THAT SPECIAL CHAPTER Every cookbook author seems to come up with a few recipes which he would like to include but they simply do not fit in any of the ordinary chapters, so a special chapter is needed for them. If it were not for this chapter, where in the world would one put the recipe for GORP? I haven't the faintest idea what GORP means or where it came from, but no RV'er should be without at least one container of the stuff. I've also heard it called floor sweep, trail mix and cat litter, but call it what you like, it will still be plain old GORP to most people.
GORP1 Cup Granola or Similar Cereal
1 Cup Raisins
1 Cup Sunflower Seed Kernels
1 Cup Peanuts
1 Cup Plain M&MsMix and store in air-tight container. Eat dry as a snack, or add milk for a super cereal. I put about 2 tablespoons of GORP into plastic bags and hand it out to Mexican children. After that, I am Uno Bueno Gringo.
TEXAS TRASH
1 Box Rice Chex
1 Box Wheat Chex
1 Box Corn Chex
1 12 Oz. Pkg. Pretzel Sticks
1 16 Oz. Can Mixed Nuts
1 Stick Butter
4 T. Cayenne PepperCombine all three boxes of Chex, the mixed nuts and the pretzels in large metal container. Melt butter and combine with cayenne pepper. Drizzle over Chex mixture. Heat in 200-degree oven for half an hour, tumbling every 10 minutes. Let cool and store in airtight container. Texas Trash is a great munchie with beer.
GUACAMOLE
2 or 3 Large, Ripe Avocados
2 Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 Onion, chopped very fine
1 4 Oz. Can Chopped Chilis
4 Limes
1 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Garlic Salt
1/4 Tsp. CuminMash peeled avocados with a fork until just well broken up. Should have about 3 cups of mashed avocado. Squeeze limes over the avocado and fold in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate in tightly covered plastic or glass bowl until time to serve with chips for dipping.
BASIC BAKING MIX
Most people take along a box or two of Bisquick, but you can make your own for a lot less. Once made, it can become biscuits, pie crusts, pancakes or even the basis for cakes. Make enough to fill whatever container you are using to these ratios.1 Cup Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Sugar
1/8 Tsp. Salt
BASIC MARINADE
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
2 T. vegetable Oil
2 T. Soy Sauce
2 T. Ketchup
1/4 Tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp. Black PepperMarinate beef 4 hours, pork or chicken 2 hours, fish 1 hour. Can be used for basting while grilling or roasting.
TEXAS HOTS
I don't know where this recipe really belongs, so I'll just stick it in here.
While driving through rural New York, I kept seeing roadside signs which advertised "Texas Hots". My family has been around Texas since it was spelled Tejas and was a part of Mexico, but I had never heard of anything called a "Texas Hot".
My curiosity finally got the best of me so I stopped at a roadside diner which advertised "Award Winning Texas Hots". I told the owner that I was from Texas but had never heard of "Texas Hots" and wanted to see what they were all about. He proudly pointed to a blue ribbon and a certificate which were hanging on the wall, proclaiming that he had served the best "Texas Hots" at the local county fair.
"You are in for a treat," he said as he set the "Texas Hot" in front of me. It was something like a Chili Dog, except that it would be awfully messy to try to eat with your hands. It was what we commonly call a Hot Link Sausage on a thick slice of bread which had been toasted on the grill. I suppose that it got its name from the fact that bread sliced about an inch thick is often called "Texas Toast". The whole thing was then covered with a meat sauce which had a mild chili flavor. He gladly gave me the recipe to his award winning sauce, which is included in case you would like to sample some Award Winning Texas Hots.
SAUCE FOR TEXAS HOTS
1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Onion, minced
1 12 Oz. Can Tomato Sauce
1 T. Chili Powder
1 T. Sugar
1 Tsp. Corn MealCrumble the meat and cook with the onions until meat is no longer pink. Add everything else except the corn meal and simmer for about half an hour. Add corn meal to thicken sauce. Split a hot link and grill split side down while also toasting a thick slice of bread on the grill. Put the hot link on the toast, spoon on the sauce and you have an Award Winning Texas Hot.
Cookbook Index | Breakfast | Lunch | Main Dishes | Salsas | Side Dishes | Meals in a Hurry | Salads & Dressings | Soups & Stews | Chili | Breads | Sweets | Parties | Potent | Special | Shopping | Hints & Haunts | Weights & Measures | The Last Page
Copyright 2000 by
Jim Foreman