Slow Cooker Stew

We have FINALLY been experiencing some wet weather here in California.  And with rainy days, comes my craving for stew....along with a fire in the wood stove and a glass {or two} of a full bodied Zin.  We have quite a few roasts in our freezer at the moment and sometimes, just to mix it up, I cut a roast into stew sized pieces to cook in the slow cooker.....and this is exactly what I did over the weekend.

I pulled out a Sirloin Tip Roast out of the freezer and thawed it, sliced it into chunks sized at around one inch squared.  Now, if you're not lazy, like myself, you can brown the meat chunks after dredging them in flour and salt and pepper in olive oil for a few minutes.

I didn't do that, this time.  Sometimes a rainy Sunday calls for a lazy day.  I through all the meat in to my slow cooker, added whole, washed, Yukon Gold potatoes, baby carrots and a package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix with 2 cups of water.  Cooked on low for six hours.  

Dinner was done and ready to serve at 6 p.m., fire roaring in the wood stove and a glass of Zin in hand = a happy Mama.

What's your go-to rainy day meal?

Pin It

25 Best Packaged Foods of 2014

Like many of you, I try to feed my kids as healthy as possible most of the time.   Our lives are extremely busy year-round and it's nice to see a list of packaged foods to choose from that are family-friendly items that contain reasonable levels of fat and sodium and contain no artificial colors or flavors.  

After scouring the supermarkets for new products,  Parents magazine revealed its picks for the “25 Best Packaged Foods of 2014.”  Here are their picks, divided by categories....

KITCHEN STAPLES

Mrs. Dash Salt-Free, All Natural Taco Seasoning Mix 

Ortega Fiesta Flats

Smucker’s Natural Concord Grape Fruit Spread

Marzetti Simply Dressed & Light Balsamic Vinaigrette 

Jif Whips Creamy Peanut Butter 

MEALS & SIDES IN MINUTES

Birds Eye Recipe Ready Grilling Blend

Dole Chopped Asian Blend Salad

Lisa’s Organics Sweet Peas in Parmesan Herb Broth 

Ore-Idea Simply Olive Oil & Sea Salt Homestyle Wedges

Earth’s Best Organic Mini Pancakes (Homestyle flavor) 

Tyson Fun Nuggets

Applegate Naturals Uncured Reduced-Sodium Sunday Bacon 

BETTER-FOR-THE-FAMILY DESSERTS

Roba Dolce Ocean Spray Honey Fig Gelato 

Newtons Fruit Thins (Cherry Vanilla) 

Ruby’s Rockets (Rock-It Red flavor)

Keebler Simply Made Butter Cookies

QUICK SNACKS

Amy’s Bean & Cheese Burrito Snacks

Dannon Oikos Yogurt Dips (Cucumber Dill)

Pearls Olives to Go!

Simply Balanced Sweet Corn Freeze-Dried Vegetables

Wholly Salsa Avocado, Black Bean & Roasted Corn Dip

Chobani Champions Flyin’ Dragon Fruit Yogurt Tubes 

Cascadian Farm Crunchy Oats & Honey Granola Bars 

Rudi’s Organic Bakery Multigrain Organic Soft Pretzels

The Laughing Cow Light White Cheddar Flavor 

For a full list with photos, go to:   www.parents.com/packaged-foods and the list also appears in the March 2014 issue of Parents Magazine.

What's YOUR favorite??

Pin It

Rack of Ribs

Yesterday was the big game day in our house.....Super Bowl, the second biggest eating day of the year, right after Thanksgiving.  But with Super Bowl, party food can be made, kept warm in a slow cooker, set out and grazed upon all afternoon.  No formal sit-down dinner required.

I have cooked a LOT of meat in my lifetime but I had yet to attempt a rack of ribs.  My debut rib cookin' day was Super Bowl Sunday and yes, it was as easy as I had hoped.

I bought a package of pork spare ribs, three racks.  There is a membrane on the back side {bone side} of each rack that needs to be removed.  I stuck a butter knife in between the membrane and the ribs and pulled the membrane off....kind of like peeling wall paper off a wall, you hope that it comes off in one big sheet. Mine didn't.

After the membrane is removed, I applied a dry rub to both sides of each rack.

For three racks, mix:

2 T Seasoned Salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp of beef seasoning

Rub on the rack.

Place the rack {s} in an aluminum foil tray.  Broil the rack {s}, bone side down for about 10 minutes on high, to seal in the flavor.  Remove from the oven, turn the oven down to 225 degrees.  Apply some BBQ sauce to the rack {s}.  I like the Trader Joe's BBQ sauce because it has a nice kick to it.  Place back in a 225 degree oven, covered with aluminum foil and cook for 3 hours. Remove from heat, brush more BBQ sauce on and place back in the oven for another 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and cut apart each rib.

This is what my three racks looked like after broiling for 10 minutes and before saucing them.

Make sure you have enough for leftovers!

Pin It

Gluten Free Super Bowl Party Food with Blue Diamond

Super Bowl is the second biggest eating day of the year, ranked just after Thanksgiving.  It's not surprising, as I, like many of you, consider Super Bowl Sunday to be an unofficial holiday of sorts where you gather with friends, eat, drink, socialize, watch the game AND the commercials.

To help along with the game day menu planning, here are a couple of recipes that came to me via Blue Diamond Almonds.  Blue Diamond is delving in to the Gluten-Free market with their new, crunchy Almond Nut Thin crackers and have incorporated them into these tasty appetizer recipes....

Enjoy!!

Nutty Ranch Chicken Strips

Ingredients

• 1 (4.25-oz.) box Blue Diamond Almond Nut Thins
• 1/4 cup Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds, finely chopped
• 1 (1-oz.) packet dry Ranch Dressing Mix
• 1/3 cup light ranch dressing
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 1/4 lbs. chicken tenders or 1 1/2-inch cubes boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Olive oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place Blue Diamond Nut Thins in a gallon-size bag and fold over the top. Crush with a rolling pin until chips are in tiny pieces.
3. Add Blue Diamond Almonds and dry ranch dressing mix to bag and shake well to mix.
4. Stir together ranch dressing and butter in another medium bowl. Dip each chicken tender in ranch dressing and shake off excess.
5. Roll in chip mixture, pressing into the surface to coat well; place on prepared baking sheet.
6. Coat with nonstick cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes. Coat with cooking spray again and cook for 10 minutes more.

Quick tip: Any of the coating mixture that falls off the chicken after cooking is great sprinkled over a tossed green salad or mashed potatoes.
 

Nutty Ranch Chicken Strips Nutritional Analysis

Calories	310
Fat	11g
Saturated Fat	1.5g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	85mg
Sodium	620mg
Potassium	294mg
Carbohydrates	19g
Fiber	1g
Sugar	1g
Protein	32g
Vitamin A	0%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	2%
Iron	15%

Artichoke Heart Dip

Ingredients

• 1 can of artichoke hearts (9 oz.)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 10oz. bag frozen spinach - bit size pieces
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 oz. softened gluten-free cream cheese
• 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella
• Dash of pepper
• Blue Diamond Nut Thins

Directions

1. Cut up artichokes after draining them.
2. In large pot, sauté onions in olive oil until translucent. Add spinach and artichokes and cook about 5 minutes. Add wine, then cream cheese.
3. Placed in 1 quart dish, top with mozzarella bake in preheated oven at 350° for 5 minutes until brown and bubble.
4. Serve with Blue Diamond Nut Thins.

Artichoke Heart Dip Nutritional Analysis

Calories	60
Fat	4g
Saturated Fat	2g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	9mg
Sodium	170mg
Carbohydrates	3g
Fiber	1g
Protein	3g

Pin It

Our Move to Clover Stornetta

At one time, there were 200 dairies in all of Marin County.  That was 64 years ago in 1950. Today, Marin County has dwindled down to 27 dairies.  Our family farm, George Grossi & Son Dairy, is one of the remaining few but not without a lot of sacrifice and love for dairy farming and the lifestyle that comes with it. Like many of the remaining dairies in our area,  a few of the adjustments we've had to make over the years include building new free-stall barns and updating our calf barn to help contain all manure produced here on the farm, year-round and to keep up with the ever-changing and stringent water and air quality regulations.

An important factor in our continuance as operating as a working dairy farm, was the decision to join the Clover Stornetta family. With no end in sight to high feed costs, being accepted by Clover Stornetta and joining Clover in the spring of 2012, was a much needed and welcome step for us.

Clover Stornetta was founded in the 1970's.  As a multi-family run operation, they see the value and importance of locally produced milk.  By collecting milk from dairies in Marin and Sonoma counties, they are able to process the milk quickly after receiving it at their creamery and processing plant located just 12 miles to our north, in Petaluma, CA.

As a Clover Stornetta family dairy, we are required to pass the American Humane Certification and maintain that certification for as long as we are a member of Clover . Clover also created the North Coast Excellence Program, which requires its producing dairies to maintain very high quality standards of milk.

It's been almost two years now, since becoming part of the Clover Stornetta family and I wanted to share with you, our change.  If you're local and drink Clover Stornetta Milk or are eating Clover Stornetta butter, yogurt, cheese or ice cream, know that it's coming from our family farm.

Pin It

Slow Wine Event!!

If you're a wine lover like I am and would be interested in learning {and tasting}more about Italian wines, there's a great event happening in San Francisco the evening of January 27th!  I'll be there and hope to see many of you!  

If interested in purchasing tickets, and as a reader of this blog, you can receive $10 off your ticket price with this code: WODM

Have you ever heard of Slow Wine? In fact, did you know that Slow Wine is a branch of the famous non-profit Slow Food, an organization committed to linking the pleasures of good food with a commitment to local communities and the environment? 

For the third time, Slow Food is presenting the 2014 edition of its English-language wine guide, 
Slow Wine, in San Francisco, Chicago & New York on Jan 27^th, 29^th and Feb 3^rd respectively. The SlowWine Guide makes it easy for consumers to learn about Italian wines- from the grapes, to the terroir to the producers.

Pin It

Super Bowl Party Appetizer ~ Greek Yogurt Gucamole

This recipe for Chobani Greek Yogurt guacamole has been such a hit in my house, I needed to post it again this year since football party season is upon us!

With Sunday's game coming up and with all the football party food just asking to be consumed, it's nice to lighten up a few things where calories are concerned, right?  I have a great guacamole recipe for you that is SO tasty and includes Chobani Greek Yogurt to lighten up the calories.

Pin It

California Women for Ag Tour Day 2014

Every other year, California Women for Ag install a new president for a two year term. This year, our home-town of Petaluma's own, Lynn Figone, has become the new CWA President.  The CWA weekend long convention kicked off with a tour this past Friday.  A bus was chartered, 56 CWA members boarded and off we went to our first stop on the tour.

The Petaluma Creamery.

There were no pictures allowed in the creamery building itself, for safety reasons.  But we did learn all about how cheese was produced this past Friday.  The Petaluma Creamery has a retail store next door to their creamery where they sell their cheese,  homemade ice cream, and sandwiches for lunch and other treats.  If you're interested in scheduling a tour for yourself, just contact them and they'll be able to help you with that.

Petaluma Creamery Tours

 Our second stop of the tour was at Dairydell canine dog training, boarding and doggie day care facility.  Owner, Camilla Gray Nelson, grew up on this re purposed dairy farm and has over 50 years experience with animals and has trained, bred and shown dogs since 1989.

It was so very interesting to hear Camilla's story about growing up on the family dairy farm and then being able to keep the farm and following her passion for dog training and authoring her book, Lipstick and the Leash.

The final stop at the end of Friday afternoon was enjoyed at Lagunitas Brewing Company and Beer Sanctuary, where we enjoyed a pleasant almost 70 degree afternoon sampling the likes of Little Sumpin' Sumpin', Hairy Eyeball and Imperial Stout while snacking on very enjoyable trays of panini sandwiches that were being served.  

After the tasting lesson, a tour of the brewery began before everyone boarded the bus back to the host hotel.

The Lagunitas Beer Sanctuary and Tap Room are open daily with food, drinks and weekly entertainment.  A great way to end your day or get the weekend started.  I highly recommend!

Pin It

Year End Wrap Up

What a wrap up to 2013!  Wow.  I am just NOW feeling like I can catch up a little.  I'm sure you're all feeling the same way.  The month between Thanksgiving and New Year's just flies.  Here's a photo recap and explanation of why I've been MIA most of the month.

My good friends and I traveled to Las Vegas to watch our friend, Kellie, compete in the World Series of Team Roping.  This was held at the South Point Hotel and Casino and is held at the same time of year as the NFR....Vegas was all about cowboys and cowgirls while we were there......

The annual toy drive to benefit UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital I began four years ago was a success.  It was held at Finnegan's Marin, a local pub, and this year my friend, Tanya helped as well.

Paige and I delivered the toys to UCSF the first day of Christmas break.

Many many holiday parties we had the pleasure of attending, were all so much fun.  Have you ever played Cards Against Humanity?....a must do if you haven't......

Oh my.  The Forty Niners.  What a season so far!  Attending the "last game at Candlestick" was so very exciting.  Fireworks topped off a very exciting ending to a game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Dominic is STILL not able to walk or work with his broken ankle, so he missed out on a few of these events and hasn't been working since the end of October....

Christmas Eve is always held here at the ranch at my in law's house.

Relatives stop in for appetizers and cocktails in the late afternoon and then our immediate family has dinner and opens gifts.

On my side of the family, it was my turn to hold Christmas Day.  We had prime rib.  I'm still recovering for all the food I consumed.

We also got together with some of the cousins and experienced Tilden Park in the Berkeley hills...Santa, Merry Go Round, picking out special ornaments and a sleep over for the kids at their cousin's house.

This year has been such a dry year for California.  With no mud or rain in sight, I've been taking advantage and hiking up the hill behind our house and the ranch a few times per week.

New Year's Eve was spent a some friends in Petaluma and ended at a friend's house here in Novato.  More food.  Mini Cheesecakes were easy to make and eat.

My friend Heather and her family were in town visiting and she made this delicious app....toasted crusty bread, chevre, slice of pear, balsamic glaze and topped with a spicy pecan....TO.  Die.  For.

The morning after.  Nourishment with bacon, eggs and potato hash.  Gotta start the New Year out right!

New Year's Day was spent at my sister's place.  We now have a new 9 year old motor cross rider in the family.  Bryce was so proud of himself after his maiden voyage on his Honda 70.  I don't know where he gets this stuff but after his first go-around, he pulls up to where I was standing, gets off the bike and says, "Mom, I feel Hot.........in two ways."

Really.  That's what he said.

At the end of Christmas break, we traveled down to San Luis Obispo to stay with our good friends/cousins for a few days.  I don't think we saw any of the kids unless they were hungry or thirsty.

Their dog, Sandy became my pal and running partner while I was there.  Such a sweetie.

Dominic's grandmother lives in a nearby town and we were able to drive down to visit her one afternoon.  The kids love their Great Nonnie.

I hope 2014 will be a very happy, healthy and prosperous year for you all.  Thank you for reading!!

Pin It