hour soak. Does the Maxhell recipe call for cooking on a super-low heat or something? That's the only way I can think to cook beans for 12+ hours and not have them practically dissolved. Of course, I'm an ebil heathen and only cook 3 cups (dry) at a time. And I like my beans to still have some texture - the only refried beans I could ever eat were at Chevy's Fresh Mex; their's look like beans still, while every other Mexican restaurant makes theirs look like grey paste.

I think my pot was too full. I've never tried to cook 7 c of beans before. It occurred to me after I was almost done that I could have used their 30 cups of beans as a starting point and made 1/10th of the recipe, instead of 1/4 of 28 cups of beans and it would have been a much more reasonable amount (and the math would have been easier, too :lol: ).

They also boiled over at the beginning, I was in and out all day, so I probably did have the heat too low. Again, working with three cups of beans would have been so much easier. :angry-banghead:

If anybody wants to make their recipe, just chop the onions and peppers and saute them a while; I have no idea why they make a puree and cook it all night.

There was more heat than I expected with only five jalapenos (no seeds or membranes). I was trying to keep it on the less spicy (or spicey as Sister Sarah spells it :roll: ) side so my kids would eat it. I guess the tablespoon of black pepper added some heat. The cumin moderated it all nicely, though.

[slickcat79]

I don't understand why they purée the hell out of everything. Is that the usual way to make burrito filling in the US? I wouldn't even consider pureeing the beans, and the liquified onion mix looks positively vomitus. I have a child who isn't too keen on chunks of onion, but chopping them finely does the trick.

I've been to a number of restaurants that specialize in burritos, both chains and local joints. I've only ever seen them offer whole pintos or black beans as a filling, and none of the veggies would be pureed. Plus they would have rice, meats, grilled veggies, cheese, salsa, etc. as other options (and it looks like the Maxwells may at least offer tomatoes and cheese). I can't imagine just using that puree and nothing else in a burrito :ew:

It sounds like it might make an ok bean dip if you added some other layers to it, but it would definitely need to go on chips and not in a tortilla.

[RandomTrivia]

I think my pot was too full. I've never tried to cook 7 c of beans before. It occurred to me after I was almost done that I could have used their 30 cups of beans as a starting point and made 1/10th of the recipe, instead of 1/4 of 28 cups of beans and it would have been a much more reasonable amount (and the math would have been easier, too :lol: ).

They also boiled over at the beginning, I was in and out all day, so I probably did have the heat too low. Again, working with three cups of beans would have been so much easier. :angry-banghead:

If anybody wants to make their recipe, just chop the onions and peppers and saute them a while; I have no idea why they make a puree and cook it all night.

There was more heat than I expected with only five jalapenos (no seeds or membranes). I was trying to keep it on the less spicy (or spicey as Sister Sarah spells it :roll: ) side so my kids would eat it. I guess the tablespoon of black pepper added some heat. The cumin moderated it all nicely, though.

3 or 3.5 cups of beans feeds the two of us for at least three days, with cornbread, so I don't ever need to cook more than that at once. :) Mine always boil over at least once, until I get the flame on the stove tweaked just right. It's a messy business, putting a lid on the pot doesn't even help, because the lid sputters water everywhere (although a skewer under one side helps). I've been meaning to try them in the crockpot, so they could cook a little longer without having to worry about the stove being on while i'm gone. But that wouldn't work in Maxhell, because it would decrease the workload, and we can't have that.

And it just occurred to me, the bean filling would probably be even more pasty/mushy after it was frozen and thawed. Ugh. Bean dip sounds like a good use for it, or the base for the grey-mush refried beans that so many places serve.

[javafriend]

I wonder if the recipe is attempt to recreate the type of refried bean texture that you get in cheap canned refried beans. Pretty depressing if that is actually their goal. Perhaps having beans and vegetables with texture and flavor would be too stimulating?

[FloraKitty35]

I wonder if the recipe is attempt to recreate the type of refried bean texture that you get in cheap canned refried beans. Pretty depressing if that is actually their goal. Perhaps having beans and vegetables with texture and flavor would be too stimulating?

It would be sinful to stimulate the taste buds, because that could lead to other forms of stimulation and before you know it Sarah would be trying to sneak off to Walgreens and buy a massager and lots of batteries for it.

[Maggie Mae]

I'm thoroughly disgusted by the pureed mix of burrito baby food. WHY? Why do they need to make so much in advance? Why does it need to be so overcooked? Why not make your burritos to order? Chop up all the fresh ingredients, let people choose what they want in their food? The Maxwells have streamlined their life, but for what? What do they DO all day with the time they save by eating the same frozen foods in their immaculately clean house?

[thoughtful]

What do they DO all day with the time they save by eating the same frozen foods in their immaculately clean house?

They think about DEATH.

:borg:

[ViolaSebastian]

I saw this on awkwardfamilyphotos.com and guess who I thought of...

[anjulibai]

What the....?

[Three and Done]

His sign isn't even correct. It's "The wages OF sin ARE death..."

SOTDRT grad, I'm sure.

[Trynn]

What's with the square shoulders? Why are how daughters dressed like princesses? I think I'm going to vomit...

[ViolaSebastian]

IIRC, the story goes that the family was pretty fundie, but the two daughter's managed to talk him into going Trick-or-Treating. The father agreed, but only if he could go with them...and wear that sign to let all the other Trick-or-Treaters know where they're going... :?

[Jasmar]

I remember reading that too. That's one of my favorite photos from that site :D

[happy atheist]

The wages of sin are death, but once you take taxes out you're left with more of a tired feeling, really.

(An old Paula Poundstone joke)

[socalrules]

Since I seem to not be the only one obsessed with the burritos and the Maxwells eating habits, does anyone know what they eat on the other days of the week? I now want the weekly menu. The only thing I remember is the green smoothie. Do they have a menu plan posted?

[16strong]

Since I seem to not be the only one obsessed with the burritos and the Maxwells eating habits, does anyone know what they eat on the other days of the week? I now want the weekly menu. The only thing I remember is the green smoothie. Do they have a menu plan posted?

2 animal crackers.

[uber frau]

They've posted menus before. I'm on a nearly dead phone on a bus so I can't link right now but I'll bbl and see what I can find.

I know it's pretty boring stuff. I cook better than that and I have less time and helpers than Teri and I'm feeding kids with major food issues.

[Miggy]

Joan of Snarc, you are awesome! I would never make that slop as no one here would touch it but it's fascinating to see it done. Thank you.