Quick and Easy Meals for One, Bachelor Style

neptunechimney wrote: I am a big fan of butter and salt, but the very best corn on the cob and the absolute easiest to fix and prepare is raw. Nothing beats a good ear of corn eaten raw.

Preparation: peel. Then eat.

I can't disagree. Fresh corn right off the stalk is a wonderful thing!



It reminds me of a camping trip, my little brother wanted to take his son, 4 years old at the time, out to camp and asked for my help. Being the big brother an uncle I couldn't disappoint them so I set up a park and camp out of the car trip in the Red Feather Lakes area. Just a quick overnight trip so the little guy didn't get too freaked out about being away from mom, Saturday overnight to Sunday. We had steaks, baked spuds, and corn on the cob for dinner on Saturday. Obviously Dad had to cut the meat and spuds up and help the tike eat his portion.

My nephew ate like he hadn't been fed for days and was very happy until an hour or so later when he needed to move his bowels. It's funny (but it's not) how a potty trained toddler reacts to being outside and needing to use a traditional bathroom. Dad was sleeping off the feast so I took the tike out to an appropriate place, dug a trench, and told him what to do. Eventually I convinced him that is really the right thing to do but before I could bury the evidence he was awe struck by the corn festooned turd and a little concerned about why the corn passed through his system "unprocessed." I didn't have an explanation then that a four year old could understand so I told him that was just how corn is processed by the human body. Of course he didn't understand what I meant, started to cry and daddy came to the rescue. Daddy told him I was telling him the truth and it was ok and to calm down, nothing was wrong and it was normal.

My nephew is 18 now and going off to college this fall, he still recalls the day that uncle Otis told him that corn will just pass through your system and it's nothing to be concerned about. It's a funny family story that gets retold by the older kids to the younger ones and everyone has a laugh at my nephew's expense.

Okay, no more talk about poop in the Kitchen! Back on track...

Here's a staple I keep on hand in my kitchen and put on just about everything...

Green Chili With Pork

What You Need:

2 rashers of thick cut bacon, diced
1 pound pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons water
2 pounds Hatch green chiles (the hottest chilies are best but use what you like), roasted, peeled, and course chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
Pinch of salt
Black pepper to taste
3 cups chicken broth

How It's Done:

Heat up a heavy pot or Dutch Oven, in the summer I make this on the side burner of my gas grill. Once the pot is hot add the bacon and let it cook but not until it is crisp, remove from the pot and set aside then add onions and cook onions until soft. Remove the onions and set aside with the bacon then add the cubed pork and seer on all sides until the meat is browned. Once the pork is brown add the chilies, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, onions, bacon, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the pork is falling apart. Make a slurry with the corn starch and cold water, once well mixed pour into the pot and return the mixture to a boil. Stir while the heat is increased and until the mixture begins to boil and thicken. Remove from heat once the mixture has tightened up.

Good by itself in a bowl with some shredded cheddar and a flour tortilla. Goes well as a topping on just about anything, burgers, eggs, meatloaf... Also freezes well so when I make a batch I portion it out and keep some in the freezer for future meals. Need more green chili than this recipe makes? I have quadrupled this recipe for family gatherings with great results (unless you ask the people that think ketchup is spicy...)!

Every once in a while the bargain bin in the meat section of my local grocery yields a nice chunk of lamb at a price that I can't pass up. Now what am I going to do with it...

Lamb Kebobs, Indian Style

What You Need:

2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/2 cups water
2 pounds leg of lamb, (if you have a bone in leg it will weigh more) trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt to taste
1 large lemon, cut 6 1-by-2-inch strips of lemon peel extract 2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

How It's Done:

In a large bowl, combine one cup of yogurt with the water, add the lamb cubes, and toss to coat then refrigerate overnight. Drain the lamb and pat dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup of yogurt with the chile powder, turmeric, garlic, cayenne and salt. Add the lamb, toss to coat and let stand for 10 to 20 minutes.

Thread a piece of the lemon peel onto metal kebob skewers, 6 skewers is usually enough. Thread the lamb cubes onto the skewers and season with salt. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with the lemon juice.

Grill the skewers over moderately high heat, turning, until starting to char all over, about 3 minutes. Continue to grill, turning and basting with the butter and lemon juice, until medium-rare, about 4 minutes longer.

You already have three bowls and 6 kebob skewers to clean up so break out the paper plates and plastic wear or go with the meat on a stick theme. Ideally eaten with naan (Indian flat bread cooked in a tandori grill) but I don't know of a local source for that. I guess you could put the lamb in pita bread with other stuff...

Goes great with cold vegetable salads, corn on the cob, and beer. Since two pounds of lamb makes 4-6 servings if I'm eating alone I cut up the meat and cut down on the other ingredients accordingly, the opposite also applies and I have quadrupled this recipe for a block party.

When the weather gets hot it effects my appetite and makes me crabby(er). WHat can I make to eat that doesn't involve hovering over a stove or a grill that is still a nice meal?

Use up the Leftovers Pasta Salad

What You Need:

Pasta, best if it is already cooked
Ham, salami, pork, and/or chicken, if you have them all include them all but cube them up first, quarter inch dice
Frozen peas
Black olives, sliced
Mozzarella, eighth inch cubes or shredded
Gorgonzola or other creamy, stinky cheese
Garbanzo beans, I use canned beans so make sure you drain 'em
White kidney beans, canned and drained
Italian salad dressing, I like the kind that comes in an envelop that you add your own oil and vinegar to
Crushed red pepper

How It's Done:

If the pasta isn't cooked, cook it. Combine all of the ingredients in to a large bowl, when I make the Italian dressing I use high quality olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar. Mix well, cover, and chill overnight.

No quantities included because most of the time when I make this I have some of this and a little of that left over from other meals, play with the ratios and tune it the way you like it. It doesn't keep for long but it is a great way to use up the leftovers.

Sometimes there isn't enough time to make a meal, other times I just don't have the motivation. Here's an easy meal that takes no time at all:

Tuna and Crackers

What you need:

1 can tuna, I like it packed in water
Brown of Dijon mustard, always get a couple of extra packets when you buy a sandwich!
Crackers, grab a few at the local salad bar.
P-38 "John Wayne" can opener or similar tool
Plastic fork or pocket knife

How it's done:

Break out the can opener, open the can of tuna and drain. If doing this in a hotel room make sure to run the water long enough to get rid of the fish smell unless you like that smell. Open the mustard and add it to the tuna, I like two packets of Boarshead hot brown mustard in a can of tuna but you make it the way you like it. Mix tuna using plastic fork, pocket knife blade, or your finger if it comes down to it. Top crackers with the mixture or eat straight out of the can.

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This guy sucks at cooking. LOL

otisptoadwater wrote: Cinnamon rolls in Orange Peel

What you need:

1 can (tube?) cinnamon rolls - the kind you find in the refrigerated section with the biscuits at the grocery store

6 oranges

Tin foil

How to git'r dun:

Cut the first fifth off of the top of the orange, extract the insides using a spoon and taking care not to tear the rind. Open the cinnamon rolls and place one roll inside each orange rind, wrap in foil leaving some room for expansion.

Best cooked in coals from a wood fire but you can also cook on the grill or in the oven. Cooking time is dictated by the method of cooking and amount of heat from the source. In general these are done when you can smell the orange and cinnamon over the wood smoke and the foil packets have expanded to one and a half times the original size.

Remove from heat, allow a few minutes to cool then unwrap foil, peel off the orange rind, and enjoy!!

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Got a dozen or so rashers of bacon that need to be eaten son and happened across a great deal on beef tenderloin? I recommend you try...

Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin on a Stick

What You Need:

Beef tenderloin, 8 to 12 ounces per person
Bacon, thick cut is best but work with what you have
Ground Cayenne pepper to taste
Chipolte paste, get the canned stuff and smoosh it up with a fork or your fingers
Dark brown sugar or black strap molasses
Skewers, depending on where you are and your economic reality you can improvise using wire coat hangers, chop sticks or actual bamboo skewers
Styrofoam to go container or other suitable container
Fire, preferably charcoal but work with what is available to you (a Zippo won't get it done, find some REAL fire).

How to Git'r Dun:

Slice the beef into one inch cubes and wrap with bacon then place on the skewer. Add the spices to the meat once all of the nuggets of goodness have been assembled and place the skewers into the container. Marinate the skewers for 24 hours and then cook over medium-high heat, turning every five minutes, until bacon is semi-crisp and beef is medium to medium-rare.

Enjoy after letting the beef rest for five minutes and eat on the stick so clean up is just finding a trash can for the stick.

Now that the weather has returned to reasonable daily high temperatures and lows that make me think it might be time to break out the blankets again I find myself craving some...

BEEF STEW

What You Need:

Beef, I like to check the bargain bin at my local store for top round or chuck roast
Carrots, diced
Celery, diced
Onion, diced
Garlic, diced
Spuds, diced
Pearled barley
Frozen peas
Black pepper
Salt
Flour
Kitchen bouquet
Bacon grease (or veg oil if you must)
Beef or veal stock

How It's Done:

Get out the big heavy pot (Dutch oven) and place it on medium-high heat, add the bacon grease. Dice the veggies and add in the onions first, meanwhile cube the beef into cubes the same size as the veggies and coat the beef in flour. Add the beef to the Dutch oven along with the kitchen bouquet, salt, and black pepper then cook until the beef is browned on all sides then add the garlic. Cover the beef with the stock, add the pearled barley and bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook the beef and barley in the covered Dutch oven for a minimum of four hours, add water or stock as needed. In the last 45 minutes of cooking add the remaining ingredients and keep the pot covered.

Want to keep the clean up down to a Dutch oven, knife, cutting board and a spoon? Buy some day old sour dough mini-boulles (small round loafs of sour dough bread), cut the top eighth of the loaf off the top and hog out the bread from the inside of the loaf with your fingers, use the bread as a bowl! I eat the bread from inside the loaf along with the stew and a few morsels might find their way to the Wundermutt.

Here's a fall/winter dish that is super easy and very filling:

Sauerkraut and Sausages

What you need:

Sauerkraut, I use the canned stuff but if you want to use the stuff that comes in a bag (and costs 3x as much as the can go for it).
Sausages, always check the bargain bin and grab the brats and kielbasa even if you aren't cooking this dish right away, they will keep in the freezer.
Pork chops, I like to throw in a couple of boneless chops
Water

How to do it:

You need the big heavy pot and a lid for this one, open the sauerkraut and empty in to the pot. Add water, three times the volume of the sauerkraut. It's easy of you use the cans because three time the volume of the sauerkraut is three cans of water. Add the sausages and the pork chops. Chops, brats, and other wurst raw and whole, cut the cooked cured sausages in to chunks so the fat and spices will mingle with the other ingredients.

Put the pot on the burner and crank up the heat to high until you get to a rolling boil then reduce heat to low and cover but cock the lid to one side so steam can continue to escape. This is the kind of meal that gets better and better the longer it cooks so start a batch of this early in the day and make sure to check on it once and hour, add water as needed and stir. As the cooking goes on the chops will fall apart and the brats will cook through and burst.

If you are making this for yourself it can easily turn out to be two meals worth of food so keep the quantities in mind. When my extended family and friends get together in the fall and winter there is always a pot of this on the stove and everyone knows that no matter what time they get to the host's house there will be a meal ready for them. Our family tradition is that the host provides the base of sauerkraut and pork chops, guests bring the sausages and add them to the pot as they arrive. Very good with boiled potatoes and crusty bread.