Product and/or recipe to find

Today I was CRAVING potato and corn chowder.  Caps important there.  Craving so much I had to make it right away.  Pulled out my trusty recipe that I've had for about 15 years, if not more.  Have not made in a long time.  Could be why I was craving it?  Not sure.  Went to my grocery to pick up the ingredients that I didn't have and was very disappointed I couldn't find organic creamed corn.  Reading the ingredients on the store brand...I put it back on the shelf. And walked away.  No chowder for me, I guess.  Go almost to the register...and went back to the aisle and picked up the store brand, rationalizing that they claim all of their store-brand items are non-gmo.  Wasn't born yesterday, so of course I don't believe it.

On a normal day, I'd hit one of the other two groceries in town, in hopes of finding an organic creamed corn.  Or I'd trek 20 minutes to a store that would most likely have it.  But today it's very very cold (under 20 degrees F) and it's snowing, with an icy mix.  Wasn't traveling too far to satisfy my craving.

While my chowder is a-cookin, I thought I'd ask you all about it.  Anyone found an acceptable, clean, creamed corn?  Going to do some recipe searching tonight.  Put it on my list to search for when I shop.

But tonight, I had to do it.  So this week I might be 85% clean instead of 90%.  But still pretty darn good.  Rest of the ingredients in the soup are organic.   Yes, I use dairy milk which to a lot of people is not "clean."  But it's organic...which is clean to me.  The recipe came from a published cook book, and I do not have permission to copy it here.  But pretty easy to make if you know how to cook.  Onions, garlic, sauteed in butter.  Add potatoes, spices (marjoram, pepper, dash nutmeg, bay leaf,) broth, and a diced pepper if you wish,  Boil, simmer about 20 minutes.  Add can of creamed corn, regular corn, and evaporated milk.  Boil, simmer for a few more minutes.  Remove bay leaves, sprinkle with paprika.  Delish!

Next time I'll try to convince my cravings to let me plan in advance. :D



Happy eating!
Kathy

Simply...Macaroni and Cheese

I make home made macaroni and cheese quite often, either as a main dish or a side.  Probably every other week.  At least. To me, it's a very simple process that doesn't require a lot of pots or pans, dishes, or even work.  I found this recipe and have adapted it to meet my needs.  By meeting my needs, I mean changing it up based on which cheese(s) I have in the house at the moment.

One Pot Mac n Cheese

I'm such a bad blogger that I rarely remember to take pictures when I cook.  I'm such a bad blogger I rarely remember to blog.  Or I take pictures then never blog about them.  But I'm trying to do better.  I promise.

So why is this recipe so easy?  Doesn't mac n cheese require a cheese sauce, made separately then added once the pasta is cooked?  NOT THIS ONE.  The pasta cooks in milk, which turns into the sauce once you add a slurry and cheese.  Can you get any easier??

The original poster has a beautiful picture on the recipe page, so I won't try to copy that.  But I DID manage to snap a few while making it last week.

Step 1: Melt butter in dutch oven, add in spices. Add milk, bring to boil.
Step 2: Add pasta, then a few minutes later add in broccoli.

Here is the pasta and the broccoli (added a few minutes into cooking) boiling away in the milk.

Step 3: While step 2 is happening, grate cheese and make slurry.  I use the mason jar the recipe author suggests, but a small bowl works too.  Preheat oven.

Here is the slurry, before mixing and after.

Step 4: When pasta is cooked, stir in grated cheese, then slurry.  Sprinkle with extra cheese, then pop in oven till brown and bubbly.  My final picture does NOT do it justice.

I usually had a huge block of cheddar cheese in the house, but have been known to pretty much use ANY cheese I have in the house.  I also vary the pepper added in Step 1, based again on what I am in the mood for.  I have never owned the chipotle chili pepper called for in the recipe, so I will use a different red pepper.  Make sure you know your pepper though, as you may not need the same amount, depending on the hotness of it.  You can also vary the veggie added, again based on what you have in the house!

Love this simple recipe.  And all I have to wash is the dutch oven, the cheese grater, and the jar from the slurry.  Which usually goes in the dishwasher...

Happy Eating!
Kathy

Sharing the simple

I love Pinterest.   It leads me to so many places I may never have found without it.

Right now I am sitting on my deck, watching the leaves blow in the wind, got my tunes playing, and the laptop on my lap planning my meals for the week.  I came across this yummy, simple, clean dinner and wanted to share it with you.

~Disclaimer~ I have not tried this recipe yet; and even if you don't use the exact ingredients the poster did, it shows you how simple a meal can be.  A tiny bit of prep, a clock nearby, and you can sit outside near your grill, enjoy a cold beverage of choice, and maybe even watch or play with your kids in the backyard while dinner cooks.

Dinner on the Grill tonight!

Taylor, the original poster, made a simple. dinner all on the grill. Meat, potatoes, salad (yes, I said salad.)

If you try her recipe, leave a comment and let me know.  My main purpose for sharing is to show you the simplicity of it.  Her pictures show a fabulous meal, my teen boys would happily eat it (minus the grilled romaine - we'll have to test that out and see, but we love kale chips, so maybe) and I could sit with my glass of wine while it all cooks on the grill.  I could even prep it before leaving for work in the morning, then plop everything on when I get home.

Dinner, so simple!

Happy Eating!
Kathy

Dinner tonight, super simple roast beef

Dinner tonight was simple.  So simple there is no way anyone could possibly mess it up.

Beef Roast

I have never had a more delicious, tender, moist roast.

The recipe calls for a 3 pound roast, mine was 2.5 pounds.  The only modification I made was shortening the amount of time it sits in the oven.

This recipe is so simple.  Wait, did I say that already?  Well, it is.  How simple you ask?

Step 1: preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Step 2: rub the roast with salt, pepper, and I add smoked paprika
Step 3: when oven is preheated, put roast in (uncovered) and reduce heat to 475 degrees
Step 4: bake for 7 minutes per pound
Step 5: turn oven off, set timer for a couple hours, and walk away. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DURING THAT TIME.
Step 6: timer rings, take out meat and slice. Dinner is ready!!

See, you can't get any easier.  Best part about it, is that you made it with simple ingredients.  ALl my spices are organic, and my roast is as well, but yours doesn't have to be.  The point is that you did not buy one that was pre-seasoned at the grocery store; you have no idea what they are putting on those meats.

I like to make this when I have to pick my kids up from school close to dinner time.  The oven is on well before dinnertime, and off for a couple hours before, so I can comfortably leave the house and not worry about a hot oven.

Side dish was some frozen organic mixed veggies.

This is a next day picture, of what is leftover from last night.  I didn't reheat it, just staged it on a plate.  Taken with my phone, not the greatest picture, but you can tell how yummy it is.  Now, I'm off to have a couple of those slices for lunch!

Happy Eating!
Kathy