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Saturday, February 19, 2011
Love
Tomrrow I leave on a cruise to celebrate 25 years of marriage to my best friend. See you all soon!
Old El Paso Giveaway Winner
Congratulations, Karin! Thanks to all who entered. I'll be having another giveaway the first week of March.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Perfect Pot Roast Anyone Can Make
I make my pot roast in a crock pot aka slow cooker. If you don't have a slow cooker, you can use a large stove top pot, or you can do this in the oven. At the end of the recipe, I'll explain the simple-- and I mean simple-- modifications you'll need to make if you don't use a slow cooker.
Here are the ingredients. This will serve about 6.
3 lb. roast (chuck, bottom round, or rump roast)
2 tsp. salt (I use Kosher)
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 bay leaves
1 large onion
3-6 carrots
water to cover ingredients
This is a 3 lb. chuck roast. It's not my favorite cut for a pot roast, but it's what I had. I prefer a bottom round roast or a rump roast. All of these can take the long cooking required of a pot roast and will come out flavorful and tender.
You can put a little oil or Pam in a large pot or skillet, set to a high heat, and brown the meat on all sides before proceeding. If you don't feel like it, don't. I've never found it to make much of a difference. While browning the meat, cut an onion in half lenghthwise and then into 1/4" thick slices. Cut up 3-6 carrots as shown in this picture. Add onions and carrot to crock pot.
Now add the meat and enough water to just cover it. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours* or until you can insert a fork into it and it seems like it wants to fall apart. (TIP: This is a great meal to have cooking at home while you're at work. Simply reduce heat to low and cook 8-9 hours. You come home from work and the house smells amazing.)
Remove meat to cutting board, strain carrots and onions from liquid and use as a side dish. Reserve liquid to make your gravy. Here's how the meat looks when it comes out of the pot.
I absolutely can not stand fat on my meat. Because the meat is so tender, all you have to do is take a fork or knife and just scrape all the fat off. There might be a bit of fat between every one of the meat sections so I make sure I scrape each one. If you like fat, leave it on. Once I've removed all of the fat, which goes very quickly because everything is just so tender, I break the meat into chunks rather than slicing it. (If you've ever had the post roast at a Black Eyed Pea restaurant, this is how it will look and taste.)
Here's all of it.
That's it. That's how you make pot roast. Plate it with the veggies of your choice and gravy. (Does anyone need to know how to make gravy? I'll be glad to explain if you need it.)
Oven Directions: Follow all of these exact steps, using a large enough pan to be able to accomodate the roast and veggies and to be able to cover it with water. Cover tightly with foil, cook on 300 for 5 hours.
Stove top directions: Follow all of these exact steps, using a pot big enough to accommodate all of your ingredients. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to barely simmering for 5 hours.
*Sometimes I add water I've already heated on the stove to the pot to kickstart the cooking process. This makes my cooking time 5 hours. If I use cold or room temperature water, 6 hours might me necessary.
What if you use a bigger or smaller piece of meat? You're probably going to cook it about the same amount of time. All you have to do to test to see if the meat is done, no matter what size it is, is stick a fork into it. Twist the fork. A chunk of meat should easily pull right off the roast. That's how you know it's done. And if you're not a very good cook, you can go an hour longer on your cooking time and it's still going to be fine. So go ahead and try it. You can't mess it up. Enjoy!
I'd love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe.
Here are the ingredients. This will serve about 6.
3 lb. roast (chuck, bottom round, or rump roast)
2 tsp. salt (I use Kosher)
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 bay leaves
1 large onion
3-6 carrots
water to cover ingredients
This is a 3 lb. chuck roast. It's not my favorite cut for a pot roast, but it's what I had. I prefer a bottom round roast or a rump roast. All of these can take the long cooking required of a pot roast and will come out flavorful and tender.
You can put a little oil or Pam in a large pot or skillet, set to a high heat, and brown the meat on all sides before proceeding. If you don't feel like it, don't. I've never found it to make much of a difference. While browning the meat, cut an onion in half lenghthwise and then into 1/4" thick slices. Cut up 3-6 carrots as shown in this picture. Add onions and carrot to crock pot.
Now add the meat and enough water to just cover it. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours* or until you can insert a fork into it and it seems like it wants to fall apart. (TIP: This is a great meal to have cooking at home while you're at work. Simply reduce heat to low and cook 8-9 hours. You come home from work and the house smells amazing.)
Remove meat to cutting board, strain carrots and onions from liquid and use as a side dish. Reserve liquid to make your gravy. Here's how the meat looks when it comes out of the pot.
I absolutely can not stand fat on my meat. Because the meat is so tender, all you have to do is take a fork or knife and just scrape all the fat off. There might be a bit of fat between every one of the meat sections so I make sure I scrape each one. If you like fat, leave it on. Once I've removed all of the fat, which goes very quickly because everything is just so tender, I break the meat into chunks rather than slicing it. (If you've ever had the post roast at a Black Eyed Pea restaurant, this is how it will look and taste.)
Here's all of it.
That's it. That's how you make pot roast. Plate it with the veggies of your choice and gravy. (Does anyone need to know how to make gravy? I'll be glad to explain if you need it.)
Oven Directions: Follow all of these exact steps, using a large enough pan to be able to accomodate the roast and veggies and to be able to cover it with water. Cover tightly with foil, cook on 300 for 5 hours.
Stove top directions: Follow all of these exact steps, using a pot big enough to accommodate all of your ingredients. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to barely simmering for 5 hours.
*Sometimes I add water I've already heated on the stove to the pot to kickstart the cooking process. This makes my cooking time 5 hours. If I use cold or room temperature water, 6 hours might me necessary.
What if you use a bigger or smaller piece of meat? You're probably going to cook it about the same amount of time. All you have to do to test to see if the meat is done, no matter what size it is, is stick a fork into it. Twist the fork. A chunk of meat should easily pull right off the roast. That's how you know it's done. And if you're not a very good cook, you can go an hour longer on your cooking time and it's still going to be fine. So go ahead and try it. You can't mess it up. Enjoy!
I'd love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Review and Giveaway: Old El Paso Taco Seasoning + $10
Is there any family that doesn't love taco night? I make it for my family the way my Mom made them for us: family style with all the fixings on the table. It was one of my favorites and it's always been a favorite in my household too. When I was provided a sample of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning to try, it was a reminder that I hadn't made tacos in a while and it was time.
One of the things that I love about taco night is that I've always been able to make it work with how I like to eat on Weight Watchers, too. I'll used ground turkey browned and seasoned with the Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, low fat or fat free cheese, light sour cream, picante sauce, and all the veggie toppings and either put them into low carb tortillas or make a taco salad out of them and top them with light tortilla chips. (I'm getting hungry writing this!) I've even posted a recipe here before about my favorite taco soup I make with Old El Paso Taco Seasoning that's also part of my Weight Watchers repertoire. If you're a recipe love, as I am, you can get some good recipes here too. So here's the bottom line: What's not to love about this product? Of course I love it! I've used it for years and the flavor it imparts on tacos, soups, dips, and many other recipes is exactly what you want when you think of that taco flavor. I use lots of their products--and I've never been disappointed.
If it's been a while since you had a family dinner, have a family taco night and have some fun. Old El Paso wants you to make your taco night a family fun night and is even providing the game El Tacodor for free. Check it out. MyBlogSpark and Old El Paso are providing a “Family Taco Night” Prize Pack to one Maureen Makes It reader. You'll win a packet of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, a Cactus Chip & Dip Serving Dish, a set of 3 Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes, AND a $10 Visa Card to purchase your taco fixings. (I love those gift cards!) Look, here's the prize pack.
As always, entering is easy. All you have to do is leave a comment below. Feel free to include a taco recipes or how you like to top your tacos. Most of all, make sure I'm able to get in touch with you if you win.
Some people enjoy the opportunity to enter several times. If you're one of them, here's what you can do after you've fulfilled to entry above. (Each comment=1 entry)
1. Like us on Facebook and leave a comment here telling us you've liked us.
2. If you already like us on FB, leave a comment here telling us you do.
3. Follow this blog and leave a comment telling us you're a follower.
4. Get someone else to follow us on FB and leave a comment telling us that they're following us.
5. Get someone to follow this blog and leave us a comment telling us they're following us.
There you have it. You have 5 ways to get additional entries. The winner will be selected via random.org from those that have posted entries by 12:00 PM Central Time on Saturday, February 19.
Products were provided to me and for the giveaway by My Blog Spark. Post was written 100% by me and the review is completely my own.
Sewing Machine Recommendations
Edit 8/31/12: I've been very dismayed to learn they are no longer making Kenmore sewing machines. Janome makes Kenmores and, while I have not had an opportunity to work with many Janomes, they've always enjoyed a reputation for making quality, solid machines. They would be worth a look.
Students, particularly beginners, frequently ask what machine I recommend. Based on price, performance, features, value, and extensive research, I recommend these Brother and Kenmore machines for most sewing needs.
This first one is about $150.
This one is about $165.
About $200 for this one.
This Kenmore is also about $200.
About $250 for this one.
This one is about $350.
This very basic machine is about $150. For the money, I'd prefer the 1st Brother machine above, but this is a good machine.
While my links are to Walmart and Sears, they are simply to show you the machines. You can buy them other places, too. Overstock.com carries a lot of refurbished machines for some of these models at lower prices. Amazon.com has some of these machines also. If you're in my area, Sew Contempo carries Brother machines, too, but be prepared to pay top dollar for them. Also, if there is a sewing machine sales center or repair center, check with them. They frequently have used machines for sale. And there's always eBay, Craigslist, and elsewhere within the secondary market.
There's something out there for every budget and there are fairly decent machines that are even less expensive than these but I have no included them because they're not among my top picks. If you'd like information on these machines, let me know.
I hope this helps those of you that are trying to decide which machine to buy.
Students, particularly beginners, frequently ask what machine I recommend. Based on price, performance, features, value, and extensive research, I recommend these Brother and Kenmore machines for most sewing needs.
This first one is about $150.
This one is about $165.
About $200 for this one.
This Kenmore is also about $200.
About $250 for this one.
This one is about $350.
This very basic machine is about $150. For the money, I'd prefer the 1st Brother machine above, but this is a good machine.
While my links are to Walmart and Sears, they are simply to show you the machines. You can buy them other places, too. Overstock.com carries a lot of refurbished machines for some of these models at lower prices. Amazon.com has some of these machines also. If you're in my area, Sew Contempo carries Brother machines, too, but be prepared to pay top dollar for them. Also, if there is a sewing machine sales center or repair center, check with them. They frequently have used machines for sale. And there's always eBay, Craigslist, and elsewhere within the secondary market.
There's something out there for every budget and there are fairly decent machines that are even less expensive than these but I have no included them because they're not among my top picks. If you'd like information on these machines, let me know.
I hope this helps those of you that are trying to decide which machine to buy.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Adorable baby hats
I have been sewing up a storm but I've been slow to upload the pictures. Let me start by sharing these adorable little baby hats with you.
I came across a tutorial for these and tweaked it a little to come up with these. I've got fabric cut to make 3 more in another pattern. What do you think?
I came across a tutorial for these and tweaked it a little to come up with these. I've got fabric cut to make 3 more in another pattern. What do you think?
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