Soul warming winter food......

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MileHighDart said:
I make a pretty darn good beef stew, or venison stew if I have the venison.

Also make killer chicken-veg soup that my wife loves.

My chili needs work...lol

but their all good on a cold winter day.
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I have a simple chili recipe: 1# ground beef
2 14.5 oz. cans of chili beans
2 14.5 oz. cans of dices tomatoes
1 19 oz. can of Progresso Hearty Tomato soup
1/2 diced onion
chili powder to taste (don't put in too much. You can always
add more)
 
Steaming bowl of Wedding Soup at HemiMarks sports bar and restaurant in Verona (Pittsburgh), PA.

Small meatballs, kale or spinach? Don't know; ask him. It's good.
 
RaniDart70 said:
Ohhhhh yea ...now you just made me hungry for Huevos rancheros the spicy and hotter the better .......here in southern Colorado if you don't learn the Spanish names you will lost as well. A lot of my adoptive family are native to the area and the Colorado/ Mexican food from the area is absolutely amazing.

I don't speak or understand Spanish at all but when someone asks me if I will be down for beef enchiladas or huevos rancheros or fajitas .........count me there.
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We moved up to the Texas hill country when I began high school in the summer of 1962, RaniDart70. Quite a change from the bayou country of SW Louisiana and East Texas.

I think I learned all the 'bad words' first. The ones that no one said unless they were calling you out and the ones no one said in the presence of women nor children. By the time I graduated high school and left for the service, I could get by. Not fluent by any means, but I could get fed, get drunk, get laid and get myself into all sorts of trouble in Spanish by the time I was 17 or 18.

Happy Motoring,

Harry
 
enigma57 said:
Sorry, Barbee. Down here in Texas we are used to referring to so many things by their Spanish names I forget that everyone else doesn't necessarily do that.

Huevos rancheros just means 'rancher's eggs'......

Ela_huevos_rancheros.jpg


These are usually 2 (I like 3) fried eggs cooked 'over easy' and smothered in red salsa. If you get them at a restaurant or diner, the eggs are usually served on top of a corn tortilla and then the salsa is spread over the eggs. When I make them at home, I don't put a tortilla under the eggs. I just warm up 6 or 7 corn tortillas and use them as eating utensils after cutting up the eggs and mixing them with whatever I have fixed as a side dish. They are usually served with refried beans and Spanish rice on the side. But you can use black beans or potatoes as well. I like potatoes with mine. Some folks have chorizo (a Mexican sausage) or bacon strips with them. I don't eat pork, so I pass on that.

Fajitas are made from grilled skirt steak......

20130621-fajitas-food-lab-61-thumb-625xauto-334998.jpg


I specified 'beef fajitas' because some folks cook and serve chicken in much the same way and call it fajitas. You can also use other cuts of steak, but skirt steak is the 'real deal'. Here is a basic fajita recipe......

http://homecooking.about.com/od/beefrecipes/r/blbeef11.htm

Pretty much the way we fix them here at home except that if you begin with a good cut of steak, you only need to marinade the meat in lime juice for 20 or 30 minutes priour to seasoning and grilling.

Once cooked, you just roll the meat strips in a tortilla along with whatever else you want to add and chow down. As with any soft taco or burrito, fold it like a baby diaper on the ends before rolling and your fillings won't fall out when you pick it up and bite into it.

Most folks around here use the large burrito sized flour tortillas for fajitas. I prefer white corn tortillas for the flavour, texture and nutritional value.



Guess I better translate that a bit......

Nopales are strips cut from the tender spineless parts of a prickly pear cactus. You can get them canned or pickled in a jar, but they are best when fresh cut and soaked in water until cooked. You want to cut and slice them so they are about the size and thickness of French cut green beans.

Cebolla dulce are sweet onions. I dice them coarsely before folding them into the eggs.

Cilantro looks a lot like Italian parsley, but has an entirely different flavour. Just rinse it well before using and pull the small leaves off the stems before cooking with it or using it as a garnish.

Tortillas de maís are tortillas of corn.

I generally fold both the tender cactus strips and the onions into the eggs before scrambling. And add a pinch of cilantro to them about 30 seconds before they are done cooking.

The corn tortillas, I heat directly on the burner of a gas stove over a very small flame just before laying them on a plate and rolling the eggs into them. You could probably do the same thing with a spatula and lightly oiled pre-heated cast-iron skillet, but I was taught to do it on the gas burner. You have to lick your fingers and be careful when flipping the tortillas (both sides must be cooked) or when taking them off the burner when doing it that way so you don't burn your fingers. Takes a little practice.

Hope that helps,

Harry
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Thanks for the pictures....looks very tasty....
 
inkjunkie said:
Ernie makes a lot of "one pot" meals. Will often defrost some ground and not really know what to do with it. In a pot it goes, some Pato sauce, few different varieties of beans, onions, garlic,cilantro and celery. Maybe toss in some taters. Warm up a few flour tortillas and we are good to go.
I mentioned to her that I once made a "Tex Mex" meatloaf that was very good. Her response was an eye roll while she called me a pinche white boy.

For those that don't know what pinche means.....
FiretrUCKING... terms of endearment.....gotta love them....
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Sounds good, inkjunkie! How did you make your Tex Mex meatloaf? I might give it a try.

Thanks,

Harry

P.S. >>>> ¡Orale! What she said ain't so bad. Just as long as she doesn't want to throw chingasos (go to fist city), you're OK, esse. :thumbup:
 
Tonight it's rump roast with my woman's secret blend of spices,carrots,potatoes,bell pepper,celery,onion,and some white rice, baked beans and seasoned collard greens. Mmmmmmm!



 
Never had collard greens. What are they seasoned with?
 
Mike, there are several ways to cook greens. This works with collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, cabbage and fresh spinach as well......

Southern Traditional style......

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/southern-style-collard-greens

Southern Italian style......

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/collard-greens-guanciale-chiles

If you don't eat pork or just want something leaner and more healthy, you can substitute some extra lean barbequed beef brisket for the pork.

And if you are vegetarian, you can just leave out the meat altogether and add some extra virgin olive oil (2 or 3 table spoons for every pound of meat you leave out of the recipe) to the pot before cooking (olive oil is good for your cholesterol).

Or you can just put the greens in a pot of water (enough water to cover them) or a crock pot or pressure cooker with a little salt, black pepper and brown or white sugar (season to taste) and cook them with the lid on until tender. Optional...... You can add a little butter or olive oil if you like.

New Orleans Sicilian style......

You can also add some coarse ground salt and black pepper along with freshly sliced garlic and sautee spinach and other greens in extra virgin olive oil until 'just done' (my favourite). I had a Sicilian uncle by marriage who taught me how cook them this way. Very healthy dish.

Bon appettit,

Harry
 
thanks for the info Inkjunkie!!! I have worked with number of "real" south of Grande Mexicans. I learned quie a few words, but never pronoun any correctly ( always with southern slant, and never seen the words in print!!???
I do love mex. or tex-mex food. it looks good, not sure of the cactus thing! LOL

greens!????? I have found Swiss Chard to be a great growning MILD green, here in Missouri.

here's a receipe ( lots of people don't care for grits. ( NO, it's not a cereal like cream of wheat!) LOL

basically this is it, cook up your grits, add enough SHARP cheddar cheese to bring it to good orange color, let it COOL. yes salt and pepper, ( some people add a little garlic powder... yuk!).... add a few eggs and mix in. put it in over and bake a while. the eggs makes it a little lighter and fluffier ( southern word for " fluffier!)/

i'm sure La folks will add some rice and crawdads!!???? LOL Merry Christmas!!!!





you can tell i'm a REAL ccok as my directions are fairly inprocise!!????? LOL
 
barbee6043 said:
thanks for the info Inkjunkie!!! I have worked with number of "real" south of Grande Mexicans. I learned quie a few words, but never pronoun any correctly ( always with southern slant, and never seen the words in print!!???
I do love mex. or tex-mex food. it looks good, not sure of the cactus thing! LOL

greens!????? I have found Swiss Chard to be a great growning MILD green, here in Missouri.

here's a receipe ( lots of people don't care for grits. ( NO, it's not a cereal like cream of wheat!) LOL

basically this is it, cook up your grits, add enough SHARP cheddar cheese to bring it to good orange color, let it COOL. yes salt and pepper, ( some people add a little garlic powder... yuk!).... add a few eggs and mix in. put it in over and bake a while. the eggs makes it a little lighter and fluffier ( southern word for " fluffier!)/

i'm sure La folks will add some rice and crawdads!!???? LOL Merry Christmas!!!!





you can tell i'm a REAL ccok as my directions are fairly inprocise!!????? LOL
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When I asked the Boss for her recipe for this and her tamales she just rolled her eyes at me....Unless she is baking she does not measure anything.

Hope to see some more recipes here....regional type of stuff would be great...
 
barbee6043 said:
wedding soup must be a Pa. thing!!??? LOL maybe Amish?????
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Its Italian, barbee. Really tasty and good anytime. Especially if you can find some escarole for the greens (they are not easy to find around here).

Best regards,

Harry
 
Escarole????? there's not an Italian in Missouri for 600 miles!!?? LOL

o k, all this food talk has me in mood for mexican cornbread. headed to to town right now for some dead cow, or hamburger.

2 Jiffy cornbreads, can of cream corn.... brown the cow, with some chopped onion, Maybe a little garlic. half cornbread in dish, layer the burger ( yea drain off the fat), add some cheddar cheese on top. bake in oven maybe 30 min????? not bad.....

even better with a cervasa???? ( o k so I can't spell Mexican any better than I spell English???
 
Old_Demon said:
For the coonasses in south Louisiana it's chicken / andouille gumbo. Nothing better!

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like bigdummy says, its better with a cold one!!!!

yes, gumbo is good stuff Maynard!! LOL

I got a car buddy, everytime I go to his place I make a batch and take him a bucket. get better deals!??? LOL

but why is it my red beans and rice NEVER tastes as good as that ya get down there????

tell these guys bout Boudin Balls!!!!!( spelling is not guaranteed!) YUM!!!
 
inkjunkie said:
When I asked the Boss for her recipe for this and her tamales she just rolled her eyes at me....Unless she is baking she does not measure anything.

Hope to see some more recipes here....regional type of stuff would be great...
Click to expand...

Can't get much more regional than poke salad and scrambled eggs (pay close attention to pre-boiling and preparation because these greens are poisonous if not prepared properly) You can also substitute olive oil or canola oil for the bacon fat if you're not into that......

http://southernspaces.org/2011/mess-poke

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ojpWiIR7zQ"]Poke Salad & Scrambled Eggs.wmv - YouTube[/ame]

Well, as it is Chanukah, latkes (potato cakes cooked in olive oil) are always good......

Latkes......

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Potato-Latkes-104406

And if you want an interesting variation with a Southern twist, try this......

Sweet potato latkes......

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/sweet-potato-chive-latkes-recipe.html

Best regards,

Harry
 
Hey, y'all are sure making me hungry! Hard to beat a hot bowl of gumbo on a winter day! I don't eat shellfish or pork, but substitute fish and beef or beef sausage when making gumbo or jambalaya or etouffee.

For those with a taste for Cajun and Creole cuisine, here is a recipe for shrimp etouffe. As with all such dishes, the secret is in the roux.....

http://www.closetcooking.com/2013/02/shrimp-etouffee.html

Best regards,

Harry
 
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