Sometimes when you are a broke student, and find yourself constantly craving food from your favorite restaurant, but you have no money to spend, you figure out how to make yummy versions at home of your favorite meals. 

Which is what I did tonight. 

One of my favorite cuisines would have to be mexican. I love cooking it at home, and i love experiencing it at restaurants. I love that I have a friend from mexico who teaches me how to make the most delicious tacos you will ever meet in your life. 

Tonight was a simple dish, again inspired by my favorite brunch, though just the sides. This time I just went for the sides - beans, and roasted sweet potatoes.  

Pinto Beans:

olive oil

1 small can of pinto beans, drained, not rinsed.

1/2 white oniton

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 small can of green chili*

few tsp of  cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper

heat the olive oil (about 1 tbsp) in a medium pan. Dice the onions and cook over medium heat until they begin to soften. Add the spices (cumin, paprika) and coat the onions. "deglaze" the pan by adding a bit of water, 2-3 tbsp should work. Don't add too much though!

Add the diced garlic and saute until fragrant. About a min. Add the beans and chili's and simmer over medium - low heat about 10 mins. 

*this could be replaced with jalapeno or chipotle peppers. Maybe just change up the qauntity a bit. (ie, reduce it if you don't like super spicy.)

I ate the beans over roasted sweet potatoes with some italian seasoning (since it had rosemary in it and I have no straight up rosemary), topped with jalepeno cheese, some salsa based off The Pioneer Woman's and half an avocado for good measure. 

Had I not botched a batch of cornbread last night, that would've made an appearance on my plate as well. Ah well. It's destined for croutons now

Make things extra special by eating this on one of the last summer nights on your balcony, even though it's already almost too cold to be out there even with a hoodie and sweats on.