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.