Vietnam Vet Recipes: Breakfast Pizza

Frank Fox's Breakfast Pizza

by Frank Fox

I saw where someone had added a recipe for one of my favorites, Spanish Chicken & Rice!

Did you know that many of the things we like for breakfast can be put on a pizza crust found in your market, or grocery store?

It can compete with breakfast tacos, and it's all on one slice. It can be good any time of the day.

Here is my recipe for Breakfast Pizza:

Breakfast Pizza

*  One 12 inch commercial pizza crust -- lightly coat it with olive oil for a crisper crust.

*  Cover the crust with a spicy tomato sauce, like a picante sauce, or just a regular tomato sauce. Garlic powder can then be sprinkled over the sauce.

*  Scramble some eggs, or if you prefer it to be healthy, you can use egg beaters to go along with the zero cholesterol crust. Cook enough eggs to cover the crust, or as much of it as you like. Season the eggs to your taste.

*  Add your favorite meat topping:  ground sausage, chorizo, bacon, little smokies, Canadian bacon, or anything else you desire.

*  Add some Veggies: onion, jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, black olives, or cilantro, and maybe even add some hash brown potatoes.

*  Cheeses: top with whatever kind you like -- the world is your oyster!

Combine all the ingredients just like you would a regular pizza. It is best if you have one of those special round cooking stones. The crust becomes even crisper that way.

*  Set oven temp as directed for the pizza crust. Everything else should be cooked. Heat until all the ingredients are hot and bubbling.

Enjoy!

Frank Fox

Combat Medic
Sea/Air Rescue
US Navy with USMC
August 1964 – August 1970 (6 years 1 month)

More Articles by Frank Fox:

Old School Patriotism is Still Alive
Veterans Sharing Recipes
The White House Christmas Card
War: Some Are Better Prepared
Our Generation
The Marine and the Cure
More Thoughts on War and Youth
Opinions, Thoughts and Feelings
A Different PerspectiveA Worthy Rebuttal to Mr. Garrison

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you want to share. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history.

Send it to me in an e-mail and I will be proud to post it for you.

Vietnam Vet Recipes: Texas Pinto Beans

Tony's Home - Keller, TX

by Tony Flores

CJ, one good thing about living in this country is that we have people and food from all over the world. 

I can find just about any kind of food within a five-mile radius of my house in Keller, Texas, a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth.

I went to Sydney on R&R from Vietnam and for 5 days I ate at a Texas Cafe there where half of the restaurant was Mexican food and the other side was Cowboy Texas style food. It was a blessing.

Arros con Pollo is one of my favorites. My grandmother from Puerto Rico could make it better than 5-star restaurants. Grandmother died while I was in Nam in 1969.

After Nam, family members all got together and remembered some of her food and put some recipes together. All of our friends would stay over until supper, if they found out we were going to have beans and tortillas, or Arroz con Pollo. I made them from memory, after I came back from Nam.

As to a favorite recipe that I like to cook, that would be my Grandmother's Texas Pinto beans.  I would like to share her recipe.

Grandmother's Texas Pinto Beans

What you will need:

2 1/2 cups dried pinto beans
1 to 2 chopped cloves of garlic
1/2 lb. lean bacon
1 bunch green onion, sliced
1 small can tomato paste
12 cups water
1 small can diced tomatoes, or Rotel
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, snipped
Chili powder to taste
2 to 3 t. Salt
3 limes cut in wedges

Directions:

Wash beans thoroughly. Then combine with 8 cups of water in 3 or 4 quart pot. Bring water to boil, then reduce heat to medium.

Cook beans and garlic over medium-low heat, covered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Skim top occasionally and add additional hot water if necessary.

After beans have cooked 2 1/2 hours, chop bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. Pour off all but 1 Tbs. fat.

Add bacon with 1 Tbs. fat, tomato paste, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and chili powder to beans. Continue cooking about 30 minutes more or until beans are tender.

Add salt to taste.

Beans should have plenty of broth so add water when necessary.

Serve with lime wedge.

That is the way my grandmother made her Texas Pinto beans. You can substitute ham hocks for the bacon.

Happy New Year to all my brothers and sisters that served in Vietnam. May the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Father, who combine as almighty God, bless you in the New Year 2015.

Tony Flores
USAF Retired


Have a Question?

E-mail Tony

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you want to share. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history.

Vietnam Vet Recipes: Southwest Chicken

Frank Fox's Southwest Chicken

by Frank Fox

I know many vets are great cooks. They knock the socks off of family and friends who are graced with their efforts.

The sheer diversity of veterans from all areas of the U.S. tells me they have to be producing some tasty meals, or desserts.

Many have specialties like Chili (Yankee or Southern), fried fish (catfish is my specialty), any kind of beans (I prefer Navy or Pinto), and chicken that's roasted, baked, grilled, in soups, and wings ... the possibilities are endless.  I also like to do ribs.

Then there's Mexican food.  I could win blue ribbons for my enchiladas, or Spanish Chicken and Rice, otherwise known as Aros con Pollo.

I find cookouts with family and friends is good for the soul -- you get to impress them, and they smile when they see you.  I will give you a sample recipe:

Frank’s Southwest Chicken:

Tip:  Take it from an old Corpsman, always take chicken very seriously.  Keep everything clean.  If you use a kitchen towel, only use it for the chicken and then throw it into the wash.  And do wash your hands frequently. 

**First, I like to make a pea salad ahead of time and let it chill.

What You Will Need:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. (buy as many as you want to serve)
1 gallon Zip Loc bags
Olive Oil
Coarse pepper
Worcestershire sauce (a dash or two)
Chili powder (a dash or two)

Tip:  I always use Gebhardts Chili Powder for Chili, Enchiladas, and well, any Mexican food. It is not as salty as other brands, and you'll have less of a problem with indigestion. 

Your favorite Chicken Rub.  (I use a rub made by Fiesta, 6 oz. bottle)
Cheddar cheese, cut into strips
Avocado, cut into wedges

Preparation:

Using a gallon zip lock bag, insert one breast at a time into the bag.  Then find a firm spot on your counter, and with a meat hammer, (or other suitable type mallet), pound the breast to an even thickness all over. (It will cook uniformly and it all gets done the same that way). 

In a shallow dish add the olive oil, coarse pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder.  Mix well.

Dip the breasts in the mixture and get each of them good and wet.

After dipping, sprinkle your favorite Chicken Rub liberally on both sides. 

When you have dipped and sprinkled each of the breasts, put them in clean zip lock bag and into the fridge until you're ready to cook them.  They will marinate well that way.

Cooking Directions:

I use a gas grill for convenience, but I have also cooked the chicken over charcoal, and in the house oven.  Personally, I prefer the grill.

Make sure to coat the grates with oil.  This will prevent any sticking and it helps to put the grill marks on. 

The grill should be fairly hot and you should stay there with it, until you get used to how it cooks. Breasts can cook fast.  Be sure to move, or flip, them often to cut down the scorching. 

When they are firm and less flexible, they are most likely done.  If you have any doubt, cut into one to look for done-ness. 

Before you remove the breasts from the grill, lay a few cheddar cheese strips across the tops of the breasts, close lid for a minute to melt the cheese, and Voila!

Put them on a platter. 

To finish, just add a couple of avocado wedges and pour some iced tea, or your favorite beverage. 

Give it a go -- it really is easy!

If this works well for you and you like it, I have a roasted chicken recipe that you can do in your sleep.  It takes 2-1/2 hours at low temp and you never touch it. I just leave it alone and go mow the yard, or take a walk.

Frank Fox

Combat Medic
Sea/Air Rescue
US Navy with USMC
August 1964 – August 1970 (6 years 1 month)

More Articles by Frank Fox:

The White House Christmas Card
War: Some Are Better Prepared
Our Generation
The Marine and the Cure
More Thoughts on War and Youth
Opinions, Thoughts and Feelings
A Different PerspectiveA Worthy Rebuttal to Mr. Garrison

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you want to share. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history.