The last fleas and another chili

I haven't had time to write for a while, you know we RVers are always so busy!

And, welcome to the Good Luck Duck! I admit that I have been visiting their blog as an anonymous reader for a while already. Maybe it is time now to join your blog for real :))

Usually I try to keep my cooking time around 30 minutes with exemptions.
Today is one of those, as it is always when using dried beans.

Chili with pinto beans

We were early up this morning because I wanted to be ready when my friends came a long to pick me up. We have been going to the flea market every other week and, I guess this was our last visit for this season.
We love to go "girls only" and take our time browsing though all kind of items. Each of us has her own list and, we meet again after about two hours to see if more time is needed or if all is done. After the visit to the flea market we usually drove grocery shopping.
No husband around who is nagging for us to hurry up. We all enjoyed our shopping tours very much!
My "treasured fleas" of today were two wine glasses, a new bread basket and a step stool to get better in to and out of the van.

For dinner there was a hearty chili. The first time I made it, with great success a few days ago for a potluck we attended.
This time I didn't have canned tomatoes, but that didn't matter, I used a can of corn kernel and tomato sauce instead.
Mixed with brown rice. It was enough that I could freeze a portion for later use.

Chili with corn kernels, on rice

INGREDIENTS:  (my alterations are shown in brackets)
2 cups Pinto beans (uncooked, can also used canned)
1 lb ground beef (ground round) or ground turkey
2 cups uncooked white rice
1 yellow onion - chopped
2 cloves garlic - chopped (this is way too much for my taste)
2 Tbsp olive oil (1 is enough, there is enough fat in the beef)
1 to 2 Tbsp chili powder (left that out)
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 can of tomatoes (14 oz) (took a can of corn kernels instead this time)
1 Jalapeno pepper (cooked, canned) -sliced  (No way, not for us, please)
Salt
(pepper, paprika powder)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro leaves (didn't have any, tasted good without too)

Directions:
1. Start with the pinto beans. (If using canned beans, rinse them and skip to step 2.) Put the beans into a large pot and cover with at least 3 inches of water (about 3 quarts of water). Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender.
(First time I brought the dry beans to a boil and let them sit covered for an hour. Then I drained the water, filled up with fresh and cooked the beans for 2 1/2 hours. 
This time I watered the dry beans over night, drained the water in the morning and cooked the beans for about 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon. 
Both methods worked fine.)

2. While the beans are cooking cook the rice according to the instructions on the rice package. Add a Tbsp of butter to the rice while it is cooking for flavor.

3. In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic in 2 Tbsp of olive oil until translucent on medium high heat. Move the onions over to one side of the pan, turn up the heat to high, and brown the meat away from the onions in the same pan. Add chili powder to meat as it is cooking. Start with one tablespoon, and add more as needed to taste. Stir in the onions and garlic. Add chopped parsley. Add one can of tomatoes. Add sliced Jalapeno pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes.
(Remember: chili powder gets hotter the longer it cooks, so be careful.)

4. Once the beans are cooked, drain them. Add the beans to the meat and onions, adding another teaspoon of salt to the beans as they go in. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, tasting and adding more salt if needed to taste. Stir in cilantro leaves right before serving, or sprinkle on top.

Serve over rice or with warm corn tortillas.

Kind of a "Ratatouille"

Welcome to my blog, Bob C., I remember you from the time when we were novice rver's, had a 5-wheel and used your satellite antenna to get our internet!
Hope you enjoy my rambling about our dinners!


With only 4 more weeks to go I keep myself from stocking up the pantry. The idea is : what we don't have in there we need not to haul home. Today I used up the rest of my Quinoa seeds.

boiling quinoa

With the fridge nearly empty, there was not much choice.
Some vegetables, a piece of cold grilled chicken, a piece of cold roast beef, but it was enough to make it into ratatouille-like meal.

And the cooking time: only 15 minutes!

Mixed vegetables with quinoa

Nothing leftover here. Now we really need to go shopping tomorrow!
Otherwise it's down to bread and water :))

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup water or broth

1 large carrot, chopped
1 celery, chopped, 1 cup
1 small green squash, copped, 1 cup
1 onion, minced, 1/2 cop
1 leaf of kale (had a bunch of them in the freezer)
1 leaf of bok choy (same thing, from the freezer)
1 slice of grilled chicken breast, cubed 1/3 cup
1 piece roast beef, cubed, 1 cup
1 tblsp oil
1 slice of bacon, in bits (optional)
salt
pepper
leftover roast beef gravy, 3/4 cup
1/2 cup of cheddar, cubed

Directions:
Bring Quinoa to a boil and simmer until all fluid is gone and the quinoa all fluffy.

Sautée bacon and onions in oil and add the vegetables for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add meat and gravy and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Just before serving add the cheese.

Bea's Special-Mango-Mix

Hubby came home from shopping and dropped a mango fruit on the counter top.

Mango

He asked me: Can you make something with that?

Well, what would you like? I asked.

MANGO CREME! 

And what about dinner?
I had in mind to do something with the cold, grilled chicken breast we had in the fridge and, I found a recipe for mango-pineapple salsa.

As usual I DID NOT have all the ingredients at hand and had to make my own version.

Chicken in mango-pineapple salsa on rice

Dessert:
Mango creme, would you know how to make that - I didn't.
But I found something here that worked as an inspiration. Though, I used only half of the fruit and didn't cook the mango.

Mango,heavy whipping cream and pineapple

Result :))

During the course of the meal I just heard this noise: 

"MMHH, good, mmm. That was real good - mmmh.  Heavenly food! 

See: You can do it, even if you don't have all the ingredients required. Just take what is there and make the best out of it.

Here is the original recipe for the salsa.

Ingredients: my alterations are shown in brackets

1/2 pineapple, cored, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rings (used 2 pineapple rings from a can, cut in small bits)
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
(used only 1/2 mango)
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
(used 1/2 small green squash)
1/2 red onion, chopped
(brown onion, a small wedge)
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
(2 fresh basil leafs)
3 tablespoons olive oil
(1 tsp coconut oil)
1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
(1/2 tsp dried ginger)
1 jalapeno, or to taste, chopped
(some of my own sun dried tomatoes in olive oil)
1 to 2 limes, juiced
(1/2 cup of orange juice)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
(1 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes)
(sugar to taste)
(3 slices of boneless chicken breast, grilled, in slices)

Side dish: (1 cup of rice, water), boiled separately

Directions:
Sautée the onions and add chopped vegetables. Sautée a minute more before adding the fruit pieces. Season and simmer until the rice (side dish) is boiled. Add chicken stripes for about 5 minutes to warm up in the salsa.

A BIG Mixed Salad for Dinner

Today I took some photos from around the Yuma Dunes while driving on the I-8 (as a passenger, of course. :-))
I never get tired of looking at the sands and mountains.

When I asked what we should have for supper J.P's answer was: A BIG MIXED SALAD.
And that it was.

Ingredients: 

a piece of all vegetables you find in your fridge.
a piece of cheddar cheese
5 pitted prunes
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
parsley, basil
salt, pepper
sugar
mayonnaise
sour cream
orange juice

Mix well, enjoy!