A Garden Stew

…made with your Tomatoes, Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Peppers, Jalapeño Peppers, Swiss Chard (or Cabbage or …) Garlic, Basil, Celery.

• If using frozen: Tomatoes, Sweet and Hot Peppers, and Swiss Chard, move them from your freezer (in bowls) into your refrigerator one or two days before needed, so they have time to thaw gently.
  
• Pour about 1 cup of olive oil into a 6 quart pan or Croc Pot and add a 24 oz. jar of tomato sauce (or add 5 more tomatoes).
• Add 7 or 8 medium, chopped tomatoes: pre-frozen tomatoes are easy to peel, as the skin falls off as is if they were blanched (pour in the juice too). Otherwise use fresh tomatoes. Cut them all into about 3/4 inch pieces.
• Add 3 or 4 Bell Peppers(or thaw 2 cups of diced, frozen peppers).
• Add a half-cup of hot peppers (I use Jalapeño).
• Add about 3 or 4 cups of cubed Potatoes, with skins. (preferred are small potatoes with thick skins.)
• Optionally add a couple of Carrots, chopped into cubes.
• Pick and rinse about 10 to 12 Swiss Chard leaves, with stalks (or use pre-frozen and now thawed cut-up Swiss Chard). Fresh is better as the stalks loose some texture once frozen. Or use Cabbage or another green vegetable here.
    • On a cutting board, cut out the stalks from the leaves by running a knife along the ribs. Stack a handful and cut into 1/4 to 3/8 inch lengths, like celery.
    • To chop leaves, stack them all and cut the stack in half,then double-stack. Then, while pressing the stack down with one hand cut it into strips each way. Watch your fingers! Or use Cabbage or another green vegetable here.
• Add 3/4 cup long-grain brown rice (some rice advises rinsing before cooking).
• Add 1/3 cup Barley.
• Add 1 cup of Chopped Celery or add 1/4 cup of dry celery flakes (crushed to a powder).
• Add 10 to 20 cloves of Garlic, coarsely chopped.
• Add 1 cup chopped onions.
• If meat is desired: Use about half pound of either ground sausage (made into small balls as shown) or cut-up chicken. Optionally, add a half cup or more of textured vegetable protein (TVP). TVP has great texture!
  
  
• Add a half-cup of Lemon Juice and, optionally, a tablespoon or two of Apple Cider Vinegar. (Now is also a good time to also add some pickle juice or olive juice -green or black, as long as there is at least a half inch space to the pan rim, as the stew will swell as it cooks.)
• Optionally add a can of Kidney Beans (If there’s room. Allow a half-inch for expansion as the barley and rice swell). But make sure there is enough liquid for this absorption..
• Cover pan and heat the mixture at a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once hot, add about a half cup of your still-frozen Basil (else finely chop fresh Basil). Note that frozen basil is just as fresh and is so much easier to use
  
• Simmer your stew until the Barley and Rice swell and soften (an hour or more).
• Then add about 6 slices of Velveeta (or American) Cheese. Cover. When melted, stir the cheese in. Simmer another 5 minutes. Remove heat. Your stew is ready to serve. Makes almost 6 quarts!
• Any extra food will last a couple of weeks in the refrigerator, if packed while hot. I use plastic bowls with snap lids.