Cooking Lessons Continue

Next on the menu are Comfort BBQ Meatballs. *sigh* More meat. I'm sensing a theme here and I'm not exactly sure what it means.


First you need to put about a pound to a pound and a half of ground beef in a bowl and then add your oats.


Then add a cup of milk


Then you need to finely chop some onion. Not too much. A couple of tablespoons will do. Now add that to the bowl.


Oh yeah. Don't forget the salt and pepper. Son, that seems like an awkward way to put salt in a bowl. Is your hand on backwards or something?


Now give it a stir. Mmmm, oatmeal cookies. Oops, sorry forgot where I was there for a moment.


Roll the meat mixture into little balls and refrigerate for about 45 minutes, so that they firm up a bit. Otherwise, they will fall apart when you try to brown them.


Once those little meatballs are cold give them a roll in some flour, just enough to lightly coat the outside.


Place the flour coated meatballs in a skillet and brown on all sides.


Work in small batches. If you learn nothing from Julia Child, learn this, do not crowd the pan. Transfer the browned meatballs to a casserole dish.


Once you've got the meatballs all browned, make the sauce. You'll need ketchup, sugar, white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and some more finely diced onions.


Pour the sauce over the meatballs and wish for better lighting in the kitchen. The meatballs look a little yellow. Moving on.


Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.


While you are waiting for the meatballs to cook, clean up your mess. Mom doesn't like a messy kitchen.


This cute, little creature will be happy to help you clean up the floors.


And just to balance out all this meat, here is what I had for dinner. Pappardelle with spiced butter.

My son could eat his weight in these sweet and tangy meatballs. Try them. You'll like them.

My Daily Walk

There is a wonderful walking trail behind my house. I usually walk in the mornings and then my son and I ride our bikes in the evenings down this trail. These are some of the sights I see on the way. The pictures were taken with my phone, so they are not great quality.







This is a picture of a community park that thinks it's a farm, or maybe it's a farm that thinks it's a community park. Either way, it's a cool concept and it has a playground, a fishing pond, lots of barnyard animals, and plenty of gardens.

Steak Sandwiches

Steak Sandwiches? What the heck? I'm a vegetarian! Oh, well. I'll find something else to eat. My son saw this recipe in the Pioneer Woman Cookbook and wanted to make it. Who am I to deprive a little carnivore? We didn't have any Worcestershire sauce and he didn't want any of Frank's Red Hot. Actually, he did at first, but then chickened out at the last minute. What I'm trying to say here is our version is a loose translation of Ree Drummond's version. Let's get on with it, shall we?


First you slice an onion. I was told the goggles were for the deadly onion fumes. I'm not sure what the fatigues were for. It may have something to do with the fact that we are currently getting a free preview of the Military Channel this month, but I'm not sure. WATCH THOSE FINGERS, SOLDIER!


Add a 1/4 stick of butter to a skillet and melt over medium-low heat.


Add your onion to the pan and caramelize them. Stirring occasionally.


While you are waiting for the onion to caramelize, go ahead and slice up some cubed steak into 1 inch strips. I think I need to buy a cutting board specifically for meat, because I refused to let my son cut his meat on my veggie cutting board. Sorry, ain't gonna happen. WATCH THOSE FINGERS, SOLDIER!


Don't forget the onion! You don't want those babies to burn, just caramelize. When the onions are a nice golden-brown color, remove them from the skillet and set aside for a minute.


Back to the steak. Sprinkle it with seasoning. We used seasoning salt, lemon pepper, and black pepper.


Add a couple of tablespoons of butter to the skillet.


Add your strips of steak to the skillet and cook until nice and brown.


Add the onions back into the skillet and warm them back up.


Next, slice yourself a roll. WATCH THOSE FINGERS, SOLDIER! Yeah, he got tired of me doing that too.


Now, butter that roll. Lots of butter in this recipe.


Toast the bread in a skillet, on a griddle, or in the toaster oven as we did.


After your bread is toasted, spoon on the steak and onions. You can add cheese if it suits you. My son wanted it plain.


The verdict: Messy and delicious!

Soft Shell Tacos

My son had his first introductory cooking lesson. I thought it was best to keep it simple and basic, so we went with soft shell tacos.


First you break up the ground beef into a skillet and brown over medium heat. Make sure you stare at it until it starts to sizzle. Oh, okay, that part is optional.


Stir the meat every once in a while as it's browning. Whoa, slow down. The meat is trying to escape. Try to keep as much meat in the pan as possible please. Your mother will thank you for it.


It looks like we're going to have to work on your stirring skills, young grasshopper.


Once the meat has been browned, drain off the fat, and then add a package of taco seasoning.


Then add 3/4 a cup of water, mix it all together, and simmer, uncovered, for ten minutes.


While the meat is simmering, get yourself another skillet over medium low heat and add a dollop of butter. I do believe he's mastered the sizzle.


Next add your tortilla to the pan. We used soft white corn tortillas.


After about a minute, flip the tortilla to the other side and cook until warm and floppy. Yes, floppy.


When your tortilla is warm and floppy, move it to a plate and add a spoonful of your taco meat.


You'll want to add your cheese next. It's essential that you put the cheese on right after the hot taco meat, so that the cheese melts and gets all yummy and gooey. Yes, gooey.


Then add whatever toppings you like, lettuce, tomato, avocado, onions, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, black olives, etc. Go on. Get wild with that taco.


Fold one side over. Look how perfect my son's first taco came out. It's a beaut!


Now, using your best taco neck bend, take yourself a bite and be proud of what you created.


I'm a vegetarian, so I didn't eat the taco meat my son prepared. I had roasted, seasoned, chickpeas instead. YUM!

Cooking Lessons

My son turned 12 years old yesterday. I've decided it's time he learned to cook, and I don't mean reheating things in the microwave. He's already got that mastered. No, I mean it's time for him to learn to really cook. I'm going to make a good faith effort to document his progress and the recipes we try here on the blog. Wish us luck.

Hearty Cheese Soup & Tomato Bread Pudding

Found this soup recipe in Taste Of Home's Halloween Magazine. Sorry don't have a picture for this one.

HEARTY CHEESE SOUP

serves 2

1-1/2 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup sliced fresh carrots
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon chicken or veggie bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash Pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1/4 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

1. In a small saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

2. In a small bowl, combine the flour and milk until smooth. Stir into the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low; stir in cheese until melted.



My mom tore this recipe out of the newspaper and gave it to me. I do have a pic for this one, but I am definitely not a food photographer.





TOMATO BREAD PUDDING

3 pounds Roma tomatoes, halved lenghtwise
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 head garlic, left whole
10 cups cubed (1 inch) country-style Italian bread (about one pound)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
8 large eggs
2 cups Fontina cheese (8oz), coarsely grated
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Toss tomatoes in a bowl with thyme and basil, 1 tablespoon of the oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up in a large, heavy sheet pan with sides. Cut off and discard 1/4 inch from top of garlic head to expose cloves, then place on a sheet of foil and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Wrap garlic in foil and roast alongside tomatoes until tomatoes are browned but still juicy and garlic is soft, about 50 to 60 minutes.

While garlic and tomatoes roast, toss bread cubes in a large bowl with remaining oil until coated, then spread out on a large sheet pan and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan.

Remove garlic and tomatoes from the oven and cool garlic to warm. Remove peel from roasted cloves and smash cloves with the back of a fork to make a puree.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Whisk together milk, cream, eggs, garlic puree, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Stir in cheeses.

Transfer bread to baking dish, then pour egg mixture over bread and add tomatoes, pushing some down between bread cubes. Bake until firm and golden brown in spots, 50 to 60 minutes.

Flood Day!

Schools are closed in our area today, because a lot of the roads are impassable due to flooding. We get snow days from time to time during the winter, but I do not believe there has ever been a flood day. The kids are having a ball playing outside on this sunny, warm, spring day. It is weird. Flood day. Whodda thought?

All tied up and no where to go

All tied up and no where to go
Originally uploaded by Marti515

What's the first thing you do when you arrive at Walt Disney World? Tie up your cousin with hotel pillow cases of course.

May I borrow your kidney?

My son was born with a multicystic kidney. This kidney has had zero function since before he was born. His other kidney has been fine up until a year ago. Last March we found out that his "good" kidney has now developed about three cysts and maybe some tiny ones that we just can't see yet. I took Austin to his pediatric nephrologist today and not much has really changed. That's the good news. The bad news is that Austin will probably have to have a kidney transplant down the road. Not anytime soon, thank goodness, but sometime. Hopefully, he will reach adulthood before that happens.

In unrelated news, I am waiting for an email to come through from Oklahoma State University telling whether or not I have been accepted into their clinical psychology doctorate program. They only take 5 students per year. The lab I'm wanting in is only accepting 1 of those students. ONE! I'm currently in Northeastern State University's counseling program, but I want clinical psych and I want OSU. I interviewed this past weekend and they said we would know by today or tomorrow whether or not we have been accepted. There were over 120 applicants and only 20 got invited to have an interview and now only 5 of us will be allowed to enroll in the Fall. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.

Update:

I didn't get in. I guess I'll stay at NSU.

Quinoa

Quinoa
Originally uploaded by Marti515

I've been learning how to use this new grain. Well, it's new to me. Actually the grain itself is ancient. Not the specific grain I used. I mean the type of grain I used. Oh, never mind. The grain is quinoa (keen-wa), and I found a recipe I wanted to try over at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen for vegetable fried quinoa. It was delicious! Although, I think I may add some green onions to the mix next time for a little extra oomph.