Pinto Beans and Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

This post should be titled "Caramelized Onions and what I had left in my pantry."  Seriously though, I think I may have an addiction.

Anyone who has every experienced the sweet, salty, melt in your mouth wonderfulness of a caramelized onion will understand my predicament. All this week I've found myself fantasizing about what concoctions I could come up with to justify the manufacture of these savory goodies.

After coming up with countless creations, all of which involved some ingredient I didn't have on hand, I decided to throw caution to the wind and just say "f*ck it!  I'll just make the damn onions and invent the dish as I go!"

I'm happy to say that this abandon was rewarded greatly with a dish that is satisfying both in taste and texture.  Unfortunately it doesn't make it into the 'eat with your eyes' category, this dish is uggglllly.  However it is so delicious it would be criminal to not share the recipe, beauty or no.

Pinto Beans and Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp olive oil

1 large potato, cubed

1 cup cooked pinto beans

cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

garlic powder

adobo seasoning

Directions

1.  In a large skillet melt the butter and oil, and then add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste.  Cook on medium high stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until caramelized, about another 15-20 minutes.  Deglaze the pan with a little water when necessary.

2.  Once the onions are fully cooked, remove and set aside.  Deglaze the pan with about a 1/2 cup of water and add the potatoes.  Season with salt, garlic, pepper, and adobo to taste.  Cover pan with lid and let cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked.  Add water to the pan as necessary, to keep the potatoes from completely drying out.

3.  Once the potatoes are cooked add the pinto beans, stirring to combine.  Once the mixture is hot enough and most of the water has evaporated, add the onions and season to taste.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

The texture of the soft beans with the slightly firm potatoes and the succulent onions is out of this world. All in all it's a great savory dish, and it made a satisfying breakfast on a lazy Saturday morning.