As it usually starts in the kitchen, I get out an onion, cutting board, and either a frying pan or a pot. This time it is going to be a pot of soup. We had tacos night before last. I made plenty ground beef so with what is left over we are going to make taco soup. We are going to make enough to put some up, the weather is starting to turn cold. Here in the south it is a wet rainy cold, that seems to get in your bones. Nothing is better than home made soup. Usually it consist of okra, corn, green beans, and such. Today is made in the same way, just the ingredients are different.
There is nothing like cutting into a fresh onion, chopping it up and putting it into a pot. The tears welled up in your eyes. That is a fresh one when the tears start to run down your cheek. You can't wipe your eyes till you finish cutting them up, now your nose starts running. Next you find yourself washing your hands, and blowing your nose. You're ready to go back to the kitchen to cook, sinus, clear.
I have some stuff left over from the tacos we had the other night, but you will need to brown 1 lb. of hamburger meat about 80% lean. I would do that first, and then add the onions and pour in 2 packages of taco mix. Also the whole green chile's in the can have to be cut into chunks. Something else left over, is some pinto beans from last night cabbage, that was left over from the corn beef. We don't waste no food around here. If you only have enough money for 2 pork chops and have 6 kids, you make stew.
If you have been following my blogs, you might have some of this home made salsa, if not you can use store bought. If you also didn't read the blog on canning tomatoes, you will need a large can of dices tomatoes. No, every one can't grow their own tomatoes, and peppers, but every one does need to stretch every dollar these days. Most of the food, stories about food, and/or recipes, are about getting the most for your money and still eating good. Now back to cooking. We have a bunch of cans to open.
In this pot we will add, can of corn, a can of dark red kidney beans, a can of white hominy, and a can of Frijoles Negros. My eyes pop every time I see that written in this day and time. Black beans, and if you buy the hominy, and black beans in the regular can food section, it's cheaper. Always trying to save money.
Whole Green Chile's
Left over Pintos
Think we need a
Bigger Pot
Corn, Chick Peas, Black-eye Peas
Dark Red Kidney Beans
Hominy, and the notorious black beans. Stir a pack of Ranch Salad Dressing Mix in, and let simmer. This is a lot of food, but you can freeze it. There is plenty here if you have young kids a growing, or a student in college with friends. When I was first starting out I would cook every Sunday.
Working construction jobs 6 days a week, Sundays were for cooking, drinking some beers, but mostly cooking. I would cook fry ed chicken, make a meat loaf, green beans, rice and gravy. I would 3 or 4 dishes all at once. You see, just fixing this big pot of Taco Soup. I would eat all day,a little bit of this and that, a little of everything I was cooking. Girls loved to come over on my day off. Monday was back to 10 or 12 hour days until next Sunday.
I would pack a lunch to heat in the microwave, or most times just eat it room temperature. At night I would come back home to a hot shower, a few cold beers, and food ready to eat. While the other guys ate at fast food joints for lunch, or going out at night, I liked my cooking. I just wish had been smart about money in other ways too. Even today I can get the most for my money in the grocery store. It pays to know how to make the food last too.
You know me, the bowl I fix for myself will have 2, or 3 Hot Peppers. A Tabasco, or a cayenne, maybe both. Hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy bringing it to you. Healthy food, the sticks to your ribs kind, so to speak. As always please share my blog with your friends as I reach a mile stone of 1000 views this week. Once again thank-you.
Yummmmmmyy!!!!!!!
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