Autumn Winds

You see this desert landscape in Egypt? I like it! Why?
Because it's warm!!!
(And I guess I should tell you this is Tel el Armarna)

Autumn has finally come, the brisk winds, the slightly chilly days, the fact that even with wool socks my toes feel cold. I'm so not ready for this after a summer of glorious heat! The only thing that makes this time of year somewhat bearable for myself is the excuse to make my favorite Autumn foods: my homemade chili, baked potatoes dishes galore, hearty soups and stews, and most importantly, one pot meals.

These are among the easiest of meals that anyone can make, they take several ingredients, chop them up, put them into a pot to cook, and then come out this wonderfully warm and happy ingredients perfect to come in from the cold to.

One pot meals are unique in the fact that you really can't screw them up unless you let all the water boil out of them. They take easy ingredients (usually a base of sausage) followed by a starch, and then some kind of veggie. The key here is chopping up the ingredients to about the same size, a little bit of spice, and some patience. I'll make these dishes on both the stove and in the slow cooker, warming my belly on these Autumn days.

Today's recipe is for a slightly spicy one pot meal that's sure to warm you up anytime of the year.

Spicy One Pot Meal

Tools:

Cutting Board

Knife

Pot with lid or Slow cooker

Spoon

Can opener

Ingredients:

1 lb Kielbasa 

1 lb red potatoes

1 can lima beans

2 tbsp chili oil (up to 4 tbsp if you like super spicy!)

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

High quality H2O (strait from the tap)

You can do this meal in either a pot or a slow cooker. You need at least an hour to cook it in the pot, and at least six hours to cook it in the slow cooker. This is really the only major decision that you need to make for this dish.

Add your chili oil to the pot/cooker, warm it on low heat until it's warm/hot (don't get the oil too hot, or you'll regret it if it burns!) (and remember, the slow cooker won't get hot very fast, so you can turn it on, put the lid on, and walk away for about ten minutes if need be). While this is warming up, chop up the Kielbasa into about half inch wide pieces. Remember, the key for everything getting done at the same time is uniformity in size, if something's too big, it'll take too long to cook and overcook something else. 

Once the meat is chopped up, put it into the hot oil. While the meat seers slightly, start to chop up the potatoes. For those of you who haven't chopped up taters that often, here's a trick to make your life so much easier. Take your tatter and put it onto the cutting board. Slice it in half. Now take your slices and place them onto the cutting board flat side down. Suddenly they are a lot easier to cut! Now slice the potato lengthwise about three times, creating four long pieces. Rotate the cutting board ninety degrees, and slice the same potato again three times. Look, you have not made somewhat even potato slices!

Now slice up your taters (about a lb, or three large red potatoes or six smaller red potatoes), add them to the pot/cooker. Stir with your spoon.

Get your can of lima beans out (what? Lima beans are delicious! And good for you! And not abused by your mother/grandmother/the sadist they called your school cafeteria cook!), and wipe the lid off under hot water. We're going to do one of those old-fashioned granny tricks that takes away needing a strainer or measuring cups! 

Cut the lid off of the can of lima beans about 90% of the way. Head over to the sink, and with your finger holding onto the lid of the can so it won't spill out, drain off the sugar-salt canning broth the beans are canned with. You don't need that crap in your body! With the lid still on, fill the can up one more time with water to rinse the beans. Pour this new water out just like before.

Finish cutting off the lid of the can of lima beans and pour it into your pot/cooker. Now fill the empty can with water from the sink and add it to the pot and slow cooker. Keep adding water until you have about an inch of liquid over the top of the food. Add in your pepper and garlic powder, stir once for good measure, and then put the lid onto the pot/slow cooker. Cook on low or medium low heat, which should get the the entire mixture boiling fairly quickly if it's on the stove top. Every so often come in and check the level of the water in the pot, if the food is no longer covered in liquid, add enough water to cover again.

And that is that for a simple one pot meal to help warm you up on a cold day! Until next time!

Bien Camino!