Liesegang Rings

I asked what these were and I was told Liesegang Rings.
Oooookay. I had to go look that up.
Why can't they be the ruins of some tiny civilization's capitol complex? There's obviously a larger open centralized ceremonial area and the buildings walls are arranged radiating out nonuniformly but attached to the complex.

Microwave Cornmeal Mush - tested and approved

Microwave Cornmeal Mush
Whisks are wonderful things for stirring things down fast and since this is done in a glass bowl there's no problem of metal on non-stick cookware.

Ingredients
1/3 C cornmeal
1/3 C sugar
2 C milk
1/2 stick (4T) butter melted and cooled slightly

Directions
Mix cornmeal and sugar in 2 quart glass bowl (I used a quart measuring cup)
Slowly stir in milk
Slowly stir in melted butter


Cover and Microwave 2 minutes
Stir well
Cover and microwave 2 minutes
Stir well
Cover and microwave 1 minute - WATCH as this is about the time it seems to double in size
Stir well
Cover and microwave about 45 seconds - It will try to touch the cover.I don't like cleaning up over boils.
Remove and stir.
EAT.

Possible additions: ice cream, berries, whatever fruit you like. Cinnamon or nutmeg might be good too. We never got that far, having fallen upon it like ravaging beasts... in a civilized manner of course.

MEXICAN BEEF CASSEROLE

MEXICAN BEEF CASSEROLE

(Easy and tasty. Has all the flavors of what a good Mexican dish is suppose to have!)

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1 can kernel corn drained
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasonings mix or make your own
8 to 12 corn tortillas
3/4 cup nonfat sour cream
1/3 cup Mexican blend or taco cheese shredded
Sliced jalapeno peppers

Directions:

Brown ground beef and onions together for about 10 to 12 minutes, drain.
Add corn,beans,tomatoes and taco seasonings mix well and simmer for 5 minutes.
Spray baking dish 2 quart 8x12 inches.
Place half of tortillas in bottom.
Spoon half of beef mixture on top, place sour cream over beef. Then layer last tortillas and then beef mixture.
Place in heated 350 degree F. oven and bake for 25 minutes remove from oven and and sprinkle with cheese and add sliced jalapeno peppers on top.
Cook for another 5 minutes or till cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes and serve..

Homemade Taco Seasoning

HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING
http://www.foodrenegade.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/

The amounts listed here make up about 2 Tbsp. of homemade taco seasoning mix — the perfect amount to replace one store bought 1.25oz packet.

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper (optional)


Directions

Now for the easy part: mix all the spices together and store in an airtight container. The optional black pepper is to increase the spiciness based on your family’s tastes and preferences. If you don’t like spicy foods, simply leave the black pepper out and/or be sure to adjust that tablespoon of chili powder down.

*******************

If you’re like me, you’ll want to make more of this taco seasoning and store it in your pantry for ease of use next time.
This is quintupled, you’ll measure out 2 Tbsp. of the homemade taco seasoning per pound of meat. Or, if you’re like me, you simply add it to taste.

Ingredients
1/4 C. plus 1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
2 1/2 tsp. Paprika
2 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Black Pepper (optional)

OLD-FASHIONED REFRIED BEANS

OLD-FASHIONED REFRIED BEANS

http://www.foodrenegade.com/oldfashioned-refried-beans/

Ingredients
1 quart of dried, organic pinto beans
water
sea salt
2 C. (or pint-sized jar) of diced, stewed tomatoes
1 C. melted butter, split in two halves
2 tbsp of dried cumin
1 tbsp of homemade taco seasoning found here
additional salt, to taste


Directions

Begin by placing pinto beans in a large bowl with enough water to cover and a dash of salt. Cover with a lid (I use a plate) and soak for 24 hours. This has the added benefit of eliminating one of the unnecessary side-effects of eating modern beans: bad gas.

Drain remaining liquid from your soaked beans. Transfer beans to a stock pot and again add enough water to cover and a dash of salt. Bring beans to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 2-4 hours until beans are falling apart and tender.

Drain liquid from cooked beans. Now comes the fun part. Add diced tomatoes and 1/2 C. of melted butter or ghee. Using a stick blender, blend the cooked beans until they turn into a relatively smooth mush.

In the meantime, melt remaining butter or ghee in a large, 12-inch, deep skillet on the stove over medium heat. (This is my skillet. Looks like they call it a “saute pan”.) Transfer mashed, cooked beans into the skillet. Add seasonings and stir with a flat-bottomed spatula (to prevent burning) until the beans start to boil and the seasonings and fat are evenly distributed.

Remove from heat and serve. You can refrigerate the leftovers for up to a week, or transfer to your freezer to keep for later use.