Rainy Days and Good Meals.

It started raining this morning during church services and has rained sporadically all day long.  just a slow, soaking drizzle, but that's what we need.  Milady has been craving a beef stew and today seemed a perfect time to make one.  She actually started it last night, putting the stew meat into a slow cooker with brown gravy to simmer all night.  This morning, she put it in a larger pot on the stove and added carrots, potatoes, and seasonings.

After church we made a pot of rice and served our normal Sunday crowd for lunch.  The stew was a hit on a cool, damp day and I'm not burdened by leftovers.  Milady made brown-and-serve rolls to go with the stew and I believe one of the grandsons took the last roll and "sopped" the pot.  Clean up was easy.

I've been a fan of one pot meals all my life.  Soups, stews, gumbos are favorites, as are other recipes that stand alone, like jambalaya, a rice dish that stands alone.  Most jambalaya recipes call for shrimp, but that's not necessary.  My favorite is cottontail rabbit and sausage, a game dish that stands up well..

Here in Louisiana we have a dish we call Dirty Rice, which can be served as a side dish, or an entree.  Heck, it's easy, so I may as well give you the recipe.  One caveat.  I never talk about salt and pepper.  If you think you need salt and pepper, add some.

Dirty Rice

1 lb hamburger meat
1 lb bulk breakfast sausage
1 onion
1 bell pepper
1 stick of celery
1 box of chicken stock
3 cups uncooked white rice.

Prep

Preheat oven to 350F
Chop onion, bell pepper, and celery
In a large black pot, brown the hamburger and the sausage. add the vegetables and cook until the onion is tender.  Drain the meat/veggie mixture.
Return meat/veggie mixture to the black pot.
Add chicken stock and rice.
Add water until the liquid covers everything, plus a little, put a lid on the pot and put it in the pre-heated oven.
Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. About 45 minutes.

My recipe will serve eight or nine hungry folks, more people if you make a nice salad and some garlic bread.

Bon apetit.