Stitchin' and larnin'

The hat grew some.

Some sticks got pointy, smooth and waxed.

Another hat got started and grew some.

Someone saw Mommy start her cable cast on by sticking a needle in her mouth the other day. Now, she's "Knitting just like Mommy!"

Now, the yummy larnin'.


Basic Meatballs (Meatloaf too)

1 lb of ground beef
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1 package of powdered beef bouillon or 1 tsp of liquid bouillon
1/4 tsp soy sauce
1 small clove garlic crushed
1 tsp ground flax seed (if you don't have an egg, add more ground flax seed and it will hold the meat together)
paprkia
small pinch of salt
pepper to taste.

Whisk egg in medium sized bowl to break up yolk, add all ingredients and mix well. Use your hands, it just works better. Shape into small balls and fry in oil, turning until nicely browned on all sides. You can also drop them directly in sauce and cook until brown through and very hot or bake in oven on parchment covered cookie sheet at 375*F/190*C until cooked through and very hot. In order to kill any bacteria (it makes them totally harmless) in all beef, including ground, you must bring the meat to an internal temperature of 170*F/77*C. If you already knew that, just say yeah, yeah and continue on.

These meatballs have a very basic beef flavour so feel free to add herbs and spices that go with a sauce or other dishes.

Mushroom Gravy

1 large onion thinly sliced
1/2 lb of mushrooms sliced
1 cup of beef stock (or substitute chicken or vegetable stock)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
butter or sunflower oil for pan

Saute onions in butter until just softened. Add mushrooms and continue sauteing until mushrooms begin to brown a little. You may need to add a little oil or butter. Add beef stock and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of pan. Let lightly boil about 3-4 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water and pour into pan with mushrooms. Bring back to light boil and continue to lightly boil another 4-5 minutes or until gravy has been thick for one minute.
Add meatballs as shown or use for a pot roast or to make beef stroganoff. This also goes really well with roast chicken and roast pork.

Just a quick note, if you don't want to use a lot of butter, but want the taste, just use a little and top up with oil. Doing that will also raise the smoking point (the point at which an oil or fat burns) of the butter and make it easier to cook with.

Fried Red Tomatoes

4 decent sized shallots [(diced) substitute a small red onion if you can't find decent shallots]
1 1/2 pound clamshell of grape or cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
sunflower or olive oil for pan

Saute tomatoes and shallots until softened and tomatoes just begin to wilt. Add garlic and dill weed. Saute for another two to three minutes and serve. So gourmet, so easy.

Tomorrow, something other than beef.