Cheesy Fried Polenta w/Pan Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts + Roasted Garlic Sage Oil – so good together! Find this recipe and more at halfbakedharvest.com

via Cheesy Fried Polenta w/Pan Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts + Roasted Garlic Sage Oil..

My kids love these and they are an amazing trade off instead of the fast food before heading to a practice or game.

Yes – I love Mexican Food!  But I’m so picky about refried beans… it can make or break a restaurant for me.  Canned refried beans are NOT good… I have tried every kind and never liked any of them.  After I made these yesterday, I will never be buying canned beans again and now I don’t even have to run out to my favorite restaurant to get ones I love.  These are easy and fantastically yummy.

1 package (3 cups) of dried pinto beans

6 chicken bullion cubes

1/2 of a white onion

Garlic salt

3 tbs butter

In a crock pot, put in 3 cups of dried pinto beans, and fill the crock pot almost to the top with water.  Add in bullion cubes, and cut an onion in half (peel the skin off of course) and put it in the middle.  Sprinkle garlic salt across the top and then cover and slow-cook overnight or for about 8 hours.

Drain the beans (but keep the liquid), into a large bowl and add in 3 tbs of butter.  Using a hand blender blend the beans to desired consistency… I like leaving them a little lumpy, but smoothing tastes great too.  Use the remaining liquid to add in about 1/8 cup and then add more to get them to the consistency that you like them best.

They are AMAZING, hope you love them too!

There is a separation between a tourist and a traveler. A tourist is someone who travels for pleasure… and while I derive pleasure from traveling, the purpose is quite different for me. I am a traveler because I CRAVE the unknown, so I claim either traveler or globetrotter to be a better definition. I like the butterflies I get from going somewhere that I know little or nothing about – places where don’t speak the language. I like walking the back streets and areas of town where you don’t see a Starbucks. And I am a people watcher… finding a restaurant off the beaten path or a little boutique hotel is where my fun is. Taking in a culture makes me happy – and staying at home makes me antsy and uncomfortable if I am there too long.

Now I do talk some about having a vacation on a beach and not doing anything -But I don’t think it would last long, unless it was on an island that I could walk the shores without many people around.

I am a photographer of people – so much happier photographing in new and unusual places on our planet, meeting new people, smelling new smells (good or bad), and breathing air in as many places as I can in my lifetime.

I enjoy creating travel lists of places I want to go and explore… How about you? If you are a traveler… what’s on your short list?

Checkout these rice cakes I photographed last year… and seriously in love with this cookbook!!!

Some ask what kind of photographer are you?  I don’t like to put a label on my style of photography.  I photograph people, feelings, emotion, lights and shadows.  I typically don’t think about shooting, I look at my subject, my surroundings and go with inspiration over a checklist.  Even in my most planned shoots – they more often take on an entirely different direction once I get to the point of shooting.   I’m inspired by everything, I go with what makes me happy – and usually that is the connections that I read from people and relationships.  I’m a daytime dreamer and love feeling the rain, the sun, the snow – seeing the shadows, and feeling connected with how other beings live and love.

Looking forward to posting floral canvas to purchase!  Gallery wrapped canvas prints or framed canvas wrapped prints will be available starting in 1 week!  Each week over the summer we will be adding more images for home decor.