VAL'S 4Patriots COWBOY RICE & BEANS w-STEAK; Coalinga-CA

Val's 4-Patriots Cowboy Rice & Beans w-Steak

As you may have guessed, this skillet meal is called cowboy beans 🤠because cowboys were known to carry beans with them as they traveled trail drives; the beans were basically lightweight, readily available, and inexpensive. Beans & rice also have a long shelf life, which was important for those long chuckwagon trips across the grasslands and mountain passes.

Beans also work for my road gypsy lifestyle: they take up very little storage room, are by and large light weight to carry ... and beans are an essential high-protein food that can serve as a healthy substitute for meat in a diet (when meat is hard to come by during boondocking experiences), providing protein along with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. While most beans are incomplete proteins on their own, combining them with other foods like grains can provide all the necessary amino acids.

Tonight, there is meat in the freezer 😁 - and I am going to be using some of that meat in tonight's supper fare for my personal cowboy.

Ingredients.

Shredded cheese blend …

Half of a 4Patriots pkt. of Cowboy Beans & Rice Supper dry mix; with a mesh strainer, separate the solids from the powdered sauce blend.

Onion, pepper, tomato, & garlic medley.

Julienne sliced steak bits.

Prep work out of the way to make cooking time in the kitchen easy & quick ;-)

Val's 4-Patriots Cowboy Rice & Beans w-Steak ~serves 3

1/2 pkt. 4Patriots Cowboy Rice & Bean dry mix * 1 medium thin Beef Steak, sliced * 2 Tablespoons Bacon grease * 1 medium Yellow Onion sliced * 1 Wax Pepper, seeded and diced * 1 Garlic clove, pressed * 4 c. Water * 1 5-oz can V-8 Juice * 1 Roma Tomato, chopped (opt.) * 4 tsp. Beef Bullion * ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, grnd. * 2 tsp. Sazon Coriander and Annatto Seasoning * 1 TBSP dark Chili Powder * 1/2 TBSP ground Cumin * 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt * 1/2 tsp Lemon Pepper * 1 TBSP Cilantro, chopped * 1 c. BLENDED Cheddar cheese, grated & Pepper Jack Cheese, grated * 1 med-size Mesh Strainer * Lrg. Skillet w-lid * Lrg. Skillet Screen * Lrg. Cooking Spoon * 2 Dinner Plates

The kitchen will smell so wonderful while this meal cooks …

(1) In a large skillet cook over medium-high heat, melt the bacon grease & meat; brown the meat.

Add onion, garlic, & pepper - cook until onion is translucent & pepper is softened.

Add vegetables & garlic; stir to incorporate.

(2) Increase the temperature to high heat. In a glass measuring cup - blend the dry sauce mix & spices; add 1 c. of the water, the V- juice, & mix well: pour into the skillet mixture.

In a liquid measuring cup, blend dry sauce mix & spices together.

Add V-8 juice & 2 c. water; blend well & add to skillet mixture. Stir.

Add the dry mix rice & beans to the skillet combination, and stir in the remaining water … bring mixture to a boil, stirring.

Turn the heat to low & simmer uncovered for 45 minutes -  or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir frequently to keep rice from sticking to skillet bottom.

(3) Top skillet mixture with the cheese & cilantro:

Turn heat off and cover with lid, allowing the cheese to melt.

This was skillet meal SO GOOD!

Definitely a repeat 😘👏