I'm Pudding This Here So I Can Ketchup On Writing -or- Cooking With Derp

Oh to know what goes on in my brain.  Hell I wish I knew... I have WAY too much going on up there that it's hard to keep track.  I'm writing a few things up there at the moment and I need more time to flesh out some ideas.  I tend to write kind of stream of consciousness so I can be pretty damn long winded.

Anyway, it was cold and rainy today and I was feeling pretty sad so I decided to cook something.  And what better "a something" than soups/stews for a cold day?  A short time ago I got pissed at cooking threads on /fit/ (yeah, I browse /fit/ and lift...) which contain some of the most awful, bland, poorly conceived recipes.  So I decided I'd make something to contribute.  Some 'OC' if you will.  I even calculated approximate nutrition for those guys.  Behold, a New Mexico classic: Green Chile Stew...with a twist.  Click for full image and save it, and try it, and love it.

Now the instructions in the image are pretty generic but I'll go in depth now.

Let me begin at the beginning.

Stock pot, always related.  Make sure it has a lid for when you go to simmer.

Slight more than a pound, but who cares?

Raw meat looks and feels so disgusting but it's definitely worth it.

Hatch chiles, accept no substitute.  Unless you have to.  In which case cayenne pepper will do.  Just to add some heat and complexity of heat-flavor.

About a tablespoon of the good stuff.

Poor attempt at showing how to chop onion. Angle the knife to make wedges.

Around an inch long chop.

Meat has chile powder and garlic powder added in, then onions.  I did it different from directions because I'm that good.

Don't forget.

You COULD use water, but....well why would you?

WHAT CALORIES LURK IN THE CELLS OF TUBERS?! THE SHADOW KNOWS....

EAT MEEEE

I put in two cans, because I wanted a rich chile flavor.  These are only mild so it wouldn't hurt me.

Looking good...and traditional, but it needs more green.

HOT green chiles, courtesy of my very lovely Aunt who roasted and froze them for me in NM and brought them here.

Smell-o-vision fucking WHEEEEEEERE?!  Add 2-4 bay leaves at this point when you set it to simmer for a bit for a deeper flavor, remember to remove them when done.  The flavor will intensify with time and it gets too strong.

Ahh, kale.  It's a great veggie, very cheap and very nutritious.

 Here's a quick how-to video about preparing kale.  I find the stems annoying so this will show you how to remove them if you so wish. 

Chop it pretty well, easier to chew.

Dump it in and cover, simmer a bit.

Add salt, pepper to taste but it should be about perfect really.  If there's no kale in your area I'd say try spinach or swiss chard. 

The great thing about soups is that they're easy and give you a good amount of food that can last you a long time.  This right here is about 8-10 big bowls.  One bowl will definitely fill you up for hours and gives you good nutrition, fiber and flavor.  It's also reasonably cheap to make.  All told it's probably cheaper than a double baconator meal and 9000x better for you.  The only problem is that if you don't like spice you can adjust it to your tastes...which may take some doing but just use cayenne pepper or no pepper.  Mild green chiles shouldn't bother you unless you have a medical issue.  Make sure they're roasted.

Cooking is a great hobby.  It gives you a skill to develop and take pride in, it's useful to impress ladies or gents, you get to eat great food, and it's healthier than wolfing down premade crap.  

It's a real bitch to take pictures while cooking so I hope everything is clear.  Feel free to ask questions or leave comments.  I have a few more food related posts, and a special dish I am creating PURELY FROM THEORY for a friend which I will share as well down the line.