Elementary Chef

I’m not really sure why this is called Italian roast beef. I think it might be the spices. But the reason you’re getting this recipe today is because, well, sirloin roast was on sale at our neighborhood grocery store. And I needed to find a recipe to cook this big honking slab of beef I bought for dinner tomorrow night. Browsing through my files, I found this one, with a note that I liked it.

I tend to like sirloin roast better than chuck roast (which is commonly used for pot roast.) Sirloin is usually a bit cheaper and it’s not as dry. I like the dryness. It seems to have less fat on it, but I haven’t actually researched that. It’s very easy to prepare and it makes GREAT sandwich cold cuts when you’re done with dinner! I’ll be serving mine with a garden salad and brussel sprouts. (My daughter and I both LOVE brussel sprouts, which I prepare in chicken broth — NO butter.) Check out this old post for some of my favorite salad toss-ins!

ITALIAN ROAST BEEF
Rump or sirloin roast
2 c. water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. oregano
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Few drops of Tabasco (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Bake roast in 350 degree oven until it is rare. To pan drippings add water and beef bouillon cubes. (For more gravy, use 3 cups water and 3 bouillon cubes.) Add marjoram, thyme, oregano, Worcestershire, garlic, Tabasco and salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Slice roast very thin when it is cool. (Cornstarch can be added to gravy to thicken if desired.) Cooked strips of green pepper and onion can also be added to gravy. Add sliced beef to gravy a little at a time; simmer just long enough to heat beef. Serve on fresh French bread rolls.

Taco seasoning is a favorite staple in my house. Tacos and burritos are a great quick and easy dinner. The seasoning mix is great for beef or chicken. But have you ever used it to season soup? Add some corn, beans, salsa, chicken or beef and go? Or what about as a chili base?

When you’re out of those little packets or want to save money and mix some up at home, try this blend:

Taco Seasoning
1/2 t paprika
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t oregano
1/4-1/2 t salt

The measurements are my guesses. I mix this blend by smell. Do it right, and you’ll know!

I’m one of those folks who believes that having a fabulous sauce or seasoning at your disposal can absolutely MAKE a meal. It’s that well-stocked kitchen philosophy. Case in point? The fabulous sauces offered by Buckhead Gourmet. I have been a loyal fan of these folks since I first met them at my neighborhood Costco a couple of years ago. Since then, I’ve used these at home, bought them for teacher gifts, and included them in wedding gift baskets. I snagged the picture of their onion relish, because my husband’s favorite dish is grilled pork chops with this relish on top!

The site has a number of recipes, but I’m a big fan of just using the grilling sauces on pork chops, chicken, and fish. And I ADORE the Thai Chile Ginger sauce as a finishing sauce for… well, anything! I even like it for chicken fingers! So, go explore! I have yet to taste a sauce I don’t like from them. They also have a fabulous array of recipes! I’ll be trying the Pork-based Southwest Chipotle Chili this week!

Cooking, Sauces, Grilling, Chipotle, Pork Chops, Recipes, Southwest

You might have heard about the cold snap out here in the Desert Southwest. Hey, it’s cccc-old!

I’m hearing from friends in Phoenix who’ve had problems with frozen water pipes, which is a real problem we don’t often encounter here. This year has been the coldest winter in 28 years, I hear. I’ve even been wearing the coat I borrowed from my daughter in law for my trip to Washington in two weeks. Never expected to need it here!

What you’re going to see as a result, no matter where you live in the US, is higher produce prices. We’re not sure yet how much the weather has affected the citrus and lettuce crops, but in my experience, once that word of price increases gets out, the prices go up anyway, no matter how bad or good the situation is in the field.

How much the prices go up is something I’d need a crystal ball to predict. I’m hearing rumors of double and triple price increases. We won’t know, really, for another week to ten days. Quite often, what they do with partially-frozen orangesis use them for juice. So that might make orange juice cheaper, if there’s a lot of it around.

There’s more on the cold weather here at my local paper.

produce, shopping, groceries

People get cookbooks in a lot of ways. They can come to you as gifts, or you’ll hear about one online or maybe see one that looks interesting in the bookstore.

Thing is, it’s hard to know if the recipes are accurate, or the if writer has any idea what he or she is talking about. I heard a long time ago that Martha Stewart’s first cookbook was of better use as a doorstop, as many of the recipes were said to have some bad mistakes.

I don’t know since I’ve never seen it, but I’ve seen my share of bad cookbooks.

One I had was about sourdough baking. There were some good ideas in there, especially a spinach-cheese bread that was more of a snack item than just bread. Problem was, the basic sourdough method was wrong. Not only were you using the sourdough starter, but adding yeast as you would for a regular bread recipe. This resulted in loaves that were a grey color—not very appetizing—not to mention there was an odd taste as well.

There was also one that was supposed to be low-fat, “healthy” recipes, which turned out to not to be low-fat at all!

Probably the best thing you can do when choosing a cookbook, especially if you’re new to cooking, is stick with the tried-and-true, at least until you know more about it and can better judge the good from the not-so-hot. You can waste a lot of time and money using recipes that have basic flaws or typographical errors.

Your first one or two cookbooks should be those that somebody you know uses frequently, or that you’ve heard about so often you know it’s reliable.

Otherwise, it’s probably best to stay away from impulse buying when it’s a cookbook you’re considering. Most of my major mistakes came from buying cookbooks from the remainders section at the bookstore, and/or the author was somebody I’d heard about.

Now I realize those marked-down remainders got there for a reason, and it may not always be because of faulty marketing. Maybe the book itself has problems. Also, sometimes celebrities don’t write the book themselves. Well, you live and you learn.

Sometimes you can encounter a rare gem among the unpurchased and unread. Once you’ve had some experience in the kitchen and worked with a variety of recipes, then you can trust your own instincts.

cookbooks

I think now is a good time to repeat this one, seeing as how many of us are tapped out right now. It’s also a good idea for a New Year’s Resolution: shop smarter in 2007!

This is a system that has served me well for many years, adapted as time goes by to market trends, such as the dollar store. Coupons aren’t such a big deal anymore, as they were in the 1980s, when people had filing cabinets full of the things and communities held coupon exchanges at places like convention centers.

Here are the links:
How to Save Money Without Using Coupons

The List

The Store

The Products

budget, groceries, smart shopping