In the depths of my refrigerator, I found something that was once forgotten. Something long forgotten -- from last week.
Left-over Stroganoff Hamburger Helper™.
That sounded like something I would like to eat. I took the jar out of the fridge, threw half of the contents into a pan, and started heating that little baby* up.
(*Note: I did not cook an infant.)
Now to the can.
As I mentioned yesterday, I wanted to work through the cans from largest to smallest. I did exactly that. To my surprise, the can had an easy-open top. No can opener for me today.
Whenever I see a can with an easy-open top, my mind automatically thinks of Name-Brand Beef Soup. I was really hoping this was not anything Chunky. I shook the contents and thought it sounded a like not-soup. Things were looking good. I was really excited for a decent side-dish.
I couldn't contain myself any longer, so I decided to tear open the top of the can with the help of a little, built-in ring.
¡Haha!
¡JALAPEÑO PEPPERS!
(Actually, Jake later told me that they were pickled jalapeño peppers. I couldn't tell a difference.)
Remember how I said I emptied only half of the left-overs into the pan? Well, as soon as I opened this can, I immediately emptied the the other half of the left-overs into a bigger pan. These little peppers were going to make some new friends.
Now I had more dishes to clean. Although, let's be honest with each other. If you were in my situation, would you use only half of your Hamburger Helper™ leftovers if you decided to add an unnecessary amount of jalapeño peppers into it?
While I let the new pan sit on the stove, I started draining the pepper juice from the can and counting the peppers. For some reason, there were five slices of carrots in the bottom of the can. This worried me a little bit.
I decided to add half of the peppers into the pan of leftovers that were slowly warming on the stove.
Guess how many peppers were in the can?
Seventeen.
There were seventeen jalapeño peppers in that can. Math tells me that half of seventeen is nine (if you round up). I started cutting the the peppers.
Then I added the sliced peppers into the pot on the stove. I think now is a good time to mention that I enjoy spicy things. When I say "I enjoy spicy things," I actually mean, "I enjoy spicy things that have a good flavor and give me a little bit of a challenge." I do not mean, "bring on the ghost peppers*."
(*Note: I have consumed a ghost pepper before. Long story, short: Never again.)
Now my conscience was resting easy. I used half of the contents of the can with the main dish. I was not obligated to use any more peppers and possibly damage my insides permanently (if the ghost pepper experience didn't do that already).
Then the rest of the peppers started looking really lonely. "I can't let food go to waste. There are kids starving over in Africa right now."
Dang-it! You're right motherly-sounding-inner-dialogue! There are children starving right now and I am literally playing a game with food. Don't I feel like a horrible person. Thanks for the guilt trip.
I could not disappoint my mother-conscience. I decided to do something crazy. So, I did the following…
I cut the jalapeño peppers and put them in a pan -- like this:
I set the oven to 400º F and baked them for about 15 minutes. If I had more time, I would have baked them longer.
Then I added cheese.
Cheese makes everything better right?
If you said, "everything except constipation," then you are correct!
These things were delicious. The other guys in my house wanted to try them, and they seemed to be a crowd favorite. Proof: That is not my hand in the picture reaching for the cheesy-peppery-goodness.
I ate until my stomach hated me. Then I ate a little bit more.
Then I ate a graham cracker so my stomach would hate me a little less.
More leftovers today. Perhaps I'll eat them in a week or so with Yams.
--John D.
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