Camping, Princess Style

[Smithy]

Note to self: when there's a rainstorm and strong wind, make doubly sure that the cooler lids are anchored down! We thought they were, but discovered yesterday morning that the lid on one cooler had come loose. The cooler was half-full of water.

 

At least the labels hadn't come off the cans so we'd have mystery ingredients. That might have been exciting: enchiladas with coconut milk, anyone? The boxes didn't fare as well. We set everything out to dry.

 

By the end of the day, the contents of both the Zatarain's mix boxes rattled. Neither the tempura mix nor the beer batter mix gave a clue as to its content's condition. The boxes were dry, and we'll learn later how the contents fared. Everything except one Jambalaya mix box went back into the now-dry cooler.

 

 

We've been carrying around a package of shrimp boudin from Miller's Smokehouse in Llano for a couple of months. Time to open it and check it out. Looks good, doesn't it?

 

 

I've had boudin before, but it's been a long time. I should have looked it up for guidance on how to cook it. I didn't. I thought browning it, then slicing, then adding the Zatarain's mix and following instructions would be the way to go.

 

It wasn't. (It's okay to laugh!)

 

 

The whole sausage did a slo-mo-explo as it heated; the skin popped, and rice and other ingredients spilled out. I added the water, Zatarain's mix, etc. and followed the rest of the instructions. I'll spare you the interior pot-shot. Here was my dinner:

 

 

Flavor: not bad, not worth repeating. Too much the same texture. Needed chunks of something in it: whole shrimp, possibly, but not my precious Argentinian shrimp! My darling said flat-out that he wants detectable meat, never mind that he knows there's nothing wrong with a meatless meal now and again. Chunks of Polish sausage would have done him just fine, thanks.

 

On the bright side, we have 1 less package in the freezer and 1 less box in the cooler.

 

[Shelby]

Yeah boudin like to blow up on ya lol.  I usually do mine in the steam boy--300F for 20 mins or so--just until the skin browns and gets crispy.   Trust me, I've had my share of blow outs!  I love love love boudin.  Crawfish is probably my favorite.

[Smithy]

5 minutes ago, Shelby said:

Yeah boudin like to blow up on ya lol.  I usually do mine in the steam boy--300F for 20 mins or so--just until the skin browns and gets crispy.   Trust me, I've had my share of blow outs!  I love love love boudin.  Crawfish is probably my favorite.

 

How do you serve it? What foods do you serve with it, if anything?

[Shelby]

Just now, Smithy said:

 

How do you serve it? What foods do you serve with it, if anything?

I make it a lot when we have breakfast for dinner.  Goes great with any type of eggs, toast, potatoes.  Think of it as replacing the sausage links one might have with breakfast. 

[Smithy]

7 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I make it a lot when we have breakfast for dinner.  Goes great with any type of eggs, toast, potatoes.  Think of it as replacing the sausage links one might have with breakfast. 

 

So, does it hold its shape after cooking, if you don't have a blowout? Or do you slice into it and have all that filling spill out onto the plate and contents?

[Shelby]

Just now, Smithy said:

 

So, does it hold its shape after cooking, if you don't have a blowout? Or do you slice into it and have all that filling spill out onto the plate and contents?

Yes, if no blowout, it holds it's shape.  I quickly went through my phone and this is the first picture of boudin that I found.  We must have wanted both scrambled eggs and runny eggs lol.  

 

 

It isn't solid like a regular sausage by any means, but with a steak knife you can cut slices off that hold their shape.

 

 

Here's when I did them in a skillet--it was for breakfast for Ronnie and our hunter.  You can see I'm just on the verge of the dreaded blowout lol.

[Smithy]

Thanks for the tutorial, @Shelby! I'll know better next time. Maybe. 

 

More information or comments on boudin are welcome, of course!  Right now, however, I want to note a trailer refinement we made yesterday for those who consider the trailering life. Way back here, I wrote about upgrades to our rear screen doors. The clear vinyl covering from the screens, once removed to allow air in, wouldn't stretch back to quite fit the space. There were always wind gaps, and adjusting air flow through the back doors was dificult. We replaced the vinyl with polycarbonate panels cut to fit. They adhere to the original door screen frames with Velcro^TM, as the original vinyl covers had. We purchased and installed the Velcro^TM after getting the polycarbonate cut to fit.

 

Well, they most of the time stick to the screen frames. I've written at least once recently about an almighty crash in which a panel or three has blown out and dropped to the floor. No damage so far, though it scares the heck out of anyone in the room.

 

We think there must be different sizes or grades of Velcro^TM: larger hooks and loops, or smaller hooks and loops, and that they need to be matched properly. There appears to be a mismatch between what we put on the window panes and what was already on the screen frames. Either that, or the hooks are already getting loose. The upshot is that panels have been falling out more frequently. My darling got the bright idea to install storm window hooks. It looks good, and nothing will fall out anymore.

 

 

I made a padded folding set of sleeves for window panels when they aren't in place. They had too many sharp edges to leave them lying around loose, and we don't want the polycarbonate to scratch someone or get scratched. I'd been using pillowcases before now.

 

 

We figure with all this engineering and modification, we should make a killing selling modification kits! 😀

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by Smithy
Formatting: Velcro TM superscripting (log)

[Smithy]

The Stormwater Jamabalaya Boudin was a bust in more ways than one, but the day before...well, that was a keeper.

 

"Make some room in the freezer!" he demanded requested, "we need room for some of the chili leftovers!" Well, okay. I pulled out 2 chicken thighs and 2 containers of stuff preserved at home and brought along for the ride.

 

 

(The hot peppers were purchased in an excess of summer farm stand enthusiasm. Then I had to do something with them....)

 

Next: what to do with these ingredients? I wanted to include some fingerling potatoes that were getting a bit long in their baby teeth. I wanted something green, and broccoli seemed like a good idea. How did I want to cook these? Instant Pot or stove top?

 

I thought of two cookbooks by @JAZ that are loaded with bookmarks, delicious-looking recipes and, in one case, my notes: The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook for Two (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) and Dutch Oven Dinners (eG-friendly Amazon.com link). (Full disclosure: JAZ is a member and manager of eGullet, and these books were recompense to me for testing some of her recipes.) Like all of her books that I own, they are clearly written, easy to follow, and enticingly photographed. They draw from a wide range of ingredients and cuisines. 

 

Neither book had quite the combination of ingredients I was looking for, but both provided plenty of inspiration.

 

The timing seemed too tricky for the Instant Pot, given the respective cooking times for chicken, potatoes and broccoli. I was afraid I'd overcook something with repeated repressurizations. I dug more deeply into the Dutch Oven cookbook.  (Incidentally, it was published in 2020 and has a charming dedication: "To Dave, who made sheltering in place enjoyable.") I saw nothing quite like what I wanted to do, but good guidance on rough timing and sequencing. I think it's safe to say that dinner that night was my own creation, but it was plenty well-informed by Janet's books. I owe her thanks for getting me off my Dutch Oven Duff.

 

For once, I kept notes as I went along. Maybe I'll be able to recreate it. Far too many of my creations end up in my personal Journal of Irreproducible Results. I don't usually write out the steps for a dish unless someone asks, but I'm afraid I'll lose the notes. Suggestions and questions are welcome.

 

• 2 chicken thighs, dusted liberally with paprika and smoked paprika
• about a dozen fingerling potatoes, halved
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup slow-roasted plum tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped (label shows how roasted; technique loosely based on @ElainaA's recipe here)
• 1 branch broccoli, stalk peeled, crown and stalk cut into bite-sized pieces
• about 1/4 cup slow-roasted and peeled hot peppers, roughly chopped (same roasting technique)
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion

Brown thighs in a light film of olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat, then set aside on the cutting board. 

Add a small amount more olive oil to the residual chicken fat; brown the potatoes; add onion and cook, stirring, just until the onion is soft.

Add chicken broth, stir, and cover the pot. Cook about 5 minutes until potatoes are beginning to soften.

Return chicken thighs to pot; add tomatoes and peppers.

Bring to almost boiling, cover, lower the heat to maintain a bare simmer.

Cook, covered, until chicken is almost done. (This took about 13 minutes, according to my notes.)

Add broccoli and cook, covered, until broccoli is tender but still bright green, about another 5 minutes.

Remove the cover and allow the sauce to cook down slightly. 

 

The ingredients and interim steps:

 

 

The one-pot dinner in the pot:

 

 

I haven't decided what to call this yet, but at the table we referred to it as Sneaky Pete Heat chicken. The peppers' heat kept creeping up on us and the crescendo was a bit higher than we'd have liked. We liked the overall flavors, though: chickeny, surprisingly sweet because of the tomatoes, with perfectly-done potatoes and broccoli. Next time I'll use only half of the hot peppers. I'll also bone the chicken to make it easier to eat. The skin was flabby (no surprise there) but we like even flabby chicken skin so I'll probably keep that. Four chicken thighs would have worked fine here; we had leftovers for everything except the chicken.

 

What do you think? Got any name suggestions?

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

I thought of two cookbooks by @JAZ that are loaded with bookmarks, delicious-looking recipes and, in one case, my notes: The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook for Two (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) and Dutch Oven Dinners (eG-friendly Amazon.com link). (Full disclosure: JAZ is a member and manager of eGullet, and these books were recompense to me for testing some of her recipes.) Like all of her books that I own, they are clearly written, easy to follow, and enticingly photographed. They draw from a wide range of ingredients and cuisines. 

 

Thanks for mentioning @JAZ's dutch oven book. I didn't know about that one but will check it out.

Her Instant Pot Obsession book (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) is a gem.  It's the book that should come with every IP. Whenever the question comes up, I recommend that anyone considering getting an IP read it for a solid understanding of what the IP is good at and and what it's not. Well worth the investment. 

Edited January 24, 2021 by blue_dolphin
to add link (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On 1/8/2021 at 2:35 PM, Smithy said:

 

Here, as I promised, is the juicer in action. My mother rescued this venerable Wear-Ever citrus squeezer from a military family that was getting ready to move. They were going to throw it away! It's been in our family longer than I have, and I recommend it for its simplicity and effectiveness. They can still be found on eBay from time to time.

 

The juicer is intended for lemons and limes, but my mother thought to try it on pomegranates one time when she was making jelly. Juicing those babies is/was a real pain. She never looked back. As for myself: I love the look of pomegranate arils, but I'm only good for one or two fruits before the seeds take the fun away. Juice, on the other hand, is delicious and seed-free, and considerably cheaper than store-bought Pom Wonderful juice.

 

 

There are probably more efficient juicers for this purpose. I'd guess the vertical geared juicer one sees in bars would do a better job, but this one is more compact and works well enough for me. The glass is holding one pomegranate's worth of juice, about 5 oz in this case.

 

 

A vertical slow juicer is not something I would want to take camping, however my Kuvings just did an outstanding job on a pomegranate.  I cannot abide the taste of bottled pomegranate juice but this juice is delicious.  Plus I got very good yield.  (Yes, I have a rack and pinion citrus press that I love dearly and employ everyday for citrus.)

 

This morning amazon delivered two more pomegranates.

 

 

[Smithy]

I made it in to Yuma yesterday and had a chance to check out the Farmers' Market that's attempting to grow in the parking lot of a shopping center. It used to be in the old historic downtown area, and was a happy find for me last year. This year the downtown gatherings are still closed due to the pandemic, but the mall parking lot seems to be spread out enough to be safe. The market is still struggling for its footing. A couple of weeks ago one vendor had a largish stall with produce; this week there was no fresh produce. There was one vendor selling "exotic jerky"; another sold CBD products; a third stall featured some sort of clothing articles; and this gentleman was selling locally-produced fine (I hope) olive oils and vinegars.

 

 

I actually bought some of his product when I was there 2 weeks ago, but that was for gifts. This time, I treated myself.

 

 

I still haven't opened it. I think I'll need to make some good crusty bread for it. I suspect some of it will be drizzled on chicken or fish as it's cooking. I'll report back when I open it. In the meantime, suggestions are welcome.

 

My errands took me past the taqueria I mentioned before, so I indulged in a pair of tacos al gubernador. They were still 2 for $5, a heck of a bargain, and the two women who work the place are pleasant. The woman who took my order (and money) was good enough to coach me on how to say 'gubernador' properly, after I stumbled over it and asked for the pronunciation. 

 

 

Oh, that chipotle mayonnaise is good stuff. I got an extra container as a spare. It's in the refrigerator now.

[Smithy]

A TALE OF TWO GRANOLAS 

 

Well, the title is about as dramatic as it gets. Got your attention, didn't it? 

 

I finally got around to making granola. I made one batch of what's actually an oatmeal crumble intended as a dessert base. I discovered last year that it's pretty good over yogurt. I also tried, more or less, the granola recipe @heidih recommended here. I say "more or less" because I took extreme liberties with the recipe. I had pistachios, for once, but no dried apricots or cinnamon(!) or coconut flakes. I'm not overly fond of maple flavor, except in very small doses, so I combined maple syrup and honey for the sweetener. Despite the liberties the original recipe taught me a few things. I was surprised at how much the olive oil flavor mellowed out after the granola was baked. Before it went into the oven I was none too impressed with the aroma or flavor of the mixture.

 

I used dried cranberries for the dried fruit portion. Looking back at the recipe, I see that it says to add the dried fruit AFTER the baking. So that's where I went wrong! The fruit, and maybe something else, are almost toothbreakingly hard until the granola soaks in milk for a while.

 

I'll make it again, paying closer attention to the dried fruit question. My darling quite likes it. He uses almond milk with his breakfast fruit and cereal, so he's in no danger of needing emergency dentistry.

 

 

Funny, the textural difference isn't as clear in these photos as it is in real life. The oatmeal crumble has no fruit. I prefer it on my yogurt. It may survive long enough for a dessert, but don't hold your breath.

 

 

[kayb]

I used to make my own granola all the time, and got out of the habit. But it's a lovely scent as it's baking!

 

My standard recipe is four cups quick oatmeal, a cup of coconut, a couple of cups of nuts (I usually used pecan and cashew pieces), a half-stick of butter and two tbsp coconut oil, melted, two tbsp. honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. ginger. Bake at 300 for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Stir in two cups of dried cranberries.

 

If you want bigger clumps of granola, use more butter/oil and a little more honey.

[Kim Shook]

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

I used dried cranberries for the dried fruit portion. Looking back at the recipe, I see that it says to add the dried fruit AFTER the baking. So that's where I went wrong! The fruit, and maybe something else, are almost toothbreakingly hard until the granola soaks in milk for a while.

 

I'll make it again, paying closer attention to the dried fruit question. My darling quite likes it. He uses almond milk with his breakfast fruit and cereal, so he's in no danger of needing emergency dentistry.

 

I couldn't count how many times I've made that mistake - just sailing along making granola (easiest thing in the world), bung in the dried fruit before baking and end up with fruit jerky.  

[Smithy]

Spring may be starting to spring. How much is due to the rain we don't know, but it certainly can't hurt. We spotted a few ocotillos beginning to bloom.

 

 

These plants bloom in the spring even when it's too dry to produce leaves, in a symbiotic dance with the northward hummingbird migration. So is this one blooming because of the rain, or the season? Will it produce leaves this year? We hope so.

 

We've been puzzling over whether certain of the plants whose leaves seem withered will start afresh with new leaves, or simply rehydrate the existing ones. Today we have reason to think the velvet mallows, at least, will do both.  Look! Those big fat leaves are rehydrating! And glory be, here's the first blossom we've seen this year! (Sorry the pic is out of focus.)

 

 

Last night I tried a recipe out of @JAZ's Dutch Oven Dinners (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) that I've had bookmarked for a while: Chili-Cheese-Tater Tot Casserole. I love Tater Tots. I don't often indulge in them, but this looked like a winner.

 

I admit that I had a "what was I thinking?" moment after I'd begun. I hate frying inside. It makes a mess, it's difficult to get the odors out afterward, and all too often I don't control the temperature well enough. By that time I was committed, and I didn't want to move outside to the cold campstove, so I soldiered on. The reward was that as the tots cooled and drained I could snitch a few as cook's treats.  

 

 

I had purchased a can of pinto beans for the occasion. Thanks to our discussion upthread I paid careful attention to the labels. No sugar here!

 

 

After the tots are fried and draining on paper (next time I'll try baking them) you brown the burger, add onion and jalapeno and cook more; add spices; add the drained beans and diced tomatoes. She does a good job of describing the timing in the recipe. (She also says that if you have a favorite chili recipe to do that instead as long as it isn't soupy.)

 

 

Top with shredded cheese and then tots. Bake until tots are browned and cheese melted. I had already browned the tots, but they didn't overcook.

 

Serve and enjoy.

 

 

This recipe is absolutely a keeper! I liked her chili very much, and so did my darling despite his having his own pet recipe. It was gratifying to see the way the stuff set up in the pot, although we didn't give it enough time to set up fully before we were digging in. 

 

The cleanup wasn't even bad, despite my whingeing about frying inside. But next time I'll try baking to see how that works.

[Shelby]

40 minutes ago, Smithy said:

Spring may be starting to spring. How much is due to the rain we don't know, but it certainly can't hurt. We spotted a few ocotillos beginning to bloom.

 

 

These plants bloom in the spring even when it's too dry to produce leaves, in a symbiotic dance with the northward hummingbird migration. So is this one blooming because of the rain, or the season? Will it produce leaves this year? We hope so.

 

We've been puzzling over whether certain of the plants whose leaves seem withered will start afresh with new leaves, or simply rehydrate the existing ones. Today we have reason to think the velvet mallows, at least, will do both.  Look! Those big fat leaves are rehydrating! And glory be, here's the first blossom we've seen this year! (Sorry the pic is out of focus.)

 

 

Last night I tried a recipe out of @JAZ's Dutch Oven Dinners (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) that I've had bookmarked for a while: Chili-Cheese-Tater Tot Casserole. I love Tater Tots. I don't often indulge in them, but this looked like a winner.

 

I admit that I had a "what was I thinking?" moment after I'd begun. I hate frying inside. It makes a mess, it's difficult to get the odors out afterward, and all too often I don't control the temperature well enough. By that time I was committed, and I didn't want to move outside to the cold campstove, so I soldiered on. The reward was that as the tots cooled and drained I could snitch a few as cook's treats.  

 

 

I had purchased a can of pinto beans for the occasion. Thanks to our discussion upthread I paid careful attention to the labels. No sugar here!

 

 

After the tots are fried and draining on paper (next time I'll try baking them) you brown the burger, add onion and jalapeno and cook more; add spices; add the drained beans and diced tomatoes. She does a good job of describing the timing in the recipe. (She also says that if you have a favorite chili recipe to do that instead as long as it isn't soupy.)

 

 

Top with shredded cheese and then tots. Bake until tots are browned and cheese melted. I had already browned the tots, but they didn't overcook.

 

Serve and enjoy.

 

 

This recipe is absolutely a keeper! I liked her chili very much, and so did my darling despite his having his own pet recipe. It was gratifying to see the way the stuff set up in the pot, although we didn't give it enough time to set up fully before we were digging in. 

 

The cleanup wasn't even bad, despite my whingeing about frying inside. But next time I'll try baking to see how that works.

I always bake our tots and I think they come out just as crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside as frying.....be sure and spray your pan with Pam or else they tend to stick (at least mine do).

[rotuts]

I also bake tots

 

in there CSO on parchment paper

 

sometimes I give the Fz tots a boost w some time in the microwave first

 

sometimes not

 

no idea if the micro assists with the final result total result, other than time

 

I can get them as crunchy as I like by choosing the

 

appropriate steam/bake temp

 

sometimes i finish w plain bake.

 

you can get them as crunchy as you like w centers that suit

 

you palate.   ordinary oven would work the same I think

 

just not as much fun.

 

N.B. :   CSO , not known for its enormous capacity 

 

one tray unit ( single layer , of course ) = one person-dose.

Edited January 29, 2021 by rotuts (log)

[Smithy]

3 hours ago, rotuts said:

N.B. :   CSO , not known for its enormous capacity 

 

one tray unit ( single layer , of course ) = one person-dose.

 

I wonder whether the CSO could reheat the leftovers in such a way that the tots would recrisp. We had 3 containers of leftovers in sealed containers in the refrigerator (down to 2 now) and of course the tots are soggy.

 

Since the CSO is somewhere between 1 and 2 kilomiles away I'll have to try it some other time. Maybe someone else can try reheating such a dish and report back?

[rotuts]

I don't see why a regular oven can't recrisp them 

 

won't be a nice as CSO'd

 

as CSO retains moisture 

 

maybe sprits then w a tiny fog of water

 

put them in a reg oven , fairly high heat

 

loosely cover w a used semi-disposable aluminum pan , so some steam can leak out.

 

Ive eaten them cold , w a tasty dip .   tasty  is key here.

[Kim Shook]

5 hours ago, rotuts said:

N.B. :   CSO , not known for its enormous capacity 

 

 

Well, except for @Shelby's, of course.  

 

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

 

I wonder whether the CSO could reheat the leftovers in such a way that the tots would recrisp. We had 3 containers of leftovers in sealed containers in the refrigerator (down to 2 now) and of course the tots are soggy.

 

Since the CSO is somewhere between 1 and 2 kilomiles away I'll have to try it some other time. Maybe someone else can try reheating such a dish and report back?

I'd try it on Bake/Steam, with a final #1 toast.  In my experience, that works the best with "mixed media" leftovers.

[rotuts]

@Kim Shook  

 

Soooo

 

does 

 

@shelby  

 

have  4 or 5

 

chirping them up at the same time

 

I Did Not Know !

[Kim Shook]

10 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Kim Shook  

 

Soooo

 

does 

 

@shelby  

 

have  4 or 5

 

chirping them up at the same time

 

I Did Not Know !

It's just that she seems to get so much more in hers than anyone else - TWO LOAVES OF BREAD!  MULTIPLE BIRDS!  I like to tease her about it.

[Porthos]

My Sweetie and I drove past the freeway exit to get to where you're camping. I thought of you and your darling. Maybe next year will be safe for seeing each other face to face again.

[Smithy]

On 2/2/2021 at 9:05 AM, Porthos said:

My Sweetie and I drove past the freeway exit to get to where you're camping. I thought of you and your darling. Maybe next year will be safe for seeing each other face to face again.

 

I certainly hope so!

[Smithy]

The sunrise has moved northward, just as it should. Whereas sunrise appeared in the largest notch in the center of the mountains on the Winter Solstice (see here for that sequence), it's now nearly clear of the mountains altogether.

 

 

Spring continues. Only a week ago I commented that the ocotillos were putting out blossoms even though they weren't putting out leaves. 

 

 

Well, look at them now!

 

 

I thank the folks who suggested granola as a way to improve yogurt. It does. 

 

A good avocado improves the ensemble even more, of course.

 

Unfortunately, some element of the granola has a rancid taste. I suspect the oats, which are old, but it could also be the peanuts. I bought fresh oats, nuts, seeds and coconut flakes last week at Sprouts, another grocery store chain in town. I think making another batch and giving the current stuff to the desert critters is one of today's projects. I won't tell my darling until it's a done deal, though. He thinks the current batch tastes fine.

 

It just dawned on me that I didn't take any pictures of Sprouts, so I'll have to give you that tour some other time. I did take a picture of the shrimp tacos from my favorite taco place, though. Somehow I had the tacos gubernador and tacos de camarones confused as to which had the fried shrimp. It's the shrimp tacos. The breading is crisp and the shrimp have just the right "pop" of delicately cooked shrimp. Delicious.

 

 

I suppose sometime I'll have to try their fish tacos to see how they compare. Maybe next week.