Okra Gumbo Plus, A Staple

Collections found in my T&T recipe box come from various website, cookbook, self creations, and family members who meals have been altered over time to suit my tastes such as this Okra Gumbo Plus. Okra Gumbo was a staple growing up as it was cheap and so easy to make even a child who had to stand on a chair at the stove to reach the pot could make it.

Originally mom's recipe was:
1 lb venison
1 can diced tomato
1 bag frozen okra
1 cup of rice
2 cups of water
Nature Seasoning to taste

Brown meat, add remaining ingredients and cook till done. Simple.

Over the years, I have tried various modifications. Fresh vs canned vs frozen veggies. Searing the okra in a hot skillet to keep it from becoming slimy. Nature Seasoning, Season-All, plain salt and pepper. Rice cooked together or separately. Venison, pork, and beef but not chicken or turkey as fat is needed to hold the ingredients together. Water, chicken, or veggie broth. On and on it went...

Modifications: In preparation, half of an onion is browned along side meat, preferably not venison. Okra and corn (fresh or frozen), one can with juice of petite diced salted tomatoes, 1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water, and 1 Tablespoon of Tony Chachere seasoning are added next. Mix well and cook till desired tenderness of rice desired.

Scaled for Likability: Great
Of course this would be a a great since it came from the T&T collection. After all this time, I have decided that it is the Tony's seasoning that makes this meal. It offers a bit of heat to offset to sweetness of the corn. When money is tight, 2 cups of rice are added to stretch out the servings to offer left overs for lunch the next day. Another added bonus is that it is a year round meal! Perfect.

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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