One Pot Mexi-Mac

Actually, the real name of this family favorite is Mystery Meat Mexi-Mac, but I didn't think anyone would ever give a second glance at any food with the words mystery meat in it.

"Mystery meat" tends to conjure up images of summer camp and the tummy troubles that went with it. Of course, it may have just been the teenage girls who had the tummy troubles. See, for one week every summer, the girls at my camp didn't use the bathroom. Specifically to go #2. There was always the rumor that the boys had drilled holes through the walls and were watching the girls use the toilets. (Stupid girls that we were, we never actually questioned how the boys got those so-called drills.) And if you were really cool (aka, classy) there was no passing of gas either. Hence, tummy troubles. By day 3, most girls were complaining of cramps (because that was an acceptable ailment to have while maintaining one's coolness), and by day 5, the girls were all forgoing afternoon fun for naps. Which really meant that they had each visited the camp nurse for some Tums and were lying in their bunks discreetly releasing noxious fumes that left a green haze hovering over the entire cabin area.

Or, so I've heard.☺

How did I get so far off course from Mexi-Mac? Oh yeah, mystery meat. I'm back...

This is not the mystery meat of summer camp. Just so you know.

The reason that we added mystery to this dish is simple~we never know what meat will end up in the pot. Our family favorite is bulk sausage, but we also like shredded chicken and beef. And if meat is a luxury item, leave it out. I'm guessing that no one will even notice that it's gone...

I guess that could be the mystery!☺

~Mystery Meat Mexi-Mac~

~The Players~

1 lb. bulk sausage (pork, turkey, venison)

1 large onion, chopped

1 large red pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans (15 oz.) mild chili beans, undrained

2 cans (15 oz.)great northern beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans (14-1/2 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (7 oz.) can diced green chiles

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

2 cans of water (I use the tomato cans)

1 (16 oz.) bag uncooked brown rice macaroni pasta

2 cups frozen corn

1 can olives, sliced

2 Tb. plus 2 t. chili powder

2 t. sea salt

2 t. ground cumin

Garnish: shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

In a large Dutch oven, cook the sausage until barely pink. Add onion, red pepper, and garlic and cook until meat is done. (If using pre-cooked meat, saute veggies in 2 Tb. olive oil and add cooked meat with the beans.)

Stir in beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and macaroni. Add chili powder, salt, and cumin and stir to blend. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add corn and olives. Remove from heat and replace lid while you shred the cheese. 

Serve in bowls and if desired, garnish with cheese and sour cream.

Enjoy!

Venison Fajitas

This is not the post I was going to write about, nor is this the recipe that I was going to share, but for some reason, my fingers and thumbs collaborated together to overthrow my brain.

It was a conspiracy and I am a victim.

I guess my brain went willingly, thinking it would be criminal to not share this recipe before the Pork Stir-Fry recipe. Both were delicious. Both were low carb. And both were gobbled up so quickly that old records were shattered. Well, if we kept records, I'm sure they would've shattered.

The whole recipe took less than a half hour from start to finish, dirtied enough dishes to make it look like I slaved for hours, and kept my kids from arguing for the whole 20 seconds it took for them to gobble it down.

I'm officially keeping records now.☺

~Venison Fajitas~

~The Players~

2 lbs. deer steak or beef rib eye steak, sliced very thin

2 Tb. olive oil

1 organic, red pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 organic, orange pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 sweet onion, julienned

2 tomatoes, halved, then sliced very thin

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. paprika

2 Tb. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

salt & pepper, to taste

Fresh cilantro, washed and chopped (4-5 Tb.)

6" corn tortillas, warmed

Optional: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, grated cheese, wedge of lime

In a large skillet, heat olive oil; add meat. Cook until meat has just a little pink color in it. Remove from heat. (It will finish cooking in the pan.) Add lime juice, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper. Stir and set aside.

Place prepared red and orange peppers, and onion in broiler pan. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the top.

Place pan under broiler and broil until vegetables start to brown; about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven. Add meat mixture into the pepper/onion mix and toss with tongs. Add tomatoes and toss again.

Sprinkle fresh, chopped cilantro on the fajita mix. Serve with warmed corn tortillas, and any optional ingredients.

And DON'T BLINK or you may miss out!

Enjoy!

Venison Stroganoff

As a young newlywed, I had illusions of my new hubby and I standing side-by-side in the kitchen, preparing our meals together. Or, at the very least, I'd cook, he'd clean.

This is the stuff that should be covered in pre-marriage counseling.

It would save a lot of disillusionment.

While things didn't exactly go according to my silly dreams, I did find out a very important detail about my Mister.

He CAN cook.

If he has to.

A couple of months into our new marriage, I came down with the flu. Not just a 24-hour bug, but a full-on-knock-ya-to-the-ground kind of flu. Here I was vomiting profusely in front of my beloved and I hadn't even let him see me without my make-up yet! I thought that was me at my worst, and if he could love me with my head resting on the side of the porcelain throne, we could withstand anything.

Then we started having children.

I guess the flu was just preparing my hubby for what was to come.

Back to the flu...my new husband decided that all that was needed to make his sweetheart better was a good hearty dinner. So, he took it upon himself to introduce me to his version of Beef Stroganoff.

I wish I could tell you how much I loved his meal. What I can tell you is that I loved the effort he made to make that meal.

Fast forward 24 years, and through no fault of my Mister's, I am finally able to eat stroganoff again.

I'm just sorry for all the time that was wasted.

~Venison Stroganoff~

~The Players~

2 lbs. venison, sliced thin (can use beef if preferred)

1/2 cup flour (can use rice flour)

4 Tb. unsalted butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced thin

2 cups beef stock

1 tsp. tamari sauce

1 cup sour cream

salt & pepper, to taste

Slice the meat very thin. It helps if the meat is partially frozen.

Add flour and mix well. It helps if this is done in a bowl.☺

In a deep-sided frying pan (I used a cast iron chicken fryer), melt the butter. Add the meat/flour and brown. Add the onions, mushrooms, broth, and tamari sauce. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove from heat; add sour cream, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over whole wheat egg noodles, brown rice, or potatoes.

This would work in a crockpot too. Brown the meat, and dump everything but the sour cream into the pot. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Before serving, add sour cream.

Enjoy!