Camping Nachos

Ever been sitting around the campfire, having a beer or glass of wine and get an urge for a snack?  S'mores are great fun but don't go real well with beer (actually they go pretty well with wine, in my opinion. ) On one such night I tried to imagine how some of our favorite snacks could become campfire favorites and the next day I came upon these photos of nachos and knew this would fill the snack void during our next campfire.  Everyone loves nachos and this easy  method is so adaptable that it can accommodate anyone's fancy.  I adapted the recipe by combining several others and the photos are from a pinterest pin that credited The Inspired Dreamer blog (http://inspiredreamer.com)

You can almost make it just from the photos but here are some ingredients and directions.

Ingredients

• FOR THE GARLIC CREAM SAUCE: or use a jar of prepared Ranch or Alfredo sauce
• 1-½ Tablespoon Butter
• ½ Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced 
• ½ cups Heavy Cream(I substitute plain Greek yogurt but it has a little more tart flavor)
• ¼ cups Milk
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• ¼ cups Parmesan Cheese, Grated 
• FOR THE NACHOS:
• Tortilla Chips
• ½ cups Garlic Cream Sauce (above)or use a jar of prepared Ranch or Alfredo sauce
• ¼ cups Onion, Diced
• ½ lb cooked hamburger or sausage meat (I brown it in advance and freeze in baggies) As an alternative you could use pepperoni, shredded chicken or a can of beans, rinsed
• ½ cups Black Olives Sliced
• ½ Green Bell Pepper, Diced
• 1 cup favorite shredded cheese
• Sliced jalapenos 

Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Make a roux by adding the Parmesan cheese to the melted butter and blend.   Add in the cream and milk stirring constantly till blended. Add in remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer on low do not boil.
Layer the chips in a dutch oven (or any pan that can withstand the heat of an oven/campfire,) pour sauce over chips and layer remaining nacho ingredients.
Heat in a 350F oven or place over coals till cheese is melted. If you cook on coals remember to have fireproof mitts or pot holders for dutch oven.

Have some tongs or a flat scoop nearby and dish the nachos onto paper plates. Bet there won't be any leftovers!

Designer Curry in A Hurry

This recipe delighted my family for years while I was growing up.  My grandmother was a world traveler and brought back this recipe from the far east.  We made it a family affair and would award the family member who could come up with the most condiment ideas and prepare them.  One time we had 25 different condiments to sprinkle on the smooth Indian stew.   Read on for a great way to use up your turkey leftovers. 

Ingredients:

Ready to design with your favorite condiments

*2 cups cooked chicken or turkey or even pork
1 pound whole fresh mushrooms, quartered if very large
1 tablespoon oil or margarine
1/3 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
**1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder to taste
1 cup finely chopped tart green apple
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup dairy product (milk, skim milk, sour  cream or even yogurt)
1 cup turkey or chicken stock (or use water with bouillon)

Condiment Possibilities:

Major Grey Chutney

raisins & other dried fruits

peanuts

diced raw apple

mandarin orange pieces

scallions (green onions) sliced thinly or french fried onions

celery in small chunks
diced tomato

scallions

bell peppers in tiny bite size pieces

braised bananas (plantains are even better-braise them in butter and brown sugar) 

coconut

cucumbers diced
jicama cut in bite size bits 
cilantro leaves

In a large skillet, saute chicken, mushrooms, and onions in oil until chicken is lightly browned on all sides.   Stir in flour, salt, and curry powder. Add apple and parsley, then pour in milk and stock. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until apple pieces are tender-crisp. 

Serve over rice with a half tsp of turmeric mixed in if you have it, just for color.  Now here's the fun part.  Assemble in individual bowls, as many of the above condiments you have on hand or think of your own favorite flavors.  The trick is to just sprinkle on the condiments-not mix them in. Then the varied textures and tastes create a unique burst of flavor in each bite.  Cool vegies and fruits contrast with the spicy curry.  When RVing this is a great recipe because it can all be done in advance.  Most of the condiments can be prepared earlier and stored in baggies or a several-sectioned Tupperware dish.

Yield 4-6 servings, approx. calories/serving 235 (or 335 with 1/2 cup rice)

*When using chicken, some use whole pieces but it tends to be messy and saucy, so I prefer cut pieces with no skin.  Chicken legs are the exception and can be used whole easily.

**Curry is a wonderful spice that adds a mouth-watering smoothness to gravies and broths.  Use it sparingly in most dishes but heavily if you like a spicy dish.

One from Column B

Special Fried Rice

I haven't heard that phrase, "One from Column B" for years but Chinese restaurants used to have a menu with 2 or 3 columns of menu items and you would be able to order "one from column A and two from column B."  The B column was usually the veggie dishes.  

Fried rice is an easy, versatile, and quick vegetarian recipe. In fact, the hardest part is remembering to make the rice at least several hours beforehand, so that it has time to chill. It's a great way to use leftover rice, the drier the better.  That way the soy sauce flavors the rice but doesn't "soak" into it.  If you expect meat eating guests you can serve chicken, pork or shrimp bits on the side for them to add. 

Yield	4 servings
Time	20 minutes
Tools	Saucepan Slotted spoon Wok or large frying pan (nonstick) Wooden spoon Bowl or plate
Ingredients	1½ c vegetable stock ½ c diced vegetables (such as broccoli, carrots, green beans, peas, squash, and/or Swiss chard leaves* or any of your favorites, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots are an unusual but easy addition since they're canned) 3 T peanut or vegetable oil 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3 scallions, thinly sliced 4 c cooked, cold long-grain or jasmine rice ½ t salt 2+ T Soy Sauce (watch the salt if you go heavy on the soy sauce.) black pepper
Directions	Bring the stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and blanch for two minutes. Drain and reserve stock for another recipe.* *If you use chard, there are a few changes: blanch for only 1 minute or when wilted and be sure to squeeze out liquid before using. Heat 1 T oil in wok over high heat. Add the eggs and mix around. When lightly set, break into pieces, then transfer to a bowl or plate. Add remaining oil to wok, then add blanched vegetables and most of the scallions. Stir constantly for one minute, then add rice and soy sauce. Continue stirring, and use the spoon to break up any clumps of rice and mix in soy sauce evenly. When the rice is hot, add eggs, salt, and pepper, stir, transfer to bowl or platter, sprinkle with remaining scallions, and serve.
Notes	You can use brown or white rice, or a mixture - the key is for the rice to be cold.

Chili Rellenos for the Busy Cook

Chile Rellenos Casserole

The chile relleno, literally "stuffed chile," is a dish of Mexican cuisine that originated in the city of Puebla. It consists of a roasted fresh poblano pepper (a mild chili pepper named after the city of Puebla), sometimes substituted with non-traditional Hatch green chile, Anaheim, pasilla or even jalapeño chili pepper. It is stuffed with melted cheese, such as queso Chihuahua or queso Oaxaca (traditionally), or picadillo meat made of diced pork, raisins and nuts, seasoned with canella; covered in an egg batter or simply corn masa flour and fried. Although it is often served in a tomato sauce, the sauces can vary. There are versions in Mexico using re-hydrated dry chiles such as anchos or pasillas. Although the traditional rellenos aren’t difficult, it is time consuming stuffing the chilies…sooo, a lazy busy cook I know developed THIS version…very easy to prepare and loaded with flavor.  A San Antonio favorite, Chile rellenos recipes vary greatly depending on the restaurant or homemaker.  This one is a hit no matter what the occasion and is great for leftovers and breakfast.  It was an instant hit at our RV Park's Vegetarian Potluck Feast.

               Prep Time:  15 Min                                                                             Recipe Yield 6 servings

             Cook Time:  50 Min

               Ready In:     about 1 Hr.

                                                        

Ingredients

• 2 (7 ounce) cans whole green chile peppers, drained OR more traditionally, 8 New Mexico, poblanos  OR Anaheim chiles roasted, seeded and peeled. (don't put your fingers near your eyes after handling these hot mamas.)
• Approx. 16 ounces  mixture of cheeses, shredded
• 3 or 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 10 oz. (approx.) can evaporated milk (can mix half with regular milk)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 can enchilada sauce.   I like green enchilada sauce best.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8 X 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Lay half of the chiles evenly in bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with HALF of the cheeses, and cover with remaining chilies. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, and flour, and pour over the top of the chilies.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven, pour enchilada sauce evenly over the top, and continue baking another 15 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses, and serve.   You can top with black olive or scallion slices.

Note:  If you want more servings you can use a 9 X 13 baking dish and using double the ingredients.  The cheese and enchilada sauce doesn't need doubling.  I never make it exactly the same but it's always delish.

Cashew Chili Con RV Cooking.com

I'll admit that this sounded a little "unusual" to me at first.  Chili with no meat and cashews instead?  Since I put implicit trust in my RV'ing friend, Evanne, I vowed to try it and WOW.  This is my choice to bring to the Vegetarian Pot Luck Feast on the last Saturday of August.  If you like the idea don't hesitate to bring your own special version.  The more the merrier.  Let's add to OUR health and the health of the planet by trying to go, at least a little, meatless. 

'Cashew Chili from Evanne's RV Kitchen'

Below I'm pasting in the recipe from Evanne's website RV Cooking Show.com, along with a link to her very interesting accompanying video, "Dinner and a Movie at Flying Flags - Cashew Chili, Firestone Walker Brewing and Monte Roberts..." which not only makes the recipe 'step by step' easy, it also sheds some light on something many of us have a passion for...good home brewed beer.  Watch the second half too so you can be entertained by the horse whisperer and his country brand of humor and sarcasm. 
Here's the
CASHEW CHILI
Ingredients

1 medium onion - chopped - 1/4 reserved for chili topping
2-3 fresh peppers - chopped
splash of canola oil

1 28 oz can of high quality diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
2 cans of beans - kidney and pinto - rinsed
1 bottle beer (lager or porter work great)*  
1 packet chili seasoning (I like the no-salt versions)
1 c roasted low salt cashews - use 1/2 c at the start, 1/2 c right before serving

How-to

In a large pot saute onions and peppers in canola oil. When soft add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, beer, 1/2 c cashews and seasoning. Stir well and allow to bubble for 30-45 minutes until the flavors mix and meld. Add the remaining 1/2 c cashews, stir and serve.

Additional Tips

To me a bowl of cashew chili just isn't ready until I top it with plenty of goodies. Choose one or more of these topping suggestions:

shredded cheddar cheese
finely minced raw onions
sliced avocado
chopped cilantro
sour cream
jalapenos - fresh or pickled

I usually put all the topping choices into separate small bowls and allow my dinner guests to mix and match as fits their taste buds. Turns into a terrific dinner and a movie meal event!

*I used "Shiner Bock" a dark beer from Shiner Texas