Just One More Grill Marinade

A Smidgen of This Marinade

I'm always surprised by how very little liquid you actually need to marinate with. This marinade goes together quickly and was a hit with my family and one of Sam's friends when used on chicken. We especially liked the leftovers the next day cut up and tossed with a big veggie salad. I think it would be great on steak and pork too.

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 TB honey

2 TB vinegar, white or cider

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp grated ginger

1/2 medium onion chopped (or equivalent dried or onion powder)

pepper to taste

Place all in a zip bag. Add desired meat and let marinate for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. Longer is better. Remove from marinade and grill.

Another Dinner on the Run

I'm sitting here watching a rainbow of birds fluttering around the feeders in my yard: red Cardinals, orange Orioles, yellow Goldfinches, green Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, blue Bluejays and Bluebirds, and purple Housefinches. I love my birds.

Sam is at golfing with a friend, so I decided to come home and race around for an hour to see what I could get done and then take the rest of the time just for me. I've had a serious deficit of recharge time this summer and so has Sam, so we're working on that, together.

Last night the young man was headed out with his heroes to launch some rockets. So, dinner had to be early and quick.

My go-to recipe if I have ground lamb available is Gyros. Ordinarily, I make my own pitas (they're so easy), and Tzatziki sauce, but I was super time crunched. So, I bought both. (I know, GASP)

Easy Gyros

1 lb lean ground lamb
a small chopped onion
1 TB garlic
Lots of fresh parsley, basil, thyme,rosemary---if you have to use dry, go for it anyway. Just measure about 1 tsp of each in your palm and toss in the bowl

Mix all of the above together early in the day or the night before if you can. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Then brown in a skillet and drain off any excess grease. Serve on warmed pita bread with Tzatsiki sauce, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, thinly sliced red onion.

Be warned. These are so yummy, you may not speak for the entire meal.



My Tzatsiki Sauce
This is party size, scale down or enjoy as a veggie dip or burger topper (you're welcome), salad dressing, slaw dressing, etc. Does not freeze.

2 medium cucumbers
2 (16 ounce) containers sour cream
1 (16 ounce) container Greek yogurt (very important, but any plain yogurt will do)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Peel cucumbers and grate into a colander lined with paper towels. Squeeze out excess water.
Mix together sour cream, yogurt, garlic, and olive oil in a large bowl. Stir in cucumbers. Chill at least 30 minutes. Fresh dill is a nice addition.

Desperation Marination

Usually at the beginning of the summer, right before school lets out, I make a ton of marinades and put them in the freezer or I organize a Marinade Exchange, like a Christmas cookie exchange. This year, I didn't get either done.

This summer has been nuts. We haven't had one full day at home yet. My house is a complete pit. My garden has weeds that could double as produce (that of course the rabbits and deer don't touch!) and I've been grabbing the odd hours I can here and there to try to squeeze things in. Last night I found myself laying in the back yard at 9 pm, exhausted, and unable to get up. The boys had run to the bike store and to get some sand and river rock for the pool and water garden and I decided to play dead when they came home so I wouldn't have to help haul it from the car.

I could hear the dryer buzzing through the open windows and I knew if I didn't get the clothes out, Sam would have no shorts to wear the next day. But, I was able to Mom Rationalize that he could just wear his swimsuit or I'd get to them in the morning.

I came to with Sam peering over me with a mostly eaten giant bag of Peanut M&Ms saying, "I know you're not dead. You moved." Great. "SHE'S NOT DEAD, DAD." Bet the neighbors loved that.

And then I finally came to understand why that woman on the commercials who all these years has mystified me with her, "I've fallen and I can't get up." Aside from not falling, I was just like her. I couldn't get up. Now, it wasn't just that I was in fear that while I was sound asleep in the yard one of the dogs had left something undesirable for me to roll onto as I got up. Nope, it was middle age. It hit me right there in the yard.

Forty minutes later, I staggered upstairs, attempted to read, attempted to watch a little BBC news, and then attempted to shut D's bedside lamp off with mental telepathy. Didn't work. That's the last thing I remember.

Dire days like this require crisis cooking. This is a little marinade that was a success after a short streak of abysmal experimental cooking. (Don't ask, that's what ketchup is for.)

Candied Pork Chops

Now, bear with me because this seems a little weird, but we loved it. I figured that root beer and colas are featured in lots of bbq, why not try it in a marinade. I wouldn't attempt this on any other meat, well, maybe chicken. My experiments haven't gone that far yet.

Lean, center-cut, bone in pork chops, or pork loin chops, not too thick!---Now I'm getting inspired to slow cook this on a pork butt or cushion meat

One can or bottle of root beer

a good glug of Worcestershire sauce

hot sauce to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Marinate as long as you can. Remove chops and grill 5-7 minutes on each side until done. You could dump all in a bag and freeze it, thaw in the refrigerator when you're ready to use.

Make Ahead Black Beans

I love to make things from scratch whenever possible. Reading a label and wondering just what the heck some of the ingredients are is one reason. Homemade food is healthier, cheaper, and doesn't take as much time as one might think.

I made these beans in the crockpot last week. We've had them as a side with fajitas, in burritos, and mixed with cooked Chorizo sausage and served over rice. I've got at least 2 more meals in the freezer.

Make Ahead Black Beans

Much better than canned! Season up or down according to your family's taste preferences. The beans require an overnight soak, so plan ahead.

1 bag dried black beans, soak in water overnight to soften Rinse in the morning.

Place in your crock pot:
1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
8 cups of water (at least, make sure there's plenty to cover the beans)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp cumin

Cook on low all day. One hour (if you've got it!) before serving, add:
salt to taste
1/4 cup white wine
1 TB red wine vinegar
1 TB sugar
a drizzle of olive oil

Taste and adjust seasonings. You may add green chiles, jalapenos, red pepper flakes, etc.

Random Thoughts While Working Out and a Recipe

Lean Mean Meatloaf, Grilled Taters, and Green Beans with Mushrooms.

When I work out, my mind wanders. OK, well, that's not solely limited to when I work out, but I'm often finishing my water, cooling off, and checking out blogdom and finishing my mind wandering. So, here I am and here's what I thought about this morning.

• I wonder how Norman is (Grandma's back in the hospital)


• I wonder why some people ask you so many questions for so many years and then when someone asks you something about them that you should know because you've known them for so many years, you can't answer because you've only been asked questions and never allowed to ask them. (Run on sentence, I know, but I'm time crunched. Forgive me.)


• I wonder why people who comment to me in person about my blog never comment here. Chickens.


• I signed up for Facebook again. I was on for a limited time a long time ago and was contacted by a creepoid from my past and so I deleted the account. Now, with limited searches, I'm finding NO ONE I know there. I know, patience, Grasshopper.


• But, I did have a great time last night chatting with the woman who made nursing school a BLAST for me. Love ya Ang. Glad to talk with ya.


• I wonder if Jack LaLane is still alive and if juicing really is the secret to longevity.


• I wonder if I'm going to have to mow the lawn and I wonder if there's something you have to do to the lawn mower after it's long winter nap. (D's in San Fran, the butt, probably skipping down Fisherman's Wharf at his "convention". I know, you're working, but still.... wouldn't Topeka be a more economical choice in these trying times... just sayin'.)


• I wonder if I will ever finish any of my writing projects.


• I wonder if I will ever have the vegetable garden that I dream and plan every Spring.


• What's for supper?

Lean Mean Meatloaf

Sam will actually eat meatloaf. So, it makes a frequent appearance at our house. I love it. I grew up with boring meatloaf, sorry mom. Soda crackers, salt, pepper, and meat. Ketchup required. This has great flavor and the glaze is really delicious. I made it with venison, which I know grosses a lot of people out, but it really is healthier than ground beef. Use the leanest ground beef you can find if you don't have a mighty hunter in your home.

2 eggs

8 ounces tomato sauce

1 medium onion, finely chopped (or if you have an onion hater, like I do, use onion powder instead)

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1 1/2 tsp salt, to taste, I used much less

1/8 tsp pepper, to taste, I used much more

1/2 tsp fresh garlic

1 1/2 pounds ground venison or ground beef--I used 2 pounds because I didn't want to figure out something to do with the left over 1/2 pound

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all of the above together. Place in a loaf pan.

Mix together:

2 TB brown sugar

2 TB spicy brown mustar

2 TB cider vinegar

Pour over the top of the meatloaf and bake, uncovered for approximately 70 minutes or until at least 165 degrees in the center. Remove from pan and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Sage might be a good addition.

Is the Easter Ham Gone Yet? No, Now Eat your Dinner

If you're at the point where one more ham sandwich could literally make you go postal, then please disregard this post and have a nice day.

If you're still looking for creative uses of leftovers, then have I got a meal for you. Or if you're searching for something to make with all that ham you so thriftily placed in the freezer for future use...

This is not a picture worthy food. Unwritten law of food photography: comfort food is ugly.



Slap your Momma Beans and Taters

I really can't follow a recipe. D thinks this really funny, but honestly, I'm starting to think that this is some sort of learning disability or genetic problem. I can't follow a recipe. It's just not in me. This would be a great side dish for a summer BBQ. Named for a nurse I used to work with who couldn't believe Minnesotans thought black pepper was spicy. She used to say stuff was Slap your Momma good. And these are.

• 2 pounds FRESH green beans
• one onion, chopped
• 2 cups (more or less) of leftover, chopped ham
• fresh minced garlic--about a tablespoon
• a good sprinkling (maybe 1 tsp?) of Tony Chachere's famous Creole Seasoning (thanks Heidi, this is now a staple in our house!) If you're Spice Phobic add a little and then season to taste at the table
• 1 TB of really good chicken stock base (in the bouillon section of the store--not Dayglo Yellow) If you can't find good chicken stock base, then use chicken broth and leave out the water. Repeat after me, bouillon cubes are evil spawn of the Devil and must be banned.
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• water, to cover
• about 2 pounds (more or less) red skinned potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or Yukon Golds, Rose Reds, etc--anything with a thin skin, NO RUSSETS

Place all, except potatoes, in your crock pot. Place on high for an hour, then turn to low and simmer until beans are close to done. I'm not sure this is a recipe you can just leave all day. I started it about noon and put the potatoes in and turned it back to high about 2 hours before we were going to eat.

If you're brave and decide to dump it all in and simmer all day on low, let me know how it turned out. My fear is that the potatoes might melt to nothing. You could probably do on low all day and then turn it to high and add potatoes when you get home, but dinner might be late!

So, Why do you Post Recipes Here Anyway?

I was chatting with a friend on the phone the other day and she heard my keyboard clicking away. I told her, I promise, I'm paying attention, I'm just putting a recipe on my blog. She laughed and said, "You're crazy." She's right, but not because I put recipes on my blog.

I don't want to be a famous foodie blogger with three book deals and a Food Network show in the works. I don't want to be a food photographer.

It's a simply selfish reason. I have The Recipe Drawer aka The Abyss in my kitchen that sucks in recipes that I find on the Internet or magazines or wherever. I rip them out, print them, and they end up in The Abyss and sometimes they come out. And then I, really, I should put them in a binder or whatever, but I don't. I enter them in my blog, so I have them forever. Search, make, eat.

It works for me.

So, here's another one. I think this is going to be the only way that I make chicken stir fry from now on.

Simple Chicken Stir Fry

1 lb chicken breasts
A couple of TB of cornstarch, more than you think, less than 1/3 cup
A couple of glugs of soy sauce
A heaping teaspoon of garlic
" " fresh ginger
A glug of sesame oil

Toss to coat well, and set aside as you clean and chop vegetables.

Now, look in your veggie drawers in the fridge and scowl. Then take out all the vegetables in there that look forlorn and lonely. This time around, we used:

1/2 head of cabbage
2 broccoli crowns
A bunch of green onions
2 packages of mushrooms

You also need chicken stock.

Heat a nonstick pan or wok over medium heat. Add 2 tsp canola oil or spray with nonstick spray. Add chicken and stir fry until no longer pink in the center. Remove from pan and set aside, keep warm by tenting with foil or use the pan/wok cover to cover it. Add a little more oil (if needed) and saute vegetables until almost crisp tender, add in chicken and pour in about 1/2 cup of chicken stock (you can add more if you need it). Stir fry is done when the sauce is thickened and vegetables are crisp tender. Season with a little more soy sauce if desired.

Tangerine Dreams

A busy day requires an easy dinner or one that is already done when you get home. I made this recipe up from ingredients that I had on hand. We loved it.

Sage might be a nice change, I'll probably try that next time.

Tangerine Pork Roast

1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp tangerine peel, zested
1 TB brown sugar
2 tangerines, juiced
1 bone in or boneless pork loin roast

Place roast in crock pot that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place first five ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Squeeze zested tangerines over the roast in the crock pot. Rub roast with spice rub. Cook on low 10-12 hours or high 6 hours. Roast will fall apart when it's done. Great served as a roast the first day and as shredded pork sandwiches the next. Leftovers freeze well.

Three Cups of Coffee Praise Jesus!

My Favorite Church.

I'm not a demonstrative worshipper. I get a little freaked out every week at confirmation class worship time when the singing of the songs and the waving of the arms starts.

I'm not a song singing with the accompanying actions kind of girl. I'm not even a good, do the actions halfheartedly so to be a good example to my students, kind of girl. This Little Light of Mine strikes fear in my heart. My light is more like the one in your fridge. It turns on when you open me up a bit, but in a big crowd of people, I'm just not going to be waving it around. At least not in the traditional raise your hand and wave your pointer finger around like a light way.

My group of confirmation boys is wild and laughing and a big jumble of talking and sharing and NOISE in our small group class time. Get them in the worship part of the evening and they turn back into sullen, eye rolling, bored preteens. And I'm OK with that.

They're relatively focused and sort of paying attention. Last week, one of them clapped along with one line of one song. I did a victory dance (inside me, quietly, and my little light was turned on).

Now, could I be doing the actions, uncomfortably dancing my way through the worship service just to be a good example to the kids? Yes, I could, but that wouldn't be me. I'm a big believer in celebrating the unique gifts of each person. My boys just might not be gifted in the action area. More than likely, several of them are secretly doing the actions at home practicing for the moment when they're going to BREAK OUT and dare to be Action Man. But, odds are, at least half of them are just like me.

Our gifts lie in other areas.

Need someone to be the butt of a joke, wander across the stage as Moses, or talk about my Spiritual Journey? I'm your girl. Need someone to read a Bible verse, come up with a creative idea to get the kids excited and learning? I'm your girl.

My Little Light is shining, the flame is just a little different from yours. The boys are learning through my example that it's OK to be you, whoever you are, and to celebrate that. So, I won't force them to do anything that just doesn't fit with their personalities. Their gifts will be uncovered soon. My goal is to get them to start thinking about these gifts and perhaps one day, they'll share them.

Wednesday nights are busy for us and Confirmation hits smack dab around the dinner hour. The secret to navigating these busy nights is planning. So, it's either a crock pot meal or sandwiches. This is one of our favorites.

Lemon Pepper Pulled Pork

Makes a great meal and use the leftovers to make Cuban sandwiches the next day (or freeze to make Cubans the next time you have a busy day!)

One large bone in pork loin roast (or boneless, I'm not fussy)

2 1/2 tsp garlic pepper--garlic pepper IS a spice and is required for this recipe

2 1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 TB fresh lemon juice, bottled is fine, but fresh is best

2 1/2 tsp lemon pepper

1 1/2 tsp dried onion

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp salt (or to taste)

2 cups water

Spray crock pot with nonstick cooking spray. Pierce pork roast several times with a knife. Mix all remaining ingredients in a large bowl and pour over roast in crock pot. Turn roast several times to make sure marinade is covering it. Cook on low 10-12 hours or high 5-6 hours, basting with liquid in the bottom of the crock pot if you can. Remove roast from crock pot and shred with two forks, tossing all fat and bones. Return to crock pot to combine with juices. Serve on buns with cole slaw to top or as a main dish with rice and steamed veggies. Makes a great baked potato topper too.

Evolving and Revolving

.Scootin' away to a friend's house and then coming back home again. Those out of my sight trips teach us both so much.

I remember when I was a new mother. I was all about breastfeeding, attachment parenting, and completely immersed in mommydom. Our little world was small, population 2, with a third that came and went as his career allowed.

Bit by bit, we left that town, and joined the masses. It didn't happen in leaps and bounds, and I wasn't dragged kicking and screaming, hoping to remain.

Growing up and becoming independent is an unstoppable evolution. Sometimes, when I speak with mothers who fight it, I wonder why, but more importantly, how do they do it?

Since birth, Young One has made the unstoppable journey to independence and I've reveled in it. That's not to say I don't get a little teary and long for the days that his little hand sought out mine! Those days are over and with their passing comes new tender moments. He needs me differently, and sometimes in better ways. Less physical, more spiritual.

Attachment parenting became a trendy term a long time ago. Honestly, those that subscribe to it really don't need to name it. Attachment parenting simply means to be in tune and connected with your kid. I don't know many moms who aren't, so to attach (pun intended) the term really seems silly to me.

Call it my own Mommy evolution. I needed those terms when Young One was younger to feel validated. I needed to name my parenting style. It didn't last long for me. I wasn't a vigilante breastfeeder. Young One weaned himself. I didn't get caught up in the mommy wars of I'm better than you are because I _____________. (Fill in the blank with: feed all organic food, weave my own diapers from hemp and recycled newspapers or what have you.) But, I had the need back then to focus completely in. At the time, I couldn't see out of the box I had put myself in.

Now, looking back, I find a lot of it funny. I'm seeing that part of me again in younger mothers. It must be a necessary part of the journey. What I've gained from it is to look to more experienced mothers when I'm struggling with whatever phase we're in. I wish I would have done more of that when I was a younger mom.

Like I said, I couldn't see outside my little world and now, when I see that in others, it gets to me. I want to shake them and say, this time in their lives is so fleeting. Look outside your world and look to the future. Your birth experience, your breastfeeding, they're just blips on the radar of motherhood. They don't define you as much as you think they do and they certainly don't define you for as long as you think they will.

When your children reach out for independence, as they are genetically driven to do, you've got to step back from your own agendas and let them fly. Your attachment in the early years will serve them well if you did your job right. They'll return again and again, just in a very different way.

We humans seem to have the need to label things. Wrap them up in tight little boxes tagged with a judgment. We do it to ourselves, we do it to each other. I can't solve it, I know, but I can cut the string those neat little boxes are wrapped up with. I can look closer at my own label, the one I put on myself and the ones others put on me. And I can create a new one.

This self reflection is getting a little too deep and it's taken up the time I should have could have would have made dinner. Thank God for the forethought to stick something in the crock pot. Tonight's it's pork roast, with crumbled freshly dried herbs and lemon peel. Yum.

Lemon Peel Pork Roast

3-5 lb pork loin roast, boneless or bone-in

1 head of garlic

1 whole lemon

your favorite herbs: I used freshly dried herbs from my CSA, rosemary and thyme, about 1 tsp each

1 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut slits into pork roast and insert peeled garlic cloves, as many as you like or your family can stand! Zest your lemon into a small bowl. Crumble dried herbs into the bowl and mix all with salt and pepper. Rub or sprinkle onto pork roast. Cook on low 8-10 hours or until someone in your family says, "I'm starving, when do we eat?" Roast is done when it's internal temp is 165 degrees. If it's cooked all day, it will fall apart, so don't serve this if you want an impressive roast to carve at the table.

I'm sitting here watching Castaway. I'm not feeling well, still in the denial stages of having the flu. Lounging on the couch between flipping the laundry from the washer to the dryer is pretty much all I can muster. I suppose I should soon move on to the acceptance stage, but I'm fighting it!

(Update, I never did develop full blow flu, I guess instead of Swine, I just had a slight case of Piglet.)

Castaway. Remember that movie? Tom Hanks, plane crash, stranded on a deserted island for years. Well, all I can think of is not what would I eat or drink, but how much I would miss books.

Now, I suppose that if one was stranded on a deserted island, your time would mostly be consumed with survival. Gathering food and water, tending your fire, trying to make clothing from palm trees,fish hides, and coconut shells (now I know you know where those would go). Remodeling your shelter and muttering to oneself would probably occupy the rest of your time.

I think after I got over the fact that I would be denied Buffalo chicken wings and cold drinks with lots of ice for a while, I'd probably start dreaming of books. I'm a reader. As a kid I would get up in the wee hours of the morning, several hours before school started, just so I could settle in with my feet on a heat duct, all wrapped up in my Holly Hobby bathrobe and read. I read The Hobbit, and the Sweet Valley High series. I read romances, Jane Austin, and James Herriot. I read mysteries, bodice rippers, and just about anything I could get my hands on.

Reading saved me. I got lost in the words and escaped a stressful childhood and school experiences that were less than joyful. The words helped heal my first broken heart and they helped me to see that the world was a much bigger place than I could possibly imagine.

I had to get special permission from my parents in order to read beyond the youth section of my public library. My mom doesn't remember that, but I do, vividly. Seems small town kids aren't supposed to rock the boat. But, I was a boat rocker alright--and I had already read through the few shelves of the young adult section. I knew our librarian by her first name and I loved how she would stroke the cover of the books as I checked them out, smile gently, and say, "Ahh, another good one." Then she'd stamp the due date (remember that?) and remove the card to file it in that magical place that only librarians knew about.

My house smells wonderful, I'm making a roast and root veggies, it's warm and dry and Tom Hanks is launching his first attempt at getting off the island. I'm so thankful to be on my own little island, Couch Key, and I'm thankful that I haven't been tried nearly as terribly as Hanks' character. I'm thankful that I've never had to be without my precious books.

They saw me through bad times, and they're still here for the good.

I'm reading 31 Hours by Masha Hamilton. It's a fascinating peek inside terrorism. The language is amazing. I'm savoring every word.

What are you reading? If you're not reading at all, why not?

Castaway Roast

Cause I just have a feeling that Tom Hanks craved comfort food while stranded on his island.

Sprinkle a rump roast with white pepper, black pepper, a smidgen of Cayenne, paprika, thyme, and oregano. Be relatively liberal with each. Sprinkle with a little soy sauce, sprinkle with salt, and rub it all over the roast. Put about 1/4 inch of water in the bottom of a roasting pan that's been sprayed with nonstick spray. Place roast, fat side up in pan.

Roast at 325 until desired doneness. 25 to 30 minutes per pound for rare, 28 to 33 for medium rare, 31 to 36 minutes for medium, and as long as you want for well done (well, not quite, but you know what I mean). Measure temp with an instant read thermometer. Let roast stand at least 10 minutes before carving.

Roasted Roots

Visit your local farmers market or grocery store and buy some of those weird looking veggies that end in 'ip. You know turnIPs and parsnIPs. Buy some big carrots, not the weird nubby ones in the bags. Buy the ones you actually have to peel. Really, it's not that hard, you can handle it. If you're really feeling brave, buy beets. Honestly, they're good. Try them. Then peel them all, chop into big pieces, toss with olive oil, seasalt, pepper, whole garlic cloves and your favorite herbs. I used rosemary this time and roast them until their tender. They'll get odd and wrinkled and unphotogenic, but that's ok, because what you're after is taste . And they taste divine. Young One still thinks the "white things are potatoes, right?" Sure they are.

Snowflakes in my Chili

Are you sensing a trend here? I've had snowflakes in my coffee, in my cereal, and today, in my chili.

A snowy day means chili in the crock pot.

Usually this time of year my crock pot is doing overtime heating cider for post leaf raking, warm you up nirvana.

My Favorite Chili

Very low in calories and fat, this chili tastes like Wendy's fast food chili, but better. Makes a huge (6 quart) crock pot full. Be prepared to freeze or eat for days.

2 lbs extra lean ground beef (or turkey)

29 oz can of tomato sauce or 4, 8 ounce cans

2- 15 oz cans of pinto beans, with liquid

2- 15 oz cans of chili beans, with liquid

1 Cup diced onion

1/2 Cup finely diced celery, optional--I add it when I have it

2 cans diced tomatoes w/chili peppers (like Ro-Tel), with liquid

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 small can green chilis (I didn't have 2 more cans of tomatoes with green chilis,so I subbed this and the can of plain tomatoes)

2 tsp cumin

3 Tbs chili powder

1 1/2 tsp black pepper

Cook ground beef, onion, and celery until beef is browned and cooked through and onions and celery are softened. Drain. Place in a large crock pot and add all other ingredients: beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with chili peppers, cumin, chili powder, pepper, and fill to the top with water. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Please Don't Pronounce this Like Something Dirty

Ever have a grocery checkout person comment on everything that you buy? Seriously lady, can't you just keep your comments to yourself? Aren't the maxi pads, nine pounds of chocolate, and four cans of Pringles telling you that you should just tiptoe around this PMS-ing customer?

I had Debbie the Death Clerk the other day. She's slow. She comments on all the "weird" produce that I buy (like artichokes are from another planet). And she seems to take great pleasure in trying to figure out what our weekly menu is. Chicken breasts, onions, tortillas, and stoplight peppers. Fajitas? Yep, we have a winner.

I think it's the incessant beep of the scanner that lulls some clerks into losing it. Maybe it's the fact that they touch our personals that makes them think they have the right to judge, comment, or whatever. Personally, I like a cheery clerk that pays no attention the fact that we cleared the bakery shelves of frosted donuts and that the only thing resembling a vegetable in our cart is corn flakes. This clerk will make pleasant Minnesotan chat about the weather (the universally safe Scandinavian topic of conversation).

But, we got Debbie the other day. And Debbie makes lots of loud comments and seems to enjoy guessing what we're going to make at home. As she did so, I watched the guy behind me with hemorrhoid cream, a case of beer, and a Star magazine head for another lane. I'm sure he anticipated the question, "Up for a big evening?" and he just couldn't take it.

Debbie had a butterfly sticker on her nametag and a banana clip in her hair (haven't seen one of those since the early 90s.) I was so fixated on the banana clip, I almost missed her mispronounciation of fajitas. Not fah-hee-tahs, but more like a part of the female anatomy.

You know those moments when the world slows down and you feel like you're in a white hot spotlight and everyone's looking. Well, it wasn't my moment, it was Debbie's. And she had no idea that she was the star.

Yes, Debbie we're having Fah-heee-TAHS for dinner. And you, my dear, are not.

This is the best fajita marinade. We love it on chicken, but I'm sure flank steak would be delightful too. I always make several batches and freeze them. Then add the meat and marinate in the fridge. Yum.

Fajita Marinade

1/4 cup lime juice

1 tsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix all in a zip bag, use assembly line method* to make more than one at a time. Freeze until ready to use. Add chicken breasts or lean beef. Marinate at least 8 hours.

* Place zip bags upright and open in glasses or jars. Add one ingredient to each bag, moving down the assembly line. Remove from glasses and seal, removing as much air as possible. Freeze until ready to use. Then applaud yourself for being a perfect example of prime mommy time management and look around to see if Martha Stewart is envious.

Garlic What?

I'm a pretty devout foodie. There are not many flavors or ingredients that I'm not familiar with. Not that I've tasted everything, mind you, but I read a lot and try to keep myself on top of food trends and different World cuisines.



When I opened my first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box that contained garlic scapes. I was clueless. Not only had I never heard of them, but I wasn't quite sure what they were at first glance. I had to read my box note just to see what they were.



Now, I'm wondering how I let these seasonal treats escape me. I'm a garlic fiend. I love all things garlic and to not know about scapes, the tender green shoots that appear before the bulbs do, well, that's just unforgivable.



Now the Internet is a great thing. It makes finding out about anything as simple as point and click. Over and over and over again, I stumbled upon garlic scape pesto recipes. So, I knew I just had to try this. But, could I achieve pesto nirvana without adding all the nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese that traditional pestos require?



In a word, yes. Here you go. If you find garlic scapes at your grocer or local farmer's market. Snatch them up. Grab them all, then gleefully race home ignoring all the people wondering what the heck you're doing with curling, green onion looking thingies. Make this quick recipe and freeze it in ice cube trays. I've been doing that with my homemade basil pesto for years. Then when you're crunched for time, boil up some of your favorite pasta and toss with pesto. Two tablespoons flavors 1/2 pound pasta. Instant dinner.



The Great Scape Pesto

You can use this to top pasta, top toasted ciabatta bread, on grilled sandwiches, or stir into some plain hummus or blended white cannellini beans for a fantastic dip. Bring it to a potluck and be prepared to lecture on the beauty of the scape.



1 cup garlic scapes (about 8 or 9 scapes), top flowery part removed, cut into ¼-inch slices

1/3 cup walnuts, or pine nuts, or almonds

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil--I bet you could cut this down even more, but don't sub, only extra virgin

enough fat free chicken broth to make it a good consistency--forgive me for the vagueness, I'm not good at following recipes

¼-1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese--not the unforgivable stuff in the shaker can

½ teaspoon salt

black pepper to taste



Place scapes and nuts in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until well combined and somewhat smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and process until integrated. Scrape sides of bowl and add a small amount of chicken broth. The consistency should be pesto-like (duh!) or like natural peanut butter if you've never had pesto before. Scoop pesto out of processor and into a mixing bowl. Add Parmesan to taste; add salt and pepper. Keeps for up to one week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Or freeze in ice cube trays, pop out and store in a freezer bag. Take out whenever you need a quick fix.



(Now, if you're not a recipe person like me, this is how I'd do it. Buy as many scapes as you can. Clean as described above. Chop and place as many as you can in the food processor. Pulse a few times and add the nuts, a tablespoon at a time. Shocker: I always measure oil and nuts and other high calorie foods. I never used to, but I do now. Amazingly, a little goes a long way and in order to live healthily, I've decided I have to make this concession. Oh, yeah, back to the freestyle method. Pulse the nuts until chopped, add oil (measure to use the least amount possible), add chicken broth until texture is right. Remove from food processor and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Knowing me, I'd probably have to do this several times because if I could find these beauties again, I'd make as much as I could.)

The Great Tuna Fish Debacle of the 1970s

My dad had a crazy Aunt Eleanor. Doesn't everyone have one of those? I don't know much about her except that I've been told she was looney. Apparently my mom sent her over the edge when she served tuna salad to her when she visited. My mom was busy, it was hot, and she was tired, so she made something simple. She made something that she thought was pretty good. It fit within their tight relatively newly married budget. Plates were cleaned and the guests seemed to enjoy themselves.

The next day the phone rang. "Tuna fish. tuNA FISH. TUna fish!! TUNA FISH!!! You fed us TUNA FISH." That was pretty much all that was said, in rising tones of hysteria, as Aunt Eleanor worked herself into a frenzy over canned fish.

It's funny now, but I'm sure at the time it was pretty upsetting to my poor mom. Every time I see a can, I think of Aunt Eleanor. I never knew her. I guess that is a good thing.

I don't eat tuna very often. I don't know why. I do like it. My Grandma makes the best tuna sandwiches known to man and I think that perhaps my attempts at recreating her brilliance might be a let down. Grandma doesn't cook with a recipe, but by feel and so I'm always thankful to her for teaching me how to cook this way. But, I can't duplicate a lot of her recipes. I know it's years and years of perfection that I will have to earn.

So, here's my attempt at Grandma's tuna salad. She always added chopped hard boiled eggs to her tuna salad. I didn't have any, nor did I have the WW Points for them!

I've called my Grandma Norman for years after Henry Fonda's character in On Golden Pond. She used to call me Ethel, after Katherine Hepburn's character in the same movie, but that dropped off years ago. She's still Norman to me. Love her to pieces!

Almost Norman's Tuna Salad

One really generous serving at 5.5 WW Points. Divide as you need for even less Points. I like to serve on a bed of lettuce with tomatoes. You could stuff tomatoes or serve on bread or crackers.

1 can water packed tuna

2 TB light mayonnaise

2 TB finely minced onion

2 stalks celery, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Now, if you really want to spice it up, add your favorite herbs. Norman wouldn't. She's strictly a salt and pepper kind of cook. No, I take that back, she puts paprika on her deviled eggs!

Mix all ingredients to combine and enjoy.

In the above picture I tossed in some cucumber to the salad. I figured if it wasn't going to taste quite as good as Norman's then I might as well put my own spin on it!

When you're done, yell TUNA FISH at the top of your lungs in honor of my crazy Great Aunt Eleanor.

Would You Like Fries With That?

I'm a burger fanatic. In fact, I'm a red meat addict. I don't eat very much of it anymore. We've been using the venison that D and Young One hunted in the fall. Now, that it is almost gone, I've been looking for more alternatives.

Venison isn't the only healthier red meat. Another great option is bison. We have a ranch a few miles from my house that raises bison. They sell their meat at my local natural foods store and it's amazing. I plan to visit their ranch soon so that I can buy some bulk packs at a discount price.

The great thing about bison is that it tastes like beef, but it's healthier. In fact, it's healthier than a lot of meats. Click here to read up on the nutritionals. It's a great choice for the health conscious eater.

Google bison and your state and you should be able to find a producer close to you.

Back to the burgers. This recipe is really delicious and super simple. I like to make all kinds of burgers and this mix in is inspired by Greek cuisine.

Greek Patty Melts

Serves 4. Each patty is 3 Points. Add in the nutritional information for the bread that you use.

1 large onion, sliced

1 lb lean, ground bison

2 TB Worcestershire sauce

1 TB fresh, minced garlic-- or less

lemon pepper--a generous sprinkling

salt to taste

1 tsp oregano

4 ounces of fat free feta cheese

In a nonstick pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray, place the onion. Saute until caramelized. Set aside. Mix remaining ingredients together and form into four patties. Grill or broil to desired doneness. Toast your favorite bread, top with burger, onions, and feta cheese.

Oven Fries

These were the only kind of fries I ever knew as a kid. There was no OreIda in our house! Who knew mom was so healthy (and not just thrifty!)?

4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed well

nonstick cooking spray

your favorite herbs (I like garlic powder, rosemary or thyme, and paprika)

Cut potatoes into thick wedges. Place in a zip bag and sprinkle with your favorite herbs. Spice them hot or mild, this is a great way to use up spice blends from your pantry. Place in a pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spray the tops of the fries with nonstick spray. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, check for doneness. I use my convection oven to crisp them up (note the brown bubbles on the fries in the picture-- convection does this).

Eating Thistles

When I was a little girl, my mom would cook up a big pot of artichokes for dinner when they were in season. We'd gather as a family around the dinner table, peeling apart the layers upon layers of leaves, dipping them in butter and scraping the rich meat off with our teeth. They take a while to eat, so we'd often have some pretty interesting conversations at the table. (I bet mom knew this would happen!)

I find artichokes to be a wonderful treat. They're rich and if you leave off the butter, a very healthy source of fiber and nutrients. I once heard someone refer to them as the lobster of the vegetable world. That's really true. They are a wonderful treat and when in season, I like to have them for lunch about once a week.

Forget about cooking them for dinner at our house. Young One would faint and D would ask, "Where's the beef?" We'd be rather reluctant vegetarians. I think I'd have an easier time of it than my boys.

Next time you're at the grocery store, I challenge you, grab a few thistles and boil or steam them. I think you might be surprised how delicious this veggie is.

Thistles for Dinner

One medium artichoke has ZERO Points. Zero. None. Zip. A rich and filling treat, artichokes are in season from March until May.

Wash artichokes well. You can use a kitchen shears to snip off the sharp tips if you wish. I never do, I'm just careful. They are a member of the thistle family, so they can be sharp! Trim the cut stem and place in a large pan. Fill with water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until you can pull off a leaf easily. You can steam them as well. Steam 25-35 minutes.

If you're on Weight Watchers and you haven't gotten your healthy oils in yet, serve the artichokes with garlic olive oil (fresh garlic, oil, salt, and pepper).

To eat, simply peel the leaves off, scrape meat off the lower edge of the leaf with your teeth. You can dip or eat them plain. When you get to the interior leaves and they become small and fuzzy, use a knife to scrape them off. You have now come to the delicious artichoke heart. Cut and enjoy.

Sunday Supper

Sunday supper is usually eaten in front of the TV at our house. We're not huge television watchers. I don't have anything against it and I don't limit or censor what Young One watches. I think that's why there's little to no allure to it. I've always felt that when you make excessive limitations on kids, they'll find a way to do whatever behavior you've decided to limit anyway. And, when they're away from you, they aren't able to self limit if exposed to the thing that you're trying to keep them from.

When Young One was little, we taught him about the cues that he should watch for when his body is telling him he needs a break. And that could be a break from reading, time with friends, TV, video games--just about anything. We also taught him that if you have the opportunity to be outside in the fresh air when the weather is cooperating, then you better take it!

One thing that we've always tried to do is sit down at least once a day and have a meal together. On Sundays, that meal is often breakfast. I like to make something simple, but good for Sunday breakfast, to get us gathered around the table. (Since I know, we'll probably end up in front of the TV for dinner!) This morning was blueberry pancakes, real maple syrup, turkey sausage, orange juice, and French pressed coffee.

TV will get in the way of family conversation. That's why we've tried to make dinner in front of it a treat instead of a habit. I'm often surprised by the number of people who've shared with me that they either have a kitchen TV on while they're at the table or that they routinely eat in stages, depending upon activity schedules. Or, they always eat, on the couch, in front of the TV.

We're often surprised at what conversations spark at the table. There's something about making that a safe haven that means so much to me. My family is itty bitty, it's not at all the loud, talk over each other table of my childhood. It's perfect in it's own way.

Sunday supper tonight wasn't fancy. Simple lemon, rosemary chicken that scented the house all afternoon as it slowly roasted. Our weekend was very busy. This kind of meal saves me because after a busy day, I often can't face making dinner.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Another recipe, that really isn't. Sorry for not providing measurements, but I just can't. You can't wreck this, trust me.

Take a large chicken, wash and pat dry. Place in a pan. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Quarter a lemon and an onion. Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken. Stuff lemon quarters and onions in the chicken cavity. You can also place fresh rosemary "twigs" in the cavity if you've got it. If you don't, no big deal. Sprinkle chicken liberally with salt, pepper, rosemary, and paprika. Slow roast for 5 hours. Let stand at least 5 minutes before carving.


I like to serve this with at least two vegetable sides and cranberry sauce.

Enjoy!

Before You Hit Upload, You Just Might Want to Think About it

I love You Tube. What a great idea, broadcast yourself. Love it!

We've been able to find old movie clips, instructional videos about how to put up a tent we've been thinking about purchasing, and the video of MC Hammer's Can't Touch This to prove to Young One that people once had pants with three foot long rises (and in gold lame, no less).

Have you seen the Dominos Pizza employee video that's been the talk of the nation? I don't see how you could miss it. Basically, two employees, contaminating food and cracking jokes about the company and their work ethic.

How stupid can you be to post this video on the Internet? I mean, here we are in the camera age. Lindsay Lohan scratches her nose and it's online in three seconds with a caption about how she's digging for gold. I pity the poor celebrity who tries to unwedge a wedgie and is caught by a traffic camera that's been hacked into by Perez Hilton.

But, these people? They voluntarily posted a video that now may get them slapped with a mighty fine or put in jail. Not funny. Not smart.

Dominos business may be hurting for a while. Let's face it, it's not great food. Make your own pizza. It's cheaper and better for you.

This is my mom's crust recipe. It's been in the family for ages. We made frozen pizza a couple of times a month when I was growing up. I can still smell the house as it baked. I can never make it as good as mom's. I sure hope she didn't add any secret ingredients like the Dominos people. Oh yes, she did. It was love.

(Oh God, that's horrendously corny. Delete or face the fact that I am, eternally a dork? You can see, it remains.)

Mama Mia Pizza
This recipe is written on a grease stained piece of notebook paper in my teenage handwriting which is recipe code that it is definitely a keeper. Top with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings. Mom always made several pizzas and cut them with a huge kitchen scissors.

1 cup warm water
1 package dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 TB vegetable oil
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour

Mix all together and knead until well combined, adding more flour if the dough seems to sticky. Rise 1/2 hour. Pat and stretch until desired form and top. Bake at 425 degrees until dough is well set, approximately 20 minutes.

A New Toy

Young One got a new handheld hypnotizer game system. He's been saving for a while. He got the new Nintendo DSi, which he has carried everywhere since it was purchased. It takes pictures, which you can morph. It has two cameras, so you can morph yourself with your friends. It will record sounds and you can add effects to them. Basically, it's an eleven year old boy's dream. Imagine just the amount of time he can make various bodily function noises and then manipulate them.

Friends have been over and there's been nothing but hysterical laughter. Chocolate milk coming out your nose kind of laughter.

This is a great picture Young One took of a dear friend. It's very scrambled and kind of looks like what most adults feel like on tax day.

In honor of tax day, a grilling recipe. Just in case you feel like a little more rakin' over the coals.

Candied Pork Chops

These are sweet, so if that's not your thing, cut down the sugar. Red pepper flakes would be a nice touch.

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
6 boneless pork chops

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, apple juice, oil, soy sauce, ginger, salt , and pepper. Bring to boil. Combine water and cornstarch in small bowl, and whisk into brown sugar mixture. Stir until thick.

Brush grate lightly with oil before placing pork chops on the grill. Cook over hot coals for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Brush with sauce just before removing chops from grill. Serve with remaining sauce.