The garden is getting away from me and I am losing control. The incessant rain over the entire month has both the plants and the weeds growing like crazy, and the insect pests have begun their onslaught in earnest. Unfortunately I have little opportunity to get outside and do much about it.
I am currently undergoing chemo treatment for sun damaged skin, during which time I must avoid exposure to the sun. The topical ointment is applied twice a day and results in fiery red skin and unrelenting stinging and burning sensations as the chemicals attack and destroy the damaged cells. The discomfort is bearable in a cool, air-conditioned environment but pretty miserable in outdoor summer temperatures or with just a little activity. Time spent outdoors has therefore been limited to early morning or in the evening shadows.
It’s no big deal, really. No one is going to die. I’ve had this treatment twice in the past so I knew what to expect. This round of treatments is on my scalp and forehead. Later, when the weather cools down again I will do my face and then my arms. When it is all over I will have skin as smooth as a baby’s butt and won’t need to have cancers removed nearly as often. Meanwhile I look like a space alien and feel like I’m in hell.
Okay, the hell part is an exaggeration, but the space alien look was confirmed the other day when I was sitting in my car in the parking lot at the sheriff’s office while Faye went inside to hand in her CCH application. A sheriff’s deputy parked beside me, and when he got out of his car we exchanged cordial greetings. I wondered why he kept turning around to have another look at me as he was walking away. I had to laugh when I remembered that I had removed my hat to be comfortable on a very warm day.
Garden pests have riddled the new crop of arugula with tiny little holes but I managed to gather enough good leaves for this meal. Readers will recognize this as one of my favorite dishes which gets repeated frequently with slight variations.
To keep the baked freeform tortilla shell from getting soggy I lined it with washed and dried lettuce leaves.
I added reheated cooked rice followed by seasoned refried black beans.
On top of the beans I scattered homegrown pickled jalapeños.
Then I added torn arugula, mini San Marzano tomatoes, green onions and cilantro.
A few avocado wedges are always appropriate for this kind of meal as is home fermented jalapeño hot sauce.
The baked tortilla is a really snazzy idea! Must copy at first opportunity. I’m thinking cheesy scrambled eggs for lunch today!
Virtual hugs,
Judie
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Tortilla bowls are so quick and easy to do. You can put anything in them and they turn something ordinary into something special.
I like that eggs don’t have to be just for breakfast. Cheezy makes everything better!
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Did I miss a post with instructions on how to do this? I’m thinking Cuisinart oven? Ever get yours working? I use mine several times a day.
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To make the tortilla bowls I zap the tortillas in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to make them limber then drape them over inverted oven proof vessels which have been greased with cooking spray or misted with olive oil. They bake fairly quickly at 350ºF. As soon as the tortillas have enough rigidity I remove them from the mold and finish baking them directly on the oven rack. Sometimes I apply olive oil to the other side of the tortilla after draping it over the mold.
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Whoops – I did mine before I read this. I’ll send you a picture and text about what I did. Short answer – It was GREAT! Thanks for the idea!
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Looking forward to seeing how you did it. Might be better than my method.
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Ended up doing just a regular omelette, so no report.
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About the Cuisinart: I took it apart and found a burnt wire/bad connection but I never did round up my soldering iron to fix it.
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Oh – please do fix it! I use mine at LEAST once a day. So perfect for so many things.
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I do miss it. I used it a lot.
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I’ve recently taken to using the rack for a lot of things, instead of directly on the bottom, or even in the removable pan.
Made cranberry/pistachio cornbread in the pan the other night, using two parts flour/one part cornmeal/one part of that Pan mix. The Pan mix gave it an interesting texture and taste.
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I imagine the masarepa would change the texture and flavor of cornbread. Sounds like something I would do.
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I can’t seem to get myself sufficiently motivated to make the arepas, so i was trying to use up the mix. We liked it so well that I am going to make it a permanent component of the recipe.
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When I make the tortilla bowls (and not watching my fat intake), I brush both sides of the tortilla with oil before draping them over an oven proof bowl and putting them in the oven. They end up turning out very similar to the ones you get at a restaurant doing it that way.
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I do it that way sometimes too but usually just enough on one side to keep the tortilla from sticking to the bowl, especially if I’m going to be using cheese or sour cream.
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