Meals On The Fly, Cooking With What Is At Hand, Fast and creative

Recipe Name: BEEF SKILLET - SLOPPY MOE'S
Category: BEEF
Serves: 4

SOURCE Shadows

1 1/4 Pound Beef, Ground ( lean )
1 Slice Smoked bacon, chopped fine
1/2 Tsp. garlic powder
1/8 Tsp. onion powder
1/8 Tsp. lemon pepper
Pinch ground chipotle pepper
1 Large mushroom, diced fine
6 Tblsp lager beer, I used Genesee
1/2 Large baked potato, fire roasted, diced
2 Tblsp Worchestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 Cup barbeque sauce, your favorite
dash liquid smoke

My son and I were the only ones home and hungry! I had been to an outdoor party that had leftover fire roasted potatoes on the previous weekend and had brought some home. We had burger in the fridge that needed to be used ( soon ) . Creative cooking can bring wonderful results, don't be afraid to experement!

Brown burger over medium high heat ( 5 on an electric stove ). Add mushroom, spices, worchestershire sauce and chopped bacon. Cook until well browned. Add beer, liquid smoke and barbeque sauce. Add potato. Stir until mixed well and potato starts to brown. Continue to heat until all liquid is gone. Serve on rolls.

What is liquid smoke and can the mushrooms be substituted for something less mushroomy?

There is only one mushroom in this dish, it could be left out!
Liquid smoke is a product you can find in your grocers... it adds a smoke flavor to what you use it in; it also could be left out.

This was just an example of what you can do with what you have on hand when you think there is nothing good to eat in your house.

Look in your cupboards and fridge, there are many things you could do using your imagination. Don't be afraid to experiment with flavors and textures you may surprise yourself.

That's a great sloppy joe recipe! I've never used liquid smoke, but I noticed you also include chipotle, which is a smoked jalapeno, and that sounds fantastic. I love chipotle so bad, I keep some in a shaker on the table. (Try a natural peanut butter on a whole grain rice cake, with chipotle powder sprinkled on top.)

I was thinkin', instead of (or for me, in addition to ) the mushroom, I might toss in fresh scallion, cut fine, and I always like sweet red peppers in anything like this too. But this recipe really would take anything that you especially like, it's a great vehicle.

Is Chipotle pepper that puffs up? If so I have used it in homemade tamales and its wonderful..
I never thought about using it dried...thanks for the idea...
I love this thread by the way..

Slainte

This reminds me what my granny had told me once. She said that you could become a nice cook by following recipes. But if you only had a few things at hand and you were able to make a good and tasty meal of them with only using your imagination, then you REALLY knew how to cook.

I have been doing a lot of "stand up" cooking since because I really enjoy to try, to be creative and to use my imagination.

OK so now is the time for you folks to share your "seat of the pants" successes!

The problem for me is when I make something good I never remember what I used afterward ((((

Always write as you go, even if it is just ingredients, measurments are subjective anyway... i don't know one cook/cheif that follows a recipe to the letter anyway!

Just make sure you remember ( either in writing or your head ) what went into your creations.

Just think... you could be the next world class cheif with what you come up with....

Actually I do remember wanting to stuff a pork tenderloin, but I could not find anything to use as stuffing (bread, rice, etc) so I smashed up a bunch of corn tortilla chips, added apples and do not remember what else and it was the best I have ever made, but I can never make it again. Cause I have the worst possible memory.

Here is another my oldest son and I came up with while hungrey one nite:

Recipe Name:SHADOW"S NUTTY MEAT LOAF
Category: BEEF
Serves: 8

SOURCE SHADOWS

1 1/4 Pound ground chuck
1/3 Cup finely ground walnuts
1/3 Cup quick oatmeal
1 Tblsp worcestershire sauce
3 dash tobasco sauce
3 Small onions (1 to 1 1/2 in diam) chopped
1 Clove garlic (large) chopped fine
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
5 Slice bacon
salt and pepper to taste

Line loaf pan with bacon slices. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Put in loaf pan on top of bacon and shape. Bring bacon ends over top. Bake in a 350~ oven for 1 1/2 hours. Drain and cool. Serve as main course.

that's a relief ! I never completely do, somehow it's comforting to know that someone else thinks it too.

A good meal is like a painting... the mood, color, and technique all comes together to make a masterpiece!

What is in the cooks/artists soul at the time comes out on the canvas/plate!

Another meal made with things hanging around:

Quick Crockpot Chili

1 1/2 pounds ground round, browned, and drained
1/4 pounds lose pork sausage, browned and drained
5 strips of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2- 3 red ripe jalopenas, roasted until mostly black, de-skinned and
seeds removed, chopped
1 medium red sweet peeper, roasted until mostly black, de-skinned
and seeds removed, chopped
3 ripe garden tomatoes, roasted until mostly black, de-skinned
and seeds removed , chopped
3 cloves of garlic , peeled and minced fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine and browned
1 Tbls brown sugar
4 Tbls chili powder ( the hot kind )
1 Tbls salt
liquid smoke to taste, I used about 1 tsp
2 beef boulion cubes crumbled
1/2 cup of beer
1 3.4 pound can of red kidney beans, liquid and all

Top with cheese of choice ( use what is on hand )

Combine all ingredients in crockpot and slow cook on high for 5 -6 hours,
or low for 8 - 10 hours. When serving chop more onion and shred some cheese, serve on top of chili.

I roast my vegetables for this in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat.

that's a relief ! I never completely do, somehow it's comforting to know that someone else thinks it too.

Eh, I think people who are learning to cook follow recipes closely for a while til they get the idea what might ruin a dish and what doesn't matter. Then they start to branch out.

That chili sounds fabulous. The roasted veggies give such a wonderful flavor! You really like that smoky flavor, huh? Makes it taste like it was made over a campfire. I imagine some roasted ears of corn with it on the side, or maybe corn tortillas.