I Hate Veggies Bloody Mary Soup

BBQ Pork with 1-2-3 Pickled Cucumbers

My quest to find edible vegetables this weekend brought me to two Tex-Mex recipes. The first was a play on BBQ pork and coleslaw. Last weekend I made a big Crockpot full of pork roast, half of which I shredded and froze. I thawed the pork and added it to a quick sauce made from ketchup (yes, I freely admit working with the miracle red stuff), maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, onions and garlic, spices, and a generous dousing of whiskey.  I topped corn tostadas with the pork and some red onions and cucumbers that I quick pickled in a 1-2-3 sauce (vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices), and a mild white cheddar. The salad was dressed with salsa and balsamic vinegar.


Yesterday I made a chili based loosely on the Byerlys recipe featured on Saturday morning TV. Ted’s comment while eating a bowl; “This is vegetably.” My comment; “That is the idea.”

Bloody Mary Chili
3 slices bacon; diced and sautéed to crisp
1 pound flank steak, dry rubbed and refrigerated for 4 hours with; cumin, chili powder, mustard, garlic powder, peppers, celery salt
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup diced red pepper
1 stalk diced celery
1 whole poblano pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups canned tomatoes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cumin, dry mustard, chili powder, celery salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I get the tube which keeps between uses in refrigerator indefinatrly)
½ cup prepared salsa

Heat large pan and add bit of olive oil. Saute steak to medium rare; remove from pan and let rest 10 minutes.

Saute onion, peppers and celery in a small bit of olive oil until soft about 5 minutes in pan; add garlic during last minute. Transfer to Dutch oven or soup pot. Add bacon, chicken broth, canned tomatoes, Worcestershire, spices, and paste; bring to simmer over medium heat.

Slice steak across grain into thin strips. Add to soup.

Serve in bowls with lime, avocado, and other condiments to taste. Vodka is always optional.