GER'S MEXICAN CASSEROLE (from my mothers recipes)

Bowl Mix 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of milk, 10 oz. can of enchilada sauce (green or red is fine) and an *optional drained 4oz can of fire roasted diced green chili.  Mix all together.

Brown 1 pound hamburger meat and a cup and a half of diced onion. then drain off the greasy water and then stir into the skillet of browning hamburger meat the bowl mix.

Simmer 15-20 minutes , (covered is best but that's optional) stir scraping the bottom occasionally to avoid it sticking. 

8x13 casserole pan sprayed well with olive oil spray , Scoop out about half the meat mix into the casserole pan (aluminum pan is fine especially if you're going to freeze it) and cover it with a layer of chips, Tostitos or Doritos, (approx 10-11 oz. bag is enough to cover both layers.  Most people seem to prefer the Nacho Doritos)  

Cheese Add a  layer of a good shredded cheese mix (i.e.. fiesta blend) (or mix cheddar and mozzarella if that's all you've got)

Add the other half the meat mix sauce, and then cover that with another layer of chips but hold off on topping that with cheese just yet. 

(*Option if this is for a week or two from now, let this cool completely, cover snugly with foil and freeze it as is, join in again on the next instruction marked "Bake" after you've thawed it out.  If you choose this it works out wonderfully, just let it thaw before baking.)

Bake in oven for 30 min. at 325. (the last 5-7 minutes add a final layer of blended shredded cheese, and completely optional, if you like them...add some sliced black olive.  Return it to oven for the final 7 minutes.

Let it set up /cool a bit before eating.  

THE PERFECT STEAK

 

Reverse Sear.  Works for thick steaks (even up to  1.5" thick) Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Rub ground Himalayan salt and black pepper into both sides of the steak. Baked it on the rack in the preheated toaster oven at 250 degrees for 20-22 minutes for medium rare.  (turn it over half way through) it will drip so have foil below it.  If tempted to leave longer, remember they won't be at "done" temperature here, that is reached during the searing time. 

Remove from oven and let it "rest" 5 or 10 minutes while heating up a skillet (cast iron is a great option) to very hot...400-500 degrees.  Then tossed the steak onto the hot skillet  for a few minutes on each side and then hold the edges to the heat for a quick one minute sear. Medium rare is an internal temperature about 140.   Remove from skillet and optionally spread a tab of butter on one side.  Ideally you should have a slightly charred outer layer, but medium rare moist and delicious inside. 

THE PERFECT PINTO BEANS

---by Ger 

Pour a pound of fresh (well within date) dry pinto beans into a colander, and set the colander in a bowl to rinse the beans and soak them in.

One day later, pull the colander and changeout the water, continue soaking.

After a total of about 36-48 hours...they are ready, skim off any gaseous foam, lift out the beans from their soaking water

Preparing the brine pot for the beans:

Cut 5 slices of thick cut bacon into shorter lengths (thirds or fourths), lay in the bottom of the bean pot or "brine pot".


Turn the heat on to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of Garlic Powder (Not "Garlic Salt") spread over the bacon, add 1 tablespoon or a little less of ground sea salt, add 1/2 tsp of black pepper, add a diced third to half an onion, add the beans and level them out, add about half a gallon of water to a level no more than 1/2"  above the beans.  Add a third of a stick or half a stick of butter. close the lid.

Should be boiling pretty actively in about 20 min. or so...when it does, "scrape the bottom" style stirring just a bit then drop the burner to a low simmer and replace the lid...check and stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom and it's not trying to boil.

Ready to eat even within about a 90 min. to 2 hours.

Serve and then Turn burner off.

After while or tomorrow when it is time to eat again, set the burner to that low simmer mark , leave the lid on …the rewarmed beans will be even tastier..

Now these are good beans, but if you want master quality beans, once it cools set your entire bean pot in the refrigerator, and put back on the stove on low tomorrow, for hours... if you'll allow me to make up a word..."deliciouser"