Here We Go Again, Once Again, And Again!

It's been a year, I know it, well almost a year since I've put anything in here, and I want to start up again, you know school is going to start up again, and it's going to get crazy, and so let me add one more thing to my plate.

Last night we had salmon for dinner. I love it when we grill out and then eat in the back yard. I love my backyard. It's green and filled with birds, and it's cool.

Friday and Saturday Rob and I were in Reno. We were looking through all the things we have from his mom's house in the garage. I don't think we'll ever be through with this stuff, but someday. I'm digressing. We went to Costco and they had wild sockeye salmon, not the filet, but the whole fish. I had to have one. We bought it and headed home to Elko.

There are probably 100 ways to fix salmon, but sometimes, the easiest is the best. I cut two or three hand fulls of thyme and put it in the cavity of the fish with slices of lime, salt and pepper. I slathered the skin with oil, and put it on the grill. Cook at about 350 - 400 for 30 minutes.

I served that with roasted eggplant, red peppers, and asparagus. (This is called escalivada in Catalan). Cut them in strips, (not the asparagus), douse it with olive oil and kosher salt and grill until they are soft and a little charred.

The final side was a rice blend sauteed with onions, mushrooms, garlic and tomatoes. When you have finished, the saute, add a little parmesan cheese. It's quite good.

So think about the leafy green backyard, the cool sound of water running from the sprinkler next door and enjoying life with your husband in the backyard.

Roasty Toasty

I have to admit it. I am the luckiest girl in the world. My husband, Rob, got me the best gift for my birthday this year. He got me an oval 5 quart Le Crueset dutch oven. It's gorgeous, and I use it all the time.

Yesterday, I made a venison roast in my new pot. Oh was it easy.

1 22 ounce venison roast
1 packet of lipton onion soup mix
1/2 cup red wine
1 onion sliced thinly
3 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 lb. of carrots
3 tbs. olive oil.
your favorite seasoning blend
s and p to taste

rinse and dry the roast and then season with s and p.
In your dutch oven, heat the oil very hot, and sear the outside of the roast. Remove it from the pot, and then add the onions, and garlic cloves. Saute and then add the soup mix, the wine, and your favorite seasoning blend. Return the roast to the pan and put it in a 275 degree oven for a couple of hours, or until the roast is done to your satisfaction.

I served this with comfortable rice from Sunday and sauteed asparagus.

Comfortable Rice

I've always loved rice-based dishes. I think it's because my dad loves rice. I guess you can't be from Arkansas and not love rice, since they have many rice fields there. On Sunday, I grabbed a roast chicken from the grocery store. What a great thing they do, to roast a chicken so you don't have to. Frequently, I have to stretch to come up with a side dish that isn't potatoes. Here's Sunday's.

Comfortable Rice

1 onion diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced
2 tbs. olive oil.

Saute the veg in the olive oil until the onion is translucent.

Add: 1 cup rice

2.5 cups of chicken stock, and the seasoning blend of your choice.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until the liquid is all absorbed.

I then cut up a tomato in small dice, and garnish.

Rob said it was like a comfort food, so it became comfortable rice.

2011: Off to a Flying Start

1/11/11: What a cool date! It's really cold here. The computer says 21 degrees, but I'm not buying it. Maybe 2 degrees, but the cold I got me thinking today about my family and I thought that Chili would be the perfect meal.

When we were kids we knew it was winter because the chili pot came out. My mom is famous for her chili. People come from near and far for it, and I can't count the times the pot was licked clean in the coach's lounge at a wrestling tournament in Goodland or Garden City.

I think the best thing about my mom's chili is that it won't blow the top of your head off. It's rich and hearty and oh so good with saltine crackers or on a piece of toast for breakfast. That may be one of my most favorite breakfasts. I think it ranks right up there for my sister Heather too! My dad loves a chili cheese omelet made with Mom's leftover chili.



I have to say it's one of the easiest things you can make. Here goes:

Mom's Rich and Hearty Chili

2 14.5 ounce cans of kidney beans in chili sauce
1 14.5 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 chopped onion
1 small can of diced green chilis (mild)
1 lb of hamburger
1 - 2 tsps of chili powder
1 - 2 tsps of cumin (this is my addition)

Brown the hamburger in a pot and drain off the grease, then add the onion and saute it until it is golden. Add the kidney beans, the tomato sauce, the green chilis and the seasonings.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and let cook for a couple of hours to make the flavors meld.



Saltine crackers! A must have for this chili, or a good loaf of crusty white bread if you are out of saltines. Oh, you can top this with diced raw onion and cheddar cheese and it's just great that way too.