Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Chili

Last Thursday I tried a new recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  I’m trying to fit in at least two recipes a week with the goal of trying every one of her recipes (in the book, not her site!) by June 2010.

Simple, Perfect Chili is well named.  I fought every ‘mess with this recipe’ instinct and made it as Ree wrote it, adding only the can of diced tomatoes with chilies (I used Trader Joe’s fire roasted tomatoes) and a can of kidney beans, which were listed as optional additional ingredients.  I did not, however have masa, and really didn’t want to buy a bag of it just to make this recipe, so I allowed the chili to cook down more instead of thickening it.

The verdict:  it is a tasty chili!  Paul and I agreed we like ‘my’ recipe more, but I can see this, made without the tomatoes or beans, as a killer ‘topping’ chili for hot dogs.  And, to quote Paul, “If you can’t cook, like my Aunt Tony, then this recipe is a great improvement.”  I think he means, if one is lacking a good chili recipe, this a great one to use.

Chili is personal.  There are a thousand and one ways to make it well.  PW’s way is good.  Another thumbs up!

Since this recipe is not on her site, I am thinking she only wants it in the book, as it is something she is selling.  Sorry for the lack of a recipe – if you want it, I’d be happy to email it to you.

Nom nom nom nom

I really need to learn to make macarons.  They’re incredible!

Menu Monday, Dec 7

Another Monday, another menu.  :)

This week I’m trying two  recipes from The Pioneer Woman Cooks for Sunday dinner.  The soup in particular sounds really tasty!

Monday: Roasted Sausages with Tomatoes and Onions
Tuesday: Undone Cabbage Roll Skillet
Wednesday: Salmon, acorn squash, veg TBD
Thursday: Belgian Beef and Beer Stew w/rolls
Friday: Kebabs (but I am using beef instead of lamb)
Saturday:  leftovers or take out burritos (swim meet that day)
Sunday: Sherried Tomato Soup, Spicy Shredded Pork – PW recipes of the week

Among the Many Talents #2 Son Has...

Vanilla Yogurt, originally uploaded by Kristianna.

...eating yogurt neatly is not one of them. :)

Keep practicing, dude!

Sometimes I Forget...

IMG_4449, originally uploaded by Kristianna.

...that I live in a big city. Then I notice a photo like this, and remember, "Oh yeah, this is a large city!"

Cookin’ the Book: Pioneer Woman’s Enchiladas

I have a pretty great enchilada recipe.  I love it, the kids (who eat food) love it, and my husband complains to me about how good it is, because that makes him forgo his carb avoiding ways because they’re just too good to resist.

PW has an enchilada recipe in her book.  Thankfully for me, it is a beef recipe, and ‘my’ enchiladas are chicken.  It’s always nice to add to the simple recipe reservoir, so I decided to try out her way this week.

You can find the recipe and oodles of beautiful photos HERE.

Preparing this recipe was easy-peasy.  I dropped off my daughter at swim practice (three minutes late because I was so tired I made a very costly wrong turn on the way there), dashed home, prepared the sauce and meat, then let it all hang out while I returned to pick her up, finally assembling the enchiladas and putting them in the oven when we got home again (after I put away my mom’s-gypsy-taxi-uniform).

Since the sauce and meat had cooled off a bit, warming in the oven took a little longer, but the extra time was worth it.  As luck would have it, my youngest waddled up to me and said, “I stinky!” right as I was serving dinner, so I was not there for the first bite verdict from Bun and my husband.  However, I heard their groans of delight from down the hall.  It was declared another ‘keeper’.

I can  totally see making both the beef and chicken versions for a casual dinner with friends with homemade refried beans and some rice… and maybe that Sangria!

Menu Plan… Tuesday?

I planned my menu yesterday, but didn’t get a chance to sit down and write it up.  Anyway, today is my new grocery day, as it’s been working well to drop Carter off at school and then for Cole and me to go directly to the store… one less child to amuse during the trip, and Cole enjoys the outing—plus he gets to eat a banana and try whatever they’re serving in the demo part at Trader Joes.  So, I do plan the menu on Monday to be ready on Tuesday.  Make sense?  ;)

Monday:  split pea soup with leftover ham & bone
Tuesday: beef enchiladas from Pioneer Woman Cooks
Wednesday: salmon, asparagus, butternut squash
Thursday: Pioneer Woman’s simple chili
Friday: Cobb salad
Saturday: maybe out to celebrate Bunny participating in the Christmas parade (I’m still working on figuring out how she can ride with both groups she’s in that are in the parade).
Sunday: probably leftovers

Collecting Fall

One of my favorite blogs is SouleMama.  Though I have to imagine it’s often far from the case in her home, her blog resonates a serenity I crave many days with my three and the comings and goings and nonstop noise-noise-noise of it all.  So, nearly every morning I spend a moment with my coffee and Amanda Soule, enjoying her projects, marveling at how she manages to do so much, and laughing my butt off at the thought of me trying to do about 20% as much in any given day or night.  I have periodically wished I was the sort of person who could stay up late in the nights creating this or that, driven by a fever to complete a project, but… I seem to enjoy sleep a little more than that.

However, there is one idea I have incorporated into our home.  She calls it their Nature Table, a place where the odd pine cone, shell, rock, etc. finds its way inside to be enjoyed.  We refer to the idea as “Collecting.”  Over the summer beautiful shells greeted us as we entered the house and both the older kids really enjoyed contributing their new finds.  Most everyone enjoys beach combing, but it seemed to add something, taking the time to really admire a shape or the mother of pearl inside an otherwise unremarkable shell.

Now that fall is firmly upon us, we’re on the look for what Mother Nature gives as her finale to the growing season.  And there is so much!  Lemme tell you, that old broad can really bring down the house, so to speak!

By the library we’ve found magnolia seed pods with bright red seeds peeking out and branches with red and orange leaves and seed pods.  At the park we discovered the pepper berries, which are both spicy smelling and a surprising red against the yellow leaves. 

We also found long seed pods that curved and curled, rough and knobbly bark, and maple seeds, which can fly like helicopters…. and of course all the leaves!  The kids have delighted in creating the display, which changes almost as often as they walk by it.

Often we’re so overwhelmed by all that we must do every given day.  It’s been a great treat to slow down, look around, and really take in and appreciate everything around us, and to watch change as it happens.

I’m not sure how we’ll collect winter, as puddles are hard to capture.  However, something tells me, with open eyes and a bit of patience, we’ll do a fine job of it.