Tag Archives: food

Dutch Baby

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B cook3

Our phones were upgraded last week.  I was expecting this to be a non-event for me, other than taking the plunge to the larger screen.  I long ago gave up taking photos on my old phone.  They were bad from the day I got it.  My pleasant surprise this past week has been the phone camera. It works!  It works well!  Such a blessing for documenting on the go.  And that's just what I did when this young man wanted to try a new recipe today – Apple Dutch Baby Pancakes

He did a great job and actually caught my recipe reading errors before they became recipe making errors.  (And yes those are repurposed protein powder tubs up there.) 

B cook3

B cook3

B cook3
B cook3

Food Prep

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Jul 2017 burger web (1 of 1)

While my guys were tackling a deck repair the other day I ended up getting some work done ahead in the kitchen.  Big project of the day was getting some dressing and ghee made.  Aidan had mentioned In and Out sauce a few days earlier so I made up a copycat batch.   We also knocked out some Paleo ranch which I feel I cannot live without from this day forward.  Disclosure – husband liked it better as a dip than a dressing due to the dill. Say that three times fast.  And finally – the ghee.  Big new here is that it WORKED.  I couldn't seem to get all the milk solids out last time around.  Will say it took a lot longer than any of the recipes suggested but look at that.  Liquid gold.  

Sauces

We made a double batch of Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash.  Oh my word.  With the ranch?  So good.  Daughter and husband crumbled bleu cheese over theirs.  Truly a hit.  It did make a LOT though so plan accordingly.  For the record, it's even better the second day for leftovers. 

Sauces

I made broccoli soup to go with.  It was also even better as a leftover.  Everyone liked it.  Almost everyone.  Not this one….

Sauces

There's one in every crowd.  Note to self: have cheddar handy next time.  

Lemon-Basil Salmon Sliders – paleo, grainfree, dairy free

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Mar 2016 salmon web (1 of 1)

Tonight's dinner was a repeat from last week.  It was that good.  The recipe was from Paleo Lunches and Breakfasts on the Go   Contrary to what the title implies, many of the recipes are not quick and easy due to the number of ingredients.  So far, however taking a bit of extra time and making them for dinner has broadened our palates and brought life back to some same old, same old dishes like salmon patties. 

I made a couple substitutions.  Leftover spaghetti squash subbed for zucchini. We used dried fennel.  We also used canned salmon from Costco which has got to be the least fishy fish we have ever had. Coupled with the citrus and herbs it made for a no-bribe dinner.  Mostly anyway. The seven year old fussy eater passed, which thrilled the nine year old who ate both plates. 

Salmon Zucchini Sliders

2c shredded zucchini

1/2 tsp salt

1lb wild salmon

2T chopped fennel

1/2 lemon juiced

1c basil chopped

—————–

2T fennel fronds

1 egg

1/4 tsp cayenne

2 scallions

1tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1T oil for frying

Grate the zucchini, salt, and sit in bowl to extract liquid for half hour, then pat dry.  Recipe calls for pureeingthe first set of ingredients.   If you're me you may want to just mash the whole thing.  Then make small 2T clumps and fry til light brown. 

 

served up family style

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Nov 2015 thanksgiving web (3 of 9) 

Seventeen years ago our two families spent our first Thanksgiving together here in Utah. They had just arrived after living in Germany several years.  Today the tables were turned and we made our first Thanksgiving dinner in Utah after many overseas, again with our old friends.

Since all of us are originally from the upper midwest, we share a very similar holiday menu.  They are the same dishes we ate all those years ago and the same ones we will be eating in years to come – roast turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, cranberry jiggling from the can, jello salad, brown and serve rolls, and pie, pie, pie.

Nov 2015 thanksgiving web (2 of 9)

Nov 2015 thanksgiving web (1 of 9)

Nov 2015 thanksgiving web (4 of 9)

  All carried in deep 9×13 dishes and served on paper plates so clean up is quick work because…

Nov 2015 thanksgiving web (6 of 9)

We have important stuff to do after we eat. Board games, ping pong, and…

Nov 2015 thanksgiving web (7 of 9)

Curling up on the couch with Charlie Brown.

Nov 2015 thanksgiving web (9 of 9)

"Thanksgiving is more than eating…Those early Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by 'Thanksgiving,'"

Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving

 

Scotch Eggs

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Scotch eggs have been a favorite since we had them in England though we have not made them up since we moved back.  We rectified that with this paleo adaptation which was every bit as good.  I will tell you my cheater version though.  I used Jimmy Dean natural breakfast sausage in place of making my own. Easy peasy. 

I'm hungry now.  And it's Friday. I need to plan these posts better. ; D

 

Aug 2015 scotch eggs web (1 of 1)

fixing leaks – food waste

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This summer is about taking inventory, something of a State of the Union. I am taking a hard look at where my time and money and emotion is being spent and fixing any little (or big) leaks that I am finding. As Ann Voskamp famously quips - 

A pail with a pinhole loses as much as the pail pushed right over. 

As we have been cleaning the refrigerator weekly it has became clear we are losing too much food due to poor planning and poor execution.  Time to tighten up the ship and be more intentional in what we buy and seeing it through to being used. 

Some efforts to that end:

make a menu

shop from a list

prep food soon after shopping (wash/chop/store)

store it so you can see it

use leftovers creatively

This last part is essentially what is composing our breakfast and lunch menu.  Leftover fruit, vegs and meat are finding their way into smoothies, soups, frittatas, wraps, omelettes, stir fries.  If it is likely to be used within the next day or so it goes into a small storage container.  If not, it gets frozen. (the last serving of smoothies and soup are easily poured into extra ice cube trays) 

Todays breakfast took five minutes to prep.  Line muffin tins with one slice bacon each. Pour in beaten eggs – average one per muffin cup.  Add leftover sauteed vegs. Bake 20min in oven. Mine was set to convection. Your time may vary.  We have done this minus the bacon and used leftover ground meat or sausage. (pardon the iphone pics pleaseandthankyou) 

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Anyway, maybe it's just me.  It seems as we get busy we get little leaks in the budget like this.  We move faster and there is more expense and more waste.  For a season you can compensate but it's not a good long term default.  

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eating and reading this week

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Sept 2014 gyro dish web

Since I don't quite fit into the available memes and am notoriously erratic posting these things, we bring you books and bites this week. Maybe we shall do this again.  Maybe I will flake out and not.  Disclaimer – either scenario is entirely possible. 

A stretch for this culinarily-challenged chick the gyro meatballs and sauce from the Against All Grain cookbook which I heart. (The recipe is here in burger form.  Same same though) It's been a very long time since I have had lamb but this was a surprising hit here. I have no pic of the zoodles on my plate which is ok because the spiralizer is not here yet so my zoodles are less than photogenic.  But yum nonetheless. 

In reading news I am working through the boys' book report boys with gusto so we can discuss as they go.  This month it is The Singing Tree for Kieran and Lilies of the Field for Aidan.  The Singing Tree is the second "children's" book I have read in recent months and ended up laughing and crying my way through.  This one however hits rather close to home having a son in the military in an unstable world.  Sometimes it seems we have not progressed all that much from 1914 to 2014. Anyway, a very good read. 

Lilies of the Field is on deck tomorrow.  I admit my only reference is Sidney Poitier.  We shall fix that. Upside of waiting this long to read it is that I have recently lived in Germany.  Aidan can read the dialect lines quite well. ; ) 

thankful

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Thankful for what appeared at the back door this week, surplus from the recent 'lifting'. Have you any favorite ways to use leeks?  We are planning on a pot of potato soup but that will not use them all.  

The carrots are eaten like candy by the children so I doubt they will ever see the inside of a stock pot. : ) 

Nov 2012 vegs web
Nov 2012 vegs web-3

“Eat leeks in March and wild garlic in May
And all year after physicians may play.”

– Welsh Proverb