Sirloin and White Hominy Stew

I can be a very lazy cook sometimes.  This morning I grabbed a few packages of frozen bone in sirloin steak from the freezer and plopped them in the slow cooker.  I piled on a diced onion, some gelatin, some tomatoes and green chilies, a handful of salt and a small chunk of bacon grease.  (You just can't go wrong with the aroma of bacon.)  Nothing was measured.

I got curious and added a can of white hominy.  Never had it before, smells like a soggy tortilla.  I wanted to know if it would be good for power outage food.  After cooking on high for a couple hours, I checked for "pull apart."  Pull apart is when the meat just pulls off the bone and the bones are used for broth one more time, given to the dog (depends on the bone and the dog) or the chickens/garden.  It needed a little longer as not all the meat was submerged, so the top pieces were still clingy.  An hour or so later and the meat fell off  while I removed the bones with my tongs.

So hominy in this dish kind of reminds me of bland, mini gnocchi....more of a soft texture than a taste. The sirloin is butter tender, but less interesting after the tongue.  Ummm...and I over did it on the salt a tad, so corrected with a little sugar and cream of tartar and .....Bingo!  It all came together just right.

Hmmmm....I bet some pineapple would substitute just fine for the sugar/cream of tartar flavor wise......

Fat Tuesday
Scratch Cookin' Tuesday
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Hunk of Meat Monday
Gluten Free Wednesday

Beef Tongue Tacos and Broth

The dogs are so NOT getting the tongues anymore.
 
I don't know why it took me so long to get around to cooking one. Tongue is so tasty and flavorful...now I'm wanting mutant animals so I can get more than one tongue per steer.  And the broth from the skin...wow...wow....ummmm, wow!

There are quite a few methods for preparing tongue.  I got impatient and used the pressure cooker.  It was a 1.35 lb tongue and I cooked it at 8 lbs of pressure for a half hour.  I used a trivet and about a half cup of water on the bottom.  I used the natural release method.

While the meat was cooking, I heated the coconut oil for deep frying some white corn tortillas.  While that was heating, I dissolved some gelatin/sugar/cream of tartar/salt in some diced tomatoes and chilies.  The tongue is a high gelatin muscle, like rib eye, but I always like to make sure I am getting enough.

When the pressure was out of the pressure cooker, I grabbed the tongue with some tongs and ran it under some cold water.  When it is cool enough, the skin is SUPPOSED to just release.  I guess I was too impatient again and ended up cutting it off until I got to the tip.  The skin at the tip pulled right off with ease.  I diced the meat into small cubes and put it in with the tomatoes.  In hind sight, it would have been down right decedent to fry them up a little first, fajita-ish, then put them in the sauce.

The only thing needed now was the taco "shells".  I tried "draping" the tortillas on the end of a wooden spoon.  They didn't drape well and the hot oil actually made the sides float up.  Then I tried tongs, holding onto them on one half while pressing them against the side of the pot.  That worked better, but then they puffed up a lot while being held under.  I stopped at 2 tortillas per person.  They weren't pretty but it's the thought that counts, right?

Ok, so the end product was a fresh fried tortilla, yummy meat topping and a glop of sour cream.  A fabulously messy meal that we all enjoyed immensely!

But that's not the end......

No, now I had this delicious smelling liquid at the bottom of my pressure cooker and tongue scraps, mostly skin, but some meat on there too.  So out comes the gallon bag of frozen onion skins and leftover bones/gristle from other meals.  I took the trivet out and emptied the contents of the bag into the pressure cooker.  I added water and some vinegar and salt to 2/3 full.  It's a 6 quart cooker.  I brought it to pressure and cooked for 45 minutes according to the instructions.  I let it the pressure come back down naturally and strained the big stuff out  of the broth with a slotted spoon into a strainer over the pot.

Total yield 3/4 of a gallon of double strength, very gelatinous broth.

The broth has become a simple potato soup, sausage and potato soup, and potato and cheese soup.

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Simple Potato Soup GF, DF

Simple Potato Soup
Pot of potatoes (peeled and diced, cubed or sliced)
Broth/water to cover (Homemade is best, if you've got it)
Unflavored beef gelatin
Saturated Fat (Coconut oil, butter, tallow, bacon grease etc.)
Salt

Fill a pot with peeled and cut potatoes, add broth and cover with extra water, if needed, to cover.  Sprinkle gelatin on top for extra protein and as needed to balance any meat in the meal.  Add some salt and some kind of fat, depending on your needs.  Bring to rolling boil and then simmer for 40 minutes to an hour.  Correct with more salt, as needed.

Excellent as a base for other ingredients or as a easy to digest meal for healing/recovery/stress.  I like it with globs of melted cheese, leftover sausage or steak works too.


Simply Delish
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Banana Bread & Muffins - GF

Adapted from the Joy of Cooking: 

Banana Bread & Muffins
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup coconut oil  or butter
1-1 1/4 cup bananas mashed

 1 3/4 cup rice flour
2/3 cup cane sugar 
2 TBS unflavored gelatin
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped apricots (optional)



I haven't had any bananas for YEARS. Cooked bananas do not cause discomfort like raw ones do though.  I could not resist the bargain of a huge bag of bananas for $1...and had a get together coming up.  I peeled the bananas and stuck them in the freezer until needed. 

Mix ingredients in order.  I use a potato masher or ricer for the banana and leave it on the chunky side.  I used Sucanat for the sugar, the caramel ish flavor goes well.  1 loaf recipe makes about a dozen muffins using an ice cream scoop for measuring.  Bake at 350*  for about 25-30 minutes for muffins, 1 hour for a loaf.  I used my toaster oven, so no preheating necessary.  Use a greased pan or tin or use liners.

The muffins were a huge hit and we actually had leftovers too. They freeze well and make a nice snack on the go....or a light meal with a glass of milk.

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Potato Salad with Pickled Eggs

Ingredients:

Cooked potatoes

Diced Beet Pickled Eggs

Mustard 

Diced Butter Pickles or Relish

Pickle Juice or ACV

Sour Cream

Cane sugar/Cream of tartar to taste

Salt to taste

I thought I had posted this a while ago, I guess it got lost in the shuffle. 

I know I used a Russet type potato and adding the pickle juice gave it the right moistness.

Adjust proportions to your personal tastes...I kept adding stuff until it tasted "right"....and I can't remember what I did anyway.....

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Fat Tuesday 
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Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

I make a mean fruit dip.  I love it for dipping strawberries and it goes great as a brownie topping too.  I got my recipes confused the other day and put WAY too much gelatin in the dip.  Seriously, dip should not be slice-able.


Directions:
I added 2 slices too firm cheesecake dip to 2 eggs in the blender and whipped. Much to my delight, the gelatin dip actually did blend in. I was concerned I would get a chunky smoothie....like adding coconut oil that turns gritty in the cold, ewwww.  I added OJ for liquid as needed and a large handful of frozen strawberries. "Seasoning" was some salt, cream of tartar, cane sugar and homemade vanilla extract.

Raspberry Lemonade Smoothie

Meet my new favorite hot weather breakfast...and lunch....and dinner.....

Raspberry Lemonade Smoothie!

Ingredients per serving:
1 forage fed egg
1 cup lemonade
1 generous pinch salt
1/4-1 tsp cream of tartar
1 handful frozen red raspberries
sugar to taste **

**These raspberries are exceptional and don't really need extra sugar, but sometimes commercial berries need a little help.

Blend and pour immediately, fresh is best.

No Bake Cheesecake - GF

The original recipe: Rich No Bake Cheesecake

I replaced the whipping cream with sour cream, orange juice for the water in the filling.  The crust I made with cocoa butter (didn't have any butter) and chopped, dried coconut instead of crumbs and I added a little homemade baking powder. Oh and a little salt and cream of tartar, well, because I add it to almost everything.

Ingredients:

.5 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
2 TBS unflavored beef gelatin
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 TBS cream of tartar

Dissolve gelatin in OJ, then add the rest of the ingredients from the above group.  Heat, while stirring, until the liquid become translucent.  Let cool a bit.


16 oz cream cheese (softened)
8-16 oz sour cream
1-2 TBS coconut oil (optional)
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the above ingredients in a blender or food processor, then add orange juice mix.

Crust: (Optional)
2 cups dried coconut, chopped fine in blender or food processor
1/2 cup cocoa butter
1 TBS arrowroot powder (optional?)
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp baking soda

The To-Go Version

 Chop coconut as small as you can, then add in cocoa butter, then the rest of the ingredients.  Fill pie pan or spring form pan and bake at 350* F for 5 minutes.  Let cool completely. (If you make the crust first, you can stick it in the freezer to chill while prepping the filling.)

Put filling in crust and chill for about 2 hours.  The filling makes 1 large cheesecake in a spring form pan or 2 pies....or 1 pie and 4 individual serving sized crust-less cheesecakes for "To Go" food.

Future variations:

• Using baking chocolate in place of some of the fat in the crust, perhaps with butter.  The crust had an awesome flavor and texture, but was a little bit firm for cutting a bite off.  (The first piece I thought I cut lifted the WHOLE thing out of the pan.)  Butter would be a softer fat when chilled.
• Using rice flour in part or instead of coconut.  Every once in a while, the dried coconut taste was too strong or slightly "twangy."
• Omitting or reducing the sour cream to make a summer weight cheesecake.  The flavor was spectacular, worked well, but I wanted a little more "cheese" in the cheesecake.
• Cherries! (Does that really need explanation?)

UPDATE:
This makes a fabulous brownie topping at room temperature, just add extra OJ. Seriously, it's good.

See Ya In The Gumbo

Beet Pickled Eggs

The grass is popping and the chickens are laying, so fresh eggs are in abundance....yeah, taking over the fridge. I was inspired by the many GORGEOUS pictures of eggs pickled with beet juice...they look like a sunrise when cut open.

Ingredients:
Leftover beet juice or pickling liquid
ACV
Cane Sugar
Hard cooked Eggs
Sea Salt
Cream of Tartar
Pickling Spices (optional)

1. Cook eggs to the hard cooked stage and chill WELL, this can be done in advance.
2. Mix the ACV, juice, sugar, salt, cream of tartar and spices, if using, together in a pan. 
3. Adjust proportions to taste,  I like a sweet tart flavor with emphasis on sweet.  
4. Bring to a quick boil and let cool while peeling chilled eggs.
5. Layer eggs in a wide mouth jar and cover with warm beet juice.
6. Let sit, refrigerated, for a few days, at least.
7. Enjoy!

Update:  Taste test after 2 days soaking earns 2 thumbs up...even better than I expected!
(No picture available of one cut open, I couldn't wait to eat it.)

When 6-10 inches.... isn't

In any discussion of feeding a ruminant animal with grass (or hay), it is important to clarify the nature of the grass when grazed or cut for hay.  Grazing at 6-10 inches is a common recommendation for cool season grasses. Hay recommendations can vary significantly, but a lot of times the actual cutting is influenced more by the weather than the ideal cutting time. Beware of so called hay (straw) cut after the grass has matured and the seed combined for sale separately. My "ideal" is to graze and feed hay cut as close to the vegetative state as possible....without it being immature. (Immature is preferred for chickens.)

An article of the different stages of grass growth:  Developmental Phases of Grass

By the way, these pictures were taken of the LAWN, not the pasture.  The grazing goal was to trim, not maximize production.

This grass technically falls in the 6-10 inches category,  but the most nutritious part has already been grazed.

This grass is 10-12 inches and has already been grazed as well.  The remaining grass is "stemmy" and over mature.  Percentage of  stems is something to watch for when buying hay as well.

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