Diary of a Home Cook

Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we fast… Are you ready for Fat Tuesday? I am. Fat Tuesday is a day of indulgence and excess that precedes Lent for all Catholics in the world. Lent is comprised of 40 days of penance, fast and abstinence in preparation for Easter so you are allowed, and encouraged, to indulge big time the day before Lent begins. It is fun and festive and is a true party for the senses and the appetities.

Everybody has heard of Mardi Gras (The word Gras in French means “Fat,” while Mardi means “Tuesday.” Ergo, “Fat Tuesday.”) but not everyone has experienced it. When my boys were little we lived in a suburb of New Orleans and left town every year at Mardi Gras because of the millions of people that swarmed to the city. I went once and that was enough of the crowds for me but some people are addicted to it and I can fully understand that. It is a great party with masked people on enormous floats throwing beads, dubloons, and trinkets to the crowds. Many cities in the United States celebrate Mardi Gras. Galveston, Tx near us is riding high with floats and parades right now, but the predominant celebration in the U.S. remains New Orleans, Louisiana. Festivities begin a week before Ash Wednesday with parades daily and are filled with excessive drinking, eating and partying. There are some musts for Mardi Gras, one being going to Pat O’Briens bar for a Hurricane drink in a special hurricane glass and, if you are able to stay on your feet, you can actually walk through the French Quarter with it in your hand. For some people it doesn’t take much to make a holiday, and the people of Louisiana have it in their veins, from Mardi Gras to crawfish boils to St. Joseph Feasts and more. Growing up in Louisiana some 60 miles from New Orleans we joined in the spirit of the Mardi Gras season but only celebrated on the day of Fat Tuesday itself.

Because fasting begins on Wednesday, Fat Tuesday is traditionally the day and night that food becomes a major item as the time to eat without inhibition. We stuff ourselves with precisely the things we will deny ourselves during Lent; candy, cokes and sweets of all manner, are the most prevalent. And we celebrate…with parades, family gatherings and other traditional get togethers and of course there is King Cake (Picture from Taste of Home) which designates the Queen of the celebration or the next person to bring the cake. For more on the history and recipe of king cake check out http://www.gumbopages.com/food/dessert/king-cake. Come Ash Wednesday we will endure 40 days without partaking of the things that tempt our fallen nature. Fat Tuesday here we come, rolling into Ash Wednesday sated and satisfied and ready to fast.
In our family we always made merry on Fat Tuesday. At home each person would request their favorite indulgence and I would see that it all appeared at the appropriate time and we would eat heartily. This year I don’t have a family to prepare for but will indulge myself with a hot fudge sundae, and maybe even a cupcake from our nearby Kup N Kakes, which I ordinarily deny myself because of my diabetes. It will be even sweeter because of Lent following. Of course, at my age I am no longer required to fast, so whatever I deny myself is just a little extra. Let’s get to the planning and see what we can come up with for a great Fat Tuesday. I was treated so good for Valentines that it is hard to decide what to have on Mardi Gras. Maybe more boiled crawfish! Yum! That is a definite indulgence. And my hot fudge sundae, and maybe a cup of gumbo and a fried soft shell crab. I do dearly love my Louisiana seafood. Of course Lent is about not eating meat on Friday’s, so maybe I should work in some fajitas. The list is now bigger than my capacity to consume. That’s okay, honey bunch is here to help me. I do hope you start a new tradition in your family if you haven’t before and enjoy Mardi Gras to the fullest. Write to me at info@downhomedelicious.com and let me know what’s going on at your house.

If you would like to post a recipe of your own, please contact us at:
http://www.downhomedelicious.com/contact .
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza

Diary of a Home Cook

My cousin Geraldine Marretta Harris, a Mother and a marvelous home cook in her own right, shared a memory of cooking in our family you will enjoy. One thing I have to say about our Italian American family, the children were always included in the cooking if they were available and interested. That was back before the day of television and video games. Of course, we loved to be in the middle of things, so we developed a love of cooking at an early age. I think children are still interested but not invited as often as could be. It was such fun being at the table helping with pastas or breads or cookies, how can we not share these experiences with our family?
I don’t personally remember being a part of the ravioli making but Gerri’s story is heartwarming.
Gerri shares: “ I remember as a child the family gatherings that took place in our home or at one of my aunt’s homes. We’d all gather on a Saturday to make raviolis. My Aunt Pauline had a really long table in her kitchen (or so it seemed to be long when I was little) and she’d put each of us girls at the table with a piece of dough to spread out with a stick (rolling pin) and showed us what to do. (We had a lot of flour available to keep the dough from sticking to the table.) As we rolled the dough my cousins would see who could get the dough just right for making raviolis. We rolled, cut into long strips and then we’d cut them again into squares. My aunt came up behind us and put just enough of the cheese or meat mixture in the center of the ravioli. Then we’d put two squares together (one empty square on top of a filled square), press the edges with the tines of a fork to make sure the cheese couldn’t escape before placing them in the hot salted water. It was very interesting being brought up in a Sicilian home. Family gatherings were filled with a whole lot of good food, lots of love, music and dancing.”

I have had the good fortune of eating home made ravioli and trust me, the ravioli you get in the store is a far cry from the goodness of home made. If you want to try it one day, it’s a great bonding experience with family and/or friends. Use a simple fresh pasta recipe, roll out dough as Gerri describes and put a filling of my Rigoletto’s Favorite Ricotta Cheese filling, or meatballs, in the center and have an indescribably delicious meal. The tender ravioli take about 3 minutes to cook and drain. Just a little pasta sauce, tomato or alfredo, over the top seals the deal.

Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now, and do it the Italian American way!

If you would like to post a recipe of your own, please contact us at:
http://www.downhomedelicious.com/contact .
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Ciao,

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza

Diary of a Home Cook

Let me tell you I have been on a roll this week. In and out, easy and delicious. It doesn’t get much better. I would have made my apple tart by now but because my sugars are out of whack, (you know my diabetes problem) I am hesitating. However, it won’t be long now, so keep watching for it.
Let me state here and now, I love to cook but I don’t love to cook necessarily every day or when I am feeling lazy, or when a good movie is on, or when I prefer to indulge myself and sit around and read, or so many other times. My husband worked for 50 years in his career and I know he didn’t feel like going to work every day but he persevered and so must I. I just don’t want to paint a picture for you of a little miss dance around and be happy fairy that floats in and out of the kitchen smiling and saying “thank you for letting me work for you.” Let’s be realistic, cooking can be a chore but that can be minimized by preparing foods that satisfy something in your soul or makes someone you love happy. I relate my cooking exploits but don’t think that it is always easy or fun for me any more than it is for you. It is simply something I take seriously and push myself to do when I must, because I know I will like myself better if I follow through on my obligations. And the praise and love I get from a job well done doesn’t hurt anything either.
Today we opted for a late lunch having been out to breakfast after church. I like days like this where I can go slow and easy and yet enjoy a hearty meal that is healthy and delicious. Trust me, this is going to please your palate and make you want to run out and buy some ribs. BTW I do not use any meat that has been injected with salt solutions. Buy natural meat and you will have the best tasting meal you can imagine.
First things first, I preheated both ovens to 450 degrees F. Next I got out two oven pans, an oven broiler pan and a smaller lipped baking sheet about 11”x9”. I lined both with aluminum foil, shiny side down and sprayed them with oil. The larger pan I tucked the foil underneath the edge and on the smaller I let the foil stick up in the air around the sides to block the spatter in the oven. The foil lining makes clean up a breeze.
My ribs were only 7 ribs from a larger rack, just enough for my honey and me for one sitting. I put a metal rack on top of foil, sprayed it, seasoned the ribs on both sides with garlic powder (not salt) and black pepper, sprayed it all over with oil and laid it on the rack in the pan. I took one more piece of foil the width of the rack of ribs and sprayed it with oil on the dull side to use later.
The ribs went into the oven at 450 degrees F. for 30 minutes, then heat was turned down to 400 degrees for the remaining 30 minutes with sprayed cover of foil to help prevent ribs from charring too much and spattering on oven sides.
While the ribs roasted I washed and cut up 3 bell peppers (one each red, yellow, and orange) any combination works but that is what I had. I also scrubbed and cut 2 medium red potatoes in large bite size chunks and measured out 1 cup small carrots. Everything went in a four-quart bowl for a good toss. I drizzled olive oil, (I use light but you can use EVOO if you prefer) over all and tossed again. Then I spread the vegetables in my larger foil lined broiler pan, seasoned them with garlic powder and pepper, (you can also add parsley, rosemary or other favorites seasonings) and they were ready to roast.
In comes the sous chef to do his thing. I left the kitchen, it is small and not a professional kitchen, so at times it gets a little close with both of us cooking. Honey fixed fried eggplant, a favorite of ours and his specialty. He is not and doesn’t want to be a cook but has 2 or 3 things, like salad and fried eggplant that he will fix when requested. That man can put away some eggplant; I guess that is why he is willing to fix it.

When the ribs had been roasting 30 minutes and it was time to lower their temperature and add the foil cover, I slipped the vegetables into the lower oven. The vegetables roasted while Bob fried eggplant.
One hour and a few minutes after I began the meal was ready, hot and yummy. Bob likes barbeque sauce on his ribs so he added it at the table even though I would have been happy to add it while they were in the oven. The ribs were quite meaty, lean and tender, crunchy on the outside yet juicy on the inside and how delicious was that! With everything else being so healthy the fried eggplant did not tip the scale to unhealthy.
My hubby was just a smiling and smacking all through his meal. He loved it and that made me love it even more. No leftovers on this meal. Of course, we still have a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs to tide us over if the need arises. Knowing Bob he will get int that bowl before the evening is over.
I have found there is no magic to feeding a family apart from caring about making them happy and healthy to the best of your ability, while satisfying your cravings along the way. I really enjoy cooking, but it is often a chore on days like today when my elderly body would rather have been in my chair reading my book. Life has taught me that I can’t always do what I feel like doing, most days I must do what I must do and find joy in that as best I can. I really get a kick out of watching my husband enjoy his meal. It takes the edge off cooking when I am not really in the mood. Is there anyone you love enough to get out of your easy chair and cook for when you are feeling so self indulged? I certainly hope so, that is a part of what makes life worth living.

If you would like to post a recipe of your own, please contact us at:
http://www.downhomedelicious.com/contact .
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza

Diary of a Home Cook

Today has been one of those days. I planned ahead what I would cook but I didn’t get it moving for lunch which was my goal. Bob plays racquetball doubles on Saturday mornings and I tackled paperwork on my desk while he was gone. Didn’t get a lot done but at least made a minor dent.

We both had hair appointments in the afternoon so it bounced my cooking back to the late afternoon. I generally cook according to my tastebuds and what they are craving at the time. My mistake was in asking Bob which he preferred, because I know his love for meatballs and spaghetti, and that won out over my preference of fusion tacos. More about those later. I just wasn’t in the mood for spaghetti and don’t like meatballs so I made both, meatballs and meat sauce. It was easy and went quickly so all is good. You are really going to like the flavor and ease of this meal and hopefully you will try it or something similar soon.
After we got back from our hairdresser, I finally got around to going into the kitchen to cook and things just fell into place. I had 1 ¼ pounds good Angus ground chuck and prechopped onions in the frig, boy am I getting lazy. I ultimately used one 4-quart saucepan, 1 everyday pan and one small skillet plus a pot for the spaghetti. It took me only 30 minutes to have my meatsauce with meatballs and red gravy simmering.
First I put the 4-quart pot on the burner on high, added one 14.5-ounce can chicken broth, 4 cups water and two 8-ounce cans tomato sauce, and brought it to a boil. When it began to boil I turned the heat to low and put a lid on it so it would simmer while I started on the seasonings.
One third of my ground meat went into a large bowl with a small amount of salt and pepper, some garlic powder, about ¼ cup bread crumbs, a tablespoon of minced onion, a couple of tablespoons water and one whole egg. The fun of meatballs is getting your hands in there to squoosh it all together. I put my everyday pan on the stove, added about ¼ inch oil and turned the burner on high. While it heated I formed my meat mixture into six balls. When the oil was rippling, hot, I turned the burner down to medium, added the meatballs and browned them on all sides. When browned, I removed them to a shallow bowl to add to the sauce later.
Using the oil from the meatballs I put 1 cup chopped onions and the remaining ground meat into the everyday pan that was still over medium heat. They began to brown nicely incorporating the drippings from the meatballs. At this point I seasoned the pan with a little salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, and added one 6-ounce can tomato paste and stirred well. I continued to stir no more than 2 more minutes, didn’t want the garlic to burn. When the meat and onions were tender and the paste was well blended they were added to the sauce pot simmering on another burner. As an afterthought I added one 4 ounce can sliced black olives, rinsed. I love black olives and mushrooms in my spaghetti sauce but had neglected to purchase mushrooms so moved forward without them.
I adjusted my amount of liquid in the pot so that it would not thicken too much and partially covered the bubbling mixture allowing it to cook down and blend the flavors. It was already tasting rather yummy. The sauce took 30 minutes to prepare and I was well on my way to a delicious meal. The meatballs were introduced to the sauce and all gently simmered another 30 minutes.
The beauty of being a cook without recipes kind of cook is that you can get in your kitchen and add a dash of this and a pinch of that, and produce an artistic creation that speaks to your personality and tastebuds. It’s the difference between buying a dress off of the rack and designing and sewing it yourself. There is a satisfaction that comes only from knowing that it is all yours. I truly encourage those of you who only cook with recipes to take the leap and spread your wings to encompass the delights of creating a fantastically flavorful meal all on your own. That doesn’t mean you have to re-invent the wheel, use a recipe as a springboard and go from there. It is very freeing and most times a lot of fun. Don’t expect to be a cooking channel chef on your first try…the first time I made ravioli from scratch I had to scrape them off the counter because I didn’t know to put sufficient flour under the dough. That is a fond memory on my learning curve.
Back to the meal of the moment. In my small skillet I combined 1 cup sauce and 1 cup water and brought it to a gentle simmer. When the temperature was right I slowly cracked 5 eggs, one at a time, into the diluted sauce. The skillet was then partially covered with a small lid and allowed to continue to cook over low heat for the remainder of the time the sauce was simmering. These Italian poached eggs are some kind of good eating, a wonderful addition to your meal and worth checking out.
On another burner I put my pasta water on to boil. When it came to a rapid boil I put in ½ of a ounce box of spaghetti, turned the heat down to maintain a nice rolling boil and cooked the spaghetti for 9 minutes. After 5 minutes I salted my spaghetti and let it finish cooking. Once drained I sauced it just enough to keep it from sticking together and we were in business.
Bob had wandered into the kitchen and saw my concert unfolding, grabbed a bowl and within the space of not more than 5 minutes put together a great tomato and lettuce salad with his own home made oil and vinegar salad dressing. I affectionately refer to him as my sous chef and love to share my kitchen with him.
One hour start to finish we were setting the table and had a marvelous meal before us. Everything was easy and quick and loaded with flavor. We ate our fill and still have a bowl left over for another meal plus about 2 cups of meat sauce for an impromptu spaghetti meal another day.
One side comment for those of you watching your weight or happen to be pre-diabetic or diabetic. I use Dreamfields pasta that is specially engineered to cut the carbs. It is delicious. You would not know the difference from other pasta unless you saw the box, and it allows me to enjoy all my favorite dishes without pushing the limits on my carbohydrate intake. I don’t market for the company but I do highly recommend the product. It’s a game maker.
That was what we had for dinner tonight. Simple, satisfying and down home delicious. What was on your menu today?
Don’t forget to get your loved ones a nice Valentine and maybe a special treat.
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day today; we sure did.

If you would like to post a recipe of your own, please contact us at:
http://www.downhomedelicious.com/contact .
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza

Diary of a Home Cook

Sometimes temptation is just more than I can handle. Bob and I had already decided we would not spend a lot of money on a Valentine meal out. Then I got this email about Pappasito’s Valentine special and I was hooked. It wasn’t just because they had filet mignon fajitas, or because they were serving chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. It was because both of those coupled with grilled lobster and shrimp was too much to resist. I have this love of lobster that makes me crave it from time to time. It is so expensive that I can’t justify it most of the time. My hubby tells me not to worry about the expense but it is hard to swallow knowing how much each bite costs. We have the money but there are people starving out there and I am selfishly spending more on one dish than they may have for food for a month. Doesn’t go down well for me as a regular choice.
Good news! The Pappasito’s meal was decently priced and had everything I love on it. There are several Pappasito’s in Houston and a variety of Pappas restaurants. We have found that not all Pappasito’s are created equal. Happily we found that the Pappasito’s on 610 Freeway by Reliant Park has consistently tender fajitas so we make the extra drive to get the better food. Of course, nothing is perfect. I much prefer the salsa at the one close to us. The fajitas win out every time.
We finally decided to take advantage of the great price and the foods we love and went to Pappasito’s today for our Valentine meal. We were delighted with the quality and quantity of food we were served. It included filet mignon fajitas with vegetables served in an impressive presentation on a hanging skewer (not shown in picture) and it was cooked perfectly, so tender they melted in our mouth. Also on our platter were regular beef fajitas, caramelized onions, grilled peppers, and other vegetables, 5-6 brochette shrimp, and a nice sized grilled lobster tail split in two. Our sides were Mexican beans and rice, guacamole and pica de gallo plus unlimited chips and salsa. All for a total of $44.95 for both of us. Happy Valentine’s to us!! Bob said it was by far the best meal he has had there and was hungrily eating all he could. When we finally cried uncle and asked for a to go box the strawberries arrived and were beautiful as well as delicious. There were 4 large berries dipped in milk chocolate on a beautiful presentation plate with a tower of whipped cream in the center of the plate. I love pretty food and this was fantastic. Bob asked the waiter to bring a to go box because we would only eat one berry each and take the other two home while I more realistically said, “Forget the box.” Needless to say, we scarfed down those berries with a smile on our face. The good news is that chocolate dipped strawberries do not mess with our sugar levels since we are both diabetic. Fortunately my hubby and I have some foods and restaurants we both enjoy and this is one of them. Their menu just happened to bring any of our favorites together in one meal which made our satisfaction quotient ring the bell. And we had so much food to go from Pappasito’s that we did not have to cook dinner either. You can bet there wasn’t any lobster in that to go box, just fajitas, a couple of shrimp and some of the sides. Still it was double our pleasure.

Corey, our waiter treated us as though it was his special privilege to tend to all our requests and needs even though he had several tables to serve. He was so good with a smile on his face the whole time that we called the Manager over and gave her a personal Kudo for his great customer service. Our Valentine meal cost 1/3 as much as the least expensive of the other Valentine menus in Houston. And we loved it all. I had perused the Valentine’s selections in town and saw that most began at $65 per person as a minimum with others up to $95 per person and we did not like everything on the sparse menus. I am not cheap but I like to get what I pay for. Okay, so our meal was not romantic. But delicious trumped romantic and we still have Valentine ’s Day to deliver the romance. Other restaurants in Houston claimed to be romantic but left a lot to be desired in my mind. We do have special plans for THE day geared to my husbands choice. I will share about that after the fact.
I have been so excited that I had a genuine good review to share with you that I was anxious to write this up as soon as possible. Now you have it. I do hope your holiday is as perfect as mine is shaping up to be.
Have a down home delicious Happy Valentine’s Day ya’ll!!

To make reservations at Pappasito’s, visit:
http://www.pappasitos.com .

If you would like to post a recipe of your own, please contact us at:
http://www.downhomedelicious.com/contact .
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza

Diary of a Home Cook

Today I had a minor medical procedure done and my doc said I could not have anything fried or spicy. Duh!! There went 90% of my favs. It doesn’t matter how minor the procedure was, I wanted to be spoiled and comforted. I moseyed around for some time trying to figure out something quick and tasty since I have not had a meal today and it is already in the evening. My husband repeatedly offered to go pick up anything I wanted but nothing fit.
Finally, in a blinding flash I had my answer. Grits and eggs. Being a southern girl I grew up on grits and love them dearly. I keep a box of instant grits on hand in the pantry for just such times as this. So what did it take, approximately 5 minutes to fry (oops) up 2 eggs – maybe we could use the word sauté to make it legal – and microwave a serving of grits with butter. I slid the eggs on top of the grits, cut the eggs up and stirred and heaven was just a fork away. Now that I am diabetic I no longer have toast and jelly as a regular addition. Today I was semi-honest and stuck with only grits and eggs. It was, as always, delicious and satisfied my itch for comfort food. The best part of it is it is healthy, definitely better than a burger and fries (oh, no fries today).
Another day behind me with minimal cooking. When we have had a nice lunch we very often have grits and eggs, and maybe bacon, in the evening and it is a great ending of the day for us. If you prefer, you can fix instant Cream of Wheat. I ate that as a girl only back then it wasn’t instant. CofW just doesn’t do it for me these days. Have to go with the grits. Anyway, think about it. Give it a try and maybe you will find a new fast food to help you out in a crunch. I guess I could have poached the eggs to be totally legal but that never crossed my mind.

If you would like to post a recipe of your own, please contact us at:
http://www.downhomedelicious.com/contact .
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza

Diary of a Home Cook

Well, well, the rump roast is still alive and well. Normally I would have frozen that baby by now but due to unexpected changes in schedule it is still in the fridge. My hubby LOVES barbeque beef so I sliced a goodly portion of the roast as thin as possible, put some of the roast drippings and barbeque sauce on it and warmed it up for him. Main course in minutes and very delicious.
I had two hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator from last week, as you know from Easter boiled eggs last a long time, and two medium red potatoes in my fresh vegetable hanging basket so I boiled the potatoes, chopped the eggs, seasoned them with chopped dill pickle in a jar, celery seed – just a shake or two, mayo, salt and pepper and stirred until well blended. When the potatoes were tender and cooled I diced them and added them to the deviled egg mixture, oh my, its beginning to look like really good potato salad, another of my husbands favorites.
I was ready to whip up a nice green salad to go with the meat and potatoes but my hubby told me not to because he loved the barbeque and potatoes so much he just wanted to indulge in those. Isn’t he a sweetie? Makes my life a lot easier. Again dinner was delicious and simple to prepare. Not every week is as easy as this one has been but I planned this to work out to my benefit.
BTW, I don’t particularly care for all the bbq sauce so I simply saturated my beef in the meat juices and it was a lovely dinner…light, quick and delicious and again without a recipe. A nice square of roast remains. It will be frozen for a fast and furious meal on a day when I need it.
Tomorrow we have a full schedule away from home so I will not be cooking much. That provides me another chance to whip up something I love that is soo so easy and warms my spirit and tummy. I’ll tell you tomorrow.
Have a great day and make some serious Valentine’s day plans, you deserve them.
Yall have a down home delicious day while you do.

If you would like to post a recipe of your own, contact us at:
http://www.downhomedelicious.com/contact .
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza

Diary of a Home Cook

Today we had errands to run in downtown Houston so we planned to try out a Spanish restaurant I was told had great Paella. I love trying new restaurants even if I am disappointed quite often. Even when the food doesn’t measure up there is something to take from the experience.
One of my favorite foods is Cajun Jambalaya which has its roots in Spanish Paella. Jambalaya is most popularly made with chicken and Cajun sausage and is spicy. It can also be made with a variety of other meats like ham, shrimp or pork and/or seafoods. Paella is the same but has a saffron rice base with a few green peas and is more yellow or golden than Jambalaya which is tomato based and red.
Last week we had tried a Spanish restaurant that looked very good on the internet and had a note that their Paella had been an award winner. The restaurant was run down and the Paella was awful. I could not eat it and just left the whole thing. Because of this, I wasn’t very optimistic about this new Spanish restaurant. My friend had recommended it to me because her sister had eaten there and said the Paella was excellent. So we went.
When we entered the restaurant I was relieved. It had a nice ambiance, was medium sized, and downtown close to where we going for our errand. We chatted with our waitress about menu items, I already knew what I was having but we wanted tapas also and my husband was not interested in Paella. We decided to share an appetizer of fried potatoes with an aioli sauce. That proved to be a wise move on our part because the Paella took forever to be served. When my Paella arrived it looked pretty good but still a little questionable. I had asked not to have mussels and there they were, looking up at me. Fortunately, the mussels were good. So were the shrimp, fish and clams but the escargot was tough and there was a lot of escargot in the dish. It was far too large a serving for one person so I took most of it with me. The rice was not up to par. I can’t quite describe what was wrong with it other than the consistency was off. It was not my best experience and I would give the restaurant two stars because the Paella was better than the previous restaurant and the ambience was good but all else was mediocre. I suspect I will have to make my own Paella.
My husband ordered a beef filet dish which he said was okay. The potato patty on his plate had a strange flavor and had grapes in it. Go figure. The spinach was over seasoned for our taste but could have been correct for the Spanish taste.
I must admit we did not give up that easily. We ordered dessert, Apple Tart. It too was average and a disappointment. I hope you don’t think I am too harsh a critic. There are many places I love but I am trying to find some new ones for when we indulge ourselves and my quest is proving to be disheartening to say the least.
We had a lot of to go food for dinner so I did not cook at all today even though the food did not improve when reheated. We will not go there again. Sometimes its better to cook than to be so disappointed in your meal and waste money as we did on this outing.
Since my husband has no interest in Paella I will have to wait until someone that does joins us for dinner. When I prepare it I will give you more information on the dish and am confident it will be much more delicious than the dishes at the restaurant.

If you would like to post a recipe of your own, contact us at:
http://www.downhomedelicious.com/contact .
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza

Diary of a Home Cook

Tonight was a breeze. Hubby picked up a sour dough flute when he was out earlier, long thin bread like a poboy. We made delicious poboys with the beef roast from the day before. I popped the bread in my toaster oven for 8 minutes, then sliced it lengthwise, slathered it with mayo and layered it with thin sliced roast, shredded lettuce and tomatoes. Seasoned generously and had a feast. The hot crunchy bread was divine. And there is more roast left for sandwiches or even to make hash with potatoes and the roast drippings. Using the roast in transformative ways keeps it from feeling like “leftovers.” Of course you can dress your poboy with all your favorite fixings, sometimes we add pickles, others we put spinach or shredded carrots or black olives depending on what is available in the refrigerator.
On the cooking channel someone mentioned that the history of poboys comes from New Orleans during the depression when the dock workers came in for lunch without much money to spend. Fresh seafood was plentiful as was fresh bread so they made special sandwiches with seafood, lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce. These could be purchased for much less than a plate of food, was filling and healthy. The poboys caught on and many varieties were added using deli meats or roast, etc. Even today if I don’t want to spend the price for a plate of food at a seafood restaurant I can get a delicious meal of poboy and fries for much less than a dinner and still enjoy the feast. Its rather strange if you really consider it because both the plate and poboy have seafood, salad and potatoes but the poboy is a bargain. Oh well, it works for me and many others so we are not complaining.
One secret to easy cooking is to try to maintain a well stocked pantry and freezer. We have a grocery list pad on the front of our frig and when we use the last or next to last of something we put it on the list so that on our next trip to the store we replace it and always have what we need. I keep frozen vegetables on hand for soups, stews and side dishes on the go and that helps a lot. Many of you probably do much the same but there are new cooks that will appreciate the suggestions and ideas. If you have anything to contribute please let me know and I will add it to one of my future blogs and give credit if requested.
Have a great down home delicious day. Chat with you tomorrow.

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Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza

Diary of a Home Cook – Rump Roast

Today has been a lazy day. Went to early church and then to IHOP with friends for breakfast. Ate too much – nothing new about that. Hmmmph! Good thing I had today’s meal mapped out in my head already. I lazed around until around 2 p.m. because we were so stuffed from earlier. When I did get around to cooking the meal was delicious. We had rump roast with pan gravy, Brussels Sprouts cooked with bacon, and baked potatoes. Simple and simply delicious and satisfying. No recipe needed.
Most people, I am told, are intimidated by oven roasting a roast. That is, for me, the epitome of easy and I will walk you through it. It is helpful to have some background information on how to pick your roast. Let me mention here that the quality of your roast is directly proportional to the quality of your meat. I never fix a roast that is not angus. Ifind that it is the only beef that is consistently tender. A roast needs to be a minimum of 3 or 3 ½ pounds and will provide several meals unless you are voracious meat eaters. Plan on at least ½ pound meat per serving.
That being said, I preheated my oven to 450 degrees and took out my pan. You can use any pan that has some depth to it. My husband requests that I always line the pan with foil to facilitate less clean up for him and I do that, shiny side down. Then I place a rack of some sort on it and spray all with oil. If using a rump roast try to get one as square or rectangular as possible so meat will cook evenly. A meat thermometer is good for the novice but I simply cook my roast 30 minutes a pound so that it comes out medium which is for me pink inside. If you are new to roasting meat ask your butcher about the cut of meat you are considering so it will be appropriate for dry heat roasting.
Next I prepare the meat. Starting with the bottom of the roast (the top being the part with the layer of fat unless using a prime rib roast where the bones are the bottom, I dust bottom and sides with garlic powder (not garlic salt) and coarse ground pepper. Then I spray bottom and sides with oil. It has taken longer to write this description than it takes to prepare the meat for roasting because of its simplicity.
Flip the roast over and place on rack in pan. Dust top with garlic powder and pepper then spray well with oil. That’s it. It is ready and the remaining work belongs to the oven.
Place pan with roast on middle rack in preheated oven. Roast for 30 minutes on 450 degrees then turn temperature down to 425 degrees for remainder of time (remember it is 30 minutes per pound so if your roast is 3 pounds you will cook it at 450 degrees for 30 minutes and then at 425 degrees for one hour, and so on.) Roasting the meat at 450 degrees to begin with seals in the juices.
While the meat roasted I prepared the vegetables. I do not like Brussel Sprouts but my husband loves them so I have to compromise and do something to them to make them edible for me. I had some bacon in the refrigerator that needed to be cooked so I put the frozen sprouts in a pot with a steamer basket and a couple of inches of lightly salted water and cooked them for around 10 minutes. While they steamed I cut my bacon in pieces and fried it in a large skillet until almost done. I drained the sprouts and put them on a cutting board, cutting each one in half. Then I put them in the pan with the bacon, adjusted seasonings and stirred and tossed until bacon was fully cooked. Taste test said they were yummy! I turned off the heat and let them sit until roast was ready.
Since my washer and dryer are next to the kitchen I was doing laundry during my free periods. Sometimes I read my book, watch television, or visit with my hubby while the food is cooking. A good timer is a definite plus so that you don’t lose track of the time. I have burned more than one dish in my day by getting caught up in a phone conversation or otherwise occupied and lost track of time. There is also the leaving of the timer in the other room while I go about my business and then can’t hear it when it rings off. No matter how polished the cook, we all have our days and our glitches. One of my favorite memories is of watching Julia Child set her skillet on fire while she was cooking on television. She was caught off guard and bumbling around and I loved it. It made me feel so much better about my errors.
With the sprouts cooked and the roast still in the oven, I washed my 2 medium red potatoes (better for diabetics) and used a knife to make a slit through the center. When the roast was finished cooking I popped the potatoes into my microwave, set it for ten minutes and let them cook while the roast rested. It is important to let your roast sit at least 15-20 minutes before carving so the juices will not run out.
While the potatoes cooked I set the table then I plated the roast and poured the pan drippings into a Pyrex bowl. I stirred 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 1 cup cool water and added it to the pan drippings, adjusted seasonings and heated it in the microwave for 45 seconds on high. When I removed the gravy from the microwave I whisked it to remove any lumps and put it on the table.
It may not have been a fancy meal but it was definitely delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed it. My husband was full of compliments which is my indication of a successful meal. If he won’t eat it you KNOW I have made a serious bad.
This meal took me about 2 hours because my roast was a little over 3 pounds. It was leisurely cooking and practically effortless. The best part is, we have enough meat left over for another meal plus several sandwiches. That means less cooking in the days to come.
If I was an employed person cooking in the evening I would sit down and put my feet up while the roast cooks, …just don’t forget the timer. The cook deserves to take care of herself as well as provide healthy meals for her family. The scent wafting throughout the house gets everyone ready to eat and tends to entice even picky eaters to the table. This meal is so simple even a teenager or non cooking spouse can learn to prepare it. Do yourself a favor and share the duties so that you will have even more resting time for yourself.
Well, that was my cooking spree for today. I am none the worse for wear. My hubby and I are quite content and all I can think of now is that apple tart I have been wishing for. However, Super Bowl is on so there will be no more cooking tonight. Maybe tomorrow. We’ll see.
Hope your team wins! Have a “down home delicious” day and let me know what you are fixing at your house.

http://www.downhomedelicious.com/contact .
Ya’ll have a down home delicious day now and come back to see us again soon!

Peggy Sholly
Down Home Delicious^®
A Taste of Down Home Delicious^®
Down Home Delicious^® Extravaganza