WONDERFUL POT ROAST FROM THE 60s updated

First, do you remember the old pot roast in foil from the 60s?  Lipton's dry onion soup and a can of cream of mushroom soup.  You sealed it in foil and put it in a 375 to 400 degree oven for 3 hours.  Yes, it was very good.

I missed it for some reason.  So I went on line and read about 3 dozen versions.  Then I made up my own.

1                 3+ pound beef chuck roast
1   can        cream of mushroom soup (low cal if okay)
1   pkg        Liptons onion soup mix

1/4 cup       red wine  (or more)
1 cup          water      (or more)
1/2 cube     beef bouillon cube (more if you want)

1/2 pound   carrots  (small ones are good)
5                 small russet potatoes, pealed and cut in half.
10               boiling onions, peeled and cut a cross on the top of each
                    ( I had some and wanted to use them up.  It was wonderful.)

Optional:    Sautee some fresh mushrooms and add to the soup mixture

Directions:

1.   Brown the meat in a large sauce pan with oil.   Removed and place it in the crock pot.
2.   Sprinkled the dry soup over the meat.  Press it into all surfaces of the meat.
3.   Place soup, wine and water with the beef bouillon in a saucepan. Stir and warm.
4.   Pour  soup mixture over the roast.
5.   Place the vegetables on the top of the meat.  I pushed come carrots down in empty spaces but it is not necessary.
6.  Cover with the lid and cook on high for 2 hours and reduce to low for 3 to 4 more hours.

The meat produces more liquids from the fat. When you remove it when down, there is plenty of liquid and the vegetables are in it too.

Not pressing the potatoes into the liquid early makes them steam cook and they don't seem to take up so much of the brown from the meat.  At least it seems so.

7.  When done, the meat must be lifted with large tools as it falls apart.
8.  Place vegetables on one end of the serving platter and the meat on the other.  Tent with foil.
9.  Remove juices and if you want a more thick gravy, place in a saucepan and add some
flour and water mixed in a covered container.  Pour in slowly as you stir the gravy.

Serve.

ITS WONDERFUL.  And the house smells fantastic.

CHICKEN AND TORTILLA CHIPS CASSEROLE

This is easy.  I just took what was in the frig and made a great casserole. Lots of flavor.  So easy.  A left over Costco cooked chicken and you have enough meat for one more meal.  This is it. Preheat oven to 350.     #1      Soup mixture:  1      can      cream of chicken soup  1      can      whole green chilis  chopped up 1/4  cup  chopped carrots 1/2  cup onion chopped and sauteed 1/2  lb  fresh sliced mushrooms sauteed 9 oz  green enchilada sauce (El Paso mild) hot sauce to taste salt and pepper 1 teaspoon       crushed garlic Warm soup and add all ingredients above. _________________________ #2    Meat mixture combines with soup mixture:   1     lb cooked chicken cut up Place cut up chicken in bottom of casserole pan. Add 1/2 of soup mixture over chicken. ________________________ #3     Cheese layering: 8 oz      cheddar cheese 8 oz      Monterey jack cheese Shred or cut up.   Divide in half. _________________________ #4     Bottom Layer: l cup   crushed up Mission tortilla strips. Place half of tortilla chips on top of the bottom half of soup mixture and chicken. Mix. _________________________ Add the cut up cheese to the bottom half.  _______________________ #5       Top Layer: Add the last of the soup mixture. Add the last of the cheese. Add the last of the chips. ________________________ #6    Place in oven at 350 for 25 to 35 minutes.   Cheese should bubble. ________________________ Place under broiler for 3 minutes. Enjoy.

BONGO BONGO SOUP

I found this recipe in one of my local cookbooks that was taken from a restaurant that closed or was sold years ago.  I thought I would never get the recipe and It was in my collection all this time. I remembered how much I loved it.  I have to make it now.

And may I add, I don't eat oysters but I will eat this wonderful soup.

Bongo Bongo Soup

¾     pound spinach, fresh or frozen

1      8 oz can of oysters, drained

2      quarts chicken stock

1      medium potato, peeled, grated

        salt to taste

¼     pound butter

¼     cup powdered milk

Simmer all ingredients, except butter and powdered milk,

 for about 20 minutes.

Take off heat and allow to cool slightly.

Blend the broth and the solids in the blender with a 

portion of the butter and powdered milk until all is used.

Strain through cheesecloth, then taste.

The soup may be adjusted with a little more salt, 

powdered milk, butter or potato, or a combination.

IRELAND

Leaving Cogh, Ireland

WHAT A LOVELY COUNTRY.  It almost made me want to be Irish.  The food was better than I ever expected.  We had a great tour guide who was a history nut. He talked for 8 hours a day while driving the bus.  We learned so much and forgot half of it at least before the next stop.  Loved the trip. Food is not fun in Ireland. It was a starving country for most of its recent history because of invasions and land being taken from them.  Then the great famine.  Just horrible. But we would not have the Irish population in the US if that had not taken place. Just like the lack of food in Italy and the many wars moved people to leave.

Food.  They like Italian and American. Its on every menu. You can't throw a stick without hitting a sign for a hamburger and fries.  Italian restaurants are everywhere along with pizza. So we wanted real Irish food and that is there too.  Irish stew. Skip it. Potatoes at every meal.  Fish and chips.  That is a good choice.  Scones are wonderful and so is the brown bread. Otherwise, go American or Italian.

As for the population? Its the whitest country I have ever been to. I saw very few blacks, Indians and Asians.  They don't even visit.

Spanish students are all over. They like to learn English in Ireland. Think of it. English spoken with an Irish and Spanish accent. Yes, it is hard to imagine.

Well, if you can visit Ireland, do it. You will love it. Bring warm clothing too. And they use the Euro.
Money is easy to count. Much better than the British pound which is used in Northern Ireland and Scotland too. Northern Ireland is a Country belonging to Great Britain in case you didn't know that. They will not accept Euros or dollars. Credit cards usually okay.

I never thought I would be in Belfast. That was a big experience. We were careful and were only there a short time. They do not cater to tourists at all.

SICILIAN APPETIZER ON THE SIDE OF MT. ETNA 2006.

I was wandering around my computer and found this great photo I took of the first luncheon in Sicily in 2006.  We had toured Mt. Etna and stopped at this lovely place on the way back to the resort.  They presented each one of us with an incredible oversized plate with all this food on it.  It was enough to feed 4 people as an appetizer. Then John, a fellow traveler, sent me this photo he took of the same dish. We all remember the food with very vivid memories.  A full 4 courses followed and we had to cancel the last meat course as we were stuffed like a cannoli.  We did get dessert of course.  Cooler heads prevailed.
You will never eat better than in Sicily.  Even a dive or little restaurant will have wonderful food.  And the cannolis are to die for.