Poor food

I wouldn't be telling the truth if I were to say food hasn't been on my mind lately.  Let's face it...it's about that time when we roll out all the stops, go overboard, and prepare more food than any one could ever be expected to eat in one sitting.  And so much food that it certainly doesn't fit on one plate.  But that is a few days off and I'm already gearing up for the occasion.
I've taken some pretty simple meal ideas and started making them for my warm-up.  They are basic 'poor food' ideas.  At least, that is what we call them around here.  What qualifies as poor food?
Well, they are meals that are filling, in-expensive, and food that is actually good for you and...yeah, wait...they taste the best because they are home-prepared and made from scratch.  Let's start with a simple Mexican version first...

Hot Sauce:  Fresh!  jalapenos, tomatillos, diced onions simmered in water.

Hot Sauce!  Simmered down and crushed together.

Pinto Beans:  Slow cooked from dry which is the only way to eat beans.  Cooked up with onion and bacon.

Spanish Rice:  You have to fry the rice first till it takes on a brown.  Add onion, bell pepper, tomato and spices - salt, pepper, garlic, comino.

Then add some tomato sauce (a bit) and broth or...poor right?...water and then simmer.

Spanish Rice!  Fluff it up...with those fresh beans and hot sauce.  Hungry yet?

Pork steak:  Take those dried chili's and reconstitute them and blend them up.  It will make that red paste that you see beside the blue spoon.  Brown that cheap, cheap, cut of pork and the flavor is beyond.  I cut the meat off the bones first but cooked them all together to get the best flavor then removed the bones...beyond!

   So...Then I had made up another poor food menu but this one is more Italian style.  I can't believe anyone would use canned beans (not me, no, can't bare canned) so I didn't for this recipe and cooked up my own white beans - fresh from dry.

White beans:  Simmered with onion, celery, bacon until soft and creamy to be used in the main dish.



Zucchini:  Sliced, lightly dragged in seasoned flour and fried.  We ended up eating these as appetizers.  Fun way to eat your greens. 

Sausage and beans:  Main event.  I used browned turkey sausage, sweated fresh diced tomatos with fresh garlic in olive oil and added the fresh white beans.  How can something so simple taste so good?!

Sugar cookies.  Poor doesn't mean you don't get the entire package including dessert.  Plain and simple, flaky and not too sweet.  The perfect ending for perfect meals. 

Now that I'm all warmed up, I'm ready for the main event coming up this Thursday. 
TT