It’s no secret I’m a Kevin Costner fan. Not for his looks (even though he has dreamy eyes) or his voice (a raspy midwestern twang) or any physical trait. I like the way he brings his characters to the screen. He usually plays a loner, someone who lives life his own way, hesitant to speak his mind yet firm in his beliefs.

Open Range is a fine example of this. He wrote, co-produced and starred in the 2003 film. It’s the story of open range cattlemen driving their herd cross country. Along the way, they encounter a vicious land baron who hates open rangers. He kills one of their hands and leaves the other for dead. The trail boss, Robert Duvall, pursues justice. But Costner’s character, Charley Waite is trying to overcome his violent past and wants no part of the fight.

One of my favorite parts of the movie is one of the scenes between Charley and the doctor’s sister (Annette Bening). They recognize the good in each other and during the course of the movie, they fall in love. But he tells her he isn’t good enough because of the things he’s done. That’s when she says “People get funny ideas, about what they are or did. They can’t see what they can be.”

I wish I had a dollar for every time I cooked a pot of beans and baked a skillet or cornbread. Serve them with jalapeno pepper or sliced onion and drown the cornbread in butter. Comfort food.

Open Range is a classic western with beautiful scenery and a touching love story.

Beans and Cornbread

1. FOR THE BEANS:
2. 4 cups Dry Pinto Beans.
3. 4 slices Thick Bacon (can Also Use Salt Pork, Or Ham Hock, Or Diced Ham)
4. 1 teaspoon Salt.
5. 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper.
6. FOR THE CORNBREAD:
7. 1/4 cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Shortening.
8. 1 cup Yellow Corn Meal.