Life is different when you live by cash.
Gettin geared up to pitch tents in the desert wilderness with a bunch of friends and their kids, I joked about needing a full week off to prepare for the upcoming week off. Camping with kids doesn't even come close to what it's like when it's just you and maybe a friend jumping in the truck and taking off for Who Knows Where. You gotta feed kids. And if they're like our preteens, you gotta feed em a LOT.
One of the friends chimed in that to avoid my erupting heart palpitations and eye twitches, the only camp-prep list needed was:
1. food and water
2. shelter
3. credit card
Of course, me being me, I had to retort that #3 should read "someone else's credit card"...
Once we'd arrived, while shopping for groceries on the virtual edge of the U.S., I was overcome with a craving for poblano peppers. Not knowing a thing about cooking them, I splurged on three of em. I also had a hankerin for the little zucchini-looking Mexican squashes (also called 'tatumas') so I grabbed a handful.
Here's what I did with them:
Poblanos & Onions
Slice poblano length-wise into thin strips. Discard the seeds (unless you're just nuts for the sensation of heat rising through your sinuses and into your brain.)
Slice half an onion into wider strips.
Heat up about 1/8 cup of vegetable oil. Add peppers and onions. Sprinkle lightly with cajun spice mix. Squeeze juice of half a lime over all. Stir constantly until peppers are slightly soft but still crisp. Serve as a side.
Mexican Squash a la Campstove
Slice squash length-wise, half-inch thickness. Sprinkle a ton of Spike on both sides and let sit. Heat up 1/4 cup oil (for about 6 squashes) in skillet. When oil's hot enough to sizzle when you add a squash slice, lay slices flat in the skillet. Turn frequently and remove when brown on both sides.
Since you're likely using a cast-iron or similarly campfire-proof pan, you may have to dollop in a few additional tablespoons of oil along the way, depending on how many squash you're fryin up, to keep em from sticking.
Even one of our youngest picky eaters was positively swayed by the squash. For a buddhist mom, that chalks up to a merit.
Lone Star Picadillo
1/2 pound ground beef
3 medium russet potatoes
1/2 onion
1 poblano
1 can Lone Star beer
Cajun seasoning
Finely dice (not *chop* -- you want cute little squares here) the potatoes, onion, and poblano.
Brown ground beef in skillet to halfway point. When it's still a little pink, add potatoes, onion, and poblano. Sprinkle on about a tablespoon or two of Cajun seasoning. Pour in half the can of beer and cover. Reduce heat to low. Stir frequently.
Cook until the potatoes are soft and the meat is brown. Add the rest of the beer if you need more liquid, or just finish it off yourself.
We learned that this stuff is best served with The Editor's guacamole (which is where my third poblano went), rolled up in a tortilla. Or in a pinch, you can make a sandwich of it between regular bread.
[Editor's note:
The Editor's Guacamole
3-5 avocados, diced
part of an onion, diced
a tomato, diced
a poblano pepper, diced
2 limes
combine diced avocados, onion, tomato, and pepper. squeeze the juice of two limes over the top. toss by hand.
for extra pizzazz, add garlic, salt, basalmic vinegar, cilantro.]
(Pizzazz? Really?)
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