Rainforest burritos

OK, I've been wanting to post this recipe since I started this blog and I finally got my cousin's permission to post it... as long as I change the name.  So, I hereby give you *drum roll*... the rainforest burrito!  Rainforests have nothing to do with the burrito, but it's kind of in keeping with what her family calls them. This recipe came from my cousin, who got it from her dad, who may or may not have gotten it from a restaurant somewhere.

This recipe is soooooo yummy! I'm not even an olive fan, but I couldn't dream of these burritos without them! For the boonies cook, it's reasonably attainable (the tomato is the only thing that won't keep for a long time in the fridge), and it's really fast to put together. 

For this recipe, you'll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. sliced or chopped almonds (preferably toasted)
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1/2 c. raisins
• 1/2 c. sliced green olives
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• flour tortillas
• feta cheese
• sour cream
• salsa
• lettuce

To make, brown the meat in a large frying pan or wok. Drain excess fat.
Now, add each ingredient in order up to the spices, stirring for about a minute after each addition. 

Heat some flour tortillas - you can do this one by one in a dry frying pan over medium heat.  Don't cook them - you just want them to soften.  Alternatively, you could place them in the microwave for about 20 seconds on high. Or in the oven wrapped in foil for about 15 minutes at 350°F.

Add a leaf of lettuce, then put the meat mix on it. Sprinkle some feta cheese, sour cream and salsa over the whole mess and wrap up to eat. You'll probably need to make this every night for a week because it's so dang good.

Fandango

I'm a big fan of trying to cook everything from scratch, but I'm no food snob.  There are some nights when you just need a quick fix, when the grocery store seems too far away, and when something creamy and cheesy is the only thing that will satisfy hungry mouths. So it's always a good idea to keep some canned soups, frozen veggies, and a big bag of onions on hand. With a few basics, you can throw together a great meal in no time.

Today's recipe is based on a recipe from one of the first editions of the Best of Bridge cookbooks. It's a bit on the fatty side, but it's hearty and tasty and definitely a great option for the boonies cook.  Everything in it is easy to find in any grocery store and stores well at home, so you can whip this up on one of those nights when you haven't been shopping for two weeks and your fridge looks like it was burgled overnight.

Start with a pound of ground meat (as in most recipes like this, the meat you choose is interchangeable with whatever you have in the house). Brown the meat in a large pot, and drain off the excess fat.

Add a chopped onion, 2 c. sliced mushrooms (optional - my hubby looooves mushrooms) and 2 or 3 minced cloves of garlic and saute until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are soft.

Add about 2 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, salt and pepper.

Dump in one can of condensed cream of mushroom soup and 1 c. low fat sour cream.  Stir to mix.

Add one package of frozen spinach (thawed and drained), and mix to incorporate.

Pour the whole mixture into a large casserole, and grate mozzarella cheese over the top.  Place in the oven at 350F and bake for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and starts to turn golden.

Serve over rice or egg noodles. 



Here is your ingredient list:

Fandango

1 lb ground meat
1 onion, chopped
2 c. mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. low fat sour cream
1 package frozen spinach
1 c. (approximately) of shredded mozzarella cheese

Protein

One of the issues with cooking in the boonies, is getting good quality food that won't kill your budget.  Protein is usually a huge killer to the food bill because let's face it, meat is expensive.  On that note, there are things you can do to decrease your protein bill a bit, while still getting quality meat (and other protein products). Here are some tips:

• Make friends with a farmer. 
• This has been the biggest relief to our food budget in the last couple of years since our friend Wade started a small farm.  This year, I bought a whole pig, a giant Thanksgiving turkey, and about 1/3 of a cow. Wade takes his animals to slaughter in the fall and has them processed at a local (inspected) butcher shop.  We paid about $200 for the beef and $280 for the pork (including the cut and wrap) and came out of it with about 100 lbs of  meat (ribs, roasts, ground, steaks, chops, bacon, etc..). That's a little more than $4/lb, which is a pretty good average I think. It may not be the least expensive price you'll pay for meat, but it's made up for in quality - it's delicious! Bonus, our meat isn't trucked from afar to make it to the skillet, decreasing the environmental impact a bit. If you don't know a farmer, try checking out farmer's markets near you.  Many markets have farmers selling meat, and you can find out from them if you can buy in bulk.  Usually, animals go to slaughter in the fall, so you have all summer to find a farmer near you.
• Buy in bulk. 
• Go to your local wholesale or Costco and check out the sales.  Even if you don't have a huge family, buy meat in bulk and separate it into smaller packages for freezing when you get home.
• Hunt and fish.  

• Hunting is not for everyone either, but if you are a hunter or know a hunter, you could have a great source of cheap protein. In the boonies, many people get more meat from hunting than from the grocery store. There are lots of regulations about gun-ownership, openings, tags and permits, but if you get one moose, you could have as much as 300 lbs of meat to get you through the winter.  Many butcher shops will process your meat for you, right from the hanging to the cut & wrap, or you can learn to do it yourself.  It's a great alternative to factory-farmed meats.  
• Similarly, fishing can provide you with some great protein, but it can be expensive, especially if you go salt-water fishing (boats, gas, guides, etc..) and you won't get a lot of meat from the trip. If you live near the ocean, try buying direct from the fisherman at the wharf. It's often cheaper and the money goes directly to the guy who caught it, with no middle man.
• Eat alternative protein. 

• Learn how to incorporate beans and high-protein grains and tofu into your diet. The vegetarian lifestyle isn't for everyone, but eating at least one vegetarian meal per week will decrease your food bill, expand your horizons, and make you healthier. Beans and grains are also super easy to buy in bulk and store, making them perfect for boonies cooking.  Some high protein grains include quinoa, barley, brown rice, kasha and oatmeal. Be on the lookout for upcoming recipes involving quinoa - it's my new favorite thing.

Today's recipe: Garlic-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

This recipe comes directly from the ladies at my favorite cooking blog Our Best Bites. You'll need 1 or 2 pork tenderloins, some grainy mustard, garlic, rosemary, and olive oil.

 First, rinse your tenderloin and trim off excess fat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and preheat the oven to  450°F.

In a small bowl, mix together 5 or 6 minced cloves of garlic (lots of garlic!), 2 tbsp of coarse-grain mustard, 2 tbsp rosemary (the recipe calls for fresh, but I've used about 3 tbsp of dried rosemary with success), and 2 tbsp olive oil. Add some salt and pepper to taste.

Put your tenderloins on the baking sheet and slather them with your mustard mix.  Pop in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes (the meat should be juicy, but not pink and the internal temp should be 160°F with a meat thermometer). I've also done this on the BBQ and it works great.

Serve with your favorite side dishes - roasted potatoes are great, but so is rice. Pickled beets are a great, colourful veggie accompaniment.

Valentine's Dinner (aka Sat Fat Fiesta)

I seriously kicked some culinary ass on Valentine's Day this year. SERIOUSLY. I need to eat like a vegan for the next week to wear off all of the calories I consumed, but it was totally worth it.  So, this recipe is a little bit boonies friendly (I suppose anything that consists of essentially meat and potatoes can be easily made in the boonies, but I think the fact that the meat was so fresh and unfrozen made it a billion times better..).

I spent most of Valentine's Day home alone - I took a sick day, not so much because I was sick, but because I hoped that taking a day off would prevent me from becoming sick..  In the end, I probably ended up doing way more activity that I would normally do at work, but it all worked out.  I'm healthy, and I got to make a kick-ass Valentine's Day dinner that I probably wouldn't have had the time or energy to do otherwise.

My plan for Valentine's Day was to cook lamb - it's succulent, a little splurgy, very very tasty, and kind of romantic.  But, being in the boonies, I couldn't find a rack of lamb anywhere that wasn't frozen as hard as a brick.  So I deferred to steak.  I was inspired by the Cake Boss (of all people) - did you know he has another show called Kitchen Boss where he teaches you the recipes he makes at home?  I had no idea.  The things I miss out on by working all day!  Anyway, he was whipping up a fancy meal for his wife that consisted of pan-seared steak au poivre (peppersteak) with a creamy pan sauce.  I didn't pay enough attention to write down all the details, but when I my lamb-plans went awry I quickly fixated on that steak and did a little research. I think the recipe I came up with is a mix of about 3 recipes that I found online.  In the end, I went with a red wine pan sauce (made with dealcoholized wine because hubs doesn't drink) with garlic, balsamic vinegar and beef broth. Here are the basic steps.

1. Leave your steaks out for about 15 minutes so they are not ice cold when they go in the pan.  Generously salt them all over, then coat the top and bottom with fresh ground pepper. Press the pepper into the meat a bit so it sticks.  You really want to coat it good.

2. Over medium heat, melt about 1 tsp butter together with 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan (I'm totally in love with the ceramic-coated non-stick fry pan that we got as a wedding gift - damn, it's fabulous!). Once the butter starts to turn golden (not brown!), add the steaks.  Don't try to squish them or cover them - just leave them be for at least 5 minutes (for rare) or up to 7 minutes (medium well) then flip them and repeat.  I'm not a steak guru - I went with 5 1/2 minutes on one side, and 7 on the other (I had thick steaks!) and they came out medium - just perfect. If you have doubts, I'm sure you can find a million references online for how long to cook steak.  The key is, DON'T SQUISH IT and don't flip it more than once.

3. When the steaks are done, put them on a plate and cover them with foil.  Add a couple of cloves of minced garlic into the remaining pan juices and saute until it gets nice and fragrant.  Add about 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add 1 tbsp of dry thyme, 1/2 c. red wine and 1/2 c. beef broth and reduce the mixture until it gets a little thick and coats a regular spoon.

4. Remove the sauce from the heat, and add about 2 tbsp of butter and stir until it melts and thickens.  Pour this delicious concoction over your steaks and serve immediately.  Seriously, I have never had better steak in my life.


I served this up with some roasted garlic mashed potatoes. I roasted a bulb of garlic for about 30 minutes (chop the top off, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, roast at 400 F).  This could (and probably should) be done ahead of time so you're not burning your fingers trying to squeeze fiery hot garlic cloves into your mashed potatoes.

Boil up some potatoes as your normally would for mashed potatoes (chop into large cubes, boil in salted water until a fork easily pierces them). Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the bulb and into the drained potatoes. Add some milk and butter (I never measure this - butter gives flavor, milk makes it creamy.  Adjust amounts until it looks/tastes right to you). Mash together.  Add some chopped green onions or chives, if you like.

Serve up a mound of mashed potatoes, the steak and drizzle that pan sauce over both.  You will love me forever.

Oh yeah, and don't forget the green things!  How about peas? Frozen peas are usually easy to get in the boonies, and they cook up super fast.  Pour them into a steamer over 1" of water and steam for 5 minutes. Add more butter.

I don't have any photos of this glorious dinner because it was gone before you could say "Happy Valentine's Day", but let's just say it was very well received!

Now, go on a diet. :)

Spaghetti and meat sauce

This first recipe is a no-brainer for me as far as cooking in the boonies goes. Most of the ingredients are things you probably keep in your cupboards anyway, and you can make several substitutions based on what you have on hand.

This recipe is heavily adapted from the recipe in the Four Roses Cookbook (1960's version). It's been a family staple since I was little. The base of this recipe includes ground meat, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and spices. You can use almost anything for the meat - beef, pork, turkey, or even moose or venison if that is what you have. Canned tomatoes can be diced or whole - I prefer to add my own spices, so I always just buy plain, unspiced tomatoes and sauce. This year, I'd like to get a greenhouse going so I can grow and can my own tomatoes.

The additions to this recipe include almost any vegetable that is in your fridge. This is a great recipe for getting rid of "almost-gone" veggies. You know - the ones that are kind of brown, wrinkled or wilty? In a sauce, you never notice that they're not perfect.

To start with, mince up a generous amount of garlic (I use 3 or 4 cloves) and chop up an onion. Chop up any other veggies that you plan to include (mushrooms, celery, carrots, bell peppers, etc..). You probably want 1-2 cups of veggies in addition to the onion. If you don't have anything fresh, you can use a drained can of mushrooms, or some frozen zucchini, or nothing at all (if you want a plain sauce).

Brown the meat until there's no more pink showing, then drain any excess fat. Add the onion, garlic and veggies and stir fry until everything begins to soften (it doesn't have to be totally brown - things will continue to cook in the sauce). Now add a large can of tomatoes, a small can of tomato sauce, and a small can of tomato paste and stir. You can also add about 1/2 c. red wine, water, or broth if it seems too thick.

Add the spices to taste and allow the whole thing to simmer while you boil a pot of spaghetti. A large pot of this sauce will make at least 6 servings, probably more.

See below for detailed recipe and instructions.

500 g (1 pound) ground meat, thawed. (Beef, pork, moose, turkey, or ??)
1 large onion
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups of chopped fresh, canned or frozen veggies (mushrooms, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, etc.)
1 28 oz. can of tomatoes, whole or diced.
1 small can of plain tomato sauce
1 small can of plain tomato paste
1/2 cup of red wine, beef broth, or water
1 tbsp. dry or 1/4 c. fresh basil
2 tbsp. dry or 1/3 c. fresh oregano
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
salt and pepper to taste.

Brown meat and drain off excess fat.

Add garlic, onions and veggies and cook until veggies begin to soften and onions are translucent.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and liquid and stir until combined.

Add spices, tasting as you go. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Allow to simmer while you bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.

Serve with parmesan cheese. If you have picky kids who don't like veggies, use a blender to liquify the sauce so the kids can't see the veggies. They'll never know ;)