So ground beef was on sale. We've had tacos, we've had crockpot lasagna. That is the extent of my ground beef repertoire. So this afternoon I looked into meatball recipes. I really like porcupine/hedgehog meatballs because the rice is yummy, filling, and different. But I wanted to try something new that didn't involve tomato sauce or barbeque sauce so as not to wear out our taste buds in the tomato based condiment department. Swedish meatballs seemed like the answer, but I didn't know what made them Swedish. Just a pinch of a few different spices is all. In my internet searching I also found an Alton Brown recipe that called for chopped frozen spinach. I am a fan of hiding veggies where kids won't notice so I incorporated this into my master plan.
So here it is, Meatballs!
1lb ground meat (I used all beef 85/15)
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed)
tsp soy sauce
pinch ground ginger
pinch allspice
1 med tomato diced
2 c broth (I used chicken, would have used beef if I had it)
Preheat oven to 350. Pinch small pieces of beef off into bowl. add rice, egg, spinach, soy sauce, and spices. Toss to mix with fingers. Form 1" balls and place in greased dish. Pour broth and diced tomatoes over meatballs. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 15 minutes.
I served these with broccoli and cheese mashed potatoes. If I were really with it I would have made gravy with the both left in the baking dish.
pinch cinnamon
Monday, July 8
Friday, June 28
Crock Pot Refried Beans
YUM! I mean, really, yum. I just finished putting my vat of "refried' beans into containers and I ended up eating at least a cup of them straight. I this recipe with some small modifications. Like everything else, being resourceful and using what you have on hand is what makes life easier and cheaper, so that is what I did.
INREDIENTS
3 c dry pinto beans *
2 tbls fat ( I used olive oil, orig recipe called for lard)
1 small- med onion chopped
5 cloves garlic
1 green bell pepper ( I did not use)
1/2-1 jalapeno pepper diced (I used a Serrano)
1 1/2 tsp cumin ( as usual, I doubled this)
1 tsp chipotle powder (did not use)
-instead, for interest, I used 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1-2 tsp salt **
*pick over beans carefully, they may look fine through the bag, but there are yucky things hiding in there
** do not even get the salt out until the end, and certainly do not let it near the beans while they are cooking, because, science.
MAKE DEM BEANS
Heat fat in skillet and add onion, bell pepper, and hot pepper. Cook 8-10 minutes and add garlic, then cook for 2-3 more minutes. Dump cooked veggies in crock pot. Pour dry pintos into crock pot and cover with 8 cups of water. Cook on high for 8 hours. Just leave them be while they cook. Remove excess liquid from crock pot. I was able to just lift up the pot and pour the extra liquid in a bowl. Do not discard liquid, some will be added back in while blending. Using an immersion blender blend beans to desired consistency adding back some liquid and some salt as you gone. Done!
INREDIENTS
3 c dry pinto beans *
2 tbls fat ( I used olive oil, orig recipe called for lard)
1 small- med onion chopped
5 cloves garlic
1 green bell pepper ( I did not use)
1/2-1 jalapeno pepper diced (I used a Serrano)
1 1/2 tsp cumin ( as usual, I doubled this)
1 tsp chipotle powder (did not use)
-instead, for interest, I used 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1-2 tsp salt **
*pick over beans carefully, they may look fine through the bag, but there are yucky things hiding in there
** do not even get the salt out until the end, and certainly do not let it near the beans while they are cooking, because, science.
MAKE DEM BEANS
Heat fat in skillet and add onion, bell pepper, and hot pepper. Cook 8-10 minutes and add garlic, then cook for 2-3 more minutes. Dump cooked veggies in crock pot. Pour dry pintos into crock pot and cover with 8 cups of water. Cook on high for 8 hours. Just leave them be while they cook. Remove excess liquid from crock pot. I was able to just lift up the pot and pour the extra liquid in a bowl. Do not discard liquid, some will be added back in while blending. Using an immersion blender blend beans to desired consistency adding back some liquid and some salt as you gone. Done!
Saturday, June 1
hot weather survival tips with cranky kids
ask Mr Grumples if you can borrow one of his plastic superhero tumblers to demonstrate what good manners look like as he has clearly forgotten. Also, offer him some watermelon chunks as you fill up your glass; it's a healthy and nutritious snack that won't ruin his dinner. when taking the watermelon and cherry infused vodka out of the freezer ask cranky pants if he notices anything different about the fruit or why isn't the liquid frozen? it's science! Also offer him some of the remaining Kern's peach nectar after you've topped off your glass; it's good for the kiddos to try new things. And lastly, enjoy that cold, hard-earned drink. You can now relax, and join your child at the table for the special dinner you made him ahead of yours so he would go to bed early allowing you to enjoy the rest of your evening.
Thursday, May 2
Crock Pot Marjoram Chicken
I feel like marjoram is one of those spices that always shows up in your spice rack and you have no idea what to do with it. Or at least i didn't. So last night I took a cut up chicken that needed to be cooked, plopped it in the crock pot, and put my marjoram to use.
Slow Cooked Marjoram Chicken
2-3 lbs of chicken (whole chicken, thighs, whatevs)
1 palm dried marjoram
1 palm tarragon
1/4 cup soy sauce
cook on low 6-8 hours
or
I was successful with 2 hours on high and 1.5 hours on low
Maybe I just really like my own cooking, but I LOVED the flavors of this.
Cooking chicken this way makes enough broth to save for later use or make into gravy.
* everything you ever wanted to know about marjoram
Slow Cooked Marjoram Chicken
2-3 lbs of chicken (whole chicken, thighs, whatevs)
1 palm dried marjoram
1 palm tarragon
1/4 cup soy sauce
cook on low 6-8 hours
or
I was successful with 2 hours on high and 1.5 hours on low
Maybe I just really like my own cooking, but I LOVED the flavors of this.
Cooking chicken this way makes enough broth to save for later use or make into gravy.
* everything you ever wanted to know about marjoram
Lazy Horchata
If you are like me, when you are hot and thirsty you don't crave what is best for you: a big glass of water. Maybe it is the NM water, or my over stimulated taste buds, but I always crave something....really delicious. So when I discovered horchata last summer I felt as though my hydration dreams had come true. Just last week, on one of the warmest days this spring, my pal and I went for fro yo and they had a horchata flavor (and a chai flavor, red velvet flavor, and cake batter. Man I love OLO).
I was so refreshed after my cup of frozen horchata fro yo that I vowed to make that refreshment mine, anytime I wanted it, for cheap. My internet search lead me to this site. I followed their instructions including the method that adds almond milk to the horchata in place of water. That is, the method that has you whip up some almond milk as well.
Well, what resulted was exactly what I had in mind. The beverage was cold, slightly sweet, and incredibly refreshing. The mess that resulted in my kitchen was not what I had in mind, nor was the amount of effort involved. To be fair, it was the first time I ever used an immersion blender and that took some learning.
What I have come up with now is a lazy version that is just as good as the more involved version.
materials
1 cup raw almonds
2 cups rice (i am using 1/2 brown & 1/2 white because that's what we have on hand)
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups water
2-3 Tablespoons sugar or honey
blender
cheese cloth
Combine almonds, rice, and boiled water in a container of your choice (keep in mind, if using an immersion blender, container should be friendly to that method) and cover. Let sit over night. Remove cinnamon stick after overnight soak. Blend until smooth and only fine grit remains. Stain (in batches perhaps) into beverage container using cheese cloth. Stir in sugar or sweetener of your choice.
Now what to do with all that rice and almond paste. I made "rice pudding". If you really love the flavor of horchata then why not. Another suggestion is mixing with coconut oil and making a body scrub.
I was so refreshed after my cup of frozen horchata fro yo that I vowed to make that refreshment mine, anytime I wanted it, for cheap. My internet search lead me to this site. I followed their instructions including the method that adds almond milk to the horchata in place of water. That is, the method that has you whip up some almond milk as well.
Well, what resulted was exactly what I had in mind. The beverage was cold, slightly sweet, and incredibly refreshing. The mess that resulted in my kitchen was not what I had in mind, nor was the amount of effort involved. To be fair, it was the first time I ever used an immersion blender and that took some learning.
What I have come up with now is a lazy version that is just as good as the more involved version.
materials
1 cup raw almonds
2 cups rice (i am using 1/2 brown & 1/2 white because that's what we have on hand)
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups water
2-3 Tablespoons sugar or honey
blender
cheese cloth
Combine almonds, rice, and boiled water in a container of your choice (keep in mind, if using an immersion blender, container should be friendly to that method) and cover. Let sit over night. Remove cinnamon stick after overnight soak. Blend until smooth and only fine grit remains. Stain (in batches perhaps) into beverage container using cheese cloth. Stir in sugar or sweetener of your choice.
Now what to do with all that rice and almond paste. I made "rice pudding". If you really love the flavor of horchata then why not. Another suggestion is mixing with coconut oil and making a body scrub.
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