Tonight was the last night before the grocery run tomorrow. I didn't really have a "planned" meal, what was I thinking? So I love opportunities like this for me to be creative and original. The meal I make when I don't have a plan usually is just hamburger patties with some brown rice and vegetables. Very boring, but serves it's purpose. Today it got really cold this afternoon so I was really feeling like a chili or stew, something warm. Now Luke is not a fan of mixed food, and Eli will take it any way he can get it, he will eat it. I don't cater to my kids eating, but I try to meet their "needs". So I started off making my same old same old. Cooked my brown rice, threw the frozen patties on the skillet and then microwaved my organic frozen veggies (haha). Then I looked in my pantry and saw some diced tomatoes, black beans, and I knew that I could pull together a sort of stew. So, I broke up my patties into chunky ground beef, added some onions. I served the boys their separate food plate (patty meat, veggies, rice) then threw the rest in a pot with the diced tomatoes, black beans, and seasoned with some Tony's. The outcome was delicious! We served it over tortilla chips and in my husband's words "That hit the spot!" So, there you have it, my own easy chili. I'm in a journaling mood lately so you will have to excuse the long drawn out story format, but for those who want to skip the story and just get to a recipe, I will do that as well.
Bubba's Original hamburger patties (frozen)
1/4 of a huge onion
1 Can petite diced tomatoes (juice included)
1 Can of black beans (juice included)
Bag of frozen mixed vegetables
Short Grain Brown Rice (use whatever kind of rice is easier, I use my rice cooker)
1-2 cups of water
1 tsp brown rice flour
1 tsp of Tony Chachere
Start your rice, then start your patties and onions in the skillet on medium to medium high (I add a little salt to taste at this time). Pour your veggies in a pyrex with the lid on and stick in the microwave 2 minutes at a time until warm. Flip your patties over then cook a little bit until you can easily break them up from the patties, grind them up with a spatula in the smallish chunks. Drain the onion meat mixture. Put aside. Throw your tomatoes and black beans in a good size pot, and a cup or two of water. Bring to a bowl, then throw in the meat, the rice and veggies, and cook at a pretty good boil. Then add your flour and Tony's. Stir continuously while it boils for about 5 minutes, then bring it to a simmer and let it cook for however long you want it to or till you are ready for it. It is basically cooked so you are just getting all the juices and seasoning well mixed. There you go, all done! Last minute Chili, from stuff you probably already have in your freezer and pantry.
