True to my Words
Sometimes I reread my posts where I’ve said, “I’m really not <insert personality trait here>”, and I think, “Oh hell YES YOU ARE!” Just usually not about the particularly topic, or in a particular situation, or around certain people. It’s rather funny to see my pathetic juxtaposition punchline that only holds true to those specific words.
But one thing that is always, always, always true is that I’m not one to read instructions. I have personality testing and years of extra screws from build-your-own-furniture kits to back me up on that one.
And I have the beans.
Today, fed up with the ingredients on a can of beans that were other than “Beans”, I bought dry beans to cook for the first time ever. (Besides lentils, which I only started cooking this past year.)
I knew you could not just throw them into your tofu-Mexican-mix and chow down minutes later. (I suppose we could call it tofu- fajita-less-fajitas, or tofu-taco-less-tacos. Or bunch-of-veggies-with-some-tofu-crumbles-and-Mexicanish-spices-to-be-eaten-in-a-bowl-because-I’m-not-wasting-100-calories-on-a-wrap. You get my drift.)
I had heard of soaking beans overnight before cooking them. I have a vague memory of watching my father or Tom doing such. I’m probably remembering some movie scene, but whatever. Point is, I knew I should read some directions.
And I did! I read that I could soak them over night, or I could bring them to boil for 2 minutes, then let them sit for an hour. It was about 4:15, so plenty of time to get my beans good and soaked before dinner.
At 5:32 I became concerned with the…crunchiness…of said beans. (A mixture of black and pinto, if you are curious.)
I was so concerned that as the mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper sauteed just a wee bit longer, I pulled out the bean packaging and read some more.
It turns out that after the soaking instructions, there are COOKING instructions. Which include another hour or TWO in some more hot water.
Thank goodness I was prepared. I may not read instructions, but I do a mean grocery trip. Along with beans, mushrooms, onions, tofu, and bell peppers, I also bought wine.
This post is courtesy of my first glass.
Gotta go check the beans.