Leaf Huntin'

Today I went for an awesome drive, up through Evergreen to Echo Lake. The leaves are certainly at peak or very close to it -- because the views were amazing. The Aspens looked like they were on fire.

On the way home, we went through Pine, Colorado and ate at a very fine dining establishment called "The Bucksnort". It's the kind of dining establishment where people write things like this on the bathroom walls:
And the kind of place where Christmas cards like this get hung on the wall:
It's on a dirt road, if that tells you anything. I enjoyed a Coors Light in a keg cup on their balcony overlooking a stream and some shacks that reminded me of the movie "Overboard". Did I mention that the chairs on the deck were stumps?

There were a lot of bikers there -- and let me tell you -- there is opportunity for some major helmet messaging to that demographic. Not a single one of the bikers had a helmet on. :)


In other news, I'm picking flooring for my house. Any votes? From a looks perspective, I'm leaning towards the dark. But I'm a little worried about the dust and dirt showing up too much (the Swiffer and I would need to get to know each other a little more than I'd prefer).

Swiss Steak

This is a crock-pot classic. Freezes great and tastes even better re-heated.

1 round steak (approximately 1 1/2 pounds)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion, cut into chunks

1 medium bell pepper, cut into chunks

Cut steak into large bite-sized pieces. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Dust meat with flour. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil. Transfer to Crock Pot. Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water. Pour over steak and simmer over low heat -- at least 4 hours, but I usually cook it all day or overnight -- and adding water, if necessary to keep meat partially covered. Season, to taste, with additional salt and pepper. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles!

Note: to ensure tenderness, you can ask the butcher to run the round steak through a cuber.

Easy Green Chili Stew

1 12 oz jar salsa verde (I use La Victoria)

3 cups shredded chicken (1 small rotisserie chicken works great)

1 15 oz can canellini beans, drained

3 cups chicken broth

1 t ground cumin

Cook salsa 2 minutes over medium heat in saucepan. Add chicken, beans, broth and cumin. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Garnish with sour cream and scallions.

Serve with corn chips or tortillas.

Fake-Out Chili's Salsa

Fake-Out Chili's Salsa

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can tomatoes and green chilies

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can whole canned tomatoes (plus the juice)

4 teaspoons jalapenos (canned, diced, not pickled)

1/4 cup yellow onion (diced)

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon cilantro

juice from 1/2 lime

1. In food processor place jalapenos (optional) and onion and process for just a few seconds.

2. Add both cans of tomatoes, salt, sugar, cumin, cilantro and lime juice.

3. Process all ingredients until well blended but do not puree.

4. Place in covered container and chill.

5. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!

Homeade Apple Jelly

I spent today making homemade Apple Jelly -- and then cleaning it up. What a mess. I'm sure next time will go better -- as I'll be able to keep my nose out of the Ball Canning Recipe Book and actually clean as I go.

I was inspired to start canning after eating some homemade canned peaches at a friend's house. Delicious. Like nothing I've ever tasted before. Soft, sweet and with so much flavor!

So I went and bought this complete canning kit from Ace Hardware. After doing some reading from the book, I discovered I picked the worst time of year to start canning! So today I bought some apples on sale at Sunflower Market. I figured I would probably mess up my first batch, so I'd better start with cheap fruit!


I used a basic Apple Jelly recipe from The Joy of Cooking. It called for 3 lbs. of green apples, sugar and water. So I boiled the apples, per the instructions -- and then used a jelly bag to strain all the juice into a bowl.Then, I boiled the juice and the sugar waiting for the elusive "jelling point". This was the most stressful part of the process. The ways to test for the "jelling point" are loosy-goosy. But I finally thought it was ready.

I'm still not sure my jars sealed after boiling them for 15 minutes. I should know by tomorrow morning.

I think I'll be having gluten-free toast for breakfast with some fresh Apple Jelly tomorrow!

Butter Chicken

I buy this delicious sauce at Cost Plus World Market -- it's really popular and sometimes sold out. So if/when I find it, I buy a couple of jars for the pantry. This is an easy dinner that is quick to prepare.
I saute bite-sized pieces of chicken in about a tablespoon of oil. Once it is mostly cooked through, I remove it from the pan and add a bit more oil. I then cook a few cloves of garlic, about 1/2 of a big onion and 1-2 heads of broccoli. At the very end I add the chicken back in, add the sauce and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. I serve it over jasmine rice. YUM!




Dinner is on the stove. And even better than that is the fact that I've mastered the art of "clean as you go"! My kitchen is cleaned up, the dishwasher is running and I'm going to enjoy a delightful dinner for one. I have leftover sparkling cider from Thanksgiving that I'm going to crack open. BIG NIGHT at my house!

Honey Ginger Stir Fry

Update -- you would not BELIEVE how good this is. I added some broccoli and 1/2 of an onion.

I can't wait to try this recipe -- just saw it on Martha Stewart this morning. It sounds delish! I should've asked Santa for a Wok! :)

Serves 4

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
• 1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
• Cooked rice, for serving
• Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together honey, vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat a large skillet or wok over high until hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add chicken and stir until opaque but not cooked through, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil, ginger, and garlic to skillet and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add peppers and stir 2 minutes. Add soy mixture and bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet and toss until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve over rice, topped with cilantro.