Monthly Archives: July 2016

Easy peasy “Swedish meatballs”

Hi! Looks like I’m back at it again, eating, SHOCKER, and obsessing over something we cooked up…again…. Hahah! Hopefully you are staying intrigued and bellies are rumbling with each of our meal post.

We’re still battling the humidity and losing I might add. The AC has shamelessly been on blast most evenings. cha-ching and sad face. So with weekly meal planning I’ve been searching the Internet and brainstorming for quick throw together weeknight dinners.

Enter the not so traditional easy peasy “Swedish meatballs”. Swedish meatballs take me back to childhood and also the odd memory of school cafeteria food?! For some people the idea of tweaking traditional Swedish meatballs might be little off-putting, but hey like I’ve said before, lol, we’re living on the edge over here and we just went for it! (We’re CRAZY like that) Even the Mr. went wild over this dish, so it’s officially stamped MAN approved! Woot-woot!

Happy eating!


Easy peasy “Swedish Meatballs”

Adapted from this recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tbls Keri Gold butter
2 Tbls all-purpose flour
2 Cups beef broth
1/3 Cup sour cream
10 Frozen turkey meatballs (beef or pork would work as well) – thawed in fridge to heat faster in sauce
nutmeg to taste
salt & pepper to taste

(optional) egg noodles, mashed potatoes, your favorite rice

Directions:

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat.

While stirring, sprinkle in flour, continue stirring

Cook for 1 minute on low to medium heat and slowly stir in beef broth, (slowly) the goal here is to prevent lumps.

Continue cooking until the sauce starts to thicken, continue to stir .

Reduce the heat to low to add the sour cream in, as well as nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Lastly add in the meatballs, stir to coat and cover with a lid to cook all together. At this point if using egg noodles (already cooked al dente) you can toss those in too. Cook for about 5-10 minutes or until the meatballs are heated through.

Backpackbees

Cloudy with a chance of coconut cream pie

While the rain pitter pattered all weekend off and on, I decided it was the perfect time to whip up something fun. The humidity and the heat index are rather high these past few days making it almost unbearable to even step outside. If you know me, you know that I start bouncing off the walls being cooped up inside. Mr. B jokes and says I need walks…. All jokes aside…. I do! I love getting outside and breathing in new air, taking in the greenery, etc.

But ‘Eh don’t worry things are going to be A-okay. Why you ask? Because despite what’s going on outdoors, or even your life metaphorical storm, there is always be dessert!! Yes…. to semi maintain my sanity ENTER this gigantic coconut cream pie! Eek best part is it didn’t even require turning on a hot oven! (Shushhhhh never-mind the fact that I bought a pre-made pie crust …sorry grandma… mother nature made me do it).

Mr. B happily gobbled away at his slice and declared his love for it, and even though I wasn’t big on coconut most of my life, things have certainly changed and I admit….I loved this coconut cream pie too!

I don’t really know why, but sometimes I shy away from the thought of baking something I’ve never tried before, but then other times I jump straight in with the determination that I’m making this (whatever baked goodie) TONIGHT. I’m typically really satisfied with the end result after I do bake so I’m not sure why I ever have those sort of silly moments. Do you ever feel that way with cooking or baking?

^Toasty coconut flakes

I’ll admit this pie was incredibly simple, it was the first coconut cream pie I’ve attempted. Gasp.. I know… But remember coconut and I weren’t always so peachy keen. So glad these taste buds of mine have evolved as I continue to taste my way around the world.

Recipe found HERE. Enjoy!

Backpackbees

On Summer Evenings

One of the things I adore the most about the summer months is just how simplistic it is throwing together “hors d’oeuvres” and calling/ texting up friends for a casual night of entertaining.

We try to fill our weekend summer evenings all gathered around the table with our little family and friends, a good bottle of vino, an assortment of cheeses, some meat, crackers, dips, fruit, nuts… you get the idea… We had a hoot arranging it on a great big ‘ol inherited Fiestawear platter dish or wooden cheese board that my grandfather made us. We light some votive candles and sit back enjoying good belly laughs while sharing stories and the music playing softly in the background. It’s a fun little tradition I hope we continue to uphold and bumblebee grows up remembering!

^ NEW FAVORITE TORTILA CHIP!! Spicy Sriracha soooo addicting!

Cheers summer weekends! Cheers!

Backpackbees

Importance of sorts

Thursday evening I prepared THIS meal with Bumblebee.

Okayyyy it’s pretty obvious that she realllly can’t jump in and assist me just yet, BUT I feel that she does truly enjoy hearing and watching us bounce around our kitchen space chattering and singing to her in silly little voices and making funny facial expressions. Most of the time she sits smiling watching us, or chews on her Very Hungry Caterpillar or hands (hehehe).

We try to explain what we’re making and the importance of fresh healthy ingredients.

We want her to grow up knowing how to cook and not be afraid or shy away from wild ingredients like foie gras, pink peppercorns, Korean or Thai peppers, or even smoked sea salt. (wait…are those ingredients considered wild??)

Together we’re striving to impress upon her the importance of good locally grown food, pairing a nice glass of wine with a meal, taking and making time with family and friends as we do Thursday evenings to relax, enjoy and eat together. Most of all to savor this short sweet life we’re all so blessed to live.

This dinner was almost too good for words! Seriously! It was SO simple and has to be one of the best weeknight meals that’s been served at our table. Oh boy, the gravy was so savory! The meat literally melts in your mouth and also makes your entire home smell all homey and delicious!

Slow cooker Balsamic Rosemary Beef Chuck Roast

(Should serve 4 comfortably with other sides of course)

Ingredients:
4 lb Beef Chuck Roast
1/2 Tsp Better than Bouillon Beef Base
4 oz Hot water
1/2 Cup Balsamic vinegar
2 Fresh rosemary sprigs
2 Bay leaves
1/2 Yellow onion, cut in half
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 Large cloves of garlic, minced

Gravy:
All purpose flour to get a thick gravy consistency
2 Tbls Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste (you’ll need it if you’re salt and pepper hounds like we are)

Instructions:

Slice the chuck roast meat into nice stew-like cuts.

In slow cooker combine the sliced meat, beef stock, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, onion and minced garlic and stir/ mix by hands to coat everything nicely.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or if in a pinch on high for 4-6 hours. (The goal is to slow cook the meat until it melts in your mouth)

Once meat is cooked, use tongs to remove the meat into a separate bowl. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs and the bay leaves.

In another separate bowl, add flour and slowly mix in about 2 1/2 Cups of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker until it’s smooth. (Be cautious because hot liquid and flour like to make lumpy gravy).

Next microwave until the flour mixture thickens, it’s about 1 minute. Once it’s a nice thick looking paste, whisk that into the remaining slow cooker liquid to create the gravy.

Taste and adjust any seasonings / add in another 2 Tbls of balsamic vinegar if desired, or needed for more flavor.

Return beef back to the slow cooker and stir to coat everything.

This pairs wonderfully with baked potatoes or rice. Don’t forget a nice tall glass of red too!

We served with baked potatoes, creamed spinach, freshly baked homemade pesto pine nut bread and garden salads. Mmmm!

Backpackbees

French press Friday’s: Her world

Random thoughts over french press this morning…

Right now I’m so very thankful that bumblebee is still to small to realize the reality of what’s going on in our big world….As a parent how does one even begin to explain the things that you yourself don’t fully comprehend? I know we cannot shelter our children forever. It’s just…sometimes I’d like to escape to her childhood world and hide out for a bit. Honestly, can you blame me?

Backpackbees

A love language of dinner and vino

We’ve said it before, but will say it again, our love language is sharing food with our family and good friends. There is nothing like eating delicious home cooked food and sipping on a glass of vino!

Over the past two weeks we’ve entertained a new friend visiting from Thailand, and we hosted a low-key vino night, who doesn’t like an excuse to bust out the cheese board and pop open the vino with good friends?!

Gahhhh we we’re sooooo in our happy place!

Backpackbees

As of late…

Silence on the radio….I had been planning to share our photos of bumblebee, what we’ve been whipping up and passing around our table for dinner, things we’ve been doing over the past few weeks…that is until seeing and reading the stateside news media as of late.

I’m a creature of habit, each morning I sit thankfully in my comfortable, quiet, moderately safe kitchen and read/ watch yet another attack, lives taken, the disgusting political mudslinging, friendships being ripped apart over petty disagreeing opinions as it relates to the before statements, the insane weather destroying communities, etc., I’ve just been so reluctant and so hesitant to post anything really. Hesitant to post about the wonderful times we’re experiencing here and the incredible foods we are so blessed to indulge on, out of respect to those who are clearly not safe, going hungry, in harm’s way of attacks and mother nature. Yes, to me it felt like writing about our homemade meals, vino night with good friends and cute bumblebee photos is very trivial in light of these heinous acts and tragedies.

But, I’ve realized and have shared some really special conversations with someone recently that’s given me more perspective on these events and a worldly view as a whole. We’ve discussed that no matter where you are these terrible things will occur, will continue to occur and you can’t let it stop you from trying to make the world a better place not only for you and I, but our children too. You can’t stop finding the good in your days and you certainly can’t let it stop you from living.

Through these conversations I’ve given so much deep though into the importance of my family and the importance of our friendships and who we chose to spend our remaining ticking hours with while we are on earth. I’ve realized even more so the importance of gathering our little family and close friends around our table, how writing about and sharing our home cooked meals is not trivial in the least bit, but so hugely important during these unfortunate times, because we are turning to one another to foster togetherness in our homes and around our tables. We’re creating these positive moments and memories, escaping even if only for a short bit of time the sadness and reality of what’s going outside of our doors and across the ocean from us. We’re gifting one another great company, great food, great wine and friendship that comforts, nourishes, strengthens, bonds our minds, hearts and bellies. With that being said…. I’ll post on.

Backpackbees