Pioneer Woman's Pot Roast

Before I even get started, let me state that I (generally) don't like beef.  I don't eat hamburgers and I prefer to use turkey in my meatballs instead of ground beef.  I don't even like steak.  It's just the way I am.  I can't help it.

With all that said, I really enjoyed this pot roast.  And yes, it's a beef pot roast.  Special shout out to The Pioneer Woman for putting me on to this recipe.  It was easy (although I learned that beef is more expensive than poultry or pork) and my husband thought he had forgotten our anniversary when I put this meal on the table.  (He's a meat-eater who got stuck with a white meat-loving spouse.)  It was just that good.  I've also served this pot roast for company and it went over really well.  It made at least eight servings, but I'm sure the leftovers would be delicious on sandwiches.

Four pounds of thick, marbled beef... a rare purchase for me.

It takes about 30 minutes to chop and brown the necessary ingredients, then you place the entire pot in the oven for at least four hours.  Your house will smell amazing and you can go on with your day.  I like to do this on the weekend when I have work to do and it's great knowing that my dinner is in the oven simmering away.  I didn't do this in a slow cooker (the original recipe calls for the oven, so I stuck to the recipe), but maybe you could use the slow cooker and get the same results.

Carrots and onions, ready to be browned in the pot.

Ready for a four hour excursion in my oven... the house already smelled amazing!

There's no need for me to re-print this recipe since I made it exactly as shown on The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  Red wine is optional and I used it in the recipe.  I popped open a nice Cab and then served the rest with dinner.  Also, make sure you splurge and use fresh herbs.  I really think fresh thyme and rosemary makes a difference in this one.

It felt good to branch out and try a recipe that isn't in my normal repertoire.  I also felt great to make this completely from scratch without using any processed ingredients.  If you have 30 minutes of hands-on time, plus a few hours at home, you can make this pot roast.

Want the recipe?  Get it here.

Serve with mashed potatoes and the vegetables... all is right in the world.

Making the Switch

So I disappeared for a week... for a good reason!  After much consideration I've finally decided to invest in a MacBook Pro, so I'm in the process of learning the difference between my old PC and this new Mac.  I'm very excited about my new computer, but it's still very new (I just moved all of my photos over, but they are organized differently).  I'll be back with a recipe very, very soon.  I just wanted to let you know I'm still here and I'm still cooking.  You can blame this on my iPhone.  It got me addicted to Apple products!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

What are your plans for Thanksgiving?  As much as I love to cook and bake, I've never had the pleasure of hosting Thanksgiving at our home.  I'm looking forward to being able to host a nice sit-down dinner once we have a home with a dining room, but in the meantime, I'm contributing to two other family feasts.

I'll be making Yeast Rolls, Sweet Potato Pie, and macaroni and cheese (I just realized I need to share a recipe for a classic mac & cheese... coming soon!).  Sweet Potato Pie is the single most popular recipe on this blog.  I learned this recipe from my grandmom and I made sure I finally wrote it down with exact measurements so I could guarantee that great taste every single year.  We used to just estimate the ingredients, but it's been really helpful for me to write it all down.  If you've never had a Sweet Potato Pie, give it a try sometime this season!

While sweet potato pie looks like pumpkin pie it's a bit heavier and thicker.  I also season mine with less spice than is common in pumpkin pie.  I like a fresh, slightly-sweet, slightly-citrusy flavor.

I've also been snacking on one of my favorite winter fruits all week:  clementines.

My obsession with all things citrus (especially clementines and pink grapefruits) started in college.  I'll be eating many, many clementines this year, especially when you can pick up box for less than $5.  They're perfectly sized for a quick snack, seedless and the peels make a great freshener for your garbage disposal.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!  Hope you have safe travels (if you're traveling) and great meals.  If I can get my house cleaned up over the weekend I'm looking forward to putting up our Christmas decorations!

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

My canning obsession continues, so here's a post for a large batch of cranberry sauce that you can preserve in jars (my favorite method) or cut in half and still have way too much for your average Thanksgiving dinner.  I'm a fan of preservation because I take a few hours on a weekend and I have homemade stuff for at least a year.  I think this is the easiest canning recipe I've made so far because cranberries don't need to be sliced or peeled.

I made this cranberry sauce during my snowy Halloween weekend canning date with Jennifer.  (I also made delicious Ginger Pear Preserves that I've learned are delicious on a cracker with brie, but that's another story.)

Okay, you start with cranberries...

Mix the cranberries with water, sugar and orange zest...

Cook them...

Ladle into jars...

Boil the jars...

And that's it!  You have cranberry sauce that will last you until fall/winter 2012 (if you don't eat it all!).  Think beyond Thanksgiving for cranberry sauce.  I like mine on my Stuffed French Toast.  I'll be cracking open my first jar (or two) this week for Thanksgiving dinner (and probably using it as a topping on waffles for breakfast over the weekend!).

(And if you follow the recipe closely, your cranberry sauce won't have little air bubbles like mine!)

I know I keep saying this, but canning is pretty easy.  It just takes patience, clean jars, and a few big pots.  Every time I open a jar of preserved fruit or vegetables I feel so proud.  I know exactly what I'm eating and so far everything I've made myself tastes better than the version from the store.  (If you don't know anything about canning, start by checking out this site.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
from Ball (I bought the book... well worth the money)
yield 4 pints or 8 half pint jars (I used half pints)

4 cups granulated sugar
4 cups water
8 cups fresh cranberries (about 2 lb)
Grated zest of 1 large orange, optional
4 (16 oz) pint or 8 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands
Directions:
1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) COMBINE sugar and water in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil hard for 5 minutes. Add cranberries and return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until all berries burst and liquid begins to sheet from a metal spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in orange zest, if using, during the last few minutes of cooking.
3.) LADLE hot cranberry sauce into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot cranberry sauce. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
4.) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Half Recipe
Makes about 2 (16 oz) pints or 4 (8 oz) half pints
You will need:

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
4 cups fresh cranberries (about 1 lb)
Grated zest of 1/2 large orange, optional
2 (16 oz) pint or 4 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands
Directions:
1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) COMBINE sugar and water in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil hard for 5 minutes. Add cranberries and return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until all berries burst and liquid begins to sheet from a metal spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in orange zest, if using, during the last few minutes of cooking.
3.) LADLE hot cranberry sauce into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot cranberry sauce. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
4.) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Chunky Chili

I have a confession:  Until recently I never successfully made chili from scratch.  I tried, but I never got the balance of spices and the consistency right, so I relied on (gasp!) pre-packaged seasoning mixes.  

I had a taste for chili this past Sunday, but I wasn't in the mood to go back to the grocery store for a box of pre-packaged chili seasonings, so I decided to make up my own recipe.  The funny thing is that this recipe isn't even that complicated, unusual, or elaborate, but it tastes great and it convinced me that I won't be needing my chili training wheels anymore.

Several of the ingredients for this recipe were sitting in cans in my pantry:  black beans, small red beans, Ro-Tel, and tomato sauce.  Before I go any further, I acknowledge that some people think that chili with beans is just wrong.  I respect that opinion, but my family loves beans and I beans are healthy and low-fat, so I added tons of beans.  I also went to town on the veggies by adding bell peppers, onions and Ro-Tel (a canned mixture of tomatoes and green chiles that I can't believe I didn't know about until adulthood).

I opted for a mixture of ground turkey and ground beef because I don't really like beef and I knew I could get the beefy taste that most people want with a blend of ground meats simmered in beef stock.  The result?  This is some good chili! My only complaint is that it could be spicier, but you could remedy that by adding a chopped jalapeno or adding a bit more cayenne pepper.  A word of caution:  this recipe has enough salty ingredients that I opted not to add any salt.  I suggest you prepare the recipe as stated and then add salt to taste, if necessary.

I made a big pot (8-10 servings) on Sunday afternoon, let it simmer until dinnertime, and I plan to enjoy the leftovers for lunch at work.  I've also successfully frozen chili in the past, so that's an option, too.  I like my chili with tortilla chips or grilled cheese or on nachos.  How do you like your chili?  Are you a beans or no beans person?  Is there a food that you love to eat, but haven't mastered?

Chunky Chili
a Keeley original
8-10 servings


1 large onion, diced
1 fresh bell pepper (I used red, green would work, too), diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 14-ounce can Ro-Tel (original flavor)
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can small red or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 cups low-sodium beef stock
2 Tablespoons corn flour (Masa, look for it in the Hispanic/Latino aisle) dissolved in 1/3 cup warm water

Add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large pot or Dutch oven.  Heat to medium and saute onions and peppers for 3-5 minutes, or until softened.  Add in garlic and saute for another minute, stirring constantly.

Add ground turkey and ground beef and increase heat to medium high.  Cook, stirring frequently to break up the meat, for 8-10 minutes or until meat is cooked through.  Drain any excess liquid or fat from the pot.

Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and cinnamon to the meat.  Stir to combine.

Add tomato sauce, beef broth, beans, and Ro-Tel to the pot.  Stir to combine.

Pour masa mixture into the pot and stir to combine.

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste for seasonings and serve hot or refrigerate and reheat later.

Smitten Kitchen Apple Cake

A little over a year ago a friend introduced me to a great food blog called Smitten Kitchen.  Deb, the blogger, shares her culinary creations from her tiny New York City kitchen and I've been trying several of her recipes and I agree with her taste (most of the time!).  She even has a cookbook in the making and I'll definitely be buying it.

I noticed her apple cake recipe a while back and I immediately made it for my family.  Despite the fact that I made this fall-ish cake in the middle of July, we all loved it and I went ahead and made it again this fall.  It has the dense texture of a pound cake but the moist, fruity goodness of chunky fresh apples.  I agree with Deb that this cake is "so much better than the sum of its parts".  You probably have everything  you need to bake this cake in your house right now... so go ahead and bake it!  It's good for dessert and I'll admit that I even ate some of the leftover slices with coffee in the morning.

This cake is very sturdy, so you can absolutely make it a day in advance of serving and it would also travel well for say... Thanksgiving (which is two weeks away!).

I didn't make any changes to the original recipe, so if you'd like to try this cake, head on over to Smitten Kitchen for the recipe.

Ginger Pear Preserves

  

I thought my adventures in food preservation were over once the cold weather hit, but I realized that fall brings more fruits for preserving.  Apples, pears, cranberries and citrus fruits are all in season during the cooler months and make excellent ingredients for jams, chutneys, spreads and preserves.

My friend Jennifer and I spent this past snowy Saturday canning three recipes, including these Ginger Pear Preserves.  The finished product is thick and golden with a slightly tart taste from the limes.  The combination of ginger and citrus is subtle and refreshing.  Plus, preserves are easy to make!  You dump the ingredients into a pot, cook them for a specified amount of time, then pour them into prepared jars and process according to the recipe.

My only complaint is that the recipe only yielded 3 half-pint jars.  My book cautioned against doubling a recipe (may not cook properly), but this is a really small yield!  The preserves were great, though, and I think you'll enjoy them.  Since the yield was smaller than expected you could even make this recipe without canning the preserves since you could probably just store in in the fridge and consume it within 30 days.

I'm planning to use the preserves on wheat toast, English muffins or as a filling for some Christmas cookies!  If you're new to canning, Ball has some great resources to get you started.  (I wasn't paid or perked by Ball, but I do love their recipes and they taught me a lot about canning!)

Ginger Pear Preserves
recipe yield says 7 half-pint jars, but I ended up with half that yield
from Ball

5-1/2 cups finely chopped cored peeled pears (about 8 medium)
Grated zest and juice of 3 limes
2-1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 Tbsp freshly grated gingerroot
7 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) COMBINE pears, lime zest and juice, sugar and gingerroot in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and test gel. If preserves break from spoon in a sheet or flake, it is at the gel stage. Skim off foam. If your mixture has not reached the gel stage, return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 5 minutes. Repeat gel stage test and cooking as needed.
3.) LADLE hot preserves into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
4.) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.