I'm jumping the gun a bit here...

but I want my fall and winter comfort foods.

I love foods like 

beef stew

green chile stew

posole

beans and chile.

The best of all comfort foods!

I remember my grandmother cooking them for me as a little girl.

I thought it was just for me.

I guess other people ate them, too.

She'd start in the morning when she made beans.

She had me help her sort them the day before.

You had to pick out the ones that were no good and assorted pieces of rocks and dirt that crept their way into the dry beans.

She'd soak them overnight in her huge pot.

By morning, the beans were swollen with water.

That's when she'd put them on the stove to cook.

If she was going to make her famous red chile and beans,

she'd find the best red peppers she had.

She'd brown them in oil on the stove,

then, she'd add water and let them cook.

(Rumor had it, the longer you cooked them, the hotter they were.)

After then had cooked, she would push the peppers through her collander.

Then, she'd mix and mix until she had a fine gravy.

She'd cook the beef or pork or chicken.

The beans had cooled by now.

She'd add the meat to her beans.

Because I was eating, too,

she'd serve the chile separately.

Oh, I forgot, before the dinner was served, she'd make her

home made tortillas.

The honey and jelly were on the table with the butter,

and a feast was served!

Oh, the memories!

It's been so hot here, but it is September, so, for me, that means it's time for comfort food.

I didn't make the tortillas or the red chile, but I did make beans, and they are 

SO GOOD!

 This was the pot of raw beans.

They are cooked now.

And

they

are 

good!!!