Fresh Ranchero Sauce & (Figure Friendly) Refried Beans

Two of my favorite recipes. They are both so easy and so good! You can top a burrito, huevos rancheros, chile relleno, and more with this sauce. 

Fresh Ranchero Sauce
(makes 3-4 cups of sauce, double ingredients for a larger batch)

3 large red bell peppers
2 Anaheim chile peppers
2 jalepenos
2 large tomatoes, tops sliced off
1 medium size onion, tops sliced and skin removed
1 small bunch of garlic, most paper removed and top sliced off
2 cups of low sodium chicken broth

Set your oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and for good measure, spray with non-stick spray. Divide the whole peppers, tomatoes, whole onion, and garlic cloves between the two baking sheets. 

Roast for 40 minutes, keeping an eye on the garlic and jalepenos.If they get too dry you won't have any flesh to remove and add to the sauce. If you need to, remove those sooner. The peppers will be darkly roasted. 

Once you remove the peppers from the oven, transfer them into a plastic storage bag. They will be hot, so you can let them cool for a minute, but do not wait too long, because you want them to be hot and steam in the bag. Let rest for 20 minutes, then peel skin and remove seeds from peppers, scrapping flesh into a blender or food processor. 

Cut onion in half, add to the peppers with tomatoes and garlic. Blend or process until pureed. Add the mixture to a sauce pan and stir in the chicken broth, simmer on low heat until mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Salt to taste. 

Figure Friendly Refried Beans
(makes 4 cups of beans)

1 large/tall can of pinto beans (use black beans or canary beans too if you like)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp vegetable oil
salt & pepper

Add your beans with liquid to a blender, pulse for a few seconds leaving some large and some small pieces of bean. Set aside. Add oil to a skillet and then add onion. Cook onion on low until tender, at the cumin and mix. 

Next add half of the beans and bring to a rapid boil, stirring constantly. When most of the liquid has been evaporated, add another small portion to the skillet and continue until all the beans have been added and cooked down. Season to taste. 

Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Samantha B.