Ginger Steak Salad

We tried something different on Halloween evening

I started with this recipe

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/ginger-steak-salad/

We started with one good inch thick rib eye steak from the local cow in the freezer.  Used the marinade exactly. 

And the salad, Good greens,  I used several Roma Tomatoes sliced thinly, a big handful of mushrooms finely chopped. 

Now the steak. 

Marinade per the instructions for at least 24 hours.

Drain marinade.  Heat a couple T. olive oil or other good oil.  Sear for 4 minutes on one side the turn and sear 4 minutes on the other.  Into a 350 0ver for 15 minutes. (Grill the steak if it is easier for you).

Slice the steak and lay it across the salad. 

Used the salad dressing from the pioneer woman link above. 

Husband loved it.  Just delicious.  It was plenty for both of us.  We'll have it again.

Apple Bran Muffins

It's good to have a gallon zip lock in the freezer with muffins or breakfast cookies in it.  It's good for me to have something wholesome to throw in my bag on the way out the door.  It's good to have something to hand out to visitors, big and small. 

Now a secret.  One of my guilty pleasures:  blueberries muffins from Safeway.  But they are huge and very sweet.  It's got to be about like eating a piece of cake.  We really don't need much cake.

So I started out my morning meal planning for the week and making Apple Bran Muffins.  This is not an original recipe.  It was in a Taste of Home magazine this year.

Apple Bran Muffins
3 c. AP flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 c. milk
4 eggs
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. canola oil
2 t. vanilla extract
3 c. All-Bran cereal
2 c. peeled and finely chopped tart apples
1 c. walnuts (optional)  I left them out because daughter-in-law has some concerns about the kids and nuts
1 c. Raisins (optional) Another secret:  I don't really like raisins

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  With a big spoon stir to combine, turning the mixture inward, just until all dry ingredients are moistened. 

Put muffin papers into the cups of the muffin pan.  I use an ice cream scoop to fill them.  If you don't use muffin papers, spray the pan well.  But the muffin papers work well when you are planning to freeze them or use them later.  

I decided I wanted them a little fancier so I made my muffin topping and sprinkled on half before baking.  Gave me some nuts and a nut less version

Topping:  1/3 c. packed brown sugar, 1T. all purpose flour, 1/8 t. cinnamon, 1T. butter soft or melted, 1/4 c. finely chopped walnuts or pecans. 

Bake these at 350 degrees for 18 - 20 minutes.  Cool thoroughly before packaging for the freezer.

 

Just in time for a little bit of baby sitting.

What a good boy you are, Caleb.  Meemaw loves you, Caleb.  Now close the cabinet door.  Yeahhhh,  (clap, clap)  Good job, Caleb.

And Caleb likes the muffins. He ate several stubby little fists full.  Or the dog did.   This is such as serious picture.  Caleb is going to be an actor or an athlete.  As long as you are looking at him, he usually has a huge smile on his face. 

A package went home to Caleb's parent's house and a package went into my freezer for the week ahead.  No stops at Safeway for us this week. 

 Remember the small things.

Game Day

Husband's favorite team of all time is in the World Series.  That would be the Giants.  He remembers his father taking him and his brothers to games.  To him, the Giants are a very happy thing.

Here he is in San Fancsico watching his Giants.  Doesn't he look happy?

If your favorite team is in the World Series you should watch every second that you can.  These moments don't last; live in them when you can.  Get any enjoyment from them you can.   I mean really.

 

These are pictures I took of another Giants game we were able to attend in the past.  When?   A couple years ago?

He couldn't see the game on Thursday night because we needed to finish up a presentation for our final project for a class we were taking. 




Step-Son kept texting the results throughout the game.  Somewhat entertaining by itself. 

Chili Night tonight.  After the game.  This is a very flavorful chili, but not one that is spicy.  If you like that, pass the Tabasco bottle. 

I should mention that this recipe came from a Taste of Home magazine around 7 or 8 years ago.  I've changed it a bit, but not enough to claim it.

 

I'll likely freeze at least one quart mason jar of this (maybe 2) for other meals.  We like this for week night meals with bread and cheese.

Ground Beef Chili
3 pounds ground beef
1 medium red pepper, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped.
1 T. dry onion flakes
 2 cans (16 oz each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce
1 jar (16 oz) salsa.  (I use Pace Picanti sauce, but use your favorite)
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 1/2 oz)  beef broth
2 cups water
1 T. chilli powder (Use 2 if you want)
2 T worcesterchire sauce
1T. dried basil
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. steak sauce (A-1)
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
1 t. ground pepper

In a large pot, cook beef and vegetables until meat is no longer pink.  Drain any liquid.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until chili reaches desired thickness. 

Freeze leftovers for another meal or package left overs for lunch.  This makes a big pot of chili and freezes well if you wish.

Just a thought

My mom used to say, "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar."  But do you really want more flies?

Okay, now that I have that out of my system, I just love these old bits of folk wisdom.   Some of the smartest people I've known were not educated, not worldly, not even cool. 

Here is what this saying means.  You can get cooperation and support from people more easily by being nice and kind than by being confrontational.

Kitchen talk #1; Life experience

Helpful hints for living: It is not necessary to agree with those around you. Personally, I prefer to associate with those who question everything and make up their own minds. Well, especially, if they can express their opinions in a logical and precise manner, but that’s me.

1. The first step is to listen. Understand what the other person is saying.
1. Stop talking. I don’t mean to offend. Do I need to be clearer?
2. Give your full attention to the other person, with an open mind.
2. The second step is to understand what they said.
1. You may need to ask a few questions. It doesn’t mean you are agreeing, just clarifying the other person’s thoughts.
2. Repeating the other person’s words is helpful. Ask them to confirm your understanding.
3. Patience and temperateness (yes, this is a legitimate word)
1. My second career (I’m on my third) was as a teacher. I taught adults at a trade school. One of the best things I learned from the experience was from a wonderful woman, Merrily. She was my boss and a wonderful teacher. I loved her. She died of cancer some years back. Hmm. Her picture is still on my fridge.  One day, I noticed that in a difficult discussion, she said “umm”, and “hmm” many times. I asked her about that. She said that she used “umm” and “hmm” to acknowledge the persons position without agreeing with it.
2. When I started doing the same and it changed my world. There is great power in acknowledging another person. But it is equally helpful to keep some emotional distance from ideas or opinions you find unacceptable.
4. Analysis. The next step is up to you. You can accept the opinions, attitudes, beliefs you’ve listened to. You can reject them completely. You can find some value in some of them while rejecting others.
1. While teaching, I had a student, Cory. His mother is a follower of my Blog. Hi, Karen. Cory is exceptionally bright. He has amazing ideas and a power and clarity that just boggled the mind. He also had an ego that just didn’t stop and controlled everything. The class I taught was introduction to business management. I use lowercase because it is a boring class. Did I mention it is boring? But it is the basis of other business concepts which are much less boring. Cory didn’t read the text, didn’t participate well in classroom discussions and didn’t understand the information presented which meant he didn’t do well. Now he had all sorts of other ideas, conspiracy theories and alternate ideas, some of them brilliant, but flunked my class because he didn’t learn anything from it.  (I might mention that I personally disagree with some of the concepts that I taught in that class.  That doesn't mean they are invalid or not transformational.)
2. It is okay to disagree, but you can’t grow without exposing yourself to experiences outside of yourself. Listen and understand. You can do that without agreement.
3. The rest of us are not idiots. We have value. Just saying, Dude.
5. Resolution
1. It is okay to be yourself. In fact, I recommend it. I like people who are just plain unique. Find value where you can. Incorporate life experiences where you find them.
2. But, shelter your Heart and Soul from things that you must. Grow from the experience. I ask Step-Son constantly “What did you learn”. Recently, he has started answering me. Oh Crap!

Hopefully I haven’t sounded too preachy or new age. But remember to grow throughout your life. And thanks for letting me rant.

Savorty Sausage and Potato Skillet

We are feeling better and starting to have an appetite.  I'm cooking tonight and looking forward to it.  I miss it when I don't cook. It makes me happy.  Oh, and I can't recommend drinking wine when you are sick.  Just saying.

I have friends who say they are frustrated because they get to dinner time and have no idea what to fix.  They stop by Safeway for prepared food, or even inspiration.  Or they bring home Chinese food or pizza. Or they go to Costco for frozen food like items in a plastic bag. 

I don't think it is optional that we eat real food regularly.  Apples Oranges, Grapes, Broccoli, Beans.  This is not special occasion food.  On one of those nights when I didn't know that to fix, I started rummaging through my pantry and fridge and created this dish.  This is an original recipe.  I offer it for those special days when you just need some help.


Savory Sausage and Potato Skillet
2 T. olive oil or good oil of your choice
5 cups coarsely chopped small red potatoes, clean, skin on
15 oz package smoked beef sausage ring, sliced
1 scallion, finely chopped.
 and 2 cloves of garlic, minced
8 oz can tomato sauce.
1/2 t. salt
2 t. Italian seasoning
Pinch of cayenne

Heat the oil to high in a good skillet.  Add potatoes, moving them with a spoon as they cook for about 5 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup water.  Reduce heat to medium and add a lid.  Stir every minute or so for a few more minutes until the potatoes are starting to soften.  If this doesn't happen fast enough for you, cut them smaller next time.

Add the scallion, garlic Tomato sauce, and seasoning.  Toss to combine.  Reduce heat to a simmer with the lid on.  Stir every couple minutes for 5 minutes total. 

Once the potatoes are cooked, you are ready to serve. 

By the way, if you are in the market for an oven/stove, I highly recommend looking into a warming drawer.  I recently bought a stove with a warming drawer and it has changed everything.  If we are not quite ready to eat, everything goes into the warming drawer until we are.  No worries about cold food, or scorching the bottom of the pan.  Move onto an other dish without worry for the first.  Can't say enough.

Remember to get better.   

Sick

Sick at the Osbornes.  We have one of those viruses.  It started with the young ones.  Wish we could take it all on ourselves, but no.  It spread to the parents, then to us. We have to work each day.  "No rest for the weary," as my mother used to say.  I'm spending my evenings knitting, just a little drunk of Cepacol lozenges.

When we first got it, I froze everything fresh in the fridge.  I bought a large stew chicken from the Safeway at 99 hwy and 134th and made chicken noodle soup in my largest pot. 

If you have a Betty Crocker or Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that is 15 years or older, you've got the recipe.   If not, go to an Antique store and buy one.  Homemade Chicken Noodle soup is cooking 101.  It has a whole chicken, cleaned in the sink, internal bits and extra fat removed with a small knife or kitchen shears.  A good kettle full of water, the chicken, and bring it to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Add any combination of the following:  A good palm full of granulated chicken broth, an onion chopped, the leaves off a head of celery, Italian fresh parsley chopped, a good palm full of good salt, and several twists off of the pepper grinder.  Simmer on low until the leg bone is loose and pulls away easily.   The first time you do this well, you'll understand this concept.    Set the pot off the fire to cool.  Once it is cool enough to reach in and handle the chicken (1/2 hour), you can do what Paul Dean calls "picking the chicken".  

But first, reserve the broth.  Put a large bowl in the sink and a large colander into it.  Pour the contents of the pot into the colander carefully.  If it is still hot, feel free to run cold water from the faucet into the sink (not in the bowl) to avoid steam in your face and to keep from boiling your sink pipes.  Return the broth less the bits from the colandar into the pot.

Picking a chicken is a very tactile thing.  Get your fingers into it.  Anything that you might want to eat goes back into the pot.  The rest stays in the colander.  This is not an easy task.  Take your time and run your thumb across your fingers.  Feel the chicken and make real decisions.  For me, I pick out the dark blood veins.  There are parts that feel slick or slimy.  They go for me, but that is up to you.  Pick out anything you don't want to eat.  

Broth, chicken, three or four carrots chopped.  2 or 3 celery stalks chopped.  A good mess of fresh green beans or a couple cans of Santiam green beans.  Several good garlic cloves minced.  More salt and pepper.  Start with a 2 t salt and 1 t. pepper. Taste and add more until you are happy.  2 cups dry noodles.  Simmer slowly until the vegetables are done.  Turn off the heat and serve or reheat bowl after bowl as we did.  

Tonight, we are tired of it and ready for a change.   I made a large pot we call "'sgettiti" because I've served it to generations of children who are now adults or near.  I can make it in my sleep and have.  This is a commonly marketed bottle of spaghetti sauce.  The "robusto" version of this sauce, I use with a small tomato sauce and a little additional herbs.  The "original" version of this sauce, I add considerable Italian seasoning and pinches of Cayenne until I get the flavors I want.  Hamburger, browned with salt and pepper.  Spaghetti noodles cooked per the package, drained with extra virgin olive oil poured over top.  I'm impressed with ground beef from the 1/2 cow we bought .  Really nice. 

It is Saturday morning as I post this.  I wrote it on Wednesday.  It was filled with spelling and grammatical errors and faulty thinking, which is not like me.  Not kidding about that Cepacol.  Good stuff.  Or maybe I'm getting better.

Remember that you will breath well at some point in the future .  In the mean time, take good care of your animals, serve the people as best you can, and everything will be fine.