Rachel's Chili

Rachel's Chili

1 lb. ground beef, browned
2 cans chili beans
1 can black chili beans
1 can great northern beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 c. salsa
1 pint tomatoes
1/4 c. chili powder

Combine ingredients in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 adding water as needed.

Slow Roasted BBQ Ribs (Pork)

Slow Roasted BBQ Ribs

Barbeque Sauce

2 T. brown sugar                                                
1 t. paprika                                                                    
1 t. dry mustard                                                 
1 t. salt                                                                        
1/8 t. cayenne pepper                                                    
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
¼. c. vinegar
1 c. tomato juice
¼ c. ketchup
1 medium onion, chopped
 

Pork or Beef Ribs (I prefer the boneless, country style the Gourmet Guy prefers the beef short ribs)

Bake in 400 degree oven for 1 hour.  Remove from pan and place into a roasting pan.  Cover with BBQ Sauce, bake at 325 for 3-4 hours, covered.  You can also cook it longer at 250 degrees.  Remove the lid in the last half hour to thicken up the sauce. This can also be placed in a slow cooker for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. Serve over rice or noodles.

(This was one of Grandma Rayda Stevenson’s favorite recipes.  It was always fun to have dinner at her house when she served these and her homemade rolls.  It was one of the first recipes I asked for from her,)

Mega Meal Day(s) New Dietary Challenges

I got the urge to make Chicken Pot Pie for dinner a week or so ago.  The recipe I have makes a huge batch, big enough that I always made two and froze one for another day.  Now that it is just the Gourmet Guy and I at home I usually cut it in half and still make two and freeze one for another day.  I decided that I would make the full recipe and freeze a couple for us and some small ones for my Mother-in-law.  Simply doing that put me in the mood to make some meals ahead and freeze them for my daughter in Idaho who is having a baby at the end of the month.  Since they don't live half way across the country anymore I can take them to her frozen and not have to do all of the work while I am there. Instead I and can play with the Grand kids and snuggle the newborn and not be in the kitchen all of the time, except for that days meals.  She will have eight meals for days when she just needs to pull one out of the freezer, and as mom of three small children and a newborn she will need them.

 

NEW DIETARY CHALLENGES

Over the years we have had favorite meals as a family. Recently we have had new challenges that have caused us to rethink some of our recipes.  We have a  dairy allergy, gluten intolerance, and most recently a severe nut allergy that gave us quite a scare, as well as diabetes!!!! Actually the nut allergy was one we were aware of but it was hidden in with another ingredient and caused a life threatening experience.  We have to read labels much better than we have ever before and she will have to stay away from bakeries in general from now on. Preparing meals for all twenty three, with the newest addition is going to be more and more of a challenge! As I had these mega cooking and days I had to alter some of the ingredients and my taste buds were put to the test.

 

 Using:

10 lbs of potatoes

1 med bag of carrots

4 stalks of celery

5 onions, diced

1 medium bag of frozen mixed vegetables

6 14.5 cans of beef broth

4 14.5 cans of chicken broth

3 4 oz. mushrooms

6 4 oz. cans tomato sauce (what I keep in my storage)

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

2 10 3/4 cans tomato soup

4 10 3/4 cans cream of chicken soup

1 quart tomatoes, home canned

1 pint tomatoes, home canned

3 sleeves of Ritz crackers

4 c. sour cream

1 lb. butter

 

After two days of cooking (I kind of went crazy)  I ended up with 20 meals, 7 mini meals and 

3 1/2 dozen cinnamon rolls. Part of the meals were non dairy. My Mother-in-law took home 9 mini meals this morning when she left our home.

 

After loading my freezer I realized I was able to share with some others in my neighborhood and took some of the warm cinnamon rolls to five families and three meals as well.  It was great fun!  Now to finish putting away Christmas decorations.  I would rather be cooking!!!!!!

Mom's Beef Stew

Growing up my Mother made a stew that I loved. One of those that cooked for hours and melted in your mouth as you ate it. It really is simple. I always pick the leanest stew meat that I can find. The meat is usually twice as big as I like it so I double the batch immediately by cutting it into smaller pieces. Once cut to the right size I dredge it in flour and then brown it in hot oil. My greatest endorsement for this stew came from my six year old Grandson after trying it.

After the meat is browned I add potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion.
When the onions become translucent I add a large can of tomato juice and two small cans of tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.

In an oven safe pot I put the stew into a 300-325 degree oven for two to three hours. Checking the moisture periodically so that not too much moisture is lost.

The meat is so tender that you can cut it with a fork. Serve with warm bread or rolls. Great for a cold winter day.

"Mom's Stew"

2 lbs lean stew meat
2-3 carrots, sliced round
2-3 potatoes, cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 large cans tomato juice
(tomato sauce can be used)
2 T. vegetable oil

Brown meat in oil, add remaining ingredients and cook until tender. This can be simmered on a stove top, baked in the oven, or in a slow cooker. The longer and slower the better. Other herbs such as Rosemary, Bay leaves, Marjoram, or Basil can also be added for flavor. Salt and pepper to taste.

Grandma Stevenson's Slow Cooked BBQ Ribs

Place ribs in a shallow baing dish
Bake at high temperature to render out some of the excess fat.

Mix ingredients for the sauce

Place the cooked ribs into a roasting pan.

Cover with sauce and chopped onion.

Meat so tender that it falls apart as you touch it. This is a family favorite.

Slow Roasted BBQ Ribs

2 T. brown sugar
1 t. paprika

1 t. dry mustard

1/2 t. salt

1/4-1/8 t. cayenne pepper

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 c. vinegar

1/4 c. ketchup

1 c. tomato juice

1 medium onion, chopped

(I usually double or triple these ingredients to cover the meat with to bake)

Pork or Beef ribs (I prefer pork country style)

Bake ribs in a shallow baking dish at 400 for an hour to render the excess fat out of the ribs. Place the ribs in a roasting pan, mix all of the ingredients pour onto the ribs. Cover and bake at 325 for 3-4 hours, or longer at 250. Serve over rice or noodles.

Sunday Pork Roast

When I left for Hawaii it was beautiful, warm, the garden was thriving and the leaves were changing. During the three weeks that I was in Honolulu the garden froze and it turned cold. My daughter, Rebecca, went up the canyon and took beautiful pictures for me because I didn't think that I would get to see them for myself. I was able to see them but my garden was a total loss. (Thanks for the picture Reb)

I love fall but it brings a mixture of emotions for me. I love the beauty and the cooler weather,
both of my parents were born in the fall but unfortunately they both passed away in the fall as well. I find myself missing them tremendously right now and as a result I have been making old recipes and foods that remind me of them.
Growing up my mom always made a beef roast with mashed potatoes and gravy for Sunday dinner. She was the best gravy maker I have ever known. It was a real meat and potatoes kind of meal, the kind that my dad liked. When I met and married my husband I learned to appreciate more foods than I never imagined. We have planted and harvested herbs and tried a variety of spices. Every now and then I just get a craving for a basic meat and potatoes meal. We however, like a good pork roast rather than the beef that my mom made.

Sunday Pork Roast

I took an 8lb. boneless pork roast and slow cooked it in a cast iron pan. With only salt and pepper and 1 c. of water I covered it and baked it at 300 for seven hours.
After seven hours I took the lid off and browned the meat. All of the juices from the meat blended with the water to make a really nice gravy. (With a little flour slurry to thicken.)

The meat was so tender that it fell apart as it was sliced.

This was not even half of the meat that we cooked. With mashed potatoes and wonderful gravy we had the comfort meal that I was craving. Even the home canned beans reminded me of my mom.

There was still a lot of gravy and plenty of meat to make other meals during the week. There's a lot to be said about comfort food.

Sunday Favorite-Pot Poast With Vegetables

Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

4 lb. blade or cross rib pot roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 small potatoes
8 medium carrots, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium onion cut into small pieces
2 T. water
Onion soup mix (below)

Place a piece of heavy duty foil in baking pan. Mix soup and bouillon onion soup mix; spread over beef. Place vegetables around the outside edge and sprinkle with the water. Fold foil over and seal. Cook in 300 oven for four hours. Serve with the gravy.

Bouillon-Onion Soup Mix

¼ c. instant minced onion
2 T. instant beef bouillon
½ t. onion powder

(To make the soup, stir in 4 cups boiling water; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for five minutes)

(Sunday’s we like to make meals that are full flavored and fairly easy. This recipe has been a family favorite since we married twenty nine years ago. It is one of those “put it in and forget it until it’s done” recipe’s.)