Mexican Skillet

This recipe is posted in conjunction with Rachel's guest article on Cooking While Roughing It.  Delicious recipe and hilarious instructions are hers.

Note from Lisa:  This is the perfect one-pot (or is it one-skillet?) meal!  Honestly, when I looked at the ingredient list, I thought "Yeah, probably good for camping but not something I would make often at home."  I changed my mind after I tried it!  This skillet meal is as delicious as it is filling, and leftovers (cold!) wrapped in a flour tortilla made a yummy and easy lunch.  Note:  My kids don't handle spicy food very well, so I chose a jar of mild salsa over the diced tomatoes with green chilies.

Ingredients:
1.5 to 2 lbs ground beef, cooked and drained.  (I do this several days before and freeze it, then pack it frozen into the cooler...it will hopefully be thawed by the time you need it)
1 can black beans (do not drain)
1 can corn (do not drain)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (do not drain) OR one 16 oz jar of salsa
2 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 cup of minute/instant rice  (measured at home and packed in a baggy...there's no room for measuring cups or a box of rice remember?)
approximately 1 to 1.5 cups of crunched tortilla chips (the bottom of a bag that you were snacking on in the car all day works great....someone was bound to step on it right?)

Directions:
1. Dump ground beef, corn, beans, and tomatoes into large skillet.
2. Place skillet on top of small-itty-bitty-tipsy-topsy-propane-powered backpacker's burner and hope that no natural (or kid-powered) disaster knocks it over.
3. Let simmer, uncovered, for a minute, then add rice.  The rice should soak up the juices from the canned corn and such.
4. Simmer, covered, uncovering to stir occasionally until entire mixture is good and hot.  (Depending on how freezing cold and windy it is this may take some time.  But of course if you're in Death Valley you may not even have to take out the burner.)
5. Top with the cheese and chips.  Let cheese melt to cover the top.
6. Serve to starving tired children with a smile on your face.
7. Glare at husband who has convinced you this is the greatest fun ever.
8. Take a deep breath because cleaning up in the dark is way fun.

This recipe was submitted by Rachel Feenstra.