Author: jstv

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Burritos Quick and Easy

This year we’ve been doing a lot of meal prep … that is, building multiple meals at one time and packaging them for later.

Usually these meals are lunches, the meal we are most likely to eat on the go.

There’s scads of online info and recipes about meal prep so we’re not going to recreate that here. However, we would like to share a favorite make ahead lunch … Quick Chicken Burritos.

The best meal preps require only simple food techniques and ingredients. These burritos are super easy to prepare and make a satisfying and delicious meal. The recipe is very flexible, allowing you to add or substitute ingredients.

One final note, you are making multiple meals which will need to be packed and most likely frozen. Amazon is full of systems and it is actually interesting to check out what they offer.

For these burritos we use squares of aluminum foil. It is a simple deli style wrap and the burritos are ready for oven reheat which is the best way to serve. If you’re in a real hurry they do microwave.

Print Recipe

Chicken Burritos

easy multi-meal prep

Ingredients

  • 2 tsps olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 red pepper chopped
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper chopped
  • 15 oz low-sodium black beans one can
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 tsp dried urfa chili
  • 1 tsp taco seasoning
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 2 - 12.5oz cans
  • 2 cups kale chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro minced
  • 1/2 tsp lime zest
  • 1 Tbsp lime jucie 1 small lime
  • 1/.4 tsp salt
  • 8 10-inch tortillas

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the onion starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add beans, water and dry seasonings; bring to a simmer, mashing beans slightly with the back of a spatula. Stir in chicken and kale; cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Scrape contents of skillet into a large mixing bowl. Add cheddar, cilantro, zest, juice and salt. Mix until well blended. Measure 1/2 cup filling onto a tortilla and roll, folding over the ends burrito style. allow to cool. Should make 8 burritos.
  • Tear off four 6 inch strips of aluminum foil and then tear these in half. Lay a burrito diagonally on a foil square, fold up the lower third over the burrito and roll once, then fold over the far corner. Roll once more and fold over the near corner, and then complete the wrap. Place in freezer for up to a month.
  • Reheat burritos by placing in a cold oven set to 350º. When the oven comes to temp wait about 5 minutes and burritos should be nicely warmed up. Alternatively you can un-wrap and place in microwave for 3 minutes on high
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Frozen bubbles

I’m not sure where I first picked up the idea of freezing soap bubbles.

That said … I do remember once seeing videos of the process I thought, “I want to do that!”

So we gathered supplies, namely a straw and bubble solution, then watched weather forecasts for the ideal temperature ( -12º to -30ºF – you can have some success as high as 9-12º).

Finally it got cold enough … 7ºF. Time to pull out our bubble solution. We placed it outdoors to cool down for 30 minutes. Then headed outside to give it a go.

At first we used a straw to blow the bubble and allowed them to drop onto the front step – FAIL

Next we attempted to use the straw to place a bubble on the step – FAIL

Then we allowed the bubble to start freezing on the straw, then carefully placed it on the concrete surface – SUCCESS!

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Making a Better Salad

For some time we’ve been making our salads with simple oil and vinegar dressings. The basic recipe is 1 part vinegar, 2 parts oil, add some herb (fresh or dried), and mix in the bottom of a large bowl. You then add a mix of greens and toss. It makes for a tasty and simple salad with any meal.

About a year ago we stopped at our favorite Bend kitchen store (Ginger’s Kitchenware) and discovered a wall of flavored oil and vinegar.

Olivelle, a company based in Bozeman, MT, markets under the motto ‘The Art of Flavor.’ Ginger’s had installed in one corner of the store a shelf with jugs of olive oils and balsamic vinegars.

Of course they set up an area featuring freshly baked bread and all the necessary bits to encourage people to taste the variety.

The variety wasn’t just in age or district, but oils and vinegars had been infused with flavors. From fruit to nuts (cocoa bean), the selection was amazing.

The beauty of these infused vinegars is how easy it is to make a delicious salad … we’ve actually cut the oil back or out of the basic recipe and just use the vinegar to impart flavor.

Check out their website,  you might find a local dealer nearby. We’ve been back several times and are currently enjoying the spiced raspberry balsamic.

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Scouting the Fall River

Crooked River, near Post Pile Campground

A perk of living in Central Oregon is that you are moments away from some of the state’s (and nation’s) best fishing and some of these blue ribbon waters are open year around.

If you have spent any time at all on this blog you are aware that we are on the Crooked River … a lot. Even in the winter it is a great spot to spend the day. However, there are two other streams open in the winter; The Deschutes and the Fall offer good fishing as well.

The Fall River, near La Pine, Oregon

The Fall River is spring fed, it literally bubbles out of the ground a few miles from our house. This means it is amazingly clear. We’ve not spent a lot of time fishing this water, though we have walked the banks numerous times.

This last week we headed over to the Fall and spent a few hours on this gorgeous stream. Crystal clear water criss crossed with deadfall and what should be excellent fish holding pools.

It is a difficult stream to fish successfully, as the clear water makes spooking fish a distinct possibility.  The water is stocked but even these hatchery fish are finicky eaters. We are thinking all the Euro-nymphing practice will come in handy.  Now we just need to find a couple of good spots to wet a line.

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Strong Drink

This summer, on the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park, as we set up camp along the Gallatin River, a significant addition was made to our camping / fishing kit …

The Flask or more to the point, a flask of whiskey.

And so the evening cocktail hour was initiated and has now become a cherished tradition.

The term ‘whiskey’ can encompass a diverse number of spirits. Bourbon, Scotch, Rye, Canadian, and Irish are all types of whiskey and each has its own taste. What they share is a mash build much like our other favorite beverage (beer). The variations come in how the beverage is treated in the distillation and aging process.

Bourbon, the most american whiskey, has a mash build primarily of corn (50% or more) and it is aged in charred aged oak barrels. This tends to be our spirit of choice, though we’ve found some variations on that theme that are equally tasty.

Want a deep dive check out the Whiskey Tribe on YouTube they have some over the top videos but great information.

A recommendation? Try “Oregon Spirit” which is not just a good bourbon but also distilled in Bend, Oregon. Anything out of the Michtner’s Distillery is great … the American Whiskey (though technically not a bourbon) is excellent. However, you really need to do some tasting because there are so many variations. There are also a lot of craft distillers, one just might be near you.

There is no right way to drink whiskey. That said your first taste really should be un-adulterated, followed by the addition of a splash of water or a cube of ice. The taste will change … you’ll be amazed.

As for cocktail? Might we suggest a classic, “the Manhatten” … our version of the classic drink.

      1. Drop a cube of sugar (20g) in a glass then add three shakes of bitters.
        Muddle these to combine.
      2. Cut a strip of orange peel and expell the oils over the muddled sugar.
      3. At this point I like to add 2 ounces of sparkling soda (dry soda) but you can skip that part.
      4. Add 2 ounces of bourbon and a small handful of ice.

Stir and enjoy!