Cooking Pictures from Fridge Cleanout

Some Pictures of Cooking This Week

Dutch Oven Pot Pie - Lots of good guts!

Dutch Oven Pot Pie - Almost ready for the oven

 The pot pie isn't complete without the M/M monogram!

 Triple Crust Iron Skillet Apple Pie - In the oven, ready to go!

Night 2 of Fridge/Pantry Cleanout

     Night 2 of eventful cooking proved not to disappoint.  I had some ball tip roasts (4) that I wanted to cook and get ready for the tamale meat so I put that in a crock pot with  just about every spice in the cabinet I could reach, paying special attention to the chile section of the cabinet.  It all went into a crock pit and I added water and some onions and let it go for about 18 hours.  What turned out was bliss.  Meat so tender it fell apart at the touch of a fork.  For supper I dug out tortillas and cheese from the back of the fridge and had some of my favorite Vigo Spanish rice in the pantry.  We made burritos that were to die for.  I didn’t have any salsa at my house but Michael introduced me to canned salsa that was great!  Even better than the great roasted flavor was that it is only a fraction of the price of regular salsa that usually comes in a glass jar.  Anywhere from $0.50 to $1 per can!  For supper we indulged.  I had 3 store bought freezer pie crusts that needed to be used so Wednesday was their day to shine!  I made triple crust iron skillet apple pie.  First I melted a stick of butter in the pan by placing it in the 350 degree oven.  Once melted I placed ½ cup of brown sugar on top of the butter and put it back in the oven to warm/melt.  Once melted I placed the first pie crust in the skillet.  Then, half of the peeled and sliced apples (5 apples total).  The apples got sprinkled with ½ cup of white sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon.  Then went on the next crust.  After that the rest of the apples were put in and topped with the same amount of sugar and cinnamon.  Lastly the 3^rd pie crust went on.  It once again received the “E” seal of approval (Michael's Last Initial) on the top pie crust for venting and in it went to the oven for about 45 minutes.  Sure it may not be the healthiest thing but it had apples in it at least!  Once done and cut we topped it with whip cream and indulged.  It was AMAZING.  Very, very sweet, but that is right up my alley so I enjoyed it.  Michael must have enjoyed the meal as well because he helped himself to plenty of rice, 3 burritos and 2 helpings of pie!  All of this was enjoyed in front of a warm New Mexico fire.  What a great way to spend a Wednesday evening!  Thursday’s meal will call use to my abundant supply of ground beef that I am constantly looking for an outlet for.  Enjoy your Thursday!

Fridge/Freezer Cleanout Begins

                This week I have a goal of not going to the grocery store.  My cabinets and freezers are bursting with food.  Plain and simple, it needs to be used.  I am infamous for finding amazing recipes and never having ingredients so going to the store and buying every single item I need.  Lots of fun but sometimes not necessary. I am bargaining with myself that I should save that for special occasions or Saturday night date night dinners.  After Christmas (Which was fabulous!) the funds are a little low and with starting the new year I look forward to more financial restraint and stewardship.  So, the event have begun.  Monday night was date night with Michael so we cheated and went and saw a movie and ate popcorn for supper.  Way to start the week, right?  (Actually this was a Tuesday idea so technically the event was not declared so I guess we weren’t cheating!)  Last night I cleaned out the veggie drawer to make chicken pot pie.  It turned out really yummy!  Homemade crust was easy as I have more flour than a mill and lots of shortening.  It turned out perfectly creamy and flaky.  I sautéed onions and celery in butter then added flour and some more butter to create a gravy type sauce.  I had 2 bags of frozen chicken that was left over from rotisserie chicken events (ie: Thanksgiving) and mixed it with carrots, corn, cream of broccoli soup, broccoli (random and not typical but there was about ½ cup left in a bag that had to go!).  That mixed with the celery and onion made for a good base.  I added random seasonings that sounded good and wa-la, the inside of the pie.  I buttered a dutch oven (my first dutch oven cooking experience) and placed the bottom crust in.  From there I added the “guts” and put a layer of cream of mushroom soup on top.  Then topped with another crust which I monogrammed with M&M.  Put that all into the oven for about 55 minutes and it was time to eat! It turned out great, not a typical pot pie flavor but regardless, it was delicious.  I will post pictures soon – if I can figure out how!  I also had some leftover frozen biscuits and so I brushed them with butter and heated them in the oven.  All in all it made for a great winter supper which we enjoyed in front of the fire.  I would say my first experience cooking without a recipe or a grocery store trip was a success!   Can’t wait for what tonight may hold!

Winter Solstice Stikes Again!

The cold continues on the high plains and the wind is joining right along as well.  Usually, today is my least favorite day of the year.  It is winter solstice, ie: the shortest day of the year.  Well, clearly it is still 24 hours long but has the least amount of day light.  I dread these short winter days.  They are far better than the VERY short days that I experienced living in New England though.  Living literally within a mile of the Stateline/time change here has timing in my favor!  Luckily there have been many joys to distract me.  Last night we went over to Michael’s parents house for supper.  His mom is a wonderful cook and we had enchiladas, tacos, great Spanish rice and flan for dessert.  It is so nice to be able to visit with them and enjoy a nice evening.  My friends from Nebraska – Mary and Lester – made it into town last night as well.  How great to have friends visit!  They stop every year as they make their way to Arizona to enjoy some warm weather and sunshine.  We will have fun with horse/mule/donkey talk and  catching up on life since last year.

                My morning was brightened today when one of our truck drivers brought in homemade tamales for everyone.  Oh how I love fresh tamales!  They were spicy but delicious.  It sparks my interest even more to make my own.  Maybe this will be the weekend it happens!  The tamale steaming pot I bought Saturday night just stares at me every time I walk in the kitchen as it waits to be used!

                I am anxious to get out of work and really enjoy Christmas.  Of course like many, I am not ready.  I don’t have any baking done and not a single Christmas card sent.  Most of this will have to wait until I am done with work though.  It is looking like I am going to have to work through Saturday morning so it will be a short weekend.  My heart is ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus though so all the other things are just minor in comparison to the real celebration that we have this weekend.  Michael and I will be spending our first Christmas together and I look forward to it!  It will be quiet and relaxing with church Saturday night and Sunday morning and then a laid back Sunday.  We have not decided what we will cook yet but maybe we will try something new and adventurous! Or, we may just did like we did on Thanksgiving – rotisserie chicken and store bought sides – easy and delicious!  Regardless I am sure that it will be filled with love, happiness and fun!

Snow in Paradise

Winter has descended on us today and I am living in a winter wonderland.  I am not shy to say that winter is not my favorite time of the year by any means and today is not helping my sentiments.  It rained almost all day yesterday and about 4:45 last night the cold air blew in and things got chilly.  The snow started and the rain that had fallen began to freeze.  It was not a fun drive home and although it is only 9 miles the roads had snow blown over them and a semi truck was jackknifed in the road.  Not a good sign of what was to come! The snow continued but we did not get that much after all.  I went out to get diesel about 10:15 and was the only one out on the road and boy was it ever slippery!  I was even happier that I got my truck thawed out and de-iced last night instead of having to do it this morning.  My day began at 3:37 AM today when a coworker of mine called to let me know that we would have to have a blizzard caravan.  I was done with sleep at that point so I drifted in and out of consciousness until 4:40 and got up and started calling my crew to let them know to meet at the gas station so we could all drive in together.  Needless to say I am already very sleepy/tired and it is only 7:45 AM!  The worst part about all of this was that we had to cancel our Christmas party last night due to the weather.  Hopefully we can reschedule it for sometime soon!  Now it is time to see if we can get this old mill running in the ice and cold.  Machines and hydraulics like this cold and weather about as much as a I. (Have I mentioned I despise winter yet?)  All I can do today is wrap on another layer of Carhartt and dream of warm days to come! Have a good day and stay warm!

So Many Things to be Thankful for!

It has been such an exciting few weeks for me with everything that has gone on.  On Saturday December 10^th the love of my life Michael asked me to marry him while horseback riding at White Sands National Monument.  What a beautiful and special place to ask!  We had a wonderful dinner in Cloudcroft, NM and headed back to reality on Sunday.  Sunday evening was the LWML Christmas party and it was a blast.  We had a great devotion about being a servant to The Lord and used the theme, “Every Apron Tells a Story.” Each lady brought an apron that had a special story or memory attached to it.  What a wonderful way to share with your friends some great memories.  Most ladies had stories that related to their mothers which is only natural I suppose.  After that we got to make aprons of our own.  All in all a great night, especially since I was still floating on cloud 9 from the engagement.  I could not be more blessed to have such wonderful women share the excitement and joy with me. 

The week flew by with Christmas preparations and spending time dreaming of what is to come with a wedding in the near future.  We have decided that we will get married on October 6, 2012.  It is far away but I know it will go so fast which is a good thing because we can’t wait!  We will get married at the Lutheran church in Lariat and have the reception at the pecan orchard in Portales.  That is about as far as we have come on details though. 

Friday night Micahel and I went out to supper at one of the scariest looking restaurants I have been to in a long time.  It is called the Fuzhou and is in Clovis, NM.  Good thing looks are deceiving because the food was great!  The best “Chinese” food I have had in a long time.  

Saturday I ended up working until noon at the feedlot while Michael worked selling nuts.  Saturday evening was a great night out as we went to eat with some friends from work.  We went to Red Lobster which makes me laugh considering where I live and where I grew up.  Oh well, their rolls are amazing and you can’t go wrong with shrimp bathed in garlic.  We then ended the evening with a trip to Wal-Mart to get supplies to make tamales.  It is my “kick” of the week that I am determined to make. We shall see how that adventure turns out.

Sunday we went to church, got in a good nap and had a great Sunday brunch.  Michael was sweet enough to work hard again and take down an apricot tree that didn’t survive the freeze last year.  I was so sad to see it go as it was my favorite tree skeleton around.  It also left a corner of my yard very sad and bland.  Hopefully I can get another tree going there soon though.  That tree he took down will provide many warm nights by the fire so I can’t argue with that.  While he worked on the tree I worked on putting supper together.  As usual I bought way to much bulk meat and have 70 pounds of ball tip roasts to use.  We made pot roast in a pan (crock) that I had never used before and it turned out well.  I will use it again in that style for sure! For dessert I made baklava which turned out delicious!  We had Michael’s parents over for supper before candlelight service at church.  It was a great day and so nice to have people over for supper to test my cooking skills on.  Also, I would not trust myself, or my waistline home alone with an entire batch of baklava so I was glad there were people to share it with.  Church was lovely, one of my favorite services of the year as we got to sing Christmas carols and listen to the Word of God together as a church family.  Also, it was the first year I have gotten to go with a family.  I don't mind going to church alone but it is so great to now have Michael by my side and church and last night his parents with us as well.

It was a wonderful week and weekend and I am still floating around with all the joys and excitement of life.  There are so many things to be grateful for this year it brings a smile to my face every time I think about it.

Long Time Dreams Achieved

I am so excited to see a dear friend of mine embark on a new adventure tomorrow.  It makes me yearn for the days past but want to jump ahead to adventures yet to come.  My friend is leaving for a grand trip to South Korea tomorrow to live and teach for the next 2 years (+, -, ?). The thrills of learning a new culture, language and the art of living as the minority entangle me in dreams of days past.  The first few weeks living in Mexico thinking I would never survive being there.  The last few weeks in Mexico thinking I could never survive not being there.
     How do you find the balance?  How can you tell when it is finally that point in time to throw in the cards and depart on a big expedition?  Is there ever a right time?  What about career and family?  Tradition and routine?  Leaving for great adventure is so appealing as I tell my employer at every review that I have that I am ready to move on to international work.  A few hours after this confession a new sense washes over me.  What about the life I have created (or been given by The Master Creator) here is West Texas?  What about my horses, my dogs, my niece and nephew or the rest of my family?  Can I really leave it all for an undetermined amount of time to work and explore? 
     I look around me and to the Lord for signs that my time as come, to raise the mast and cast open the sails for the next journey to take me to further happiness and success.  As I do this I wish the best of luck to my friend Megan.  As she leaves to act on the dreams that we used to talk about in room 214 of the sorority house our sophomore year of college.  How we would become cultured, well traveled women of the world.  Best of luck my friend, I know you will do grand.  And remember, just like we used to recite every night.  At the end of the day you are only allowed 1 negative but double the amount of positives.  Go get 'em girl.

Solo Steak

Cooking for one is not always fun.  Who is there to divide doing the dishes with or discuss the high points or not so tasteful parts of the meal? Planning a meal is exciting, trying to put together sides to compliment a new dish or try something new but can't all that work get old? How many times do I have friends over and I panic that there won't be enough macaroni salad or baked beans? (Very frequently let me tell you!)
     There is one food though that I truly enjoy basking in the glory all by myself.  That food is steak.  Solid, red, American raised beef.  Since I work in the beef industry I feel it is only my obligation to support my livlihood! (No - this is not a promo, I really just love beef and everything about it) As needed I buy ribeye rolls wholesale.  Cryovacked hunks of meat that have never been frozen.  I take that meat and let it sit and age in my freezer for an extra 2 - 4 weeks and then cut steaks and repackage them as I see fit. (Packs of 1 to 4 steaks) There is no need to cut a thin steak, a 1/2 inch thick ribeye is fine, but couldbe far better at an inch and a quarter or thicker.  And so I cut, one steak at a time and listen as my tummy begins to grumble. 
    After cutting all those steaks I have to give into my cravings and eat the fruits of my hard labor.  Conveniently, I have cut steaks on a weekend when all my friends are out of town.  Sure, I would love to share the company with friends but I am tackling this all on my own.  One of my favorite parts?  I don't prepare sides, I don't plan out a menu.  My menu is one thing: solid ribeye.  I get my charcoal grill piping hot and on goes the steak.  Cooked to my taste (medium) I enjoy in all the glory of this delicious American meal.  I let my thoughts run wild with the equisite taste of beef and the anticipation of what's to come.  My mind wanders to the advantages of a solo steak and here are my top five reasons it is the best food to eat solo:
     - I don't have to worry about making sides or intense meal planning - it is complete in itself. Beef and beef.
     - There is only one dish to wash, my plate. (Plus knife and fork, but I sure won't have to use that knife much with as tender as it is!)
     - My thoughts can wander as they like and taste buds can run wild without the interuption of small talk or requests for more milk or salad.
     - There for sure won't be any leftovers, it's just that good!
     - Grocery shopping for extra ingredients? Yeah right, protein, salt and pepper please!

My list could run on for days.... but I won't let that happen.  Just remember, the next time you are feeling lonely and tired of dining solo, do not fret!  Find a store, buy a steak and indulge, it will change your outlook on everything!

Now that I am craving beef I think it's time to indulge....

Happy dining!

CGM