Last night for dinner I made a beef stew. I invented the recipe. As usual I combined several recipes. For the beef part I used a short ribs recipe. I floured the meat and seared it then added aromatics (garlic, celery, carrots) sauteed those up and then added spices and herbs (paprika, chili powder, oregano and tomato paste) then deglazed the pot (one of my favorite things to do) with red wine then returned the meat to the dutch oven (my favorite pot) Then I used a soup recipe and added 2 cans of tomatoes, one crushed one not. I also added split peas, red beans and lentil that I boiled previously in broth. I also added some of the broth from the beans. I put the lid on the dutch oven and placed it in the oven and cooked it at 350 for 1 hour. I also steamed potatoes and after the hour I added those and served it to my family. Yummy!

Since I had friends coming over and the beans were still a little firm, I put it back in the oven and baked for another hour. I should have added more liquid before that extra hour but still yummy. As I heat it up tonight then I will add more liquid. I served it with gluten free tortilla chips. I would have preferred beer bread but I was running out of time and was not in the mood.

I also made my favorite dessert that is easy and fast and tastes great. Berry crisp. I put frozen berries into an oval corning ware. I added a few fresh berries and a 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. Then in another bowl I mixed flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. I spread that on top of the berries and cooked at 350 for an hour. Yummy! Great if served with ice cream or whipped cream.

I rarely measure anything. If I am making a recipe for the first time then I do but after I invent a recipe I never measure, I take note of what I used but rarely measure again. So follow my recipes at your own risk!

Enjoy and eat yummy food!

No Cook Dinner

I had planned to make a salmon loaf. A few weeks ago my Mom called and told me she made a salmon loaf instead of salmon patties. So I made it and it was yummy, my kids loved it, my husband loved it, my in-laws loved it (long story, they were staying with us for 8 weeks!) The loaf turned out to be a big hit. So that is what I was going to make tonight. Then my wonderful husband called and said he was picking up sushi and bringing it home. The kids will eat left overs and the grown-ups with eat sushi. We give some to the kids but if I don't give them something else to eat they eat too much sushi and there is not enough left for me! So I will tell you about my salmon loaf recipe another time when I actually make it.

Itedake masse. (as they say in Japan)

Eat yummy food!

Yummy Food

So it is 9am and I am searing chicken! I love to cook. And so the reason for this blog! I know the food blog has been done and made into a movie. I am not about all that...just sharing my love to make food. I love to eat, but I would rather cook it or bake it!

This dinner that I am making at 9am is a volunteer project that I take part in for my Mom's Group. When one of us has a baby we make meals for the Mom and her family. I am planning on taking my kids out all day and so the only time I have to make this meal is now.

I figure that when families get these meals they will typically get some sort of pasta dish so I want to do something a little different. I am combining a short ribs recipe I made a few weeks ago (I am using chicken instead) with a recipe from my Mom. (like a chicken a la king) My recipe which I am inventing as I am making it will be with tasty chicken, yummy vegetables with a nice baguette (which I would normally make but my yeast expired!) and apple crisp for dessert.

Okay time to start deglazing.

Glad you are reading and hope you will follow my food experiments as a cook for my family and friends!

Yummy Food.