Dinner at the Osbornes

Blackberries

2011-08-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

I just love this plant. It's a blackberry. It lives in my side yard A friend gave me a start a few years ago.

One of the great things about this plant is that it is thornless. If you've picked many blackberries, you know the benefits of that.

Another benefit is that its berries are really big and plump and blackberry flavored. And, well, Big.

Breakfast for Papa. Summer is so short around here. Find pleasure where you can.

Rosemary Lemon Grilled Chicken

2011-08-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

Cooking healthy food every day is not hard, but it does take some organization. Not saying I do it well every day, but I'm getting pretty motivated to get us eating a healthier diet without deprivation. (Neither of us do deprived, well.)

My mother made the best dry rub grilled chicken. A ton of flavor without being too spicy. Fragrant. Oh, it makes me happy to think about those warm summer days in the back yard. Dad at the grille. Mom making potato salad by the bucket. Homemade ice cream.

This is my favorite herb chicken on the grill right now. Especially since I have fresh rosemary. No matter how much I grow, it's never enough. My herb garden looks pretty ragged from my daily snips.

Rosemary Lemon Grilled Chicken

1/2 c canola oil

1/2 c. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

1 lemon, zested

1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

6 boneless chicken breast halves or the equivalent of other pieces.

Salt and pepper to taste.

And here is where the organization comes in. Marinades can add tons of flavor, but it needs to be done ahead of time. I've marinaded meat 2 or even 3 days ahead, but at least one day. Place the chicken pieces in a shallow dish. I dry chicken with a paper towel. (Chicken blood does not add to this dish.) Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces. Cover with plastic and set it in the back of your frig.

Bring it out as the grill comes to temp. Cook it on a hot grill, turning with tongs until done. When is it done? I recommend using a meat thermometer. Chicken is done when it's 170 degrees internal temp. Or, cut into it to see if there is any pink, if you must.

Tomatoes from the garden, fresh beans from Bizi Farms. Life's Good. We are trying to learn to fill half the plate with vegetables, 1 quarter with meat and the last quarter with a carb.

There is no quadrant for ice cream. Sorry.

Mini Key Lime Pies in Canning Jars

2011-08-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm working on making some changes in our diet for the better. But, gosh, I'm getting a sweet tooth. This is adapted from savour-fare.com, August 5. I've been looking forward to it all week. Can't wait

I'm interested in the increased number of puddin' recipes I'm seeing. Oh, they call them tarts and flans and pot d'cremes, but they are really puddin' and custard. I think we are living in a world that strongly desires to go back to simpler times, but just doesn't know how.

Mini Key Lime Pies in Canning Jars

The Crust
6 low fat graham crackers, crushed
1 T. sugar
2 T. butter, melted.

Combine and spoon into the bottom of 6 - 1/2 pint canning jars. Yes, you can, and should, bake in canning jars. Bake at 350 for 7 - 9 minutes. It doesn't get a firm crust, just dries up and makes a crumb. Cool it to room temp.

The Puddin'

1/2 c. Half and Half (What can I say? We used the last of the milk in our breakfast.)

1 package of plain dry gelatin

Combine and whisk until smooth. It will be a little lumpy at first, but take your time.

Reserve 1 T. of this and gently heat the rest on the stovetop until it starts to thicken. Try to incorporate any lumps. Set it aside to cool a bit.

In the reserved 1 T. Milk and gelatin, add 2 egg yolks, and 3 T. Sugar.

To the cooked mixture on the stove, gradually add in 1/2 c. good quality organic plain yogurt. Add also the egg yolk mixture.

and 1/2 c. key lime juice (Just to be clear, Key Limes don't grow where I live).

and 1 t. Triple Sec. Yeah, I'll be good tomorrow, really, I will.

And into the frig she goes to get good and cold.

Divide the lime puddin' between the prepared jars.

Looks like there's enough room for the remaining 2 eggs whites whipped with 2 T. sugar and another capful of the triple sec. (You could whip cream if the uncooked egg whites turn you off.)

Divide the topping between the jars.

Savour Fare suggests adding canning lids and packing it in a picnic. Okay, if your taking a good cold ice box. I wouldn't want this at room temp for long. Just saying.

Yeah, I think I know where the other half jar of key lime juice will be going. 'Cause this puddin' is good stuff.

And I'll be visiting Savour Fare to see what else she's doing.

Printable: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QhPPsMQxNz0i_SrsvZDHUjtyHWgiqgKbbfUNw-Ofn88/edit?hl=en_US#

Herb and Feta Topped Cod

2011-08-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing recommendations to eat fish 2 or 3 times per week. That's a lot of fish. I'm not sure we are up to it.

But fish is high in omega fatty acids, offers reduced risk of heart disease, blood pressure and cholesterol concerns, and contains vitamins and essential minerals. Clearly, it is part of a good diet.

When I see Pacific Cod at my price point, I have them wrap 2 or 3 packages for me and freeze it for week night meals. Some nights, all I've got in me is to season it on both sides with salt and pepper and cook it in my big flat skillet with a little good oil. And that's perfectly fine, but I'm looking for more flavor and Husband thought this topping was delicious.

A big handful of fresh oregano, cleaned and finely chopped. It grows easily at my house, but use whatever fresh herbs you have. Drizzle with olive oil. A big spoonful of capers, chopped. Another big spoonful of feta. Mix it into almost a paste. Top the cooked fish with it before serving. It's really good.

Brown Rice Mediterranean Salad

2011-08-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

This started out as a Taste of Home Recipe. I've changed it some. It fits into our new lifestyle because
1. Brown rice is a complex carbohydrate. Some people believe that brown rice helps control blood pressure and also reduces wide fluctuations in blood sugar and contains B vitamins, manganese, selenium and iron
2. Tomatoes may be among the world's healthiest foods. Lycopene, Vitamins C and E and many others.
5. A simple vinaigrette, a healthy fat

5. Oh, and it tastes good

Brown Rice Mediterranean Salad

2. cup cooked brown rice

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered.

2 T. Italian Parsley, chopped
1 cup black olives, halved

I actually grew the tomatoes and the parsley.

The dressing is -

3 T. rice wine vinegar

2 T. Canola Oil

1/2 t. sugar

1/2 t. salt.

Mix together and refrigerate for at least an hour. This is one of those salads that lasts well and really tastes better the next day. The brown rice has a little more texture to it. It travels well if you need to take it somewhere. I've packed it in lunches. What else can I say?

Just one more thing. We've had a rough year for gardening. Lots of stuff is late or just not going to happen. But look at this. The tomato on the right is one of those hothouse tomatoes purchased at Safeway. Not that it's a bad thing. I've bought plenty of them. But the one on the left came out of my garden. Need another reason to be a gardener? Just saying.

A printable copy.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OPKWUL-w7QLJjHZi6vJQNdRC0lkqUgASa4A-OljM80o/edit?hl=en_US#

Weeknight Chicken Chili

2011-08-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

It turns out that Man CAN live on bread alone, but it's not a good idea.

We are working on a healthier diet for medical reasons. Brings up memories of my father being put on a bland diet late in life, broiled chicken breast with non-salt seasoning. Ick. I'm not ready for bland and looking for options.

I think it's important to realize that food isn't very complicated. The food shows that we all watch these days try to make it look complicated and fancy and chefy, but real food isn't that.

Weeknight Chicken Chili

Leftover cooked chicken from another meal (about 1 1/2 c.) chopped

2 cans (14.5 oz) tomatoes and 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (14.5 oz) corn, drained

Now, 1 T. canola oil in the pot with 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 a red pepper diced. The ingredients listed above - dump them in. 1 t. chili powder and 1/2 t. cumin. I'm a light-weight with spicy food so more if you wish.

And 1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped. Using a lot of fresh hot pepper is new to me, but it isn't rocket science, its cheap, and adds tons of flavor. I'm finding that jalapenos give a great flavor without that much spiciness. And that's what I'm looking for. Put it all on a very low simmer. Add a little water if you want it looser.

Now, feed the dog, water the patio plants, do a few chores until we are ready to eat.

And take a moment to enjoy myself. 10 - 15 minutes. Not too much to ask for out of life.

An enormous black bee is enjoying this flower. Really cool.

I like to top chili with cheese.

You can top yours with whatever you want, 'cause it's your chili.

A printable copy
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l0RbqvbX8KGT3fz-uCf61mBWx5I6NExrVxcBYPI1UAY/edit?hl=en_US#

Mediterranean Diet

2011-06-22T12:19:00.000-07:00

I'm researching the so called Mediterranean Diet. I remember Dr. Oz did a series about it on Oprah and I thought then, this is food we like. Tons of health benefits. Good for cholesterol and hypertension. Good for weight loss and maintenance. All things we are working on. And, um, very little meat, which is of course a problem at the Osbornes.

Features of the Mediterranean Diet: It is basically the shared food habits of Italy, Greece and Turkey. Add Spain and Morocco depending on who you listen to. Olive oil, fruits and vegetables (7 servings per day!), legumes, whole grains, fish and seafood, very little meat. But you get a glass of wine per day. It's encouraged. Just saying.

There is a lifestyle change that goes a long with it. Eating with people, slowly, and enjoying food. We already know how to do that. Reduction of stress overall in life. That's something we need to work on.

And my favorite sandwich right now?

2 pieces whole wheat bread. I'm using Franz because it is locally owned and locally baked. Toasted.

Spread with basil pesto.

I'm buying pesto 'cause this is my basil plant. I started out the season with 3 of them. It's been wet. Anything that doesn't want to be wet and cold has had some troubles.

Back to the sandwich. Slices of soft mozzarella cheese.

Sun dried tomato. The type that comes dry in a package, not the kind in oil. Steep them in a bit of boiling water to make them pliable. You have to dry them well with paper towel so they don't add wetness to the sandwich.

And my homegrown lettuce. I have several types, but this is a nice peppery one. It was a variety seed pack from the store, nothing fancy, but good.

Husband's eating a version of the same sandwich with some smoked turkey added. 'Cause, well you know why.

Keep on trucking.

More Changes

2011-06-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

Actually, going to the doctor was not the beginning of the story. We've known for awhile that changes were needed. We'd been working too hard and not living enough. When we were in the middle of it, we did what we had to do. But now, we are looking for a better quality of life.

We had gotten way too sedentary. All that time working at our desks, working hard. We needed some exercise. We had both been very active in the past. It's not like we are or have ever been couch potatoes, but we needed exercise. We live in a rainy area. Weather to walk or run couldn't be trusted.

We went to the store to buy a Wii, but came home with an Xbox 360 Kinect. Really cool. We start with a warm up. Tai Chi. It looks like this. The character on the left is the instructor. My image is projected onto the screen as the image to the right. There are verbal and auditory cues and instructions. Feedback with percentage of correctness. The sensor just below the TV reads our movements. We laugh at it and cuss it. She's a very zen lady, never taking offense.

We also like boxing. Don't know if you can see. The red boxing gloves are a projection of my hands being held up in front of me.

My opponent blocking against a swing from me.

We get winded and hot swinging at the air trying to KO the computer character. We are both pretty competitive and this really brings it out in me.

It's fun. We want to come home and do it.

We got this and it is tons of fun and just wears you out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nee86i_vInE

We also have this. Guess who likes it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2fCA6cZHnI&feature=related

Never been a video game person, but we are getting more fit. It can see improvements in both of us already.

Low glycemic diet

2011-06-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

I wasn't present for Dr. Hoffman's first conversation with Husband about diet. He says she advised that he eat significantly less meat, more fish and more vegetables.  He says she told him that early history people did not eat meat regularly and advised that he would be well nourished on a vegetarian or near vegetarian diet. He told her that eating meat was extremely important to him. Well, he said it differently, but that's what he meant.

Since Dr. Hoffman is my doctor also, I was able to have a subsequent conversation with her about this. She recommended that I look into a low glycemic diet and suggested a book on the subject.

Low glycemic diet has the following benefits - may reduce the risk of heart disease, may allow for reduction of weight. may help with reduction of cholesterol and pre-diabetes. You get to eat meat. You shouldn't eat bread, rice, potatoes, sugar, processed food and certain sweet fruit, like ripe bananas and grapes.

Husband isn't happy with the plan and I can't say I blame him. Food has always been my friend. When did it become my enemy?

Changes at the Osbornes

2011-06-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

This is a hard subject for me right now. We recently found out that my beloved husband has high blood pressure and high cholesterol. There will need to be some changes around here. They've already started.

One of the reasons that I was so frightened initially was that I thought he wouldn't tolerate the changes that he needs to make well. To understand why, you need to know a little more. Sometimes big, strong, and physically powerful men have a hard time dealing with their own human frailties. There, was that polite enough? OK, well try this. He is a big, old baby about some things. Sorry Dear.

But I've been so pleased and proud of him. We've already started making some changes. The last several years starting around 2008 have been hard on us, struggling to keep our business going in an economy that just isn't working for us. We've had stress and long hours behind our desks.

But we've started an exercise program. There is medication involved. And there will be some changes coming from the kitchen, too. That's me. Whether I will continue to blog about this, I don't know. Like I say, it's a tender subject. Just saying.

Greek Yogurt

2011-06-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

I'm helping provide food for a family event in about a month. So far my duties appear to be hummus and tzatziki sauce, a large vegetable tray and pita wedges for dipping, although I've been thinking about thinly slicing small bagels and toasting the slices.

Doesn't sound too bad. I make, and love hummus. I love tzatziki sauce (a Greek yogurt sauce), but have never made it. The Pita Pit makes the yummiest humus veggie pita sandwich with tzatziki sauce. I could eat it every day. I may have mentioned that Husband is a carnivore, so I don't eat it every day.

So my next job is to practice tzatziki sauce until I'm happy with the outcome, but I need Greek yogurt to make tzatziki. Greek yogurt, when purchased at the store, is like twice the price of regular top quality yogurt. Greek yogurt is also significantly thicker and more concentrated. It has a stronger, more yogurty flavor.

You can make Greek Yogurt by lining a colander with several layers of cheese cloth. Add plain, unflavored yogurt and allow the liquid to drain from it until the desired thickness.

Some instructions on the Internet recommend doing this overnight. I've done that and I don't recommend draining it that long. I've found that my homemade yogurt turns nice and thick in 3 to 4 hours. It should stand a spoon securely.

Next: Attempt one at Tzatziki sauce. Remember to play with your food.

Yogurt: Jalapeno Rice Casserole

2011-06-04T07:32:00.000-07:00

One of my goals right now is to train or challenge myself to do more with the ingredients that I have at hand. I don't live in a mild climate, so the ingredients at my produce market changes seasonally. I'm done chasing the next ingredient in a recipe that I don't happen to have and will need to go to the store for. I've recently been through some of my favorites: tomatillos, rhubarb, ginger.

I'm starting Yogurt, which I eat a lot of and always have on hand. I make yogurt myself. I challenge you to do the same http://dinnerattheosbornes.blogspot.com/2011/04/homemade-yogurt.html

This dish requires other ingredients which I like and want to learn how to use better - rice, fresh herbs, and jalapenos. All are on my list for the future.

Jalapeno Rice Casserole.

2 c. chicken broth

1 c. rice

Pour broth into a sauce pan and bring to boil. Add rice, stir, cover and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

Mix together

1/2 c. plain non fat yogurt

2 T. Italian Dressing

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

The picture shows the favorite Italian Dressing at the Osbornes, but use whatever you like best.

Remove the seeds and white vein from the center of the pepper, then finely chop it. Remove the stems of the parsley and chop it.

At the risk of sounding weird, I stop and smell and taste every little thing as I cook. Life is so short and such a roller coaster ride. Why not draw any pleasure in the moment that you can?

Combine the yogurt sauce with the rice. I decided it was just a little dry and drizzled with olive oil.

There is a roasting chicken in my oven right now. I reduced the heat to 350, covered the casserole dish, and set it in the oven next to the chicken. Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Top with 1/2 cup shredded Tillamook Montery Jack cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.

For a printable copy go here. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y2dBV2XQN0VuBmuYxDBnQwtnOtZlyaHKUPiO7LbeThI/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CJG4-OIE
Anyone know how to rename this link in my text so you don't see the gobbly goop?

Fragrant and creamy. Not quite as moist as I would like. Think I'll make more of the sauce next time.

Goes pretty good with a roast chicken, though.

Moving on to Yogurt: Ginger Yogurt Loaf

2011-06-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

Yogurt's next. But first, I'm finishing out ginger with a recipe my co-worker just gave me the other day when I was gushing about candied ginger at work. It's a family recipe which I was honored to receive.

She says she thinks a neighbor gave it to her grandmother, who gave it to her mother, who gave it to her. She's younger than me, but my mom and grandmother never heard of candied ginger, so I'm impressed.

I haven't made it yet, because we are on a little bit of a diet, but I will just as soon as there are others in the house to help us eat it.

Ginger Yogurt Loaf
4 T. unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. molasess
1/2 c. minced crystalized ginger
2 eggs at room temp
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground allspice
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 c. plain yogurt (or buttermilk)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter 9 x 4 loaf pan and line bottom with parchment paper. In a bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in molasses and crystalized ginger. Beat in the eggs one at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, soda, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Stir in flour mixture in thirds, alternating with yogurt and beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until cake tests done, about 45 - 50 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Asian Pork Tenderloin

2011-05-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

This is almost a repeat and I know you aren't supposed to do that. But this keeps getting better and changes ever time I do it. It's getting pretty good. And it has a ton of ginger, which we almost finished with. Yogurt is coming next.

I started with a 5 lb Pork Tenderloin. Big honking thing. It is the main dish for my Memorial Day meal. We also had pasta salad, chard, deviled eggs, home canned pickled asparagus and lemon meringue pie.

Asian Pork Tenderloin
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. white wine
2 T. red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 or 2 T. candied ginger
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Combine the marinade in a 9 x 13 baking dish and add the tenderloin. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate. I went back and turned it over several times. It marinaded just over 24 hours. I've gone 2 days. If you go much less, you don't get the flavor.

When I was ready to start it, I preheated to 350 and placed it in a foil lined roasting pan. I reserved the marinade in a pot and simmered it for an hour. The sugar in it thickened slightly making a nice glaze which I spread on the roast several times.

I believe that marinade that has been boiling for some time is safe to consume. If you don't, feel free to discard it, but you are throwing away a ton of flavor. I kept it for a sauce.

I cook pork to 170 degrees internal temperature. If you don't have a meat thermometer, it should be your next investment.

We had almost half of this baby as left overs. I'm working very hard on improving our diet and planning healthy lunches that travel. Left overs for dinner also help me get in my exercise and gets my gardening done. Pita bread, sliced pork, lettuce I bought at the farmers market, and a little extra sauce. Left over side dishes from the day before and ready to head back to work with lunch.

Did you know - Ginger

2011-05-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

Ginger cultivation began in Asia, but spread to East Africa and the Caribbean. It is the underground stem, or rhizome of the plant Zingiber.
It was commonly used medicinally in China as a aid in digestion and to treat stomach upset, diarrhea and nausea for more than 2,000 years. It has been used to help treat arthritis, colic, diarrhea, and heart conditions.
The flesh of the rhizome has culinary uses in many Asian dishes. In the West, it is often used in sweet dishes, such as cookies and bread, and in beverages, such as ginger ale.
Fresh ginger can be substituted for ground ginger at a ratio of 6 to 1, although the flavors of fresh and dried ginger are somewhat different.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm

Asian Salad Dressing.

2011-05-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite Asian Salad Dressing. I don't think I can claim this as an original recipe. I'm pretty sure I took a recipe off of the Pioneer Woman and modified it some.

Asian Salad Dressing.

3 T. Sesame Oil
3 T. Canola Oil

8 T. soy sauce

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 T. candied ginger, finely chopped

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper. seeded and finely chopped.

Yes, I know the picture shows 1/2 a pepper, but that's all I have right now.

Chop that baby up pretty fine. It doesn't get cooked and you don't want to chock any one.

Stir the dressing well and set it aside to think about itself for a while.

Now the salad.

1/2 a small head of lettuce. Napa Cabbage is also good. Or a combination of the two.

1/2 a small can of water chestnuts and a big handful of bean sprouts.

And just before dressing the salad. 1/2 a bag of ramen noodles, uncooked. It gives you some crunch that is good. Smash it up into little bits. With a rolling pin or a meat mallet. It's fun.

Oh, and throw away the seasoning packet. I used to save the seasoning packet, thinking I might use it for something. There is really nothing that little packet of powder is good for.

Dress the salad and serve. Just happened to have a piece of baked salmon to go on top. Dinner.

Homemade Candied Ginger

2011-05-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

This stuff has a shelf life. I just don't know what it is yet, because I'm using it pretty fast. Ever since I learned I could make my own candied ginger, I've been on a Ginger-Thing.

Candied Ginger

1 lb unpeeled ginger. Its one pretty large one or two smaller. I've been weighing them in the store, 'cause like I know how much ginger weighs?

Peeled and very thinly sliced as uniformly as possible.

Combine the ginger with 2 c. granulated sugar and 1 1/2 c. water in a large sauce pan or skillet.

Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir every so often. It gets darker in color and kind of curls up. Most of the liquid evaporates.

Place pieces on paper towel to drain the liquid. This was late in the evening about bed time, so it drained overnight and dried until morning.

And there you go. Store in an air tight container with a little bit of extra sugar in the frig until gone or for about 2 or 3 months, I'm thinking.

Gingered Rhubarb Apple Crisp

2011-05-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

2C. Diced Rhubarb

3 large apples, peeled and sliced

1 c. sugar

1 T. minced candied ginger

1 t. flour

Combine ingredients and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the following.

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 oatmeal

2T. melted butter.

Turn rhubarb mixture into a sprayed 9 " square pan. Spread topping over. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 - 50 minutes.

I've been eating rhubarb all of my life. The addition of ginger is new to me. This is a unique and delicious. The tart of the rhubarb, sweet from apple, and spiciness of ginger. If there happens to be a little cream or ice cream around, that wouldn't be too bad either.

Moving on to Ginger: Ginger Rhubarb Jam

2011-05-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of Ginger on so many levels. Any food that has the potential to clear out your sinuses is fine with me. Go big or go home.

Before I found candied ginger and before I discovered I could make candied ginger, I kept left over ginger in a zip lock bag in the freezer. Now, my jar of candied ginger stays in my fridge. Recipe coming soon. But for now -

Ginger Rhubarb Jam
4 c. fresh rhubarb, cleaned and chopped
3 c. sugar
3 T. candied ginger, finely chopped
2 T. lemon juice, from the bottle.

Combine ingredients. Allow to stand for about 30 minutes.

Turn into a large sauce pan and bring to a slow boil at medium heat, stirring. Cook until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Ladle into hot sterilized canning jars and seal. Process using the boiling water bath method for 10 minutes. If you are not familiar with the boiling water bath method of canning, consult a canning cook book.

Beautiful dark red. Texture is lovely. Of course, a little sweet, but the ginger is distinct. This is going to be awesome over Tillamook Vanilla Bean Ice cream. I'm very happy.

Did you know - Rhubarb

2011-05-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

The leaves of the rhubarb plant are poisonous if eaten in much quantity. The poisonous compound is Oxalate. There have been cases of people cooking the leaves like collards and becoming sick, or even dieing. So if you let, or encourage, children to eat directly from the garden, and I hope you do, make sure that they understand that they are not to eat the leaves of this plant.
Rhubarb is grown from a rhizome. According to my handy dictionary, that's a thick underground horizontal stem that produces roots and has shoots that develop into new plants
Parts of this plant have been used as a laxative, an antiseptic, a diuretic, a treatment for liver, bladder and urinary complaints.
Rhubarb is a cool weather plant, hence my having one.
Early Americans referred to rhubarb as "Pie fruit", but of course, it isn't really a fruit, or even a vegetable. The part we eat is the stalk of the plant.
It dates back to 2700 BC in China where it was grown for its medicinal properties.
Traditionally, it is pared with strawberries or apples for sweetness, although paring it with ginger is also common and tasty.
As early as the mid 1500's, it was much more expensive than cinnamon in France. By the mid 1600's, rhubarb was double the price of opium in England
My husband doesn't like it. Go figure.

Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhubarb

http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/

http://www.savor-the-rhubarb.com/index.html

Mom's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

2011-05-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

Every so often I mention that I love pie. I mean I love everything about pie. I love crust. I love filling. I love the crimped edges. I love the smell of it in the oven. I love pie. And this is my all time favorite pie in the whole world.

So go ahead. Say it's old fashioned. Say it's been done. But this is my mom's recipe. This is just plain good.

Mom's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

1 homemade double pie crust. Recipe of your choice.

1 1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. grated orange peel

3 c. rhubarb, cleaned and cut. My mom's notes say "1/2 inch pieces," and I always do what my mother says.

2 c. strawberries. We are still using California strawberries. They aren't ripe yet here. But there is always hope.

2 T. butter. My mother's recipe actually calls for margarine, but I haven't used it for many years

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Mix sugar, flour and orange peel in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the fruit.

Turn half of the fruit into prepared bottom pie crust; sprinkle with half the sugar mixture.

Repeat with remaining fruit and sugar. Dot the top of the pie with small pieces of the butter. Top with the pie crust. Crimp the edges and poke slits in the crust for air to escape.

Cover the edges with aluminum foil or other protection from getting too brown.

My Mom's notes say "Bake until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through the slits in the crust, 40 to 50 minutes." Mom never had a clean oven a day in her life and neither have I.

Basic Rhubarb Syrup

2011-05-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

When cleaning out my freezer for the season, I found that I had quite a bit of rhubarb left. I'm working on ways to use ingredients I have on hand more efficiently.

Basic Rhubarb Syrup

4 c. rhubarb, cleaned and chopped - (frozen is fine if that's what you have)

1 c. sugar

1 c. water

Simmer 15 - 20 minutes. Strain the liquid for use.

Refrigerate or freeze.

A tablespoon or more of this syrup is delicious and thirst-quinching in a glass of ice water. It is also a delicious sweetener in a cup of hot tea. I'm looking forward to trying it in club soda, ginger ale, lemonade, ice tea. What else?

Tortilla Stack with Green Sauce

2011-05-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Sauce number 2 is just a bit spicier than I would like for setting in front of guests with a bowl of chips but it is delicious and flavorful. I continue to read recipes looking for my next inspiration.

I've found a recipe that called for the tomatillos to be placed in a 350 oven until they pop. I'll likely try that next.

This tortilla stack recipe is an original to me, but reminds me of something my Mom made in the late 60s and early 70s. My mom was ahead of her time.

You need a deep dish pie plate and 4 10 inch tortillas.

A cup of shredded cheese of your choice and a small can of sliced olives, drained.

A pound of ground beef and a pkg of taco seasoning or your favorite homemade version. This is 2 t. dry minced onion, 1 t. salt, 1/2 t. dried garlic, 1/4 t. dried oregano, and 1/2 t. ground cumin. I sometimes add 1 t. chili powder and/or 1/2 t. crushed pepper flakes, but not tonight. To be clear, I'm adding this to my meat instead of the pkg of taco seasoning, your choice.

This is ground chuck from the Butcher Boys - my new favorite source of meat. I bought it from the owner's daughter. It's incredibly lean and beautiful. It comes from a farm in McMinnville, OR. I've paid quite a bit more for organic lean ground meat. Support local business.

Husband came through and complimented my outfit. I wasn't feeling it, but always nice for a middle aged woman to hear it.

Little does he know, I dressed this way because of hot flashes. I guess I'm still hot; it just comes in flashes.

Now to assemble the dish. Into the deep dish pie plate, 1/4 of the meat mixture, then a tortilla. The next 1/4 of the meat mixture, a 1/4 of the olives, cheese and green sauce. Also some black beans because I had them left over and needed to use them.

If you want to add tomato or other ingredients, now's the time. This is what I have tonight.

Another tortilla and do it again.

Another tortilla and whatever you've got left.

Now into a preheated 350 oven until it's bubbly. The tortillas crispy up in so places. It gets soggy and bubbly in a good way in other areas.

Cut it like a pie and serve it that way.

Remember to look for all the spice that life can offer.

Green Chili Salsa #2

2011-05-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

My first attempt at green chili salsa was not exactly what I'm looking for. You wouldn't stick a chip in it, although its almost gone three days later and I'll be making it again. It was fantastic as a sandwich spread, almost like a relish, but not sweet. The added vinegar makes the ph more acid and safe for canning, which I'll be doing again soon.

Attempt #2 - Salsa Verde

1 1/2 lb tomatillos. Remove the husk and wash well. They are kind of sticky on the outside but that comes off and I'm think it should.

Quarter them.

Put them skin side up on a sheet pan and roast them by sticking them under a broiler for a few minutes.

I'm not sure I have exactly what I want yet. They don't brown like roasting peppers. They kind of fall apart. Looks like more experimentation is in order.

1/4 white onion, chopped

1 T. lime juice

1/4 t. sugar

2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed and seeded

Made 3 cups. Very flavorful. I'm a light weight with spiciness. I get enough fast.

But by the next day, the flavors had mellowed a bit. Do you think it freezes?

Green Chili Enchiladas

2011-05-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

A long time ago, I had a co-worker who made the best chicken enchiladas. I've made them ever since. For green chili sauce, I used the bottled green taco sauce. Today, I'm using the sauce I made yesterday.

But first, some product decisions. I support local business:

Don Pancho products. Manufactured in Salem OR, clearly a privately and locally owned company. This is exactly the type of company I'm trying to support. To make it easier, Safeway carries it. I've seen them at Fred Meyer also.

Okay part of the thing is I like Juanita brand chips. They are just really really good. I haven't completely veted them, but it appears that they are indeed manufactured in Hood River, OR. I'd like to know more about the company. In the meantime, did I mention they are good?

Green Chili Enchiladas

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded or chopped. In a pinch, you can use 1/2 a roasted rotisserie chicken. But everytime I have left over meat, I chop it up and freeze it or plan a meal like this to use it up to use it up.

1/2 c. green chili sauce. Homemade or bottled green taco sauce and 1/2 c. sour cream.

I cup black beans. I'm notorious for cooking an entire sack of beans and freezing the unused part, never to be seen again. I'm working on dragging that stuff out and using it so it doesn't go to waste. Or use a 16 oz can of black beans, drained. I don't like refried in this, but that's another option if you do.

Mix the above ingredients in a bowl.

A fourth of the mixture goes into the center of a tortilla and rolled enchilada style. A cup of good cheese gets sprinkled over top. A cup of your favorite red salsa on top of that. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly.

Green Chili Sauce and Pacific Cod

2011-04-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

I'm a big believer in keeping projects. There are lots of advantages to staying busy and no advantages to being a couch potato. I've almost always got a few half finished projects. Right now, I've determined to learn to make green chili sauce using those green tomatillos.

So off I go to Gateway Produce yesterday afternoon to buy tomatillos and jalapenos. I'm standing in front of the tomatillos examining and selecting. I don't have a lot of experience with tomatillos. Besides me is a lady, clearly Hispanic, putting jalapenos in a bag. Literally, she must have had a dozen of those things! I wondered what on earth was she going to do with them and why can't I go home with her to watch. Most people would have talked to her, asked her what she was making. I have trouble talking to strangers so I wondered and decided to double my efforts to learn some new things.

I'm cooking from The Complete Book of Year-Round Small-Batch Preserving by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howards. A beautiful little book.

Tomatillo Mexican Salsa:

1/2 lb tomatillos, husk removed, cleaned and quartered

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 large white onion
1 carrot
1/4 c. each: apple juice and cider vinegar
1/4 t. pickling salt
1/2 t. each ground cumin and dried oregano
1 T. granulated sugar.

Chop the vegetables coarsely in preparation for the food processor. Into the food processor and puree the vegetables, then add remaining ingredients. Of course, I had to stop to taste. Cleared my sinuses right out, but in a good way. Uncooked, the vinegar was strong, but the jalapenos was right there talking to me. Into a pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Maintain for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare hot water canner with boiling water. Previously, I ran several 1/2 pint canning jars through the dishwasher. They sat on my counter most of a day. They heated in the hot water canner while I made this sauce. I heated and sterilized the lids in another pan, also. This recipe made 2 1/2 pints plus most of another cup. I filled the jars to within a 1/2 inch of head space, added the lids and bands and processed for 20 minutes. If you need more detail about canning, start with a basic canning book.

Meanwhile I started some Pacific Cod to cooking in a little olive oil and a good hard shake of salt and pepper. Dinner was Pacific Cod with Green Chili Sauce. For lunch, I used it as a spread on my sandwich bread then added tuna salad, lettuce from the greenhouse and a tomato slice. Pretty tasty. Remember to just get started.

Shepards Pie Casserole

2011-04-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

I'm the queen of casseroles, a self-assigned title, but it fits. Casseroles feel good. They are a good way to pack a lot of food in an easy package. They can be made ahead. Baked by others. They usually make good left overs. I like casseroles. This is an original recipe that has evolved over time.

Start with potatoes, 6 or so little red potatoes. I see people in the store picking up individual potatoes, examining them, then putting them into sacks. I buy them at my local produce market by the 5 or 10 pound sack and keep them in the bottom of Husband's beer fridge. Keep a root cellar and keep it full of this type of thing. Peel and half or quarter the potatoes. Bring a kettle full of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook them until they stick easily with a knife.

Meanwhile, a scallion peeled and diced and two or three garlic cloves, minced or finely diced. Brown a pound of the best ground beef you can find with the onion and garlic. I was simply clueless how much better ground beef can be than the kind you buy at the grocery store. It's been night and day. If you are not buying local beef from a butcher who can tell you where it came from and that it was grown all natural, you won't regret the time to find it. Drain any liquid from the meat if necessary now.

Somewhere around 8 or so cleaned and quartered mushrooms. A can of green bean beans, drained. 1T. Worcestershire sauce. 4 or 5 T. ketchup. 1/2 C. beef broth. Stir and cook for a few minutes to combine the ingredients and to soften the mushrooms.

When the potatoes are soft, drain them and return them to the pan. Mash them with a potato masher. Add butter and cream and salt as if making mashed potatoes. Your decision how rich, but I recommend living a little.

The meat mixture into a casserole. The potatoes over top.

Into a 350 degree preheated oven for like 20 minutes or so. Until kind of bubbly. More if you've set this aside to cool. Add some cheese to the top if you want.

People like it. Makes good leftovers. It's just a good thing.

Homemade Yogurt My Way

2011-04-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

I'm a daily consumer of Yogurt. Have been for years. I used to carry the little Yoplait containers with me everywhere. Then, I switched to plain organic yogurt. I've made my own for just over a year. Here is how I do it.

4 c. milk in a heavy bottom pan. I use 2 percent. Your choice. Start at medium heat stirring regularly, until the temperature reaches 200 degrees.

You can see I use a candy thermometer. Stir regularly.

You have to be patient, which is not one of my strongest areas. I recommend thinking of cooking as a Zen thing, a form of meditation. Do the same thing repeatedly, breath. Be precise. There is a little bit of perfection in that if you do it right.

Finally, reduce the temperature enough to maintain the temperature at 200 degrees for 10 minutes. I set a timer. Continue stirring. Are you breathing? Breath and think peaceful thoughts with me. And stir. Are you stirring?

In the meantime, prepare a large bowl filled with ice water. I used to fill the sink with water and add ice.

Breath and stir.

When you get to the end of your 10 minutes, put the pan in the bowl or sink of ice water. Watch the thermometer as the temperature reduces to 125 degrees. Somewhere just before that add 1/3 powdered milk.

(This is optional. Don't do it if you don't want to. The great thing about cooking is that it's your time to do exactly what you want. But I think it adds a little extra richness to the flavor.)

When you get down to somewhere just around 110 or just above, here's what you do. Scoop out about a cup or so of the warm milk into a small bowl or large measuring cup. Add your starter which is 1/4 cup of your last batch of yogurt. It contains the helpful bacteria which makes the milk turn into yogurt.

If you are just starting and don't have a previous batch, use an organic, all natural brand. Mountain High is readily available. If you are in the Pacific Northwest, Nancy's is a really good option which I recommend. I'm sure other parts of the country and world have other equally good options. Just use the best stuff you can find.

Mix the starter well and return to the pot. Now you need an incubator. You need to maintain 110 degrees for 4 hours. My oven will do that. Before I had this oven, I did it by placing the mixture in a casserole dish with a lid and putting my heating pad on top of the casserole dish, then wrapping the whole thing with bath towels. It can be done in a crock pot, but you'll have to google that, because I've never done it that way. At the end of 4 hours, refrigerate and use as yogurt throughout the week. Start again when you run out.

I have done this for more than a year. The great thing about this is that if you need to start over with a new starter, just buy another carton of yogurt. No worries.

Last Big Roast and My Favorite Herb Rub.

2011-04-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

This is the last big roast from our local 1/2 beef we bought. No worries. I just recently set up a good replacement for our freezer full of local meat. I'll be talking about this soon.

It's a big roast; 4 lbs or maybe more. I think it is fun and interesting how different the locally butchered beef looks compared to meat you can buy at Safeway, Albertson's, etc. But I can't go back. Meat from the butcher is better.

My favorite herb rub came from Taste of Home way back. Probably 10 years ago. It makes a nice crust and flavors the meat well. We've enjoyed it over and over. I've rubbed it on ribs and pork chops, let stand, and then sauced them for barbecue. It has flavored many types of meat.

Herb rub for a 2 lb roast.

2 t. salt

1/2 t. powdered garlic

1/2 t. celery salt

1/2 t. dried rosemary, crushed

1/4 t. each pepper, onion power and paprika

1/8 t. dill weed

1/8 t. rubbed sage

Combine seasoning. Rub over roast. Cover and refrigerate for at least hours. Or not, but it improves it. Place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered until 160 degrees internal temp by a meat thermometer.

I meant to roast it on the weekend when I had like a reasonable period of time to like do it, but I didn't. Early in the week, I decided to come home at lunch time and start it. I got a new Electrolux stove the summer of 2010 as part of the forced remodel. It has a feature where you put the food in the oven and program the oven to come on when you want it to and go off when you want it to. I haven't tried it yet. It shouldn't be that hard.

So, I'm home cooking spaghetti and reheating pasta sauce for our lunch. Can I do this? I'm not computer illiterate, but this sucker has a lot of buttons.

I want it to come on at 2 p.m. It's 11:20 or so.

I'm not clear when it will be done, but I set it come turn itself off at 5 p.m. I'm pretty sure I'll be there ready to supervise the situation by around 4 or 4:30.

Press start. Wish me luck. I grab my pasta and reheated sauce, some fruit, cookies and nuts. Back to work I go.

I return home to a nicely done roast. The meat thermometer reads right. The slice taken in to Husband gets approval. Potato and green vegetable and we are ready to eat.

Remember to do things differently sometimes and don't be afraid.

Spring Sing, Construction, and Little Trees

2011-04-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

First, it kind of looks like Meema and Papa are invited to the Pleasant Valley Spring Sing. Is that cute or what?

Next, look what's happening near us. Someone is building a few houses. I haven't seen that for nearly 2 years. I don't personally think that the consumer economy will feel much more prosperous than right now for up to a year on the bright side, maybe longer.

Small businesses need to catch up on deferred maintenance, deferred capital expenditures, paying debt and accumulating a little capital assets. It's a good thing for everyone if small business can regain some stability. Remember that the economy could get worse and still may. But, it feels good that someone is building houses. Last week, my construction company submitted a bid to work on a pretzel shop in a mall. My theory always goes like this: If someone is willing to build a (fill in the blank) store, it means they are willing to take personal risk on the gamble that people want to buy (fill in the blank). Here is to hoping there is a pretzel market out there.

And finally, there is a really pretty little tree in front of our business property. I tell it that it's cute and give it a pep talk every day. Last, summer I was delighted to see that it had babies. I mean little sprouts of it had grown up around it. I dug up three and stuck them in my greenhouse for the winter. Only one survived. I care for it daily and promise that I have a beautiful home prepared for it once it gets just a bit larger.

Killing Ants Naturally

2011-04-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

At our work, we have a severe ant infestation, the very small black kind. Let's just say, there will be no photos. And it's puzzling. Although the building is an old house with additions done to it, no one has lived there in years. There is no food preparation, no food storage. We bring in our lunches but haul everything out each night. We are fairly careful with garbage. What are they eating?

Husband has been diligently waging war on them with chemical products with little or no affect. Whereever they live, it is scary and has to go.

Some years back, when I was just a young woman, I had a similar infestation in a house I was living in. My older neighbor told me a recipe and procedure that he recommended. I tried it and it worked perfectly. I going to be trying it again.

1 part old fashioned powdered borax, 1 part powdered sugar, 1 part yeast. Although there are no photos, I'm going to be graphic here. If you are a little sensitive, look away now.

My neighbor said that each of these three ingredients has an important job. The sugar is the attractant. They want to carry it back to the nest as food. The borax is soap. It keeps the mixture together and sticks to their bodies. The yeast is what kills them. When they ingest it, the live yeast activates and explodes the ants.

Hope I haven't alarmed anyone, but this is serious.

I'm going to try this recipe again over the next few days. I'll let you know what happens.

Growing Greens

2011-04-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

I was pretty serious about growing greens, swiss chard and others. They are cool weather crops. Last time I checked, I lived in cool weather. My attempts at cooking Kale purchased from Diane's Produce last fall and winter were not successful. Husband didn't like it. I think his exact words were "ick." And I've got to admit it was a little bitter. Not Diane's fault of course. Congratulations to Diane for staying open year round and trying to provide all of the local goodness that she can.

I had a long talk with Melissa Rodewold with Century Farm and; Nursery out of La Center, WA, one of my first visits to the Farmers Market. She suggested a variety of greens grown as cool weather crops, beet tops, collards and some I hadn't heard of. Wait a second and let me catch up, please. Her favorite Kale is Red Chidon, says it grows easily and is sweeter and better tasting. Worth a try. A start purchased from her has been living in the greenhouse since I bought it. Today is it's big day.

My Current Take on Granola

2011-04-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

I rarely have complaints with Alton Brown recipes. Usually, they are simple, with readily available ingredients and just plain good.

Alton Brown's Granola is way too sweet and too salty for my taste.

Here's is my current recipe

3 cups regular old fashioned oat meal, not the quick cook type.

1 c. filberts, aka hazel nuts (A local product)

I like them coarsely chopped with a knife, rather than putting them in the food processor. I like the texture of them.

And a 1/2 cup sun flower seeds, raw and unsalted. This is from Sumner WA

A cup of shredded coconut (Alton's recipe calls for sweetened, the kind in the bag in the baking aisle. But I've been getting the unsweetened from the bulk aisle.

1/4 c. of canola oil or your preferred kind and another 1/4 c. of maple syrup in the same cup up to raise the level of the cup to 1/2 c. total. The advantage of the two in one cup is that it comes out easier and cleans up easier.

1/4 c. brown sugar and mix it well. Add a cap full of vanilla (Vanilla is optional, but I like it in this.)

1/2 t. salt. This is less that Alton uses. I rarely cut back salt in recipes. It's one of my guilty pleasures. Love salt. But it doesn't improve this for me and I may use less next time.

Slowly start pouring the oil / maple syrup mixture into the dry ingredients.

Stopping to mix and break up any clumps. The first batch I made. Well the first batch I made I burned. The second batch was too clumpy. Now I break up the clumps.

Preheat the oven to 250 (only; no more) degrees. Turn the granola onto a sheet pan and cook for 1 hr 15 minutes. Take the time to turn it and stir it several times during baking. Nice and dry and nutty. Crunchy in a good way. I don't like raisins cooked into the granola.

I've been adding a c. golden raisin after it's finished. Good with milk in the morning. Step granddaughter likes it. Had it this morning stirred into yogurt with blackberry jam. Just saying.

Our Work and the Pink Hard Hat

2011-04-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

My husband and I own a commercial construction company. For some time, I've kept one of the company's dark blue hard hats in my office. That way I have one to wear that isn't too gross when I need to visit a job. From time to time, a hard hat would disappear from my office. That's okay. They are the ones banging sheet metal. They need 'em. I'm just a looky-lou. I'd get another and be fine for a while, then the new one would go missing. Then another and another. I've been through a bunch of blue hard hats.

I noticed that in general contractor job shacks there is often a pink hard hat hanging on the wall. One day, I asked what was up with the pink hard hat. The general contractor told me, in a very manly way, that a pink hard hat is kept for any employee who comes to work on the job without his own. As a penalty, they have to wear the pink one for the day. Serves them right, 'cause they remember their hard hat from then on. No real man wants to wear a pink hard hat, right? Construction is a hard life.

So I told our delivery driver to get me one. I told him to buy one and bring it directly to me. Isn't she a purdy? I told everyone I was getting her and would put hello kitty stickers all over her.

I actually put one of my company's stickers on her. Companies in the construction trades have stickers made with their business name and phone number on it. They stick them on everything the touch, kind of like marking their territory. Workers often collect stickers from different companies all over their hard hats.

I stop traffic a little bit when I walk jobs. I've 51 years old, a small woman. You don't see that often where we work. People stop and look at me. Sometimes it's pretty interesting. That's okay. I have good self esteem.

This sticker is from a crane company we sometimes use as a subcontractor. I don't have the hello kitty stickers yet.

If you've been here before, you might know we recently cleared out the house my dad built in 1964 and that I grew up in. I found my dad's hard hat from his work days in a cabinet in the garage. It immediately went into my car. The blue sticker is for the company he worked for. He was a Union Steelworker. A Brother to our Trade. The red strip below is from one of those old fashioned labelers. It says his name. John Bennett.

Recently, I've been wearing Dad's hard hat when I visit jobs instead of the pink one. Dad would have been happy. Wish I could have shown him our jobs. Of course, I added one of my company's stickers.

Now people see me and ask me where the pink one is. I stop and tell them the story of my Dad and his hard hat. And now I've told you.

Swiss Chard

2011-04-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I have no medical training.

Top 10 reasons I'm trying to learn how to cook Swiss Chard:

1. It tastes better than Kale.

2. Husband says its "fine." That's not what he says about Kale.

3. It's cheap.

4. 1 cup of it supplies over 14% of the daily

requirement for fiber.

5. It's got vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and dietary fiber. Swiss chard a good source of copper, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, protein, phosphorous, vitamin B1, zinc, folate, biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid. And no, I don't know what all of those things are. Do you?

6. It's good for your immune system. It's got like antioxidants and stuff.

It's pretty. Don't you think?

8. It is fat and cholesterol free and low calorie, unless you put bacon on it, which wouldn't be a half-bad idea, would it?

9. I'm thinking I could grow it in the raised beds. That could be a good thing.

10. The second link below says you should not eat swiss chard if you are trying to gain weight. Really?

How we are eating Swiss chard:

One of these pretty purple shallots. Finely Chopped.

To the chopped onion, add 1/4 t. salt, 1/4 t. sugar, 1 T. Rice vinegar. Stir to combine and set aside.

Not to confuse anyone, but this is half a bunch. We'll use half the onion mixture tonight and the other 1/2 bunch and the other half bunch tomorrow night.

Now prepare the greens. These things are grown in sand. It's like cleaning leeks, so take the time to rinse them really good.

My mom didn't do this. I don't really know how. But I've been slicing it one way. Then, I turn the board and slicing the other way. I think the stems are tasty and take off just the end.

After cooking if part of the stem is still a little, well, you know, just pick the sucker out of there and down the garbage disposal. Who's going to know?

A good few squirts of olive oil into the pan and get it hot enough that there is a big sizzle when anything goes in - like medium hot. Add the greens and a couple T of lemon juice. Then medium heat.

Keep cooking as the greens and stems soften.

And remember that you always have my permission to pick out anything that you don't want to eat before it goes to the table.

A hand full of feta and the lid on while you finish up everything else. And -

Remember it's good for you.

Sources:

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/swiss-chard.html

http://www.great-workout.com/nutrition/vegetables/swiss-chard-nutrition-facts.cfm

http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/antioxidants-your-immune-system-super-foods-optimal-health

Shared at Kelly the Kitchen Kop http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/04/real-food-wednesday-41311.html

And Hearth & Soul
http://amoderatelife.com/2011/04/hearth-and-soul-hop-volume-43/

And What's Cooking Wednesday
http://thekingscourt4.blogspot.com/2011/04/whats-cooking-wednesday-41311.html

And What's You Cooking Wednesday

Steelhead with lemon caper butter.

2011-04-08T17:47:00.000-07:00

The Sous Chef has been busy and is tired. So it's all me today.

I've been cooking recently from a cookbook I bought used at a thrift store. What's for Dinner? by Maryana Volstedt. It is copyright 1997. She is from the Pacific Northwest as am I. I get her sensibility. Who ever gave up this book was crazy. I find myself wanting to make everything in it.

Today, I'm making Steelhead with lemon caper sauce. It was inspired by a recipe in this book on page 108, Citrus Salmon Steaks.

Steelhead is in the trout family, but larger than our native trout. It's flesh is orange like Salmon but a little softer and sweet. It is Steelhead season around here. Boats are lined up on the Columbia river fishing for it.

I'm starting with a lovely piece of Steelhead with skin on. The marinade for it is 1 T. canola oil, the juice of one-half an orange, 2 T. of lemon juice, 1 t. Worcestershire sauce, 1 t. salt. My ever-present Pyrex pie plate is holding the marinade and the fish, which I place in the frig for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile the most delicious Lemon-Caper Sauce. I've taken some liberties with Maryana's recipe. Here is my version. 1/2 c. mayonnaise, 1/4 c. buttermilk, 1 T. lemon juice, 1/2 t. dried dill weed, 1 t. drained capers, chopped, 1/4 t. salt.

Remove the fish from its marinade and bake the fish in a 350 oven until just done in the middle. I don't do the partially raw fish thing that some people do these days. The sauce goes over the fish and vegetable. It is good over any basic vegetable. Our current favorite is broccoli with this sauce. Tonight it is Swiss Chard. And a popover. This Swiss chard recipe next. Remember to find things that inspire you, 'cause life is short and inspiration is everywhere.

Shared with What's You Making Wednesday

Braised Beef Shank

2011-04-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

I was going to cook on Sunday, but something came up. Actually, someone needed babysitting so that his parents could have a date. And I mean, can you blame me?

So Sunday afternoon. Dude (formerly known as Baby) and I were curled up on his parent's couch in their new place watching a kid movie.

No this waited just fine on Monday - Beef Shank. It was new to me out of our local meat. I want more. It is a poor cut. Tough and hard to cook. But delicious if you have the time. It needs to be braised. To braise, add good oil to a heavy pot and get it screaming hot. Add the meat with tongs. An onion well chopped. Be careful. Move it around a bit so that it doesn't stick and brown it on all sides. Don't worry about cooking it in the middle. And, now is the time for the Ove-Glove.

Just cook it hot and fast on the outsides, turning it with tongs or other tools. Once browned remove it and you have the most delicious stuff.

Chefy people call the next part deglazing, but it isn't rocket science. Use a spoon to loosen any stuck parts from the bottom of the pan. They are flavor. Add a cup of good beef stock, a can of tomatoes and a can of tomatoe sauce, a t. salt.

So I find myself home and cooking somewhere around early Oprah. A rare thing. I put the meat back in. Use the spoon to break up the tomatoes and set it for a slow simmer. Husband comes in and says it smells really good. Kisses my neck. I'll give you a couple months to stop that!

I'm cleaning out the freezer because I tend to stock it in the spring and summer. I freeze the most interesting things. This is a cup of small white beans. I cooked a whole bag back in December for some soup or stew and froze this cup for later and here we are.

Add the white beans. I was about to add more seasoning, maybe some Italian Seasoning, but I'm glad I waited. It really didn't need it. Put the lid on and simmer on low for 2 hours.

Let's see. What should I do with this delicious looking bone?

Oh, no. Look what happened.

Oh well, the sous chef has been very good.

With spaghetti, a little braised beef shank, a little sauce, a glass of wine. You know what I'm saying?

Our Work

2011-04-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

This has absolutely nothing to do with what I normally talk about. In fact, it's a tender subject for me. This is what pays the bills at the Osbornes. This is our work. The following pictures are of a new building. It's retail space. People will shop here. I'm not going to say who or where for hopefully obvious reasons.

Husband and I have a company that does commercial HVAC. There are large heating a cooling units on the roof which we place there with a crane. We hang this duct work in the space to carry the heated or cooled air to its destination. This pipe is 20 feet in the air.

The hard hat on the right belongs to Husband. The hard hat and yellow arm on the left is one of our foremen. This is hard work. These guys are studs and heroes in my book. The recession hurt us. It was hard to keep going.

Almost over night, we went from making a good living with a good future to seriously in trouble and afraid. Entrepreneurs risk everything. We weren't just looking at no work. We were looking at potentially loosing everything.

These two pictures are kitchen hoods in the same space. We do that too - the welded grease duct and grease fans that serve them and the make up air units that pump air back into the space. Things are getting better.

Much better actually. We are hopeful, optimist.

It wouldn't be true to say that we are back to normal or that everything was great, but we are still here. Actually, we may be creating a new normal. The pre-recession really was awful nice and I will miss it. In this picture you can see the figure of a man in the upper just left of center above the hood. He is welding gas pipe to fuel the hood.

So here is my perspective on what I'm telling you. First, during hard times, you learn not only what you are made of, but what those around you are made of. I learned that I am one tough chick and that I married well.

Second, I learned that life is short. My hair literally went gray during this last couple of years of struggle. It wasn't gray before. And, yes, I have a wonderful lady I see every 6 weeks who is taking care of that for me. But it had other big affects on me. It is prompting me to make some changes in my life.

I'm only now starting to figure out what that means.

I have never had self esteem problems and I'm dreaming big. What's next? I don't even know, but something.

In Response to the "Modern" World

2011-03-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big fan of Facebook. Some people use it to put one sentence sound bites on how they feel that day. Others use it to have very limited discussions with others. Having a discussion in sound bites is not something that seems to work well. And you get that this is not really friendship, right? People who see your intimate thoughts on Facebook may be only acquaintances. Calling them friends doesn't make it so.

There was recently a controversy on Facebook among the Osbornes as to whether Step Grand Daughter should be taken fishing. The exactly comment was "Isn't she too young to be killing animals?"

The world changed recently. Traditionally, children were not as insulated from the realities of life. They didn't grow up thinking that eggs come from Costco. They knew eggs came out of chickens because they had some contact with the process. They knew what birth was because they had seen it in some form. They dug in the dirt, road their bikes far and wide, picked food from plants and ate it raw and dirty. They lived closer to Grandma and Grandpa, saw them age, saw them sick, saw them die.

There was no antibiotic soap. We were sprayed with a little Biactine and called it good. We were exposed to things. We learned to pee outside behind a bush when the occasion called for it.

Is today's world better? McDonalds, Costco, frozen entrees in a bag? These things are new. They haven't been around long. Is our world a better place because of it? Are we healthier, happier, more self actualized? Well, I'll let you make your own decision, but please leave me a comment with your thoughts. And Osbornes - no offense, just my opinion on that.

Remember.

Shared with Kelly the Kitchen Kop at http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/03/real-food-wednesday-32311.html) Please go there next. It's really a good thing.

Chocolate Delight Muffins

2011-03-30T05:59:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this recipe a while back and have been making it ever since. Actually, I saw another blogger make them, but I can't remember who. Original source is below. If I owe you a shout out, let me know.

I recommend this recipe because it is so full proof. It is uniformly moist, but also uniformly firm and not crumbly. You can freeze them and they defrost in the same condition as you started. You can pack them in lunches and expect that they don't easily compact. Hand them out to the kiddos; they are very good kiddos, afterall.

First, I use the muffin papers. In my world, muffins travel. The papers make them tidier. Oh, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, the dry ingredients.

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour or 1 c. AP flour and 3/4 c whole wheat flour. I've done it both ways. Spoon it into the measuring cup, but do not pack. Level off the top.
3/4 c. packed brown sugar. Pack brown sugar into the measuring cup with the back of a spoon.
1/2 c. unsweetened baking cocoa powder. Spoon in and level but do not pack
1 t. baking soda
1/4 salt.

Use a spoon or whisk to combine the dry ingredients.

Melt a 1/2 c. (1 stick of butter) on the stove and set it aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, the wet.

1 c. buttermilk

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

Whisk it and then add it to the dry. If you are my generation, you may have been told to mix only until the dry is just incorporated and to avoid over mixing so as not to have peaked muffins. I was traumatized by that until one day I decided there were worse things than peaked muffins. I haven't had any trouble. Mix them as much as you want. It's fine.

Add the melted butter. Stir to incorporate. Melted butter is truely a beautiful thing, isn't it? Add 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips.

I remember my early muffin lessons taught to fill muffin tins 1/2 full.

These get filled a bit more. I have the ambition that they will be perfectly neat, but there is always a drip somewhere.

Into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. And for goodness sake, set the timer. There is no reason not to and it's just easier. I used to think that a "real" cook knew when things were done and didn't need a timer. Then I got a real life.

Remember that chocolate is good for you. Oh, here is the original source of the recipe. Good old Betty Crocker.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-delight-muffins/a7d125ce-08c0-4afb-8a31-6770b63e6eda

Dungeness Crabs

2011-03-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

These beauties are a special present from Daughter in Law. Thank you, Dear. They were purchased fully cooked, so don't be expecting any Julia incident in my kitchen, although I would be up to that task.

I've seen Dungeness Crabs cooked in large vats at the beach. It isn't for the faint of heart or New Yorkers. No offense, anyone. But no, these have been in my freezer since purchased.

They are beautiful and amazing, don't you think?

I'm going to steam them to warm them. Then, serve the legs with melted butter to dip in. I'm thinking not to serve the bodies at the table. Cleaning the bodies of these crabs is not a tidy task and I'm not skilled at it.

The gills area can be just peeled away.

The crab "butter", which is the intestinal areas, won't hurt you, but I've read that the "butter" sometimes has a concentration of Mercury.

We'll be discarding anything that isn't clearly crab meat today and not worrying any more about that. I'm not one who worries about food.

I sometimes feel guilty sucking out their good parts. But not enough to stop. Remember that it's the simple things, really.

Red Currant

2011-03-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

One of the funny things Husband said recently is that he looks forward to reading the blog so that he can see what's going on in his life. (He's such a funny guy.) We are busy and working hard at our business, but I have a busy mind and here is one of the things I'm thinking about. (Also, that the upstairs guest bathroom needs to be painted.)

This poor pitiful thing is Red Currant. I've had it a couple years, given to me by a plant swap friend from her yard. I forget what I gave her in return. Last year, the little kids stripped it and sucked it clean of every yummy bit. I got nothing.

I didn't really mind. Remembering days of my own childhood, picking crabapples and blackberries until I had a tummy ache. Washing green beans and yellow corn with the hose and then eating them raw. Then washing hands and feet with the hose so as to be allowed back into the house. Last year the kids stripped my peas, parts of my beans, as well as my red currants and I was happy for it. I bought what I wanted from the farmers stand.

I have a new cookbook about home canning. I grew up with home canning and got away from it, but something is drawing me back. I'm picking out salsa and relish recipes, considering purchasing a pressure cooker, contemplating pickles.

With the red currants, what should I make? Raspberry Red Current Jam on page 25 sounds appealing. Raspberries are readily available in season. This is a combination my mother did not considered.

Just plain Red Current Jelly on page 115 maybe. I prefer the pouches of liquid pectin. Do what you like. I just feel comfortable with that.

Then there is Rhubarb Red Current Preserve on page 67. That sounds more like me. I'm a rhubarb sort of girl. But you saw my currant plant.

And here is my rhubarb plant. So it will be a while. And it uses orange zest as natural pectin. No added pection. Not sure how I feel about that. What do you think?

And there you are, Dear. Did you know all that was going on?

Remember to work when you have to, but think and dream when you can.

Farmer's Market and What's Happening in the Greenhouse

2011-03-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

I served as a volunteer on opening day of Farmer's Market yesterday, in Vancouver, WA. It is something I've been thinking of for a while now. Last summer was so chaotic with the forced remodel. This summer I'm hoping for a few things: (1) Be happy, (2) Have a garden I'm proud of which means the time to spend on planning and maintenance. I've already started, (3) Be happy, (4) Do some canning and get some food put by. My mother and grandmother spent all summer canning. I have the most happy memories of it, (5) Support local small businesses as I want my own small business supported, (6) Oh, and I already mentioned the happy part.

I think the Farmer's Market might be part of my plans. I don't always do well or feel comfortable in a crowd and I sometimes get tongue tied with people I don't know, but the market folks made me feel comfortable. I'm looking forward to going back, soon.

Can't garden much with record rainfall, but here's what's going on in my greenhouse. It's running between mid 30's F at night and mid 70's F during the day. I enjoy observing and recording the temperature changes. There are flats of various clippings which I am attempting to root using powdered rooting hormone. Some are a huge successes. Others, a "failure." My experiments aren't real failures because I learn from each and there are not consequences. My "failures" end up making compost.

"Hens and chickens" that Step Daughter's uncle gave me last summer. Not sure what I'll be doing with them. They are an old fashioned plant which reminds me of my grandmother's rock garden and makes me happy.

Strawberry start volunteers that sprouted from a previous experiment. Again, not sure what I'll do with them, but something.

Flats and flats of lettuce sprouted from seed. The only thing currently in my raised beds is radishes and carrots. I suppose I'll be planting lettuce soon, if it every stops raining.

Other plants just waiting for their chance. The greenhouse is a handy place to keep things.

These logs have had holes drilled in them. Plugs with spores of Shitake mushrooms have been hammered into the drilled out holes.

I mist them daily. They need to stay below 70 Degrees.

As soon as there are sunny warm days, they'll need to go into the garage or a closet. My greenhouse hovers in the 80 to 90 degree range on a warm sunny day. Will I grow Shitake mushrooms?

If this seems foolhardy, Remember to have hope.

Traditional Food is Cheap #4: Beef Stroganoff

2011-03-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

Once again, I enter my house at 5:15 p.m. after a long day. I'm tired. I hear my Mom's voice in my head saying "put on a happy face." Aren't women amazing. If you know one, remember to tell her and thank her for everything she does to keep life together for those around her.

I'm a little embarrassed to say that I had to clean my kitchen before I could start cooking. I need to buy dog food tomorrow, or someone will be hungry, but there's enough for tonight. And I haven't yet emptied the dishwasher, but at least I started it when I left this morning.

Okay, time to get going. Two big cloves of garlic, minced or diced. I need to get over to Diane's Produce and stock up. I'm out of a lot of things. A purple shallot diced. Not green onions, which some people call shallots. By the way, have you noticed that Paula Deen calls green onions, spring onions. I'm always so impressed with what a small world it is, but the things that make us different are interesting too.

Half a pound of mushrooms. I usually get crimini, but I've got these white things this time. Have you noticed that people on Food Network recommend not washing mushrooms? They all wipe them with a kitchen towel. I wash mine and have never had a problem. I wouldn't eat a potato or an apple without washing it. Just saying people.

I usually quarter mushroom. For Stroganoff, I slice, but do what you want with your Stroganoff. It's yours after all. Two T. good oil, canola or grape seed or olive oil. Saute the shallot, garlic and mushrooms.

I like them a little soft and translucent in Stroganoff. Nicer with the sour cream sauce. One of the things I like about cooking is that it's all about me. There are so many areas of my life that are all about doing things for other people. Following other people's rules. When I cook, the mushrooms can be any way I want. And that's all I have to say about that.

A full pound of some type of less expensive beef steak. With all meat, take the time to cut off anything you don't want to eat. It's your decision.

Slice the meat as thin as possible. I've got two piece stacked. I'm using a cheap serrated bread knife that I keep for this purpose.

Remove the vegetables to a pie plate sitting on the back of the stove. Two T. butter and add the meat. Saute until it's just cooked through. Feel free to nibble a bit. Cook's privilege. 1/2 t. salt, a couple good turns off the pepper grinder, 1 t. Worcestershire sauce. Turn it off until you are close to ready to eat.

Start the pasta. I've made this with really good fresh pasta. I've made this with homemade pasta. Tonight, it's 1/2 pound of this, cooked according to the package. Salt the water as it heats. Add a little oil to the water after adding the pasta.

To finish, return the vegetables to the meat in the skillet. Bring it back to heat and add 1/2 c. sour cream, a handful of chopped Italian parsley. As you stir, add another 1/4 c. sour cream if needed for a very creamy texture. Taste and consider another 1/4 t. Worcestershire sauce. Always taste and adjust the flavors to suit you. It's a recipe, not brain surgery. Add the pasta and stir to combine. It should be creamy.

Oh, good. Before long we are cozy on the couch, plates in our laps, a glass of wine. Watching TV. Grateful not to be in Japan and Iran. Grateful to have a home and good food and worthwhile work to do. Grateful for a good warm bed and each other. Feeling a little silly about any previous grumpiness. Remember the important things.

Week end Beef Short Ribs from the Pioneer Woman

2011-03-14T17:57:00.000-07:00

Let's start with a picture of my favorite sous chef.

I've been trying to make something each weekend that I simply can not make on a week night. I really enjoy visiting blogs that are clearly a huge labor daily. And I don't want to offend anyone. My reality in the moment is that I come home on a week night after a full days labor to another workplace. No other way to say it.

Giving myself a creative corner to work in for a few hours on the weekend keeps me from being all frumpy and slumpy in the long run and helps me to stay in touch with myself. My mother's daughter. An American home cook. A lover of food. A lover of home and hearth, even though I must venture out each day for work.

Now, I want you to stay here, so I'm giving the link to the recipe late in the blog. Beef Short Ribs. I have most everything in my freezer. I'm just that kind of girl. But I don't have this. It took a trip to the grocery store and a consult with the butcher, but she hooked me up.

It starts with browning the ribs in a large heavy bottom pan. Hot oil, meat, significant heat. Not a skill to be under estimated by a beginning cook. But an important one lots of cooking styles.

It really struck me a year ago when my mom stayed with us. Age and illness had left her struggling with many things, from talking to walking. Together one afternoon, we made Julia Child's Beef Bourguigon. She couldn't go to the lady's room by herself, but she could brown meat in hot oil. Some part of the brain of a good cook remembers the important stuff. Brilliant baby was just really a baby then. I was so impressed with how well she held him, even though she had trouble with so many other physical stuff. http://dinnerattheosbornes.blogspot.com/2009/12/visit-with-my-mom.html

Set the browned meat aside. My mom used a pie plate to hold things and pushed them to the back of the stove.

Now the sauce. I followed Pioneer Woman's recipe almost exactly, which is rare for me, but just saying. Go to the link below for the recipe.

Cover the ribs with the sauce and put in a 275 degree Fahrenheit oven. I covered it with foil for a while, but uncovered it for the last about half of the cooking time. 3 1/2 to 4 hours total time in the oven.

Pioneer Woman recommends cooling the ribs and refrigerating them for several hours or overnight. Then removing the meat from the bones, draining off the excess fat and heating the remaining meat and sauce. I was unaware that Pioneer Woman was so delicate. I set them aside while I made other side dishes and tended to my household. But then, I removed the bones and strained off the fat. I have my mom's heat-proof fingers. I can take anything.

I took husband a taste while he continued with his work. Got his attention.

And the sous chef's. I mean really. What self-respecting Golden Retriever isn't interested in this.

Served it with buttered fettuccine and Italian flat leaf parsly. And I assure you that there was a brocolli side dish. I never seem to photograph the stuff that's good for you.

Remember to cook.

Oh, and the recipe.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/short-ribs-in-tomato-sauce/

Go forth and be happy.

Stanford's Knife and Fork Crab Sandwich

2011-03-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

If you are on the west coast, I recommend Stanford's Restaurant. Their menu is casual but delicious. Sea food and meat with well done side dishes and many other treats. I love their Knife and Fork Crab and Artichoke Sandwich. It is open face - A creamy mixture of crab, artichoke and Parmesan cheese in an herb mayonnaise. Additional cheese and a tomato slice is on top. The whole thing is broiled, melty and bubbly good.

I've decided to attempt to reproduce it at home. Since Husband claims not to like artichokes, it's all mine and I'm not attempting a huge batch.

Open face Crab and Artichoke Sandwich

1 6 oz can of crab meat, well drained.
6.5 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed well
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1T. fresh chives, well chopped
Sourdough Sandwich Bread
about 1/2 grated mozzarella cheese

I put the artichoke hearts in a colander and rinsed the marinade off with water. Then dry the artichokes with a paper towel. Make sure the crab meat is well drained so that the sandwich isn't soggy. Cover and refrigerate this mixture to help firm it up.

When you are ready to eat, preheat the oven to 350. This is 2 - 4 servings, depending on how hungry you are. I put a quarter of it in a separate oven safe dish and put it in the oven for about 10 minutes. Nice and sizzley and good smelling.

On one piece of sourdough sandwich bread, I spread my mixture and topped with tomato slices and mozzarella cheese.

Back in the oven to broil until the cheese and tomatoes were very hot.

Okay, so it doesn't look quite as tidy and beautiful as Stanford's, and I may not make it at home again. It tastes like Stanford's sandwich and the texture is about right. Oh, and I know it has a million calories, but...

Remember to be good tomorrow.

Stuffed potato and Redecorating the bedroom

2011-03-09T18:19:00.000-08:00

We've been eating turkey all week. It was an extra I bought around the holidays. You know, the kind with the price you can't turn down if you buy $50 of groceries. It is a smoked turkey and it has been delicious. But today, we had errands in Portland and came back over the River just after lunch time, stopping at BJs in Janzen Beach. Husband likes it. I prefer Stanfords, but we went there last time.

Actually, I've got this plan to try to re-produce at home my favorite things at my favorite restaurants. Now that we can go out occasionally, it will be fun to revisit what we like and attempt to re-produce it at home. Stanford's Crab and Artichoke Sandwich is the first one I'm doing. I just love that stuff.

We ate late and we ate hardy, so neither of us is hungry, but skipping dinner is not something I do. I wake up absolutely starving and spend the next day eating everything in sight.

So tonight, Baked potato with light sour cream and chopped chives because the chives plant in my herb plot out back looked so good. A little chopped smoked turkey. A little left over broccoli casserole (That cutey-pie Alton Brown's recipe.) It's not for someone watching fat grams and I'm working on remodeling it, but good stuff just isn't fat free.

And I made a quick trip to GoodWill and found this frame for $2.99. I reframed a photo that has hung in our bedroom for years now. It was taken the day of our wedding. This picture of it does not do it justice.

I'm redecorating the bedroom. It all started with a headboard that Step Son made us for Christmas. He is a talented finish carpenter and it is truly beautiful. I had it professionally spray painted by a contractor we do business with. Step Son also made a cabinet to hold Husband's new flat screen TV and accessories. All this activity got me making other changes. I'll show pictures soon, along with costs, but I'm getting a lot of bang for my buck.

I'm also planning on showing what we do for a living on this blog. Husband and I own a commercial HVAC company. It isn't much about food, but it is very central and important to how we live. And what it takes to get heating, ventilating, and air conditioning into the buildings you shop at and do business at is actually fairly interesting. Also a little creepy, but I'll try to leave that out. Or maybe you'd like to see. Thanks for your interest and please remember to come back.

Cali, Kids and Date Night at Home

2011-03-04T17:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I'm still crying. Don't mind the tissue. Step-Son and Daughter in Law, along with their family Step Granddaughter and Brilliant Baby, and Cali the cat, moved in with us on New Years Eve. Long story, but we had a good reason.

They moved out two days ago. The silence is making me crazy and tripping me out, but we are glad that they have their own place again and they are even more glad.

What I'll miss most is not the adults. Ah, sorry, You know I'm crazy about you but.... What I'll miss most is having such close access to the children. First thing in the morning. End of the day. It was heaven. Love you, Babies. Meemaw will be there to visit you, any second now.

Cali the cat is still here. The big kids thought it best that she stay with us a couple extra days while they get situated. I'm not a cat person, but Cali and I have come to an understanding... As long as she stays out of my closet and doesn't scratch my furniture.

So I thought I'd do a little tribute to my favorite little people while I prepare for Date Night alone with my good husband, alone, in our house, alone, on Friday Night. Oh, Goodness!

And remember to come back. We'll be onto another drama soon. That's just how we roll at the Osborne's. Got to go. It's Date Night at the Osborne's.

Traditional Food is Cheap #3: Tuna Noodle Casserole

2011-03-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

What is traditional American food? Swiss Steak, Stronganoff, Chicken Enchilada - our traditional American food came from other places. But isn't Tuna Noodle Casserole uniquely American. I'd be interested in what you throught about that. Everyone has their own way to do it. I personally don't do the cream of goop soup. Just me. This is a better way. But the old original recipe with be much more frugal. Your choice.

Updated Tuna Noodle Casserole - Serves 6
2 cups pasta of your choice, cooked and drained ($.28 per serving)
1 T. olive oil, pennies
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped, ($.19 per serving)
2 stalks celery finely chopped ($.06 per serving)
5 or 6 mushrooms, cleaned and quartered ($.22 per serving
1/2 t. salt (less than a penny)
1/2 c. dry white wine ($1.00 per serving)
6 T. AP flour ($.02 per serving)
3 cups milk, fat content of your choice ($.10 per serving)
a couple twices of the pepper grinder (less than a penny)
12 oz can tuna, drained ($.85 per serving)
1 1/2 cup frozen tuscan or California blend vegetables, thawed and drained ($.20 per serving)
1T. Butter ($.05 per serving)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese ($.60 per serving)
1/2 bread crumbs, Italian flavor (make your own or use Panko if you want) ($.12 per serving)
$3.31 per serving - More than I thought, but this isn't my mama's tuna casserole.

Cook noodles drain and set aside tossed with a dribble of olive oil to keep the from sticking to themselves. Saute vegetables in the olive oil until soft and limp. Add the salt and wine and simmer down until the wine is nearly gone. Add the flour and stir to combine, then add the milk and stir to make a smooth sauce. Don't stress out over a couple small lumps. Add the tuna, pasta, and the vegetables and simmer until everything is hot. In a separate pan, melt the butter and add the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Toss to combine, then spread them over the tuna mixture and cover with a lid. Simmer a few additional minutes and serve.