Simple Fare, Fairly Simple

Who here is from SoCal? Anyone? Anyone? If so...who here remembers Foster's Freeze? I was born in Ventura, CA....and we lived there until I was about 5 years old. My grandparents lived there long after we moved away so we'd go visit them once or twice a year. One place we often went was to Foster's Freeze. The best way to describe it would be like a Dairy Queen. Except DQ didn't have what FF had. I remember my dad going to FF and buying little corn tortillas wrapped around a bean and cheese filling then deep fried. Back then you could buy them for 10 cents a piece or 12 for a dollar. I think they were called taquitos back then but we always called them Beanie Thingies. When my kids were little I started making these for them and they loved them. I'm not sure why I took a hiatus from them...but guess what? Beanie Thingies have made a comeback!! Talk about easy. I used to make these for my kids on Sunday nights and they would scarf them down....and guess what? That still holds true!

Beanie Thingies




1 – 2 16-ounce cans refried beans
Corn tortillas (flour tortillas are good, too!)
Grated cheddar cheese

Heat 2 – 3 cups of oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.

Spread about 2 tablespoons of refried beans on a warmed corn tortilla. Lightly salt beans. Sprinkle with some cheese. Roll tortilla tight and fry in heated oil.

Drain on paper towels. Lightly salt.

Serve with taco sauce, guacamole and sour cream.

Here's what you need. So easy it's almost embarrassing.

Spread about 2 tablespoons of beans on your tortilla then sprinkle with some cheese. Lightly salt, if desired.

Place seam side down in hot oil and fry 

for a couple of minutes on each side.

Until they're nice and golden and crispy.

One 16-ounce can of beans makes about 14 beanie thingies. I had three...the two other guys in the house ate the rest.