Some of Our Favorite Family Recipes

On October 7, 2020October 7, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn RecipesLeave a comment

For whatever reason, most of our traditional family recipes seem to be ones that we make during the autumn and winter seasons. They tend to be meals that we create in large batches and either enjoy the leftovers the next day or freeze to have at a later date. Most of these were handed down from family member to family member by example and not written down. Cooking is one of those things that definitely can bring a family together, regardless of where you live or where you are from. It is probably one of the reasons why we enjoy eating traditional meals when we travel to places, because the food will also give you a sense of the people. Here are a few of our family’s recipes that we’ve posted over the past few years.

Meat Lasagna – We certainly enjoyed having lasagna in Rome and Florence, but our homemade lasagna is still one of our favorite meals. We also tend to make our own garlic toast to go along with it as we really like that combination. We always make a large batch so that we can have plenty of leftovers.

Red Chili – You will find many different varieties of chili as you travel throughout the southwest. From green chili to red chili, with or without meat, spicy or not spicy, they are all usually interesting and have plenty of flavor. Our version combines kidney beans and chili beans to create a very hearty meal.

Pumpkin Cookies – We bake these cookies every year in October or November and it is a way to welcome the change in the seasons. We typically make a couple dozen and then share them with our friends, who always look forward to them as well. It is a simple recipe, but the cookies are moist and delicious.

Egg and Hash Brown Potato Skillet – That isn’t the actual name of it, but egg slop doesn’t quite describe the dish. What makes this unique is the sauce that we make from chili powder and other seasonings. We have always had it for dinner, but it would make for a good weekend breakfast as well.

French Stew – This is an inexpensive meal that combines fresh ingredients in a simple way to make a “stewp”. Similar dishes can be found in the countryside’s of many different countries and is typically considered to be a hunter’s stew. A hunter stew is usually made from meat, potatoes, and vegetables, whatever happens to be available at the time.

Green Chili with Pork Recipe

On September 16, 2020September 16, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn RecipesLeave a comment

One of the things that you find throughout the southwest is green chili. You often find it as a topping for Mexican food, but this particular recipe is an actual meal and not meant to be a condiment. Cooking it low and slow allows the meat to become tender and absorb even more of the flavor of the peppers. We happened to have grown jalapenos over the summer, so we had several on hand, although they were a little smaller than normal. This is a great meal for cooler weather that is easy to make and will warm you up on the inside. If you like it a little spicier, you can simply add more peppers or leave more of the seeds in.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs Boneless Pork Shoulder – cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 Small Red Onion – chopped
2 Small Jalapenos – halved, one seeded and one with seeds left in
4 to 5 Tomatillos – husked, cleaned, and cut in half
3 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup Cilantro Leaves
3 tbsp Canola Oil
3 cups Chicken Stock
Juice of 1 Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Toss the onion, tomatillos, jalapenos, and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the oil, salt, and pepper. Heat an oven to 400 degrees and place the vegetables on a foil lined sheet pan and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once after about 15 to 20 minutes. When the vegetables have finished roasting, transfer them to a food processor and add the cilantro and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the pork. Cook until browned on all sides, about 5 to 8 minutes and use a slotted spoon to remove the pork from the skillet. Combine the pork, green chili sauce, and chicken stock in slow-cooker and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 hours. Transfer to individual bowls and serve.

Individual Serving of Green Chili with Pork

Chili Mac – Traditional Comfort Food, Non-Traditional Recipe

On December 16, 2015 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes4 Comments

This is one of our favorite winter time recipes. This might not be what you typically think of when you think of chili mac, but it is really, really delicious. 🙂 There is something about the tang of the vinegar combined with the spice of the chili powder that makes this dish stand out. Obviously you could use macaroni noodles, but the spaghetti noodles work so much better because they simply add a layer of flavor because they aren’t as thick as macaroni noodles. It is also a one pot dinner where we use a short cut to make it easier, but you certainly could make the chili from scratch if you’d like. If you’re willing to give it a try, we think it might become one of your favorite recipes as well.

Ingredients

1 lb Lean Ground Beef
3 – 15 oz Cans of Chili (you’re favorite brand)
4 tbsp Chili Powder (half hot and half regular if available)
1 1/2 tbsp Granulated Garlic Powder
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
8 oz Thin Spaghetti Noodles (half of a 1 lb package)

Instructions

Add the ground beef, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a large sauce pot and brown the ground beef on medium-high heat. Browning the ground beef with the spices will allow the meat to absorb the flavor as it cooks. Add the three cans of chili, retaining the cans. Stir the ground beef with the chili. Fill each chili can three-quarters of the way to top with water, swirling the water as you fill them to get any additional sauce from the sides of the can. Add the vinegar and the water from the three cans to the pot. Stir in the cayenne pepper and bring to a boil and then reduce the heat low. Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Increase the heat to medium-low and add the spaghetti noodles in small batches to the pot (you can break the long noodles into shorter pieces, if you prefer), stirring them in as they are added. If you add the noodles all at once or in large handfuls, they will stick together and not fully cook. If there isn’t enough liquid to cover the noodles, add enough hot water to ensure that the noodles have enough liquid to absorb. Cooking the spaghetti noodles in the liquid from the chili will allow them to absorb all of the spices and flavors from the chili while they cook. Cook the noodles until they are at the desired tenderness.