It is fall and the air has shifted noticeably. I stayed home from the office today because my first priority called me...being a mom.
My son needed time with me and I knew that I had to just be here, together. As he sat in the office doing his school assignments, I sat writing, posting my poems, and listening to a great dharma talk on Gentleness and Fearlessness.
As the hours wended their way towards mid-afternoon, and work was mostly accomplished, a few school matters discussed, it was time to do a little culinary therapy for myself and my family.
Everyone knows Mama Jean is very happy when she takes time to be in her kitchen fixing up some life giving, nourishment for the body and soul.
Actually the therapy began this morning with a piece of grass fed chuck roast. I used Grace's recipe (my Italian neighbor from Lackawanna who always nourished me with her cooking love).
Chuck Roast
Pat with a little flour and place in a large stainless steel pot filled with sweated onions and olive oil
Sear on all sides for a minute or so
Add salt and pepper (I love Himalayan Pink Sea Salt from Wegmans)
Put in the crock pot on low for all day (6 to 8 hours)
Add in some organic beef stock (Wegmans has good stuff Pacific Natural Foods brand)
Add in 5 to 7 carrots (I cut into 3 inch strips)
Add in 2 to 3 stalks of celery chopped with the leaves on
A few sprigs of fresh thyme (plenty of that growing in my garden)
Let that brew all day and the beef falls right apart.
We have some left over mashed potatoes, one baked sweet potato and I finished up using the rest of the sweet potatoes by cutting them up for some tantalizing sweet potato fries.
Lemon Sour Cream Cake
Sometimes you just need to end a great week's worth of homemade cooking with a homemade (or almost homemade) cake.
I buy Dr. Oetker's boxed cakes for these occasions when I just don't want to whip the whole thing up from scratch. Just add the oil, the milk and eggs along with a quarter cup of sour cream and some lemon zest. Then I make a quick cream cheese frosting.
Chicken Soup
Since this week has been very conducive to comfort food cooking and eating and I was fortunate enough to have a good friend to cook for (and drink wine with) three nights this week, my boys and I enjoyed some great basic meals.
Roasted Chicken
On Sunday evening, we had organic rosemary roasted chicken with my sons' favorite veggie, oven roasted asparagus drizzled with Wegman's own basting oil. On Sunday evening after dinner I made a hearty stock from the carcass which sat on low for 12 hours. Using that tonight to make my youngest son's favorite chicken and egg noodle soup with plenty of fresh thyme. I made a mirepoix of carrots, onions and celery and made tagliatelle egg noodles (we love the Bionature brand also found at Wegmans).
Breaded Pork Chops
Breaded pork chops were Monday night -- also made in the crock pot after breading and browning them and I was fortunate to have that amazing chicken stock available so I put 2 cups more or less in with the chops. They were amazing served with yukon gold mashed potatoes with a little garlic boiled in with the potatoes and green beans and butter on the side.
All in all it was a good week filled with home cooking and lots of love emanating from the kitchen.
Now I am awaiting our dinner guest and with any luck he is bringing a bottle of wine!
