Musings on a Saturday Afternoon

Another Saturday, another snowstorm. We’ve got over a foot on the ground already and now we’re expecting about five inches more. My excitement is abated only by the fact that we have to go out tonight and buy groceries; the 11 for $10 sale on frozen vegetables doesn’t last forever, you know. That and I need a darning needle so I can weave the ends in on several knitting projects. Why I can’t keep track of the darn things is beyond me. Darn darning darn.

Meijer, the local grocery/superstore, is having actually quite a lot of 11 for $10 sales this week. Since we have this amazing chest freezer now, I plan to stock up as much as possible. Thanks to the wonder of coupons, the Green Giant frozen vegetables will in fact come to 11 for $5. Again I encounter the “is it organic?” dilemma; of course the answer is no. But I overestimated the performance of the garden last summer, and so we have to get the vegetables somehow. And life and ideals never quite meet up, so I console myself with the fact that we’re TRYING, here. Also on the list are plenty of other less-than-wondrous items: Brown and Serve sausage, bagged Romaine lettuce, conventional avocadoes. But all of it is better than eating out for every meal, and it moves us closer to the goal of eating sustainably and ethically. Baby steps.

Next subject! Switchplates. The bathroom (of the new sink skirt fame) has some really awful light fixtures and switchplates. Well, one of each. But they’re brass. Really ugly pseudo-brass. I don’t know what can be done about the light fixture proper, except perhaps to sand and spray paint it, but I think I can Mod Podge some fabric onto the switchplate quite easily. I think I’ll give it a try, soon.

That reminds me how much I hate our couch. It’s uncomfortable AND ugly, hurrah! I’d love to make a slipcover for it, but given that even storebought slipcovers make me want to tear my hair out, I’m not sure that’s a good plan. Plus, there’s the part where it’s really uncomfortable. The likelihood of acquiring a new couch anytime soon is pretty low, though. Things to ponder. Perhaps if we just rearrange the living room furniture my desire for a change in there will be met.

Last, but not least: Tomorrow is the AFC playoff game between the Steelers and the Ravens. I expect bloodshed, and I am nervous. Very nervous. Of course the Steelers will win. I had hoped to go up to Ypsilanti, to the nearest Steeler Nation bar, but between finances and snowy roads we’ll be watching from home instead. I need to figure out what to have for dinner; our tradition, during games, is generally to graze on snacky-foods. I think tomorrow might be a taco dip kind of day, but I’m also inclined to recreate a Primanti’s sandwich for the occasion. Pastrami, of course.

And now, knitting, and preparing to brave the cold in order to buy frozen foods. And maybe ice cream. Rocky road, anyone? (I’m planning to cut out refined sugars entirely for the month of February and the temptation to overindulge RIGHT NOW is… high.)

Freezer Inventory Printable List

This is the first of, I hope, many printable lists for you! to use! and organize your stuff! Take advantage of my OCD. It’s in PDF format, which we all know by know requires Acrobat Reader blah blah go download it if you don’t have it blah blah. I’ve split it into four sections, because a big, uncategorized list of freezer contents alarms me. Feel free to print as many copies as you’d like, and pass them along to friends, but if I find out you’re charging for them you will face the wrath of a flock of… seagulls. Or something.

Here’s how I use it. Each line has five checkboxes, so I write the item name on the line and then draw one diagonal line like this: / through a box for every one I have. So if there are three, I have three boxes with diagonal lines. Then, when I use the item, I draw ANOTHER diagonal line, comme ca, \, making an X. Horribly clever, I know.

Share and enjoy!

Freezer Inventory Printable List

Chilly Chili Chile

I’m sorry. You know, about the title. It just seems so clever in my current state of half-asleep afternoon blahs that I want to keep it.

Since we got our chest freezer all set up on Sunday night, I’ve made several attempts to design a once a month cooking menu. All have failed, but I do have a list of dishes to make, and I suppose spreading out their making over a week or two isn’t going to hurt. Plus I can get the hang of the process, and figure out whether something really does freeze well before I make 87 pounds of it and THEN realize it tastes like freezer-burned ass.

I did want to get a few things in there right away, though. I figured it would make me feel accomplished, which naturally turned out to be true. One of my favorite meals (and my husband agrees; it’s amazing) is chili and cornbread, and we happened to have ground venison in the freezer from the in-laws. I made a big pot and socked four meals’ worth into the freezer. Which needs a name, by the way; I feel like I’ve said “freezer” way too many times in this post already. I also froze the leftover cooked beans (Great Northerns, cooked plain plain plain in water) and half the cornbread. Mmm. Hm. I didn’t feel like busting out the FoodSaver, as it is unwieldy and a pain in the rear, so I used one of those Ziploc manual vacuum sealing bag thingies and… yeah. The FoodSaver may have to find itself a new home, because the pump is much easier. More on that as I hem and haw and hem some more about whether or not to sell it.

Meanwhile, here is a chili recipe to keep you happy. It was originally based on a Sara Moulton recipe, though I have long since lost the original.

Southwestern Chili, Yes With Ground Meat you Texans, Sorry

• 2lb. ground meat (normally I use 50/50 pork and beef, but whatever’s clever)
  2T vegetable oil
• 3 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 1 bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 Anaheim pepper, guess how it’s chopped?
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, smushed, or pressed
• 3T tomato paste
• 1/4c chili powder (buy the Penzey’s Medium Hot, if you don’t want to make your own)
• 1-28oz. can of whole tomatoes, squished up with your hands (do not wear a white shirt)
• 2c beef broth or stock
• 2T apple cider vinegar
• 1oz unsweetened chocolate
• 3c cooked beans
• salt & pepper

Heat a big heavy-bottomed (hey! like me!) pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Brown the ground meat — really brown it! Not grey, brown! Add the onions and peppers and brown those, too. Nothing needs to cook through at this point. We’re looking for Maillard reactions and general deliciousness.

Get the stock handy, like, right next to you. Add the tomato paste and let it cook for a minute. You’ll want to stir it so it doesn’t burn. Add the chili powder and stir and cook another 45 seconds or so. There will be fumes. If you sense imminent burnination, put the stock in. Otherwise, keep stirring for that whole 45 seconds, then add the stock. Next up, the garlic, squished tomatoes, vinegar, chocolate, and a gooooood healthy pinch of salt, really more like 2t. Stir until the chocolate melts; at this point it’s probably at a boil. Turn the heat down, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 hours. It’s cooked in far less time but letting the flavors meld means it will taste better. DO IT.

15 minutes before you’re ready to eat, make some cornbread and throw the beans in with the chili so they can pick up flavor and warm through.

Makes about 10 servings, and freezes really well. Better as leftovers. Really.