Kitchen Thoughts…
Things I have learned to do in the kitchen…
In the past I cooked a lot, took a bunch of cooking classes, learned how to taste, appreciate and enjoy food. I still thought some things were out of reach unless I had just the right equipment, the right setup and/or an exact recipe to follow. While on this trip, I have had none of these things!! Yes, we do have a pretty well set up kitchen, but I have a limited amount of tools, very limited storage space and almost no internet. So creativity has become my friend and has helped me to expand, learn and grow! At this point, I am fairly confident that I can cook almost anything!
Here are a few things I have done to make this a bit easier for myself…
- I have an ongoing list of ideas. Every time I think of something, find something or eat something delicious, it gets added to the list.
- I combine food ideas. This helps me to buy limited amount of ingredients, optimize storage and make one meal into many. Yes, this does mean we have a theme week of food, but I don’t have a huge fridge or a freezer in order to save some of this for another week.
- For example: I am going to make Tacos tonight using chicken as the main ingredient. I will have left over meat, cheese, lettuce, salsa, etc., so the next night might be Nachos. And to be honest I will probably still have ingredients left, so the following night might be burrito bowls or empanadas or taco salad.
- If I really want to try something completely new, I save the recipe to my computer. Most of the time, I just need a reminder of the amount of ingredients. I almost always have to change the process since I probably don’t have the same equipment.
- I have learned to cook everything in a cast iron pan. This pan has become by best friend since it handles temperature changes so well (hot/cold outside) and an open flame. I will still go back to my stainless steel pans when I get home but this will be a staple for a lot of meals.
I don’t want to make this sound glamorous, it has been work! It is a challenge to constantly be thinking of new ideas, adjusting process based on what you have and working with local ingredients. I can’t ever just run to the store because I forgot something, or buy the random expensive ingredients that will be used one time, or look something up on the internet to help me out. Being creative is a challenge but it is a fun challenge and I welcome it as the journey continues…
Here are a couple simple salsa recipes I make a lot and continue to change up!
Simple Salsa
Ingredients:
- 1 Onion (roughly chopped)
- 1 Can of chopped Tomatoes (check the label for just tomatoes – you do not want added herbs)
- 1 Serrano Pepper (this is to taste, so you may prefer a half or two)
- 2 Cloves of Garlic
- 1 Juiced Lime or Lemon
- 1/2 Cup of chopped Cilantro
- Salt (to taste)
Directions:
Using a tall container (I prefer to use an old large yogurt container), add onions, tomatoes, serrano pepper, garlic, lime/lemon, cilantro and salt. Blend together using an immersion blender to the consistency you prefer. Let sit in fridge for a couple of hours (flavors will meld and become even better).
TIPS:
- Serrano Peppers are more consistent in flavor and spice level than a Jalapeno, so it is easier to use a quarter, half or whole one based on the spice level you prefer.
- You can also do this in a food processor but there is more clean up needed.
- Salsa is so easy and fun to change up based on personal preferences. So think about adding more spice (alternative peppers) or maybe roasted red peppers. Be creative!
Pico De Gallo
Ingredients:
- 1 Onion (chopped)
- 4 Roma Tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 Bushell of Cilantro (chopped)
- 1 Juiced Lemon
- Salt (to taste)
Directions:
Combine onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lemon and salt. Let sit for a couple of hours in the fridge and enjoy.
TIPS:
- Pico is fun and so easy. It is more of a table top salsa, so all you really need is a knife and cutting board.
- An alternative salsa is to omit the tomatoes. Now you have a delicious onion salsa that goes incredible with shredded chicken tacos.
- Or even consider a pineapple or mango salsa. Goes great on fish or chicken.
I will post more recipes as I come up with them, so stay tuned…
