Brief Update

I got my new computer up and running at work, but I've spent 3 DAYS! trying to get my new billing program working!!! I had to upgrade from TimeSlips v7 to TimeSlips 2006 (probably version 20,000) because mine wouldn't work on XP. I've been on the phone to tech support for HOURS, but I've finally gotten it figured out. Well... figured out in that I did manage to send three bills last Thursday. Woopteedoo. I need some time to figure out the intricacies of this program. Of course my regular work didn't stop while I was trying to do this.

Needless to say, I've been consumed with this problem and haven't thought once about posting. Heck, I never even cooked supper ONCE last week. It was Casey's pizza or some other crap that DH picked up to bring home all week. I was exhausted every day. Brain work is the absolute HARDEST work in the world.

On a bright note, we do have Quinten for 4 days. I picked him up yesterday and will take him back on Tuesday. Last night was just hamburgers and sweet potato fries, but tonite is Rosemary Chicken with new potatoes and smothered greenbeans. Yum! I'm soooooo looking forward to another decent meal.

I wonder if I'll have the energy to make dessert?

Take care.

Sesqui Cookbooks

They're here! The West Bend Sesquicentennial Cookbooks arrived last week. We'll be sending out the pre-ordered ones starting this week. If you would like one, you can either let me know or go directly to West Bend's web site and order it. The price is a really inexpensive $12.00 plus $5.95 for shipping.

There are over 800 recipes along with photos of early West Bend. There is even a section called "Old Time Favorites" where each recipe includes a short description. This may be what the submitter remembers about eating it or making it or where it came from. My favorite was the ENTIRE 1946 Home Ec class submitting recipes they had received from their Home Ec teacher Miss Mabel Dinsmore. How cool is that!

Regardless of whether or not you are a native West Bender this cookbook will delight you with the variety of recipes. We've got a thousand to sell, so let's get crackin'!

Impromptu Concert

[Here's another post I meant to do this past week but got sidetracked with computer problems.]

What's the word for it? When something so different and strange happens, without a plan, and things just "click"? Serendipity? Maybe... it doesn't matter.

Northwest Telephone held their annual meeting this past Tuesday (April 18). This is where they feed you a pork dinner then bore you for an hour with their annual report before handing out the dividend checks and door prizes (usually glasses or a cup with their logo on them). I've moved past the "mis-matched dinnerware with logos on them" stage in my life (thankfully), they'll mail you the check, and even the free dinner isn't enough to entice me to endure the lecture. So, I stay home while DH goes. He says its for the check, but I know he secretly likes the free door prizes. (Which, incidentally, I immediately put in the Goodwill box.)

And there is also entertainment. Usually very good, local entertainment. This year was The Call Street Quartet, a barbershop quartet based out of Algona, Iowa.

So, at 9:00 after the meeting, we met uptown for a few drinks and conversation. It wasn't too crowded, only about 10 people were in there. But four men came in right after DH and ordered shots and a beer. After about 15 minutes, one of the men stood up and asked if we (the "crowd") would like them to sing! Yes - it was the Call Street Quartet! We of course all nodded enthusiastically and they commenced singing. They sang everything from gospel to doo wop. For TWO HOURS! Those guys really love their music and, boy, were they good.

It was a completely magical night. Good friends, good liquor and good music. I asked if they had a web site so I could post it here, but unfortunately they did not. But if anyone is in the area and would like more information on having them perform, the contact is Mike Scott (712-852-2842). I promise - you won't be disappointed.

Good night, sweetheart, well it's time to goooo... du dum doo dooo...

Farmers' Wave

We've all seen it. Well, most of us have. Maybe not a dyed-in-the-wool urbanite. But if you've ever driven on any rural road, you've seen it. The "farmers' wave". They're usually driving a pickup truck. When you meet one, they look right at you and raise their index finger off the steering wheel. That's all... just the one finger. That's a "farmers' wave". For years it amused me, then it perplexed me. I've seen it all over the United States, but I'll bet it's just as prevalent in rural Canada. One finger - that's all you get.

I believe I now know what the farmers' wave is. I've lived in rural and semi-rural places all my life. When you're on the road, you are always looking to see if you know the person in the car you're meeting. Because, if you do, you want to acknowledge them and just say "hi". Like when you meet someone you know on the street, you stop and visit for just a second. Men usually shake hands (or at least they used to) before stopping to visit.

And that's what the farmers' wave is - a handshake. In their vehicle, they look straight at you and raise their finger. It's their way of saying "I see you; I recognize your existence; I mean you no harm." One human to another. It's nothing more than an acknowledgement and I kind of like that.

Computer Stuff

Last week DH's computer puked up garbage and we were forced to call in the troops. As they carted it away to try and fix it, I decided I'd better do a little backing up of mine. My computer is the oldest and is the workhorse of the office. It contains all of our billing, forms, word files, data base for closed client files, etc., etc. In other words, if that baby crashed we'd be in a world of hurt. So when I got the error message telling me there was no more disc space for my backups I kinda freaked out. When I looked at my drive, sure enough, that little pie was almost completely blue! 20 fricking gigs, and it was full! Shit. This isn't the best time to have to shell out the money for a new set up, but it looked like there really wasn't much choice.

We bit the bullet and ordered a new system on Monday. And yesterday I took my old machine in to have the data migrated into the new one. Now I'm just waiting for them to deliver it and I'm a nervous wreck. Partly because there is literally nothing I can do, and partly because I'm scared that all of my files will be gone. Just - gone. I know that won't be the case, but with every new computer you always run into some kind of 19 cent assache and frankly I can't afford to have anything happen to my files.

Needless to say, my mind has been absorbed with computer stuff for the past week and a half and I've not been able to concentrate enough to post on here. Since Barry just arrived with my new machine, I think I'll go play for a while.

200 gig hard drive! Bet I don't fill that sucker up for a while!

Easter 2006

Yesterday was Easter and for the first time in 6 years we didn't have Q. I think DH and I felt a little lost all day long without him. Quinten is our grandson and we have been blessed to have been able to have him the first week of every month since he was 6 months old. But now that he's in kindergarten we must work around his school schedule and Easter vacation wasn't an option. Of course, we did just have him a week and a half for Spring Break, so I can't be too bummed out. But it just wasn't the same without him.

Nevertheless, we used the weekend well. DH turned the soil behind the garages and put the manure on the gardens and I planted flower seeds in the one. It was a perfect day - sunny and warm. I was really glad we did that on Saturday as it just poured on Sunday! Actually, we needed a little rain around here even though the Des Moines River is flooding on both sides of us from northern rains and snow melt. The area around here has missed all the rains that have been falling for the past couple of weeks and the farmers have been planting like crazy. I imagine they will have most of their corn planted by the end of April. That's a little early and they sometimes have to replant flooded out portions of the field later in May. But I imagine when you farm as many acres as these guys do, you have to get on it as soon as you can or you'd never get it all in. I'm glad I just have my two little garden plots to worry about and fuss over.

So it was just the two of us for Easter dinner. When DH told me he wanted ham for dinner last Wednesday I ran to the store to buy one figuring they'd be completely sold out. The only bone-in ham Billie had left was a 10 lb. Smithson spiral cut and the only thing that would hold it was my electric roaster. I cooked it on low for 5 hours and it was delicious. Needless to say, we have leftovers - LOTS of leftovers. (Thank God for my Seal-a-Meal!) I'll be on the look-out for leftover ham recipes for the next week. I also made the free-form apple pie that Don has been begging for. This time I got a picture of it! I had to use two crusts this time as the apples were much bigger than the last one I made. I did an egg wash and sprinkled some sugar on the top crust, otherwise it is the same recipe as before.

Dinner was simple and satisfying. No Easter eggs, no candy, no crying that his cousin got more eggs than he did. *sigh* Maybe next year.... I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend too.

Asparagus Angel Hair Pasta w/Shrimp

I wish I were one of those bloggers who posted daily. I don't know how some people keep up with it. I guess I just don't have that much to say. I only hope that you (whoever you are out there reading this) use an RSS reader so that you can see when I do post again. Not that I say anything much.

Anyway, I wanted to share this kick-ass recipe we fixed last night. It has such a strange mixture of ingredients that it really intrigued me. The original recipe didn't call for shrimp, but anytime I can sneak shrimp onto my plate is all right by me! Since I had all of the ingredients on hand (well... except for the lime.. I had to go buy one), I decided to give this a try and am I glad I did. Sorry about the shitty picture. I wish I knew how to take better pictures. A tip of the hat to BRENDAJST over at All Recipes.

Asparagus Angel Hair Pasta

1 (16 oz.) package angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and chopped
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 lb. shrimp, cooked and peeled
1 (14.5 oz. ) can chicken broth (you could substitute all or part of this with white wine)
1 tsp. dried dill weed
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed (I only used one)
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup shredded queso asadero (white Mexican cheese) (didn't have any - used Kraft 5 Cheese Italian Blend)

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 or 4 minutes until al dente; drain.

2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and tomatoes, stirring to coat. Pour in the broth and continue cooking uncovered 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced to half. Add the shrimp and warm through.

3. Place the pasta in a large bowl and toss with the asparagus, shrimp and tomato mixture. Season with dill and pepper. In a separate bowl mix the avocados, lime juice and garlic powder together until blended.

4. Serve pasta with a dollop of the avocado mixture and top with shredded cheese.

Free Form Apple Pie

Inspired by Ivonne’s Apple Crostata, and because I had three Braeburn apples to use up, I decided to make my own version of free-form apple pie. I think I’ll call it:

Sally’s Free Form Apple Pie

- Apples (I had three Braeburns)
- Pre-formed pie crust (I had one of the Pillsbury ready made pie crusts left over from my chicken pot pie the other day. What the heck – it was better than I could have made.)
- Flour (about 2 or 3 tablespoons)
- White sugar (about 2 or 3 tablespoons, depending on how sour your apples are)
- Brown sugar (about a tablespoon)
- Salt (a pinch)
- Cinnamon (about 2 teaspoons)
- Allspice (about 1 teaspoon - I didn’t have apple pie spice or I would have used that)
- Nuts (about a handful, chopped – I thought I grabbed the walnuts from the freezer but got the pecans instead. It was still good.)
- Raisins (about a handful - because Q wasn't here, and I could)
- Butter (about half a stick, cut up and scattered over the top of the filling)

Line a baking sheet with tin foil, spray it with Pam and unroll your pie crust on that. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl (except the butter) and spoon onto the crust. Put the butter slices on top. Bring the sides up together as close as you can. I did use an egg wash because I wanted the crust to stick together, but I imagine a little water would do the same thing. Then I brushed the rest of the pie with the egg wash.

Cook in a 350 degree F oven for about an hour or until the crust is browned nicely.

Man! Was this sucker good! DH is already begging me for another. I think I want to make something chocolate next though. Anyway, this couldn’t be easier. I hope you give it a try.

P.S.
Sorry I don't have an image of the finished product. In an effort to try and take better pictures, I turned off the flash and just tried using natural light. Therefore the picture didn't come out as it was dark by the time we ate it. Some day I'm going to learn how to use this camera!

The Chronicles of Narnia

Today I bought “The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”. Ostensively it was for my grandson, but I knew I wanted to own it the minute I heard they were making the movie. I’ve loved the Chronicles of Narnia books for years and years. I read the series long ago, when all I’d ever read was Science Fiction and Fantasy. C.S. Lewis’ story about Narnia is an engrossing read and I urge you to pick up the books and give them a try.

I’ve heard this book and movie is an allegory for Jesus Christ but I’m not seeing that. It’s a fantasy for cripes’ sake. ALL fantasies use good vs. evil as their main plot lines. But, symbolism aside, it’s a heck of a watch. The special effects are amazing, the costumes brilliant, the acting (by the main characters) compelling and the story line extremely satisfying. It had me crying and laughing in all the right parts. The battle scenes were a little frightening for young ones. But if they liked Harry Potter, then they’ll like this because good triumphs over evil in the end. It kept DH awake for the whole movie, and that's a plus.

It was a good movie and I’m glad I bought it to add to Q’s collection. It's escapism at its finest and I only hope they make the rest of the series into movies.

P.S.

That does NOT, however, including baking. Baking is pure chemistry. I don't mess with chemistry. ;)

My Life - Part 2

When we moved into the Peterson house, Mom immediately remodeled the kitchen then promptly stopped using it. Oh, she didn't completely stop cooking. She still made breakfast... sometimes... on a Sunday. And I'm sure she must have made suppers occasionally, too. I just don't remember them. Since we were two doors down from the nursing home all lunches were eaten there. Mostly I remember eating out every day. If not at the nursing home, then at a local cafe.

Mom was so anal about her new kitchen that she wouldn't let me cook anything. I finally begged her enough that she did let me make cookies at around age 13 or so. But I was given strict instructions not to "mess up" her kitchen, or else! Then she left and went to the nursing home. Luckily I could read and follow the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag for Toll House Cookies.

So, slowly (very slowly) and carefully I made my first batch of cookies. Heeding my Mother's warning, I would use a measuring cup or spoon, wash it, dry it, put it away.... then get it back out for the next ingredient! THAT is how I baked for years afterwards. I swear to God. Luckily that piece of perfectionism finally fell away. I can now wait to wash my utensils until after I'm done. (But... ahem... I do have three measuring cups, four sets of measuring spoons, dozens of spatulas and lots of mixing bowls. OK, so I'm anal too.)

When I was around 18 years old, the cook quit - right before serving dinner. Mom turned to me and said "Get in there and serve - you're taking her place." (I might have had something to do with the cook walking out... I can't remember...) Then she promptly walked out the door! (Do you see a pattern here?) Talk about "baptism by fire". Luckily our other cook was a real gem. (Thank you, Nyda Gleason.) Since I didn't know the first thing about cooking, she taught me everything. Basically, when serving 40 people, you just open up bigger cans. (That's a joke...) The hardest part of cooking for 40 is getting everything done at the same time for serving. I still struggle with that aspect, but it doesn't make me cry anymore.

I worked as a cook at the nursing home for about three years off and on and grew to really love it. I would start about 4:30 a.m. getting whatever meat we were serving ready to go into the oven by 7:00, then make and serve breakfast. After breakfast, I'd do the dishes and start on the sides to serve at lunch as well as the dessert. We served lunch at 11:30 (I would dish up and the aides would deliver) and I would help feed those that needed help. After lunch I'd do the dishes (again) and get supper ready and in the refrigerator for the night shift to serve. Maybe it was just soup and a sandwich, or maybe it was a casserole. This was where I learned that literally anything can be made into soup. The night ladies were responsible for putting it in the oven and serving it. Then I would clean up and scrub the kitchen floor. By 2:00 I was out of there. It was exhausting and exhilarating all at the same time. And it was the best way EVER to learn how to cook.

It was during this time that I had an epiphany. There are only three ways to prepare a meal: boiling, frying or baking (roasting). That's it! Everything else is just flavoring. What herbs and/or spices you use or what gravy or sauce you put over it gave each recipe it's unique flavor. What region of the world you live in determines what spices, herbs or sauce you use depending on the ingredients you have available. I learned to smell a spice before using it. I knew what my meat tasted like with just salt and pepper on it, so how would this stuff taste on it.

That's when I stopped depending on cookbooks for my recipes. Not completely mind you, just mostly. Today, I cannot follow a recipe exactly. Maybe it's just because I don't have an ingredient listed. Or maybe I just think that adding this one thing would be good. (Like those tomatoes that are spoiling in the 'fridge.) This doesn't make me a bad person. This just makes me a cook. And that's all I'll ever be - just a cook. ("I'm Harry... just Harry") (Sorry, Harry Potter overload from the grandson.) I'm not a gourmand. My taste buds just aren't that discerning. But I'm a damned good cook! And I have my Mom to thank for that. Even though she was of the "sink or swim" school of teaching, in her heart she knew I had it in me. I think she would be proud of me now. Thanks, Mom.

Sesquicentennial

This year West Bend is celebrating its Sesquicentennial. The preparations have been going on for at least two years, but the frenzy of getting the town ready for the celebration started really cranking up in '05. I have tried to keep myself aloof from most of the activities as I am not a native West Bender. But, since this is a really small town and they do need all the help they can get, I did volunteer to help put together the cookbook that is being published for this event. I think it will be really interesting - especially if you or your family lived in West Bend. You can find more information about the cookbook and all related Sesqui activities on their website, which I have linked to above.

This weekend I have been busy proofing the recipes from the publisher. This entails going through each of the 800-some recipes printed and comparing them to the original submitted recipe to check for mistakes and/or misspellings. (I didn't do all 800! I only did about 100 or so.) Since I was forced to read each recipe word-for-word I was struck by how the instructions differed from generation to generation. Generally, the older the submitter, the fewer the instructions. I think they just assumed that you would know what to do with the ingredients they gave! For instance:

Boston Salad
Submitted by Jean Balgeman Shey

1 small pkg. orange jello
1 small pkg. lemon jello
2 or 3 bananas
1 can crushed pineapple (2 cups)
1 can mandarin oranges
1 can apricots drained

"Topping"
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbl. flour
1 egg

Cook and cool and add small container of Cool Whip.

Dissolve jello in 3 1/2 cups boiling water. Add rest of ingredients and put in 9 x 13 pan.

And this is just the recipe I copied (because I want to try it this week). There were others that were even more vague. (By the way - I AM going to buy the cookbook too. Just in case anyone was thinking I was "stealing" Ms. Shey's recipe!)

It started me thinking about my post regarding the "dumbing down" of cooking terms. We "older" citizens just know what to do with the ingredients listed. But I wonder if some of the younger purchasers of this book will know. Most of the younger submitters gave detailed, step-by-step instructions with their recipes. It was kind of annoying, actually. I'm sure they copied it exactly how they found it, but come on! I know how to turn my oven on!

When we closed the nursing home in 1986 I "inherited" the recipe box. There were many, many hand-written recipes in there, written on index cards or scraps of paper. Most gave scant instructions, like the following:

Escalloped Potatoes & Corn
(This looks like my MOM'S handwriting!!!!!)

3 potatoes
1 c cream corn
2 c milk
1/2 lb. sausage
salt
pepper

Alternate potatoes and corn. Add milk, sausage, salt and pepper. Bake 1 hr. 350.

There you have it. Would you know that you're supposed to brown the sausage first? Or how to cut up the potatoes so they cook in an hour? I do, because I've cooked potatoes before. But would a 20-something working mother know? I wonder.

This cookbook should be interesting. Some of the recipes I've seen look fabulous, if for no other reason than they've been handed down from generation to generation. I can't wait to try them! And, while I'm at it, I think I'll give Mom's recipe a try too.

Blackened Shrimp Stroganoff

Everyone in my family LOVES shrimp. In the summer, when we're grilling out, we often thaw out about a dozen precooked shrimp and eat shrimp cocktail while the steaks are cooking. Even Quinten, our 6 yr. old grandson, loves shrimp. Of course, he has a very advanced palate for his age. He's loved Brie cheese forever, and his favorite sandwich is avocado, sprouts and hummus! (Blech!) So, for supper last night I fixed this:

Boy, was it good! I had a package of jumbo Tiger Shrimp to use, but any size would be good. As you can see, it makes lots of sauce to go with your noodles and the flavor was wonderful. Here's the recipe:

Blackened Shrimp Stroganoff

1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tblsp. olive oil

1 tblsp. Cajun seasoning (didn't have any, used Cookie's Spicy Seasoning + garlic powder)

6 oz. fettuccini pasta

1 tblsp. butter (yea, riiiight - more like 4 or 5)

3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 tblsp. chopped shallots (I used green onions)

2/3 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tblsp. cornstarch

1 cup chicken broth

1 (7 oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers

1 tblsp. drained capers

1. Combine peeled shrimp, oil and Cajun seasoning in a medium bowl; set aside. (I let mine sit and marinate for about 2 hrs.)

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in a large frying pan. Cook and stir mushrooms and shallot in butter until tender. Remove from pan. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Removed from pan. add 2/3 cup chicken broth to pan and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until reduced to 1/4 cup (2 to 3 minutes).

4. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and cornstarch; mix in 1 cup of chicken broth. Stir into reduced chicken broth in the pan. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook 1 minute more. Stir in shrimp, mushroom mixture, roasted red peppers and capers. Heat through and season to taste. Serve over pasta.

Thanks to Linda Johnson on AllRecipes.com. Enjoy.

The Dumbing Down of Cooks

Both Kate of Accidental Hedonist and Elise of Simply Recipes wrote about and linked to this article in the Washington Post. The articles, as well as their respective comments, are well thought-out and informative. Basically, publishers and food companies feel that today's average cooks can't tell an egg from a peach and are thinking about removing terms such as "dredge" or "fold" from cooking instructions.

I've often said that if a depression or other life-altering incident were to happen in today's world, thousands (including my daughter) would starve to death. To catch, kill, skin and cook a rabbit or squirrel is simply beyond their abilities. If it's not in a box at the grocery store or on a menu somewhere, they're sunk. I realize this is a sweeping generalization, and doesn't hold true to all people everywhere. But for many people the lack of knowledge to feed themselves goes way beyond knowing how to braise or deglaze.

From the article:

"We're now two generations into a lack of culinary knowledge being passed down from our parents," said Richard Ruben, a New York cooking teacher ...

and he's right. My mother never allowed me to be in the kitchen while she cooked as I was just "in the way". Everything I've learned over the years either came from a cookbook or from experience (read "failure").

I can't remember Great-Aunt Della ever owning a cookbook. And I doubt she knew she was "deglazing the pan" when she scraped up all the good bits of chicken on the bottom of the skillet while making her gravy. She (and I) cook by smell, feel, taste and memory. The cookie dough just "felt" right to her, but she couldn't tell you how many cups of flour it had in it. And that old hen would taste much better stewed than roasted. Experience was her teacher, as it has been for countless others. I'm sure that her mother taught her much as a young girl. That's how most people used to learn how to cook. Terms just were not that important, the final product was the destination.

That's the true sorrow here. The fact that the more experienced in the family aren't teaching the less experienced the nuances of cooking (whatever the term). Anyone can pick up a cookbook and learn to cook from that - I did. What's missing is the loving hand guiding us through the most basic of tasks, like beating an egg with a fork prior to adding it to your dough. Experience, my friends, is always the best teacher. Cookbooks are useful for branching out - trying something new and out of the ordinary. (Like this Iowan trying to make the perfect jambalaya or enchiladas.) But nothing can replace your mother showing you why it's important to dust the counter with flour before rolling out that pie crust.

Publishers and food companies can use whatever fancy terms they want for basic cooking. It's still just scraping up the good bits for making your gravy.

Irish Soda Bread

Yesterday I fixed my St. Patty's Day corned beef and cabbage and I wanted to do something "new" to go with it. So I decided to make Irish soda bread. It's been a loooooong time since I've baked anything; and an even longer time since I've made bread. I don't count the bread machine bread because I'm not really "making" it. But this recipe is so simple and so good I just had to share it.

Irish Soda Bread

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 pint sour cream
1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.

2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, sour cream and raisins and mix until just combined. Distribute batter evenly between the two pans.

3. Bake loaves at 325 degrees F for 1 hour.

That's it. Simple and tasty. Oh, and for a great corned beef, try putting it in the crock pot with about a cup of brown sugar on it and pour a Michelob Amber Bock over all. Let it cook for about 7 hrs. on low and it just falls apart. Great flavor too. I hope you give these two recipes a try.

Enjoy!

Chili

For the last two years DH and I have been in a local Chili Cookoff here in town. When you think about it, the idea of a bunch of Iowans trying to make the "best" Texas style chili is a little silly. But it's something to do on the down-side of winter and another excuse to party. So I guess that can't be all bad.

In my experience chili can be divided into two categories: "with beans" or "without beans". According to legend, chili originated with the cowboys (maybe in Texas) and they didn't use no stinkin' beans. I was always under the impression that beans made up the staple cowboy diet, so I would think that the first chili cooker would have probably thrown a handful of beans into the mess that has come to be known as chili. If for no other reason than to have it go further to feed everyone hungry. DH and I come down on the side of beans. We prefer our chili to have some beans in it for the flavor and texture it brings to the soup.

And that's another distinction that divides or confuses people. Is chili a soup? Or is it something you put over your hotdog? To me, chili is a soup made to be eaten in a bowl with a spoon. I sure as hell don't want it over rice. As you might have noticed, I use AllRecipes.com a lot. I really like reading the comments and ratings on the recipes and I am continually amazed when people say it's "too runny" or some such thing. I agree that I want my chili to have some body, but that comes when you reheat it the next day. You eat chili with a spoon not a fork! I wish there were a way to distinguish chili "soup" and chili "gravy".

ANYWAY.... I've gotten off topic here a little...for the last two years we've made the following recipe for the Chili Cookoff. We didn't win either time, but that's understandable as you will see when you look at the recipe. Why we made it two years in a row is beyond me - probably a stupid thing to do. We thought maybe new judges would view it differently. We wanted to make something a little "different", a little out of the ordinary. I think it was too out of the ordinary for most people. Although we really like this soup, most people were put off by the cauliflower. (Except of course for little Jordan who ate like six bowls of it!)

Here is the recipe - sorry, no pictures:

Beef and Sausage Stew

1 tblsp. olive oil
1 lb. sausage (meat pushed out of casing) (I used chorizo - that's what makes this spicy)
1 lb. stew meat
1 14 oz. can beef broth
2 tblsp. tomato paste
1 10 oz. pkg. white mushrooms, quartered
2 celery stalks, sliced thinly
2 cubes beef bullion
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1 head cauliflower, halved, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 4 cups)
1 tblsp. minced garlic
1 tblsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce (about 4 shakes)

1. In a skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil; brown sausage and stew meat until thoroughly cooked; drain off fat and set aside.

2. Whisk together the beef broth and tomato paste in the slow cooker crock. Add all remaining ingredients as well as cooked meat and stir together.

3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hr. Stir well before serving.

I looked up the definition of chili before using this and it said chili was a soup made with various peppers. So I figured "hey! Its got black pepper in it!" and it would qualify. I imagine if I would have tried this in Texas they would have booted me out of the building!

So, we're looking for a new recipe to use at this year's Chili Cookoff. Keeping in mind that the final result can have no beans in it, I've been trying various recipes to see how each would hold up under the "no beans" rule. Is it good enough to stand on its own? Today I'm making the following recipe. It's cold and snowy, so I figured it would be a perfect day to try it. I'll have to let you know if this is "IT" - the ultimate Chili Cookoff Contest Winner.

The Ultimate Chili

1 lb. lean ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
3 15 oz. cans dark red kidney beans (I used 2 of Mrs. Grimes Chili Beans)
3 14.5 oz. cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (I used Rotel)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped (I used a combination of red, yellow and green)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tblsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried basil
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine

1. Brown ground beef until evenly browned (I threw in a half an onion, too). Drain off grease and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. In a slow cooker, combine the cooked beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, celery, bell pepper and red wine vinegar. Season with chili powder, cumin, parsley, basil and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly.

3. Cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 hours. Pour in the wine during the last 2 hours.

And here's what it looks like -


Yum!

Dustin's Party

Yesterday was Dustin's going away party. He's joined the Air Force and leaves for basic training today. I'm so proud of him! He's turned out to be a fine young man in spite of the "mail box incident". He was part of the West Bend/Mallard juggernaut that won the State football championship this past year. And, up until last week when the Air Force signed him on, he was a student at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge majoring in Auto (and motorcycle) Mechanics. His decision to join the Air Force was based mainly on his desire to get a good technical training while seeing some of this world. His parents back him 100% in his decision and everyone is extremely happy for him (except maybe Amy, his girlfriend).

To celebrate his new career his parents threw a party for him. Family and friends ate, drank, laughed and visited all day. His dad made a BBQ pork loin that was to die for. His aunt made her famous Cheesy Potatoes. Jackie brought four (!!) pies. Sister Nicole even joined in the spirit and made a chocolate cream pie. (Way to go, Nicole!) Deb brought a salad of cherry tomatoes and cucumbers which made us look wistfully out the window at the March wind-driven, cold, rain-before-the-snow (the blizzard is raging outside now...) and talk about the gardens we're going to plant this year. Bettina made BBQ Meatballs, Baked Beans, Green Bean Salad and a really good cheeseball. And I brought this Spinach Dip in a bread bowl as well as a fruit dip (which I didn't get a picture of).

This isn't a very good picture of it as I took it right before loading it into the car to head over to the party. From the reactions at the party, I guess everyone liked it. I thought it was pretty good, too. I didn't make the bread though - I bought it at Hy-Vee. But, hey! I tried something new and it was a hit! So, I thought I'd share the recipe with whoever is interested. It's from Shawna over at AllRecipes.com.

Best Spinach Dip Ever

1 cup mayonnaise
1 (16 oz.) container sour cream
1 (1.8 oz.) package dry leek soup mix
1 (4 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1/2 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (I used the whole thing.)
1 loaf round bread (Sourdough, rye, whatever. I used pesto.)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, dry leek soup mix, water chestnuts and chopped spinach. Chill in the refrigerator 6 hours or overnight.

2. Remove the top and interior of the bread. Fill with spinach mixture. Tear removed bread chunks into pieces for dipping.

Weekend Cookbook Challenge

Alicat and Sara have cooked up a fun challenge over at Weekend Cookbook Challenge. Challenge No. 3 (which just ended) was "Something Orange". That's it. You had to make something orange (in color, at least) and submit it, along with a photo, to them for posting. Check out the entries - amazing!

Now I really regret giving away most of my cookbooks in a "decluttering" fit of hormone-induced cleaning. I gave three bookshelves (about 50-60 books) to my daughter to use or give to friends and charities. And there were some in there that I'd had and used for years! Now I'll never be able to replace them. Damn.

Their next challenge is Easter Breakfast/Brunch. Maybe I'll even be brave enough to enter! I wonder what "Treasures and Measures of West Bend" has in it.... hmmmmm....

Food and Feminism

Barbara over at Tigers & Strawberries had an extremely interesting post. I urge you to click on the link and read her wonderful article, along with the thought-provoking comments. In responding to her commenters, Barbara said something that really hit home with me. She said "...when there is unvalued work to be done in the household, the lower-status individual is the one to whom it falls."

For years (and even sometimes now) I was resentful and angry that household "chores" fell upon my shoulders. I'd just worked an 8 hr. day too and would like nothing better than to flop in front of the television set with a cold beer while someone made supper. Then, after supper go back to the living room for some more tube time while someone cleaned up the kitchen. No matter how much bitching and complaining I did, it never changed. Even through 3 (!) husbands. Both husband #1 and husband #2 were better cooks than me (much better in the case of #2), so why was I the one standing in front of the open refrigerator at 5:30 wonder just what the hell I was going to have for supper?

(In the case of husband #3, his idea of lunch is Oscar Meyer Bologna and French's Mustard on white bread with Campbell's Tomato Soup! For him, there's a reason why I cook all of the meals. And (bless his heart) he cleans up the kitchen after supper. Third time's the charm, I guess.)

If my work has value in the workplace, why doesn't it in the home? Is this just the male mindset? It's both our home, so why am I the one to have to: cook, clean, do laundry, mow the lawn, take the pets to the vet, put the doorknob back on the door again, plant the garden, make the appointments for the car service, hair cuts, doctor's visits, etc., etc., etc. Is it beneath a man's dignity to pick up dog poop, socks on the floor, towels on the chair? And yes I know, lots of men do lots of these things. Even DH does some of them.

My point is that all of these "chores" have value. They keep your home and your life clean and smooth running. Instead of being delegated to the least valued individual, it should be a priority for the entire household. Work shared is work halved. I heard that somewhere, and it's so true.

Clay Pot Chicken

Several years ago my niece gave me a Romertopf Clay Baker for Christmas. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. Sure I'd heard of clay pot cooking, but I never, ever thought of actually buying one. But, I thought, what the heck - it's a low-fat, healthy way of cooking, so why not give it a try. After making my first chicken in it, I've never roasted chicken any other way. As you can see, my clay pot has been used a bunch. In all honesty, chicken is the only thing I make in it even though the recipe brochure that came with it claims you can bake a cake in one. I doubt if a chicken-flavored chocolate cake would be all that yummy.

The first time I used the pot the lid cracked (see^^). I was devastated. We really liked that chicken! So I contacted the company and learned that I couldn't get just a replacement lid and would have to buy the whole thing brand new. I thought, forget that - I didn't want the damn thing to begin with! So I just used it with the cracked lid and I haven't noticed any difference in the performance of the pot or the flavor of the bird.

Here's how you use it:

Soak the pot in a sink full of water. (The instructions say to soak for about 15 minutes - I soak mine for at least an hour. I figure longer is better - right?) After preparing your food, place it in the pot and put the pot in a cold oven and gradually raise the temperature to what you want to cook it at. (Since I have a new gas oven that has a pre-heat feature, I skip this part and just turn it to 450 degrees.) 85 minutes later, I have a perfect roast chicken. (See? I'm making stock from the bones right now.)

Here's the recipe:

• 3 lb. chicken
• salt and pepper
• 1 yellow onion
• parsley
• celery tops
• 2 tablespoon. melted butter (optional)
• thyme
• white wine (optional)
• small vegetables (potatoes, carrots, turnips, etc.)

Wash the chicken and rub the inside with salt and pepper. Place the onion, parsley sprigs and celery tops in the cavity. Place in bottom of pot and brush with melted butter, if desired. (You really, really don't need to do this. It gets plenty brown without and you sure don't need any more fat.) Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Wine may be added for flavor. Place vegetables around chicken. Sprinkle all with minced parsley. Cover pot and place in a cold oven. Bake at 450 degrees F for about 85 minutes. If you prefer a very crisp chicken, remove the pot from the oven after 85 minutes. Take the vegetables out and pour the pot juices into a saucepan for gravy making. Then return the pot and chicken (without the lid) to the oven for crisping. (Again, I never do this as I feel it gets crisp enough without this step.)

And that's it! Easy and delicious. The only hard part is figuring out where to store the darn thing. It is so fragile when it's dry any bump could shatter it. I keep mine wrapped in tea towels at the very top of my cupboard where I have to use a step stool to retrieve it. I've had, and used, mine for years now and I'm certainly glad Cassy thought to give it to me. I know you're not going to run out and buy a clay pot cooker, but if you should get one as a gift some day, thank the giver profusely and use it! I think you'll agree that it is a wonderful way to cook.

Enjoy!