[Paddlewise] Chili and Bread Pudding

Fred T asked me to put the recipies for chili and bread pudding in the Paddlewise
Food Court. I could't find such a section but will share them and some techniques
for carrying and reheating food prepared at home.

I made beef chili this time.  I have also substituted turkey for the beef.  I also
make a vegetarian chili that both freezes well and can be dried and rehydrated.
That recipe is in the Moosewood Cookbook by Molllie Katzen on page 110.

Beef Chili                                  For 8 people

2 pounds of chili meat
4 onions
4 bell peppers
4-8 garlic cloves
4-6 jalepeno peppers - optional
chili seasoning to taste - usually I use about 1/4-1/3 cup
extra red pepper if needed
3 bay leaves
Saute the meat and seasonings together until the meat is fully cooked and the
vegtables are clear.  Drain off the fat.
Add:
2  16 oz. cans of diced tomatos
1 small can of tomato paste
Juice of 2 -3 cans of kidney beans
Bring to a boil and simmer at least an hour
Add the beans and simmer at least another 30 minutes
Add salt and seasonings to taste
I add tobasco or other hot pepper sauce to mine.

Cool and pack into 1 quart zip lock bags for travel. Freeze.  Then pack with
unfrozen food to keep cold.  Some of our chili was still frozen the second night.

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

2 whole eggs
2 cups milk
1 TBL. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup raisins
Optional:
1 cup chopped pecans
1 large can fruit cocktail, drained (can use other fruit or dried fruit bits as
well - but soak it first)
6 oz. of stale French bread, about 1/2 standard 32" loaf
Mix everything but the bread.
Break the bread in small pieces and put in a greased rectangular baking dish
Pour the mix over it and let it set at least 15 minutes to soak up the juices.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours or until a knife inserted into the center
comes out clean.

Cool.
Cut into servings - makes 4 large or 6 small.  Indvidually wrap each serving in
foil and pack into a plastic storage container.  Can be frozen but doesn't need to
be. But it takes less space to let frozen food keep other food cold.

Whiskey Sauce
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup bourbon whiskey  (I added 1/2 cup)
Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan.
Pack into a plastic jar.
Back the bourbon into a small leakproof container.

At camp.  Take the largest cookpot in a set and turn the lid to the next largest
pot upside down inside it.  Add a little water but do not let it get to the level
of the upside down lid.  Pack in the packets of bread pudding and cover and heat
until steaming and the packets feel really hot - will take about 15 minutes.
Just before the packets are hot, pour out the sauce into your smallest pan and
heat.
Stir in the bourbon.

Hand each person a packet and let them open the bread pudding, put in a bowl, stab
it with a fork or break it up, then add the sauce.

The method I used to reheat the pudding also worked for the dressing I served for
Thanksgiving and would work for any caserole that is solid, even lasagne.  The
large pots hold about 6 servings but the second time around they will get hot
faster.  We also had several sets of pots with us for reheating our feast so could
heat them all at once.

This is the recipe I gave Peyton and he came in 2nd with it.  Come on Peyton, give
us the wining recipe.  :)

Also cooking ahead and freezing your food works great.  You can even pack it in
your clothes bag, wrapped in fleece or wool and it will keep a few days in cool
weather.  Taking vegetarian meals also gives you extra protection.  If you take
meat, be sure is is protected with either strong acid or alcohol.  Marinate it in
vinegar or wine, for instance. And having a hot soup or stew in a few minutes of
sitting around and watching a sun set is really nice at the end of a long paddle.

Marilyn










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