Jesse's Special, A Staple

Way back in our broke college days, a buddy who was raised with 10 other family members in house, showed us his money saving dish. It was filling, tasty, easy, and cheap. It was (and is) a perfect meal. Of course, our version has been scaled down to only serve about four people, not ten.

Ingredients:
1 small head of cabbage, diced
4-5 russet potato, diced
2 links of Eckrich smoked sausage, sliced
Butter of choice
salt and pepper

Instructions:
In a large pot of heavily salted boiling water, cook cubed cabbage until almost soft. Remove cabbage and place in bowl. Cover and let steam. To boiling cabbage water, cook potatoes until fork tender. Remove potatoes and add to cabbage in covered bowl. Butter and pepper to taste. To salted cabbage/potato water, heat sausage for two minutes. Remove sausage and add to cabbage and potato mixture. Butter and pepper to taste. Serve.

Modifications Made from Original Recipe:
Jesse used to cook the potatoes as thinly sliced, covered in butter, and baked much like this. Baking buttery potatoes in the oven is better but as the years went by too little time to bake for 45 minutes and too little of cool weather to run the oven lead to boiled butter potatoes. Cabbage was served as large pieces instead of pieces but required to the use of a knife at dinner. Not wanting the hassle (or dishes) cubed cabbage was developed. As a result cabbage cooking time was also reduced. Nice. And finally unlike Jesse's dished plate of three separate sections, mine is tossed all together ensuring every bit has butter and pepper, cabbage, potato, and sausage.

Scaled for Likability: Great
As before, of course this would be a a great since it came from the T&T collection. Jesse's Special has become one of those home cooked meals that takes you back to a better time and place. A place filled with memories. Not always fun memories as we were broke college students but memories of a time when we were at the top of our game and being broke only made it more adventurous. Memories of midnight racquetball games and long weekend "study" sessions. Memories of too many projects, not enough time, and deadlines. Mostly, Jesse's Special invokes memories of what the future would hold for us after graduation.

Papas a La Mexicana (Ranchera)

It is a crying shame that there are six hens and not a egg in sight. What am I supposed to do with homemade ranchero sauce? Thankfully with a few quick searches of the internet a recipe from my hometown newspaper was discovered: Papas Ranchera . Not once in the thirty years I lived in my hometown did I ever eat at a local food joint serving papas rancheras. No time like the present to remedy this cultural dish. Because this recipe is hidden behind a paywall (grrr...) I have included it here for you: Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 1 pound potatoes, diced 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 large onion 1 1/2 medium tomatoes 3 jalapenos 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup juice from canned tomatoes Instructions: Fry potatoes in vegetable oil until lightly browned (about 4-6 minutes). Saute onions, tomatoes, jalapenos until soft. Add garlic powder and salt. Add tomato juice until vegetables are covered (may need to add water). Bring to a boil and then add po...

Better Than Campbell's Old Fashion Vegetable Soup

Went to the store with the hopes of gathering fresh produce for soup. With more than 45 people in line for two packages of any meat product and the produce section containing only avocado, orange, and most randomly, strawberries, I settled upon canned soup. Well not canned soup since that section was still void of food, too. Instead soup made from canned goods as the canned vegetable section had been mostly restocked. Soups like this 15 Minute Vegetable Soup are ideal in dire food situations such as current times. Modifications Made: Plain petite diced tomatoes omitted, frozen carrots instead of canned, green beans and corn undrained, peas omitted (gross, nasty little pods), one cup celery, three cups diced potatoes, one can tomato sauce, two beef and two pollo de tomate bouillon cubes, six cups water. Once onions were softened, carrots/celery/potatoes/juice of green beans and corn, sauce, bouillon cubes, water were added and allowed to simmer until carrots almos...

Cold Corn Bean Salsa

Nothing says junk food like chips and salsa, chips and cheese dip, chips and guacamole. Over the years I have perfected my salsa. It's good on tacos, on nachos, on enchiladas, and of course on chips. Just because I have the best salsa doesn't mean I don't like to try new salsa's like this Best Black Bean and Corn Salsa. Modifications Made: Shoepeg corn was replaced with one can of standard yellow corn with no salt added. Petite diced tomatoes were reduced by half. Italian dressing was swapped for half teaspoon comino, half teaspoon of chili powder, and two tablespoon of fresh lime juice. Salsa was made and let rest for two hours before eating. Scaled for Likability: Good Salsa this was not. Good it was however. It was too much for chips by themselves but was great served over a soft beef taco.

Eating Waffles

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