Just a few thoughts from here.

• Husband is pleasantly snoring on the couch, (no, we won't show a picture of that, although it is cute).  And I'm alternately wrapping a few presents and cooking.  The pantry is full. We are warm and healthy.  There is work to do on Monday.  What more can a person want? 
• This has got me imspired and is the basis of tonight's meal.  I'm modifying it some to suit us.  Thanks to Moms for Safe food for this.   http://momsforsafefood.net/2010/12/06/stove-top-lasagna/
• The Golden Retriever is warm and happy and curled up under the tree.  As I walk by, he looks up as to say, "what should we do now, Mom?"  Like you've done anything all day, Dude.  Just be happy.  All is well. 
• I've frequently enjoyed a blogger, Foy.  She is insightful and interesting.  I enjoyed her phase as a food blogger. 

http://foyupdate.blogspot.com/  Her current passion is to organize her personal possessions and to remove those things which don't add value to her life.  I've watched her go through shoes, books, kitchen items and more, evaluating what is important to her and eliminating the rest. 

I tend to be a pretty organized person.  My stuff is pretty tidy and I have storage for a few extra odd things, if I wish.  But her quest has found me looking through my own things.  This drawer contains recipes, which I compulsively collect. Little things hand written.  Some things in my mother's handwriting. It is a small part of my collection.  It is not untidy.  But, I'm committing myself to go through it, try the recipes and make decisions.  Perhaps preserve those important ones in some more permanent format.  How do you store recipes and other important bits of paper?    

Remember to make conscious decisions about your life.

Roasting a Whole Chicken and Potato Patties

I've mentioned that I roast a whole chicken on a week night and you can to.  Give up the boneless skinless chicken breast wrapped in plastic thing.  It is too expensive and just plain frivolous. 


I work a long day and come home tired. I can roast a whole chicken quickly by cutting that little baby in half.  Cuts roasting time and produces a very nice product.  See this link for instructions.
http://dinnerattheosbornes.blogspot.com/2010/11/cooking-whole-chicken.html

I intentionally wrap up half of it and put it away in the fridge.  I've been taking classes some nights.  It will be nice to come home from Yoga with this in my warming drawer.  

On another note, I've been making these Potato Patties inspired by Melissa D'Arabian's Crispy Potato Cake.  I've changed it only slightly, so the credit is all hers.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/crispy-potato-cake-recipe/index.html

I use my omelet pan.  1 T. olive oil and 1 T. butter.  Less than Melissa.  Get the skillet screaming hot and lay the grated potatoes (3 medium russets, peeled and grated) into the pan and press it down.  At this point, I press a little fresh parsley into it.  Salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium.  Cook until brown on the bottom.  I check it by lifting up an edge and peaking. 

I flip it over by laying a plate over top and turning both plate and skillet over.  Actually husband helps with this procedure.  The the patty gets slipped back into the pan brown side up and back onto medium heat until brown on both sides.

Now into the warming drawer with you both while I make the vegetable.

I made a little gravy with the liquid off the chicken while I was waiting.  

A feast for two for two days.  Remember that left overs are a your friend. 

http://dinnerattheosbornes.blogspot.com/2010/11/cooking-whole-chicken.html

How Clean is Clean?

I don't mean to be too preachy.  But wait a second, I'm about to lauch a rant.  So if you don't like that, you may be excused. 

I'm 51 years old.  I rather like that I've reached a certain age and think I have a perspective that the young ones haven't yet reached.  They don't agree, but that's fine too.

It is very difficult to purchase a soap product at the grocery store that doesn't have words "anti-bacterial" on it somewhere.  At some point, it was cool and very commercial to advertise that your product killed germs.  And who wouldn't want that?  You want your house, your kitchen and bathrooms clean.  You don't want germs.  No one can argue.  But is clean clean enough?  Can you get too clean?

Please understand that being my age means that my parents were children in the early Depression.  The last one.  My grandparents were young adults.  All in rural Oklahoma.  My mother's parents were farmers.  Watermellon was a main crop.  My father's parents were ranchers and lived just miles away.  Their families knew each other. 

Both families lived in houses without plumbing until the children were big.  I don't mean to over-explain here.  That means there were no flush toilets, no sinks, no bath tubs, no running water of any type.  No hot water heater.  You get it. 

They went to the outhouse to use the bathroom.  My mom spent her entire life terrified of snakes.  And with good reason.  During the time she was my Mom, we lived in a place with small non-threatening garter snakes.  Who could be afraid of that?  But during her youth, she went to outhouse, warm and wet.  Various creatures liked to hang out there, including rattlesnakes.  My grandmother would take her children to the outhouse and guard them with a shovel while they used the outhouse.  According to family history, my grandmother was very good at killing large snakes by chopping at their heads with the end of the shovel.  There are many details about my family heritage that I doubt, but that's what Grandpa always told us.  There was no sink to wash up, no antibacterial soap.

They raised chickens and killed them for food, chopping off their heads, gutting and plucking them.  Never done it myself.  But I've killed a few critters in my time.  This wouldn't have been a process where everyone stopped and washed up with paper towels and antibacterial soap.  

My mom told the story of once-a-week baths.  In dry hot dusty Oklahoma summers it is hard for those with modern sensibilites to imagine hawling water to a tub, then each person bathing in the same water until the last person.  And repeating next week. 

Understand, we are not talking about the Pilgrams, the Middle Ages, George and Martha Washington.  We are talking about my parents.  I'm old, but really not.  This wasn't that long ago that this was not an uncommon lifestyle.  

Both of my Grandmothers saw 90.  My Mom is alive and 73.  I come from a family that is very healthy, more than most.  The human being is an incredibly strong and powerful being, much more than we commonly realize on a daily basis.  Built into us is this amazing imune system.  I don't have any medical training, but I believe that we are exposed all of the time to germs and bacteria of all types.  That our immune system is supported by this continued exposure, this continued fighting off of bugs.  Of course, this may not be true of people with impared immune systems.  I don't mean to make statements for others.

So what is clean enough?  I was taught that anything that got dirty could be cleaned.  Soap and "elbow grease" (meaning physical effort) applied liberally and often, cleaned everything.  Repeat the next day.  I don't get manicures.  My hands are working hands.  They do things.  And when I'm done, I "wash up" with soap.

When I prepare chicken, I wash my sink, put the chicken in it to clean and pick over it, then wash the sink again.  Am I concerned about getting sick?  Hasn't happened yet? 

Christmas Party; Part 3

Just a few observations about cleaning up after a big Christmas Party.

• The tile floor is sticky, but it seems to be coming up.  I don't even want to know about that!
• Although all three tablecloths were dirty, I'm pleased to report that it isn't permanent and all will be set right.
• The kids play room is a disaster.  All of the Barbies have had their clothes removed.  Perhaps they had a good time, too.  Another thing I don't want to know about. 
• It's a good day when nothing is broken and there are no red wine stains.
• The dog is very tired today.  Like he has something to complain about, dude.
• Thanks to all who brought hostess gifts AND included a card so I know who brought what and can get everyone properly thanked.
• I always have "back-up food."  Extra stuff that can come out in case more is needed, extra guests, poor estimates on my part.  All of it is intact and will make nice plates for us for a couple days.  :)
• I've got an extra pair of shoes, an extra jacket, and a little tee shirt.  If they belong to you, please let me know. 

Christmas Party; Part 2

Morning of the party and I need to get going.  But first, I need a full belly.  Yogurt, peaches and Honey Bunches of Oats cereal.  A big bowl.  It will be a long day. 

Yesterday the table I'll use for food got it's table cloth.  The big serving dishes came out and got washed.  This morning the table which will be for beverages needs to get set up and a few more food items prepared. 

Ham and Cheese Spread
2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. dry onion soup mix
1 c. fully cooked ham, diced
1 c. shredded Tillamook medium cheddar
1/4 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Combine all but the last ingredient and shape in a ball.  Roll the ball in the parsley.  Get it really cold.  Serve with crackers, veggies or whatever.

I bought a veggie and dip tray from the deli and transferred it to my own service dishes.  Saves on cleaning and cutting and can actually be cheaper depending on how you do it.  Added green and black olives.  There is crackers and pita bread cut in 8ths.

I made a bundt cake late in the day.  The one with a box devils food cake mix, a big box of chocolate pudding mix, a sack of whipped cream mix, water, oil and 4 eggs.  I'm not proud of this, but that's what happened.

The whole shrimp cocktail thing is there for me to resolve every year.  There is horseradish in cocktail sauce.  I don't use horseradish in anything else.  The choice:  (1) buy prepared cocktail sauce, or (2) buy horseradish and make cocktail sauce with the left over horseradish going to waste.  I decided to buy cocktail sauce.

Kid Punch
One tube of frozen condensed pineapple juice.  One large thing, I guess that's 2 litters, of Sprite, and quart of orange sherbet into the punch bowl. It is sweet and gets foamy on the top.  One of those once a year things.  This was my mom's recipe.  Their celebrations were modest because of budget, but these little treats are the things we remember, anyway. 

There were some adult beverages consumed but everyone used good judgement.  I have had years when this was a problem.  People, when you go to your bosses' house, don't get drunk.  Just saying.

Oh, and I kept most of the meatballs with Josh's sauce in the warming drawer of my oven and transferred them out in batches so they stayed hot.  There's like three left after everyone left. A treat for husband for later.  If you have a chance to buy a new oven, make sure it has a warming drawer.  I use mine for something almost ever day.

 

This dog goes to work with us every day.  Husband makes sure he is loaded up in a truck headed that way in the morning and headed home at night, so everyone knows this dog.  He was sure to stay close and watch out for any food that got dropped.

I tried to circulate and talk to all of the wives. Hear anything they wanted to say to me.  I'm not a real social person and sometimes have trouble with small talk, but I think that they need to know who we are and that their husband is well thought of.  I heard my Husband doing the same.

The children got a bit rowdy, but Step Son and our Foreman stepped in and handled it

I went to bed just as soon as eveyone not directly related to me left.  Husband and Step Son stayed up.  They hadn't had much to drink.  I think that may have changed after I went to bed.  Then, during the night, the bedroom door opened.  The dog laid his big head on the edge of the bed near my head and Husband was there.  I'll have some clean up in the morning, but until then...

Remember to surround yourself with good but not perfect people.

Christmas Party; Part 1

I was raised by (2) very type A people.  I entered adulthood highly productive and self sufficient but really, really tired.  These days, I go to Yoga class Monday nights and Belly Dance class Thursday nights.  I attend classes with people who are literally half my age.  On those nights when I am really horrible at my class, I plan to be horrible + 1 the next week.  Martha doesn't live here any more.

Saturday is our big Christmas Party.  Employees of our business and their families are invited.  Everything will be Make-Ahead and Do-Ahead, because that's just how I'm rolling. No stress here. 

Dish #1:  Several nights ago, I made meatballs and stuck them in my freezer, basically my standard meatball recipe with the addition of the yogurt.  I made them small and will heat them with the family barbecue sauce.  I've got some fancy little toothpicks with red and green flags.  Wait 'til ya see!!

Party Meatballs
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/2 rolled quick oats
1/4 finely chopped shallot
1 clove garlic
2 t. worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. good quality plain organic yogurt 

Combine and shape into small balls.  Place on a flat, foil lined, metal baking sheet.  Bake in 500 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.  I doubled this.  I have lots of meatballs.  My camera stayed at work this night, so you'll have to see them tomorrow. 

Josh's Awesome Barbecue Sauce

2 c. catchup 

1 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar 

1/4 c. soy sauce

2 t. minced garlic

1/2 t. tabasco sauce

Combine ingredients and refrigerate or use.  Josh makes the most awesome grilled ribs with this.  I've often got a mason jar of the stuff in my fridge and use it to marinade or as a dipping sauce. Not fancy, but real and we like it.  Another fresh one is tucked in there now.  I'll combine it with the meat balls tomorrow.

Our business is a construction company.  Construction men eat.  The meatballs should take the edge off. I'll be finding toothpicks with red and green flags everywhere for months but that's okay. Really.

Dish #2
Hummus and Pita Bread
16 oz can garbanzo beans/chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 t. baking soda
1/2 c. sesame tahini sauce
1/4 c. cold water
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil or more
1 t. salt or more

Everything into a blender or food processor.  Process until smooth.  It doesn't get as smooth as kind you buy in containers. Refrigerate.  We girls will like this.  I can eat my weight in this stuff.  Husband won't touch it.

In next to the barbecue sauce.  The flavors marry and get better with time, so this is a good make ahead thing.

Coming up:  My take on spreadable cheese, shrimp cocktail, my mom's "kid punch" recipe and a few other things.  Check back. 

Remember to plan ahead and be prepared.  And for God's sake, be happy!!!   

Broccoli Casserole

I like inventing recipes.  Sometimes I do it well.  I've been making a vegetable casserole for a couple months.  It has morphed into this, which Husband declares delicious.  Okay, it isn't low calorie, but we ate the whole thing between us last time and broccoli's good for you.  Well...


Broccoli Casserole
2 T. Butter
2 T. All-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar
1 shallot, chopped
1 c. low fat Tillamook sour cream
3 T. milk
3 heads of broccoli
5 crimini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 red pepper, roasted
1/2 c. medium cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. crushed ritz crackers
1 T. butter melted.

First roast your pepper.  I don't cook with pepper any other way more, because roasting it first is so good. 


Lay it in a flat metal pan and rub it liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with plenty of salt, then broil it until the skin blackens like this. 

Take it out and let it cool enough that you can handle it.  The black skin just rubs off leaving soft and delicious pepper flesh.  Throw away the black. 


Chop the pepper finely.  You end up with something like pimento but with much much more flavor.  I usually do this ahead, so it sits on my cutting board in a little pile to which I add more olive oil and salt. 

Next slice the mushrooms and put them in the same pan with more olive oil and salt.  Back into the broiler until they are sweated and soft.  Don't try to blacken them.  Just a few minutes.


While we are on this subject, I've been watch cooking shows which suggest not washing mushrooms with water!  Instead, they rub them with a clean kitchen towel.  Do you know what mushrooms grow in?  I'm just saying, I wash them well and let them dry on a towel.  I've never had any trouble doing that.  What do you do?  


Next, cook the brocolli in boiling salted water.  With a knife, cut off the central stem, then cut the florettes into bite size pieces.  Once they are cooked, drain the brocolli in a collandar and return to the pan.  

In a large skillet, make the sauce with the butter and flour, salt and sugar, sour cream and sauce.  Add the brocolli and mushrooms and roasted pepper to the sauce and toss.  Turn this mixture into a casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

On top of the casserole, layer grated cheese and crumb mix.  Make the crumb with butter and ritz crackers.


Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbly. 

Trust me, its yummy.

Together with a small piece of Tuna.  A good dinner.

This blog post was linked with Kelly the Kitchen Kop - http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/12/real-food-wednesday-12810.html
and
Scrap Addict for Sure - http://www.scrapaddict4sure.com/2010/12/whatcha-makin-wed-dec7-9th.html

and Culinary Bliss -

http://culinarybliss.blogspot.com/2010/12/simple-lives-thursday-21.html

Remember to eat your vegetables.