CHILI STACKS

Earlier today, I mentioned Chili Stacks.  I just figured everyone knew what they were.  After doing a google search on the internet, I realized that what I was talking about isn't on any of the normal recipe sites.  I have some yummy Chili that my daughter-in-law brought over for me.  I will make Chili Stacks tomorrow and post the pictures.


Can you tell that I am a born and raised soutwesterner?  I mean, come on, everyone has made chili stacks, right?


I also made red enchilada sauce from whole dried red chilies.  Will post that tomorrow as well. It turned out so good.  It's been quite awhile since I made the sauce this way. 


It will probably be in the evening . . . going to have ankle biters a-a-a-a-ll day, through supper.

Let's Go Camping!!!

I have a friend named Terri.  she is such a goofy nut and we always have had so much fun.  Well, this year she is the camp director for the girls at church.  She and I have been talking about ideas for feeding the girls that week and I finally decided that this is a good idea for my little "hobby" here.

• I will be posting some good ideas for when you want to go camping with your families.  
• Many of these ideas will also be handy for if and when you may be facing some of the disasters that we have been watching over the last few years.  We never know when we might lose our power.
• How about just saving bookoo bucks while on vacation?  We have always traveled with our camp stove handy and had great hot meals at many rest areas or scenic view spots while traveling.  Make sure you have a camera handy.  We have gotten some pretty funny looks from other travelers when doing this.  The looks range from, "Are you guys nuts?" to "Hey, why didn't we think of that?" and to "Why don't you do that?" from kids to their parents, while they are eating their dry PBJ's and mushy apples. 

First ---- I would like to bring back on old post making omelets in baggies dropped in boiling water.  This is a great way to give each person some control over what they are eating.  Big deal to teenagers!  I have moved the post to follow right after this one.

Next - - - - Let's try an idea that Terrie's assistant, Breck, gave her.  How many of you love to make chile stacks.  You know, where you put chips in a bowl, pour hot chile beans over them, sprinkle on some cheese, a few chopped green onions, maybe some diced tomatoes, some sour cream . . . .  sound good?

Here is how to make STACKS IN A BAG!


I'm using some posse stew since I made some this morning, we are empty-nesters and I really don't need to have too many leftovers around the house!  I do, unfortuantely love my own cooking, well most of the time, I do.   The more leftovers, the more I munch and I do have to get that last 30 lbs. off or my little bitty doctor will give me stink eye again when I go back in.

To make the Stacks in a Bag: 

• Have each person choose their favorite chips.  This is a great way to make others feel like they have some say in what they are eating, good PR, you might say.  
• Open the top, fold down a little if you can to make it stand open better.

• Have 2-3 paper napkins in your hand to insulate when you put the hot chile into the bag!
• Put the "chile" over the top of the chips.  

• Now you can sprinkle a little cheese & other goodies on the top 
• Stir it up good. 
• Chow down!

With all the wonderful salad mixes available now, you can have a wonderful meal in no time.  Now I am such a skin flint, it can be hard for me to buy those salad mixes.  But when traveling, I have realized that it is so much cheaper than going into a restaurant that I can make myself do it. 

Talk about quick and easy clean up!  I loved it today because I have several other posts I am trying to get on here. 

Remember to check out the omelets in a baggie following this post.  I am making several at once this afternoon so that I can give you a better idea how long it takes to cook when several are in a pot.  Just in case it takes longer.  (OK, then I don't have to make breakfast each morning the rest of the week.  All I will have to do is warm one up add a little cereal or toast and have a nice hot breakfast in a manor of minutes .   ;+D  Gotta love it!

OMELETS IN A BAGGIE

My sister-in-law emailed this to me and I thought, "Hot Diggity Dog!  May I say, easy!!"  I tried it this morning and it was a really yummy, fluffy omelet!  Wish I had known this one when I was cooking for lots of picky girls up at summer camp . . . way easy way to satisfy everyone.

1. Have everyone write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker.   ( I have since discovered that you can use a sandwich bag and it works just fine!)
2.  Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them. 
3. Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc. 
4. Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake.. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.
5. Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes [we did 15 minutes]. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water. (I put mine in before the water was actually boiling.  Lifted it out a couple of times to squish ingredients around.  Mine was done in about five minutes.)
6. Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed. (I dumped mine out and rinsed the bag immediately.  It looks very clean, but will keepin the fridge door for future use . . .  I know cheapskate) 

Straight from the pot.             My omelet.                Everything is better with salsa!!       

                                                                                                                 

KUMQUAT CHICKEN - - - - - With an Update (at bottom of post)

COMMITMENT:  I have the hardest time trying a new recipe and not messing with it, some how.  I decided that this time, I would do it exactly as it was written, no matter what.  Ah yes, the best of intentions paves a certain road, and mine has several layers of paving.  I found that I didn't have some of the ingredients!  So here we go.  I had to use a little of my Yankee (from a half southerner) initiative to make do.

Kumquat Chicken

Ingredients 

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of catsup
• 1/4 cup of cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp of cornstarch
• 1 small green pepper, chopped
• 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks with juice
• 8 or 9 sliced kumquats, seeds removed

I never have brown sugar in my cupboards.  I have been using white sugar and molasses since my single days.  Just add 1 T. molasses to a cup of sugar and you have it!  I also didn't have any green peppers right now.  Just red and orange ones which are sweeter, so I  used an Anaheim Chile pepper, trimmed the seeds and veins really well, there is no heat that way.  I did have pineapple chunks, but they were so large compared to the tiny little kumquat slices that I decided to cut them down to tidbit size.

Directions 

1. Kumquats are very unusual. The flesh is tart/sour and the rind is sweet. They are small and have two seeds that are quite bitter.
2. Place chicken in a casserole dish.
3. Mix all ingredients and pour over the chicken.
4. Cover with foil.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
6. Serve over rice or noodles.
7. I think this could be adapted to slow cooker by setting it on low for 8 - 9 hours.

It's 9:00 pm, so I opted for the crock pot method.  Knowing me, I will have a wonderful, if not strange breakfast! 

I had the hardest time not adding a little ginger and soy sauce, but then 

I would have gone Asian. I will have to add finished pictures tomorrow 

and let you know how good it is

Well, I didn't cover the slow cooker with a towel like I usually.  That helps the cooker cook hotter and this time would have helped the meat at the top of the crock cook through.  That also helps cook foods quite a bit faster.

Anyway, I ended up putting the chicken in an over dish and finished it up in the oven.  Lesson learned, even if I will be cooking it on low all night, cover it or use high!

I did enjoy this dish, OK I confess, I did add a little soy sauce when I ate it.  I did resist the ginger.  It is a little "rindy", I quite liked it.  My husband seemed to enjoy it, but didn't dive back in for seconds.  My 4-year old grandson said it was "Yummy, but now can I have some cinnamin toast?"   Take that as you may.