Cooking Like Crazy

my kitchen is a disaster from all the cooking. Friday night I made another roast. Roast is my all time favorite and I found Chuck Pot Roast, Brisket, Bottom Round, Rump so I just had to spoil myself. Here's what I did;

Throw 1 4lb roast, 2 medium chopped onions, 5 handfulls baby carrots, 5 cubed potatoes, salt, pepper, garlic, about a half cup water mixed with 2 tblsp flour, and one can beef broth in a pot and cook on a low setting (I cooked on #3 on my electric stove) for 3.5 hours.

pull the roast out of the pot and shred with forks - OH MY GOD this is the best kind of roast there is!!!...and you can use left overs for bbq pulled port sandwiches the next day :) yum, yum

Pull all the veggies out and server in a seperat dish.
Make lots of gravy. I used all of the broth in the pot. In a seperate skillet make a bisque by heating a tblsp EVOO while mixing a few tblsp flour, salt, pepper and garlic on a plate. Once the EVOO is heated, add your flour mixture to the skillet and mix, then add about a cup of your liquid broth from the pot to the skillet, heat until thickened and then add this back to the pot with the rest of the broth. This will thicken all of your liquid so you have lots and lots of gravy. Everyone always wants more gravy. so use all liquid and make more than enough.

Friday night I made roast, tonight I made my black bean chili with Pork tenderloin again, but used La Victoria red thick n' chuncky salsa instead of verde and it was just as good - hmm what will I make tomorrow?

Tonights Dinner: Chicken and Dumplins

I didnt follow a recipe so instructions may seem a little vague :) Place any questions in the comments section :)

What you'll need;
1 hen (I was lazy today and just used chicken breasts).
Bisquick, for the dumplins
Milk, for the dumplins
Broth
Water
Salt
Pepper
Garlic

Rince chicken
Boil chicken in 1/2 part water 1/2 part broth and add lots of salt, pepper, garlic for about 20 minutes (do not over cook).
Once chicken is cooked, pull it out of the pot (keep all broth) and shred chicken.
Make dumplin dough (follow instructions on Bisquick box)
Place shredded chicken back in broth, and reduce heat to medium.
Drop small spoons of the dough in with the chicken.

Note: Dumplins expand when added to the water so keep it to small spoons of dough.

I have never froze left over chicken and dumplins before, but did try that tonight and will make an update after I see how the left overs hold up. Make sure to put enough broth in each serving to cover the chicken and dumplins, then cover and freeze.

Heated up left overs and the chicken and dumplins held up nicely. Pop an individual serving in the microwave (do not uncover) until thawed and hot, about eight minutes and stir half way through.

Tonights Dinner: Slow-Cooker Black Bean Chili

I have a small 3 qrt crock pot so don't worry; it will all fit :)

What you'll need;
1 lb Pork Tenderloin, cut into 1-inch chuncks

16oz jar thick AND chuncky salsa (I used La Victoria Thick'n Chuncky Verde)

3 15 oz cans black beans, rince and drained

1/2 cup chicken broth (I used an Organic broth)

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp chili powder

1 and 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup sour cream

1.) Combine all ingredients except sour cream in slow cooker

2.) Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours

3.) Garnish individual servings with sour cream

Note: This dish can be frozen after cooking (I freez left overs in idividual servings sizes to reheat and eat when desired.) This dish is also good served over rice. Do NOT open the lid just let it cook. I just put the ingredients in the crock pot (meat on the bottom) and did not stir it or anything - just cover as is and cook.

6.5 hours later I opened the lid to give everything a stir and immidiately serve. The first stir made the pork feather apart and the more I stirred and served the more it fell apart. This dish created the perfect atmosphere for the tenderest pork you might ever see. I am simply in heaven righ now. What a tasty treat for my tastebuds - YUM!

Sunday Dinner: Slow Cooker Roast

Recipe courtesy of Lipton Onion Soup Mix for 3 and 1/2 to 4 pound roasts.

Brown roast in oil in large skillet
4 carrots, cut
4 medium potatoes, cut
2 envelopes lipton onion soup mix
3/4 cup water
cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-6 hours

I cut the recipe above in half since my roast was 1.71 pounds. So for example, I used 1 envelope of soup mix, 2 of each veggie, cooked on low for 3.5 hours and I also added celery. The roast I chose was SD Angus CHUCK under blade Roast - boneless

once its all cooked, pull the roast and veggies out.

For thicker gravy:
Add 2 table spoons all purpose flour to 1/4 cub of water and blend
poor the flour/water mixture into the crock pot with the flavored water still in the crock pot from your roast and cook on high until thickened

Dinner at Home

Spoon Roast with baked potato and corn on the cobb

Pick up a beaf spoon roast at Harmons (bake it right in their paper and net) just remove the plastic - Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours per pound

Note: Harmons also sells pork spoon roast, so pick your craving and enjoy! Both are delicious!

Pull the roast out of the oven ensuring to catch the juices as you unwrap to use for gravy.

Poor drippings into sauce pan

add 2 tblsp flower

heat slowly until hot

stir frequently

poor into gravy boat

Steamed Fresh Corn on the Cobb
Peel off leaves and rince before steaming steam 25-30 min

This roast fell apart and was delicious!

I was out of foil wrap so I baked a potato in the microwave.

Rince a potato

heat for 2 minutes

Rince potato again

heat for 2 minutes

Rince potato again

heat for 2 minutes (heating total of 6 minutes for a large potato)

Serve

Dinner was delicious!!!

Veggie Avacado Sandwich

I’ve lost my appetite for meat lately, but have enjoyed great vegitarian creations, even occasionally adding bread to the mix.
A delicious veggie lunch requires;

Honey Wheat bread
Avacado
Lettuce
Provolone Cheese
Tomato
Red onion
Mayo and mustard to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Enchiladas Phase One

Making tortillas

Ingredients:
1 and 1/4 cup Masa, 1 and 1/4 cup water, 1/4 tsp salt

Mix well

Wrap in bakers cloth or by itself in tupperware

Store in refrigerator for approx half hour

Seperate into smaller golf ball size balls

Roll with rolling pin or use tortilla press

Cook for approx 15 seconds on each side (no grease required)

Note: The Masa bag says the tortillas will store for up to a week in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Enchiladas

Today I read that locals in New Mexico eat their echiladas with a fried egg on top. I've been salivating ever since reading this and am making enchiladas with homemade green sause this weekend.

Come back and find out how they turn out!

Websites for Long-term Food Storage

Lindon Cannery unofficial site: http://familyfoodstorage.net/site/
Recipes and ideas: http://everydayfoodstorage.net/
Food storage what-to's and how-to's: http://funwithfoodstorage.net/
Church sponsored: http://www.providentliving.org/
Recipes and food options: http://beprepared.com/
Recipes and budget helps: http://www.mormonchic.com/

Did you know: you can substitute black bean puree for oil in your recipes? You can also use half bean puree and half oil if you choose. Bean puree is good for your digestive system as well as increases fiber in your diet.

Did you know: don't store water directly on concrete. Make sure you water storage is placed on something between it and concrete floors to prevent contamination.

Food Storage

No, I'm not LDS, but food storage is something I feel quite strongly about and can't stress enough. I'm attending a "Fun, easy, fast - Food Storage" gathering with neighbors tonight to learn to use foods that will store 30 - maybe more - years. Come back tonight as I share what I learn.

Lazy Sunday

Tonight it's Dominos.

1 Medium Deep Dish pizza with unions, green peppers and jalapenos.

yum, yum, yummyyyyyyyyyyyyy!



Domino's has replaced it's 30 minute garauntee with a "Reasons Why The Delivery Exceeded 30 Minutes" label. They leave the label blank everytime, but now I am pondering how an Alien Abduction would effect my pizza :)

Desperate Measures

One of those days you look in the fridge and pantry and nothing you have sounds good. You're tempted to run out and get some yummy take out, but driving in the snow isn't appealing either. So, tonight, something drew my eye to Maui Mountain Sweet 'n Sour Sauce and cans of Kirkland canned chicken - Hey, I was bored, it was something new and I didn't feel like cooking a big deal of a dinner. Here's what my little mind came up with

1 Boil-in-Bag Uncle Ben's Rice
1 12.5 oz can Kirkland Chicken Breast
approx 1/4 cup Maui Mountain Sweet 'n Sour Sauce - used missing portion attached

Boil the Rice as directed on package
Place Chicken and Sweet 'n Sour Sauce in a saucepan on medium heat - about 6 minutes

Hint: use a fork to split the chicken while it's heating; it will turn to shredded chicken instead of the original chuncks that came from the can.

Sounds boring, but it was quick, easy and most of all, yummy

Breakfast Hot Spot

Uptown Cafe
769 Laurel St.
San Carlos, CA

Order the scrambles with your 3 favorite toppings - I usually add fet cheese, bacon and avacado

Also try their White Sat Mocha

Dinner at Home

Sweet and Spicy Swordfish or Halibut

Home made baste/glaze sauce
1/3 cup "pineapple-appricot presevers" (Smuckers brand makes this blend)
1/3 cup teriyaki baste-and-glaze sauce (World Harbors Maui Mountain Teriyaki Sauce & Marinate works great)
1/4 tsp dried crushed red peppers
4 (1 inch thick) Swordfish or Halibut

Stir ingredients in saucepan over medium-high heat
Bring to light boil, stirring frequently
Remove from heat and cool (roughly 15 minutes)

Prepare grill for med-high (350 to 400 degrees) DIRECT heat
Let fish stand at room temperature for 15 minutes prior to grilling
Brush evenly with your home made basting sauce
place fish skin side up on cooking grate
Grill covered with grill lid (when fish is finished it will no longer stick to your grill) approx 7 min each side

Hint: prior to grilling anything, especially fish, turn your grill on high with tin foil covering all grill area, leave the grill covered like this for about 15 minutes to fully losen anything on the grill racks. Lift the grill Lid, remove foil, and use a grill brush to clean the grill. This is especially important before grilling fish. Reduce the heat and continue with recipe once the grill is cooled to about 350 to 400

I made this recipe with Halibut - it was super yummy and fun to make

Dinner at Home

Green Chili Stew

Brown 2 lbs. cubed Pork tenderloin in small amount of oil.
Add 1 heaping TBS crushed garlic
1/4 cup flour mix well

scrape meat mixture into your crockpot or large pot.
Add remaining ingredients:
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (14 1/2) oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 large potatoes, cubed
32 oz frozen chopped green chiles. (Harmons sells this in a tub of 13oz by Bueno)

*In a hurry: In a regular pan bring to slow boil and simmer until potatoes and meat are tender, about 45 minutes.
*If using a crockpot cook on high until everything is tender, or low for 4 hours
*If using a large pot cook on low 3 to 4 hours

Note: This dish can be frozen after cooking so feel free to make a double batch. I freez left overs in idividual servings sizes to reheat and eat when desired. This dish makes left overs enjoyable. For instance, the Pork Tenderloin in the frozen left overs will be even more tender.
Enjoy

Breakfast Hot Spot

"The Other Place"
300 South, 500 East
Salt Lake City, UT

Favorite items are "The Pile" and French Toast

I've never been much for French Toast, but I love 'em from "The Other Place"

Weekly Lunch Recipe

Recipe for you bread and ham lovers

1 Large loaf Italian bread 8 oz fresh mozzarella thinly sliced 4 ounces shaved deli ham 2 oz baby spinach (2 cups loosely packed) coarse salt and ground pepper 1 TBS olive oil

Preheat oven to 450. Split bread horizontally Layer one side w/mozarella, ham, and spinach (begin and end with mozarella closest to bread)Brush baking sheet with oilPlace sandwich on sheet Brush top of sandwhich with remaining oil Place another baking sheet on top of sandwich (pressing sandwiches between two baking sheets)Press baking sheets firmly together - baking sandwiches between 2 baking sheets Bake panini, pressing down top baking sheet once or twice during baking Bake until cheese is melted and sandich is golden (about 20-25 minutes)

Hint: Visit your deli counter and taste the different hams to buy your favorite