Onion Bombs

Summer time is finally here and that means camping and grilling outdoors.  Compact and easy meals are always our favorite so we have more time to spend together.  We've prepared these at home and frozen them, then packed them in the RV.  Put in the refrigerator on the morning you want to serve them and pop onto the coals about 30 minutes before you want to eat.  It's also a fun activity with young ones.  Line them up at the picnic table and set them to packin' the onions.
 
Ingredients:
large onions
ground meat (any variety - beef, turkey, venison, pork or a mixture)
seasonings to taste ( meatloaf style, taco type seasonings, italian seasonings)
grated cheese (or a little slice for each bomb) of your choice
tin foil

Directions:
1. Peel your onions and cut them in half. If the onion is large it's sometimes possible to cut down only one side of the onion and have full circles to stuff.  Lay a slice of cheese in the onion cup or add some grated cheese to the ground meat.
2. Prepare your meatballs how you want them
3. Size your meatballs so that they can be squished between two pieces of onions. Some meat will push out the ends and that is okay.   Just make them as compact as possible.
4. Wrap each onion bomb in tinfoil-- either double them or use heavy duty foil since they'll be tossed in the fire.  Use tongs not a fork so you don't poke holes in the foil.
5. Toss in the fire and try to get them in the coals.
6. Cook for about 10 minutes, flip "em around and cook another 10 minutes or so.

I've also made these in the oven on 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.  They make the whole house smell delicious.  Set atop a layer of tomato sauce they have a nice presentation. 

Ode of a Fish

This is not a recipe but involves cooking and opera and singing fish.  It is profoundly sad while being insanely genius and even somewhat comical.  Only three minutes and worth the jaw-dropping affect you feel from it's eeriness.  In the words of one of the comments to the video..."I may never eat anything with a face again."  Kudos to it's creator.  Probably made in their RV kitchen.  TeeHee!

Healthy Chicken and Spinach Flautas

Flautas at MiTierra's in downtown San Antonio are to die for and I've looked for years for a frozen brand to come close.  Although the store bought frozen ones will do in a pinch, I've searched the internet for a recipe that sounded fairly simple but with all the right ingredients.  This one is a combination of a couple that I liked with a few adaptations for healthiness and RV kitcheness.  

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes

Baked flautas stuffed with seasoned, shredded chicken, spinach, and cheese are crispy, but don’t have the greasiness of fried versions. 

                 Ingredients

They're actually better if you can roll them tighter like cigars

• 1 pound boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs (about 4)
• 16 ounces Beer (or chicken broth)
• 2 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 Pepper, minced, jalapeno or serrano
• 3 cups Baby Spinach, chopped or 10oz frozen box, defrosted & squeezed of its liquids
• 10 small Flour Tortillas
• 6 ounces melting cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, or cooking spray

 

 

I use this everyday!

To shred poached chicken easily, I use my baby cuisinart food processor for a few seconds. Store-bought rotisserie chicken can be substituted for the poached chicken to save time. In a real pinch I've used canned chicken.

 Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Put the chicken in a deep sided saute pan and cover with the beer and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it. Mix together the chicken and seasonings.
3. Pour out all but 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the jalapeno and spinach and cook over low heat until for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
4. Cut the tortillas in half. Spoon 1/10th of the chicken (about 1 tablespoon) along the long edge of a tortilla. Repeat with the spinach and cheese. Roll the tortilla up, starting with the straight edge. Place seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
5. Brush the flautas with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake for until 10 minutes, or until crispy. Serve with salsa.

Yields 10 flautas.  Each flauta has approx. 180 calories, 9 grams fat, 6 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 18 grams protein

photo credit: Collin Harvey via photopin cc

S'mores Cookies

Seen these little gems all over the web and was dying to try them at one of our bonfires.  With summer in Texas, the chocolate is melted before you lay it on the marshmallow and we always lose half the marshmallows in the fire so these looked like the perfect solution. Very easy and the perfect combination of crispy and chewy.    
Source: Ice Cream Before Dinner

Ingredients:
11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt (regular salt will do)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 ½ cups flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

Instructions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixer and combine on low speed.
Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight (I did one batch right away and another after chilling overnight and found there was no difference.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper. I used one 11x17 pan and one 9x13 pan but you can really use any sized pans you want.
Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching). I used 16 graham cracker squares on one pan and 10 squares on another. You may have to add or remove graham crackers according to how much dough you have. If you want your cookies thicker you will use more dough and less graham crackers.

Place tablespoons of dough on graham crackers about 1 – 1 ½ inches apart. I averaged about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per graham cracker square as seen in the picture above. Press down slightly with fingertips.

Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top. You can place as many pieces or as little as you want depending how much chocolate flavor you want.

Bake for 5 – 7 more minutes or until dough is beginning to turn golden brown at the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. For clean cutting make sure cookies are completely cool and cut with a sharp knife.

 

On my next try I'm going to use pre-made chocolate cookie dough and see how they turn out.  If you beat me to it with the experiment, comment below and let me know how they turned out. 

What's your favorite variation on s'mores?  

Bucket List Foods

Are you an adventurous eater or the "stick to what you know" type?  

I grew up in a 'gourmet' family myself, where each of us would cook a meal and see who could outdo the other with wow factor and delectable flavor.  We had several favorite meals that we would team up for and each take a part in and also specialties that dad or sibling number two or three were especially known for.  

We were definitely a family that would try anything once.  I mean anything.  We've had everything including chocolate covered grasshoppers.  I remember our family being invited to dinner at a fellow workmate of my dad's house and they served Liver Pate on these fancy little dishes.  My whole family except for my mom, who savors a plate of liver and onions, were dreading the moment when we had to touch this delicacy to our lips.  Being the gracious guests that we were, we were determined not to let on that liver was not on our list of welcomed foods.  Then, low and behold, all but the youngest, were pleasantly surprised with the new taste sensation.  Really, I'm not kidding.  We even had a little scuff as to who would get to eat my little brothers uneaten portion.  (We we also a very frugal family and didn't throw ANYTHING away.)  

Just a few "different" foods

Now this list below has a lot of old favorites but is also full of things I never heard of, at least not by that name - but each of them are on my "to try" list.  Some of the dishes sound like it would involve a little world travel to even find such a thing.  Anyway, it was fun seeing how many I knew of and had tasted so test your eating habits and see how adventurous you are and let us know if any of these favorites are on your bucket list in the comments.

Just for kicks I've highlighted all the items I've tried in this list of 100 foods to try before you die.

1. Abalone-a seafood shellfish that also provides us with 'mother of pearl' jewelry

2. Absinthe-an anise flavored spirit beverage

3. Alligator- (tough and chewy but tasted okay)

4. Baba Ghanoush- always wanted to try but didn't ever have the chance

5. Bagel & Lox- what self respecting NuYawker has had it?

6. Baklava-sweet Greek pastries

7. BBQ Ribs-this is a given

8. Bellini-??

9. Birds Nest Soup-an edible birds nest is made into an Oriental broth

10. Biscuits & Gravy-hasn't everyone had these?

11. Black Pudding-??

12. Black Truffle

13. Borscht-beet soup, eaten cool-not my favorite

14. Calamari, seafood with tentacles, squid

15. Carp-goldfish

16. Caviar-fish eggs, come in red or black and very salty-good on fancy crackers

17. Cheese Fondue-warmed cheese to dip bread cubes or other items in

18. Chicken & Waffles-can't believe I've never had this combo

19. Chicken Tikka Marsala-not sure

20. Chile Relleno - love,love,love

21. Chitlins-pig intestines, not tried although I have tried cow intestines and stomach lining

22. Churros- Mexican long pastries

23. Clam Chowder- had the red Manhattan and the white new England style

24. Cognac- liquor

25. Crab Cakes-yum

26. Crickets

27. Currywurst

28. Dandelion Wine

29. Dulce De Leche

30. Durian - ???

31. Eel

32. Eggs Benedict

33. Fish Tacos

34. Foie Gras- duck or goose liver

35. Fresh Spring Rolls- oriental

36. Fried Catfish- Straight from the Creek

37. Fried Green Tomatoes-tangy and delicious

38. Fried Plantain-with butter and caramelized sugar

39. Frito Pie

40. Frogs' Legs-they really do taste like chicken

41. Fugu

42. Funnel Cake -at every festival in Texas

43. Gazpacho-just can't like the idea of a cold soup

44. Goat-Cabrito, makes a great combo with pintos and maize

45. Goat's Milk

46. Goulash-several varieties

47. Gumbo-only dish I like okra in

48. Haggis -????

49. Head Cheese-disgusting

50. Heirloom Tomatoes-not for a long time

51. Honeycomb

52. Hostess Fruit Pie- used to be a lunch staple in grammar school

53. Huevos Rancheros-once a week

54. Jerk Chicken

55. Kangaroo

56. Key Lime Pie

57. Kobe Beef- too expensive

58. Lassi- Is this the dog?

59. Lobster-makes my mouth water to think of it

60. Mimosa -champagne with citrus juice

61. Moon Pie

62. Morel Mushrooms-always wanted to try these, never see them

63. Nettle Tea

64. Octopus-a little leathery and the tentacles feel weird in your mouth

65. Oxtail Soup-Dad's favorite

66. Paella-spanish seafood stew

67. Paneer

68. Pastrami on Rye

69. Pavlova

70. Phaal

71. Philly Cheese Steak

72. Pho-pronounced Fa with a soft A, oriental soup

73. Pineapple & Cottage Cheese

74. Pistachio Ice Cream

75. Po' Boy

76. Pocky

77. Polenta-cornmeal usually formed into a patty shape

78. Prickly Pear-cactus fruit, minus the stickers

79. Rabbit Stew

80. Raw Oysters best with a little Tabasco on the side

81. Root Beer Float

82. S'mores-I operate a campground, need I say more?

83. Sauerkraut-the juice is the best part, I could drink a glass full

84. Sea Urchin-hmm, unusual

85. Shark-pink fish steak

86. Snail, they're okay but it's mostly the delicious garlic butter that i taste

87. Snake-of the rattle sort is what I've tried, a little leathery

88. Soft Shell Crab, along with lobster, my favorite fruit of the sea

89. Som Tam-???

90. Spaetzle- little tiny dumplings

91. Spam- yuck, although it's not too bad fried with and egg

92. Squirrel- in a stew they're good

93. Steak Tartare- raw, very lean ground beef, mixed with scallions salt and pepper

94. Sweet Potato Fries-a la Paula Dean

95. Sweetbreads-glands of a calf or lamb, pancreas, thymus, etc.

96. Tom Yum ??

97. Umeboshi  ??

98. Venison- not my favorite but my hubby makes a wicked chicken fried steak with it

99. Wasabi Peas-crunchy peas with wasabi, a salty flavoring on them

100. Zucchini Flowers- delicious and tender, great sauteed or raw 

Now it's your turn.  Have you tried any of these unusual foods or think there's something that needs to be added to this list?  Let us know in the comments.

"Diet" Chocolate Kahlua Cake

May is Customer Appreciation Month at the Hidden Valley.  This will be our second annual "Just Desserts" weekend where guests bring a sweet treat to share to an RV Park organized potluck.  Since the weather is so cooperative we'll be gathering at the Bonfire Cove this year.  We may have to put our "bounce" sheets in our pockets to stave off the hungry mosquitoes and hopefully the bonfire will keep them at bay.  If not we'll just have to break out the "No Mosquitoes" sign and issue biting tickets.

Our contribution to the potluck is a lovely recipe I pinned from Charissa over at "Madtown Macs."  It is the perfect rich, yet light dessert with a little nip a Kahlua (or a big nip if you prefer.)  It's so easy you really don't need a recipe once you've read it over a little.  There's really only four parts and then some quick assembly.

1. Cake - Bake any chocolate cake in a 13 X 9" pan. (To make it 'diet' use applesauce instead of oil in the cake mix.) When it's cool, cut into 1" cubes.  Pour at least 1/2 cup of Kahlua over the top and let sit for an hour or overnight.  (Don't think they make 'diet' Kahlua.
2. Mousse - You can buy this pre-made or buy a mix.  I used a product called Dream Whip (need to add milk) then followed the recipe on the box for mousse which requires a 4 serving box of pudding.  I used sugar free to lessen calories.
3. Cool whip - 16 oz (you may have some leftover.) Use low fat if desired.
4. Candy - My favorite is definitely Skor Bars but they are hard to find (four or five of then will do.)  You could substitute and kind of chocolate, hard toffee candy.  I hammer them while in the package and this smashes them into small chunks.

Now here's the fun part.   Any deep bowl is okay, like a trifle bowl.  I was making it for a large crowd so I used a glass cake holder with the cover turned upside down in the base.   Clear glass is nice to show off the layers but taste is the same no matter the container. 

Start with a layer of cake cubes. Then goes a layer of the chocolate mouse. Then a layer of Cool Whip. Then sprinkle candy pieces. Repeat ending with the Cool Whip and candy on top.


The trick is getting through making the layers without eating too much of the mousse.


Well, once we get together this evening and share all our desserts I'll be back to share the recipes.

PS. I made this in an RV with a small kitchen and only a few ingredients so it's a keeper for travelers.  I also thought that experimenting with small servings in a custard cup would make a nice dessert just for Mark and I.

Where East Meets West

Our recent San Antonio RV Park Spring Fling BBQ Potluck gave me a stockpile of wonderful recipes to try and test.  My personal favorite is perfect for RV living and traveling because it's so easy and the ingredients are always in my cupboards.  The Napa cabbage is the only ingredient I needed to buy.  Although I love soy sauce and make it a staple even in the RV, ya'll may need to think about getting some for this recipe because it's a must for the dressing but I think you could successfully substitute teryaki sauce if you have it by chance.  


Our thanks go out to Jeanette Z for this addition, Oriental Napa Cabbage Salad, to our potluck.  A true case of eastern cuisine meeting South Texas western BBQ fare.

Ingredients

   Salad:
2 pkg Ramen Noodles (reserve seasoning packet for future use)
1 c. sliced almonds (my preference) or slivered 
1 stick butter or margarine
1 head Napa cabbage
1 bunch green onions

   Dressing:
1/4 c vinegar
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c salad oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Directions

1.  Chop cabbage, not too fine but in easy bitesize pieces.  Chop onions.  Set aside
2.  Melt butter; add raw Ramen noodles and almonds, saute until light brown but watch closely as they tend to burn easily.
3.  Put dressing ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil and boil 1 minute only.

Store all three steps in separate containers till ready to serve them combine them.

Note:  Do not refrigerate the dressing as it will crystallize.

This was so crispy and delicious.  Jeanette didn't include this in her ingredients but I distinctly tasted dried cranberries and it was a perfect addition both for the color and the texture of the salad.  Needless to say there was very little left. 

Let us know how you like it and any variations you made.