Chili
                               Brown onion in oil.
                               Brown pound of hamburger (get
leanish--maximum 15% fat)
                               Scoop out fat by tilting pan and ladling.
                               Add about 2-3 tablespoons of chili powder
(brown--reddish is hotter)
                               salt and pepper and garlic powder (go easy)
to taste
                               smallish can of tomato paste
                               carefully stir in a bit of water
                               Simmer 15-20 min
                               Add 2 cans of kidney beans.
Serve over rice.
                 ALWAYS 1 1/2 cups water to a cup of rice.  NEVER follow the
package directions.  Always less water than they say.  Boil water with 1/2
tsp salt, add rice, stir, back to boil, cover tightly and on LOWEST possible
heat for 15 min.  DON'T disturb.  Lift lid and check.  It will probably need
another 5 minutes, but you don't want to burn it.  The normal is 20 min, but
you need to test your stove a couple of times first til you know for  sure.
Or cheat and buy boil in the bag rice or minute rice, but it's definitely
not as good.
To stretch it for last-minute guests, add fresh tomatoes, a can of kernel
corn, etc.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soupy pork chops.
          Cut off extra fat!!!
          Brown pork chops (salt and pepper)  in bit of margarine.
          Add chopped onion to brown underneath.
          Add sauce.  Combo of cream of mushroom and golden mushroom soup.
          Bring to boil, Cover and simmer about 20 min.
          Serve with rice.

Soupy pork chops has no recipe.
For 4-8 chops, trim off all fat.  Brown chops in margarine.  Add minced
onion underneath and fry til soft.  Sauce to add:  combine 1 can cream of
mushroom and 1 can golden mushroom soup.  To make more, add 1 more can of
either, depending on the flavor you want--zippy versus milder.  Simmer
about 15 - 20 min.  Serve over rice (or I suppose egg noodles).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beans Almondine

Just buy a pound of beans for 4 people.   I checked that this morning.
Pull off tips, wash, boil in not too much water about 5 - 10 min (eat one
per minute to check how crunchy you like it).
1/2 stick of butter
a packet of almonds should be about 3/5 to 4 oz
Sautee gently in the butter until just becoming golden (unless the beans and
dinner are all set and you're going to pour them out of the pan immediately.
They can be done ahead and just quickly reheated.
Pour over beans and voila.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brazilian Chicken

Get as many chicken pieces as folks will eat (poll them as to # and
preferred pieces of white or dark, etc).  Wash and pull off as much fat (and
skin?) as possible.  Put in a bowl and squeeze lemon juice over to marinate
in the fridge a couple of hours (less is OK).
Brown 1/2 stick margarine in LARGE frying pan or Dutch oven.  Salt and
pepper chicken pieces and brown quickly over high heat.  Stand by to watch
this porcess!  Takes about 10 min.
Sprinkle garlic powder over the pieces (not too much), turn down to simmer,
cover, and leave about 20-30 min to cook chicken about halfway.
Add onion (in thin wedges)(size depends on how much you like it but at least
1 medium, for flavor), 1 or 2 tomatoes cut in wedges, 1 or 2 bayleaves,
white wine or chicken broth or water and boullion cubes to almost cover the
chicken (if you like a lot of sauce).
Simmer covered another 25 min or so.
Taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper.
Add 2 cans of kernel corn (or Mexicorn actually). Don't drain unless you
really don't need more sauce.  Just heat thru.
Thicken sauce with some cornstarch or flour stirred into bit of water.  Add
slowly and in several spots, while stirring that spot rather vigorously, or
it lumps.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The marinade recipe follows:

3/4 c Japanese soy (like Kikkoman)
1/2 c catsup
1/2 c sherry
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 pressed clove garlic
juice of 1 lemon and some grated rind
Tenderize meat by piercing all over with a fork.  Marinate 3-4 hrs at
least.  Optimal is overnight in the fridge.  Turn the meat over ever couple
of hours when possible (if not completely covered by liquid).  Baste while
grilling, if you want.

Be sure to totally clean the grill each time you use it!  Including the
heating element.  It will minimize the smoking and make clean-up minimally
difficult each time.  Operate the grill under the stove hood.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------