Gringo Burritos

© Donna Cook – All Rights Reserved  

I have absolutely no credentials for Mexican food other than I love it! My grandparents came from Eastern Europe and I grew up eating sauerkraut and sausage. I started canning in 2013 and had plenty of salsa and tomatoes. I came up with my own recipe for taco meat and beans. Put it all together with flour tortillas and Velveeta (yes Velveeta) and you have Gringo Burritos!

I've listed the recipes for the ingredients first with the final construction at the end.



Mashed Pinto Beans with Corn and Rice

I like cooking from scratch so I soak, cook, and mash the pinto beans myself. I guess you could use canned in pinch, but why not make a big batch and freeze them?

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried pinto beans
• 1 1/2 cups kernel corn, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup uncooked rice, white or brown
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup cooking oil such as canola
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Jalapeno peppers, canned or fresh (optional)

Stats

• Total time: 12 hours
• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 11 hours 30 min
• Serves: 12

Instructions

1. Prepare beans per package instructions.
2. Cover with water and soak overnight.
3. Drain.
4. Put in a pot and cover beans with water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt if desired.
5. Cook for 2 hours on stove or 8 hours in Crock-Pot, until beans are soft.
6. Drain beans and put in large bowl or food processor.
7. Add oil, vinegar and spices and mash/process beans until smooth.
8. Add corn and rice, mix well.
9. Can be prepared day before use, freezes well. 

Image credit: Allposters,com

Taco meat

I came up with the recipe by reading the ingredients on taco spice packages and tweaking it to my own taste. You can use any kind of ground meat like beef or turkey. You can also use any type of shredded meat such as pork, chicken, or beef. If you would like a meatless burrito, use this seasoning mix on a meat substitute.

Ingredients

1 pound ground or shredded meat-see above
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon cooking oil such as canola
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon  paprika
1/2 oregano, Mexican if available
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Stats

• Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 1 hour 
• Serves: 10

Instructions

1.Saute meat/substitute with onions and garlic in cooking oil.
2.Add spices and simmer covered for 1/2 hour until cooked.
3.Add water or additional oil to prevent mixture from sticking to pan.

Salsa

Home Canned Salsa

Add as much heat as you would like! Just use your favorite salsa, whether store bought or homemade. I've found a canning recipe which is very similar to Pace Picante Sauce. I use pablano peppers instead of jalapeno because I like my salsa mild.

Gringo Burritos
Put it all together, layered any way you like!

Ingredients

• Large flour burritos
• Velveeta, cheddar or any cheese you like
• Mashed bean, corn and rice mix
• Taco meat mixtures
• Tomatoes, diced-fresh or canned
• Salsa and or other toppings

Stats

• Total time: 15 minutes
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 5 min minutes
• Serves: 10-12

Instructions

1. Layer ingredients on soft tortilla. 
1. 1/3 cup cheese of your choice.
2. 2/3 cup mashed bean mixture
3. 1/3 cup taco meat
2. 1/3 cup diced tomatoes
3. Roll or fold tortilla.
4. Microwave for 5 minutes or grill until cheese is melted.
5. Cover with salsa and any other desired toppings.

Meatless alternative-use 1 cup bean mixture and no meat

Other toppings

Want gooey-er burritos? Here are a few other toppings. I would just add them all for a real calorie fest.

• Melted cheese of any kind
• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Green onions
• Chili
• Drag it through the garden-lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, etc.

Image credit: Allposters.com

The spiciness of peppers is measured in Scoville units. Here are some of the most popular:

• Green peppers           zero                          Just water and color 
• Pablano peppers       1,000-2,500              One step up, barely
• Jalapeno peppers      3,500-8,000              The traditional choice
• Serrano peppers        10,000 -23,000         Yeeha!
• Habenero peppers     100,000-350,000      Call 911! 

Scoville units from Wikipedia.

Barley Bean Soup

© Donna Cook – All Rights Reserved

 © Donna Cook – All Rights Reserved  

Here's a great barley bean soup recipe than can be made three ways-beef, chicken/turkey, and vegetarian. They're easy to make and great comfort food! Just perfect for warming up after school, skiing, or any winter activity.

I adapted this from a recipe on a box of barley. A dietitian told me to eat more beans for the fiber. I had soup beans from the local organic food store that had been on the shelf for a while so I threw them in. What a difference! The recipe became a soup rather than a bunch of ingredients in a pot. I usually freeze half of the batch for future use.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, shredded chicken, or shredded turkey (omit for vegetarian)
• 1 large onion chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery chopped, including leaves
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil such as canola
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 pound mixed beans for soup (1 pound for vegetarian)
• 8 cans broth-beef, chicken or vegetable
• 2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup pearled barley
• 1 16 ounce package frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

Stats

• Total time  4-8 hours
• Preparation time  30 minutes
• Cook time            4-8 hours minutes
• Servings    10 large bowls

Instructions

1. In a stock pot, saute meat (if used), onion, garlic, and celery until cooked through.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Cook 2-4 hours on low heat or 8 hours on low in a Crock-Pot.
4. Add additional broth or water to reach desired consistency.
5. Remove bay leaf prior to serving.

Food facts – Barley

Barley belongs to the genus and species Hordeum vulgare  in the Family Poaceae, the grass family. The genus Hordeum includes a wide variety of barley types including foxtail barley, seaside barley and many others. The largest barley producing states are Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota.

Most barley sold in grocery stores is pearled barley. This means that the inedible hull and the bran are removed. The inside is called the pearl and is polished, similar to rice. Hulled barley still has the bran with only the hull removed and is also available online or at some grocery stores.

Barley is the fourth most popular grain in the world and has been grown since ancient times. The Egyptians famously made beer from barley. In fact over 40% of the U.S. production of barley is used for making beer, which is made from fermented barley (malt), hops (flower of the hop plant), water and yeast. Barley was even used to standardize a unit of measurement, the inch. During his reign from 1307 to 1327, Edward II decreed that three grains of barley placed end to end equaled one inch.

Barley can be used for much more than beer and soup. One of my favorite recipes substitutes barley for risotto rice for a different texture in risotto. Top the risotto wild mushrooms for a unique flavor. Pilafs have a whole new character when made with barley instead of rice. Pair barley with beef and root vegetables for cozy winter dinners.

Image credit: Allposters.com