Saturday, February 20

One despairs of being repetitive, but things appear not to change much. The wind continues to blow, and not in an appropriate direction for our adventures. You can see the whitecaps on the waves beyond LUX.

The excitement of the moment was that a few drops of rain fell. But, the sun is once again breaking through the clouds. So, the crew entertains themselves while awaiting a weather change.

Last night's dinner, by the way, was not only exciting because we had Eskimo Pies for dessert. We had a lovely one pot meal beforehand. Since it was fast as well as easy, I thought I might share it with you. The recipe originated from the web, but I modified it a bit to fit our tastes. Feel free to do the same.

Mexicali Stovetop Pie

Ingredients

1 pound of ground meat (Here begins the variations. I used ground turkey.)

1 large can of diced tomatoes - I used the ones with peppers and onions

1 can of beans- I used black beans

1/4 cup of water (see the directions below)

Your choice of seasonings with a Mexican flair - I used 1 1/2 tablespoons of taco seasoning with a 1/4 teaspoon of cumin

1 package cornbread or corn muffin mix, prepared but not baked- I must say that we LOVE Marie Callendar's Honey Cornbread mix in the pouch. It is so tasty, and it only requires that you add water! It's perfect for a boat.

1 cup shredded cheese- I used sharp cheddar, but you could use one of your choosing

Preparation

1. Fry the ground meat with the seasonings. While it is cooking up, partially drain the tomatoes and mix up the cornbread. Also, fully drain the beans. Fill the can halfway with water.

2. Once the meat is cooked (and drained, if necessary), add the tomatoes and the beans. Add the water in the can of beans to the mix. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.

3. The next step is dependent on the type of cornbread you used. Marie Callendar's mix is a very wet mixture, so I was able to just pour it over my ingredients. If you chose a more traditional mix, you will need to spoon it on- just like dumplings!

4. Cover and cook for 15 to 17 minutes- or until the cornbread is done.

5. Sprinkle your cheese on top. Cover and let the cheese melt. 

Once the cheese has melted, it is ready to serve. Be sure to offer your favorite brand of hot sauce on the side for those who like a little kick for their taste buds! Our favorite right now is a Caribbean one- Mango Madness.

The options are endless! I had thought about frying fresh onions and peppers in it. However, I am currently out of those! And, seriously, you do not want to think about the price of a pepper when you have to also pay to have it travel to the islands from someplace like Miami. Believe me when I say I am fairly sure that pepper traveled first class. But, dinner was good.

Today, we might move on to Pipe Cay to see the ruins of a World War II radio station built by the British Admiralty. As always, though, travels are based on the weather. We'll see what happens.