a haunting menu

Food so good, it's downright spooky ;)  Recipes to follow!  *B

Barbacoa Beef

So, I'm not a huge fan of meat.  But, I do like me some shredded beef every now and then.  I especially love Chipotle, yum!  This recipe is pretty yum, too ;)

Adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs beef chuck roast
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 c. salsa
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 medium lime, juice
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce (or to taste)
• 1 T. ground cumin
• 1 T. ground oregano
• 1/2 t. ground cloves
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3 bay leaves

Directions:

1. Trim meat of fat, then cut into 4 inch chunks.
2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat.  Add a little oil and sear/brown meat on all sides.  Place meat in crock pot.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a blender (except bay leaves); blend until smooth.
4. Pour sauce over meat and add bay leaves.  Turn crock pot on low and cook for 6-8 hours.
5. Shred beef and allow to simmer in juices, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
6. Serve with pico de gaillo, guacamole, roasted corn, and sauteed onions & green peppers.

Brad likes to eat his barbacoa as a salad.  I like mine in some corn tortillas.  Either way, it's darn tasty!  *B

Perfectly Preserved Strawberries

This recipe makes enough for two 22oz jars of strawberry preserves: one for the fridge, and one for the freezer.  And yes, it sets up beautifully - as in it's spreadable, and won't be mistaken for strawberry jello...  This jam is indeed pectin free, in that pectin is not an ingredient.  But, pectin is naturally found in the white/greens of strawberries and in the rinds of lemon!  True story.  Strawberries really do make up the bulk of this recipe, not sugar.  These preserves have just the right amount of sweetness AND tartness, just like the strawberries they're made from.  Using just three simple ingredients, it's preserved perfection! 

Adapted from Cincinnati Locavore

Ingredients:

• 1 four pound flat of strawberries (make sure to get some with green/white tips)
• 2 lemons
• 2 c. white granulated sugar, unbleached

Directions:

1. Wash, hull and roughly mash strawberries.
2. Add sugar and allow to sit for a bit, letting it macerate in its juices.
3. Pour into non-aluminum stock pot (high sides helps with the splattering) and bring to a rolling boil for five minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and strain the strawberries bits from the liquid, making sure to collect all available syrup.
5. Return syrup to pot and add lemon juice AND lemon peels.  Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for a few minutes, until syrup thinckens further.  If you have a candy thermometer, temperature should read close to 220 degrees.  Be careful not to burn!
6. Return strawberries to pot and bring contents to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.
7. Remove from heat and discard lemon peels; allow to cool.  Pour into jars suitable for storing in the fridge or freezer.

I love this freezer jam so VERY much!  And every time we have it, I think, "Dang, I have GOT to share this, with the WHOLE world!"  It's taken me forever to post it, and for that I apologize profusely, as strawberries are no longer in season (in most places).  But, I had to write it down before I forgot... And luckily, the hub manages produce at Costco, so we always get the best strawberries at the best price.  Even in the Fall!  I guess AZ has its perks after all.  *B

Meal Plan: 10/17 - 10/23

I know, I know.  Been a while?  Yup.  But, I have a confession and what I believe is a dang good excuse!  I may not have been cooking much in the kitchen, but I've been baking something for the past 15 weeks...  something that has kept eating, or even thinking about, food to a minimum!  But, I've been feeling quite "well" for the past week.  So, fingers crossed that I can return to loving food, and all that it entails ;)

Mexican Monday:  tortilla soup w/ avocado chunks

Oriental Tuesday: veggie stir fry w/ yogurt peanut sauce

Twisted Wednesday: pot roast w/ leftover mashed potatoes

Authentic Thursday: rustic marinara w/ polenta

TGIFriday: hotdogs (as requested by the eldest) w/ carrot sticks, veggie straws & "soda-pop"

Super Saturday: Halloween potluck (?)

Special Sunday: lentil stew w/ rye bread

Upcoming recipes: Barbacoa Beef and that darn blasted jam!  Feeling better now, so it "should" happen this time...  Or at least sometime within the next twenty four weeks!  *B

Grilled Vegetable Carrot Quinoa

[recipe]

Meal Plan: 9/19 - 9/25

Well, the overwhelming silence from my last post is... disappointing.  Yet, somewhat expected.  I guess that's what happens when you go on a blogging hiatus ;)  Never you mind, because I will continue to post my plans along with my food-based rants, raves, tips, tricks, etc., etc., etc.  So there!  Take that silent interweb.

Mexican Monday: taco salad (nachos)

Oriental Tuesday: beef & broccoli w/ brown rice

Twisted Wednesday: quiche w/ fruit salad

Authentic Thursday: mini pizzas (bagels)

TGIFriday: ham & cheese sliders (per begging husband)

Super Saturday: DATE NIGHT (?)

Special Sunday: Asian salad w/ crab wantons

Upcoming recipe: I recently pulled out my freezer jam, and am loving it!  So, I will try my darndest to post the recipe, because it really does need to be shared.  And maybe when I start posting more recipes, I'll have more readers.  *B

Meal Plan: 9/12 - 9/18

Sorry for the lameness that is now known as my blog!  I have yet to post any tips, recipes, etc. and frankly dear, I don't give a dang ;)  Ok, so I do give a little darn.  But for now, the meal plan posting will have to suffice.  Mostly because it helps me and my family stay on track, which is something we desperately need...

The other night I was perusing the interweb to see if anyone had come up with a book or lifestyle plan based on the Word of Wisdom.  I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but if someone were to ask what "diet" me and my family live by, I like to call it the WOW diet.  And I'm talking about the food we should eat (vs. 10-16), not just the harmful substances we abstain from (vs. 5-9).  Just a side note, I find it humorous that we focus on those five verses outlining the dont's more than we focus on the seven verses outlining the do's...  So, what do the Summers eat?  Basically, it's a whole-food plant-based diet.  We eat lots of grains, fruits, and vegetables.  But then we supplement that with bits of meat and dairy.  I will never be vegan, because I do believe in the power of the WOW and I do believe that animal protein (when eaten in moderation, aka. "sparingly") can be for our own good.

Anyway, apparently there's a woman out there who has written a book called The WOW Diet.  I haven't read it; it doesn't really speak to me...  But, she also has a book about food storage.  This book has piqued my interest because it makes food storage seem possible and manageable for someone like me.  I don't really have a food storage system, but I'd like to.  Honestly, I don't have the money or space for it.  But that doesn't make me want it any less (go figure). 

The idea is that instead of buying food in bulk, you buy and store food items as meals.  Brilliant!  I believe (strongly) in meal planning, so it only makes sense to extend that to my food storage.  So, the other night I wrote up a list of 50 meals (dinners) that my family enjoys.  And most of them are food storage friendly.  How great would it be to finally have a year supply of individual meals?  Even better is that it makes rotating food storage totally feasible.  I'm thrilled at the prospect of having a quick and easy meal that's already planned and prepped.  I've yet to get started, but I'm already daydreaming of turning my Wednesdays into food storage rotation days.  It's true, my food nerdiness has no bounds ;)

So, if you've read this far then maybe you can do a bit more and help me out.  I've got a question: has anyone used a vacuum sealer?  If/when I start building my food storage, ideally I'd like to buy both canned and dehydrated/freeze-dried food items.  I was thinking that I could individually vaccum seal certain dried foods in jars and put them into their respectable meal bags... that's the plan, so now I'm just curious as to what vaccum sealer is best?  Sure, sucking air out of bags would be great for the freezer (since I freeze just about everything), but I'm really interested in depriving jars of oxygen.  Suggestions?  Please share!

And now on to this week's meal plan.

Mexican Monday: food - I know, very specific...

Oriental Tuesday: tilapia w/ stir-fry veggies & quinoa

Twisted Wednesday: leftovers (soup w/ muffins)

Authentic Thursday: Greek salad

TGIFriday: Tuna melts

Super Saturday: DATE NIGHT

Special Sunday: ravioli bisque

And I'll leave it at that.  Who knows what this week will bring, but it's gearing up to be a doozy!  *B