Sunday -- November 14, 2010 - Recipe alert - Horseradish

So, ok.  We got yelled at for not blogging enough.  Apparently the day-to-day mundane stuff around here is interesting to some?  That is awesome to us, and at the same time, we just figure that everyone else is doing what we're doing...

At any rate, we had a productive, if non-interesting day here.  Big Steve is bemoaning the fact that we only took "after" type pictures today.  But we dug a ton of horseradish at my mom's yesterday.  Again, no "before" pictures, but we did end up with three really full quarts and one gift-size jar of the good stuff.  And we've still got to dig our own:

And I can assure you -- this stuff is for real.  Here's the method:  Dig your roots, and as quickly as possible (like don't let it sit in the fridge for days) peel these roots, and then cut them up and wash them well.  Then put the chunks into the blender, or you can grind it by hand, but only if you have a death wish.

So Horseradish is like a skunk.  If you threaten it, it will give out noxious and harmful, even sickening fumes.  It is a plant with a protective defense.  One of the few.  It is, however, a very healthy root to consume.  So you will need to decide where your need for heat meets your need for self-preservation.  No, seriously.  If you have never ground your own fresh horseradish roots, you have no idea what I am talking about.  But you soon will. 

Now think about liquid.  Water is a good liquid.  Then there is vinegar, plain white vinegar, which stops the enzymatic sinus killing (brain cell killing) action we mentioned before.  Here at the Haney Place, we add a mixture of 2 parts water, 1 part vinegar to the roots in the blender (in our case, the VitaMix).  We have heard that there are folks who will grind their roots and allow the roots several minutes of killer enzymatic activity before they add the vinegar.  We, however, have no such blind ambition.  (Get it?  BLIND ambition???)???

So....we add the roots to the water/vinegar mixture and grind it all together at the same time, and let me assure you, nobody will have a stuffy nose tonight. 

So everybody happy now that they know how to make their own horseradish?  It's really such a simple thing.  And very fulfilling when you have won out over a root. No seriously, it is a race for preservation with this stuff.

So once you have your freshly ground horseradish safely tucked away in the fridge, you can think about breakfasts for the freezer.  Tonight it was wraps, which seem to be a staple here.  Flour tortillas, filled with corned beef, scrambled eggs w/cheddar, and safely wrapped in waxed paper and then sturdy freezer bags.  Hmmm...I wonder how they would be with horseradish???

Breakfast security-- a very good thing aound here!!!

Babies - Best Picture Ever!

OK -- I'm sure it's probably just me.  But I was ecstatic today to get a flattering picture of the babies -- the pack.  OK -- there was some turkey involved...but I'm sure their hopeful, optimistic faces were only as a result of their love for their mommy/grandmamma....

OK, I know it's a little blurry, but hey, have you ever tried to take a picture of three puppies while holding a piece of turkey in one hand and a digital camera in the other???  LOL!!!

Veteran's Day -- Not a Memory - A Beginning!

We've all been gung-ho today about supporting our military -- those who serve today and those who served before.  And that is exactly as it should be.

But where will we be tomorrow?  I'm challenging you, my friends.  I know we've reached almost 2,000 independent readers of this blog.  Something I never dreamed could happen.   Wow -- are 2,000 folks seriously interested in the goings and comings of ordinary middle-aged, middle-income Americans?  Apparently, they are, and we are humbled at the thought of it.

At any rate -- It's awesome to set aside a day to love and remember our military.  But I'm proposing that we need to remember them EVERY SINGLE DAY.  After all, they are taking care of us, every single day.  Their spouses and children are sacrificing and living without them every single day for our benefit.  And I heard today that a father in China was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for speaking against the tainted milk that caused his daughter to be ill.  Think it can't happen here?  Think again!!! 

http://behindthewall.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/11/10/5442474-im-innocent-roars-chinese-dad-at-sentencing-

All I'm saying is that who here in the USA would even worry about speaking out against something that hurt our child or loved one?  We would be yakking our heads off, and that's for sure.  Taking your freedom of speech for granted????  Stop it!!! Stop and thank a veteran, thank an enlisted person.  Seriously.  Here today, gone tomorrow.  If we don't hold them up, who should?  I ask you????



Now go to soldiers angels (.org) and sign up.  Do something real.  You feel it today, you'll carry it throughout the year.  You'll thank us!!!  And you'll end up thanking the real ones who have made a difference in your lives.

Miss Elsa Magee - Please Help Us Name That Breed!

I'm guessing mostly Brittany Spaniel.  She points now.  Frequently.  And quite well, truth be told.  But she's got that triangular smart-ass kind of face, and freckles on her paws.  Any constructive input?  She was determined "golden/sheltie" when she came into care.  LOL!!!  That was 20 pounds and a lifetime of growth ago.  It really doesn't matter what percentage of which breed she is, she's 100% ours!

As an aside, isn't little Tuffy totally COVETING that bit of pork?????

Fast Food - Haney Style

Pork roast, pierogi's and veggies on a weeknight when everyone worked?  Who does this???  Apparently, we do this at The Haney Place from time to time.  Although I couldn't eat the pierogi's myself, the rest was scrumptious.  And thank you Stiva for seasoning that pork roast to perfection!

Mary Walker Made a Peck of Pickled Peppers....

If Mary Walker made a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Mary Walker made?

Well...let's get a few things straight.  My name is Mary Beth!  :-)  And I did make a batch of pickled peppers tonight.  I'm putting some grey matter toward the little that is left in my produce drawer, so as not to waste any of the garden goodness.  So tonight I took the last of Big Steve's jalapeno's and pickled them.  Refrigerator pickled them, as there is only one big-ass jar of them, and we will use them before they could ever go bad.

So we did this:  We had fewer than 5 lbs. jalapenos.  We left them whole, packed them (loosely) into a clean 1/2 gallon jar we got from the Deli Madhouse...it has previously held 5-bean salad.  It was awesome, but I am so glad it was gone.  Beans are healthy, but the sugar in this salad was not.  And it was so enticing!!!  But I digress...

We packed the whole peppers into the jar, after we poked each one several times with a sharp knife.

Then we poured the hot liquid over the whole mess.  In a week or two, they will be ready for use to eat alone (if you have a bloody death wish) or in recipes.

God bless you all tonight, and we're thankful that we used, and didn't lose, the last of our jalapenos!  (Thank you so much, dearest of Stiva's, for growing these peppers with such loving care).

Turkey Pot Pie at the Haney Place

We used up the refrigerator tonight, and made a mad turkey pot pie.  Only trouble was, nobody showed up.  So guess what's on the menu for tomorrow, LOL!!!

It really couldn't be easier...if you want a method (not recipe -- we're much more about method here) -- just let me know.  It's RARE that I cook and nobody shows up to eat...

New Recipe -- WOW!!! Ravioli Lasagna

There are a gazillion reasons I love this recipe.  (I NEVER exaggerate, so a gazillion is just about right, lol!).  And thanks to Woman's World magazine for the inspiration for this recipe.  Ravioli Lasagna?  Who wudda thought it?  Instead of cooking lasagna noodles and going through all that rigmarole, why  not use pre-made ravioli?  Why NOT???  So...Haney style fast food/convenience recipe -- not a recipe at all....just a way or a style...Take your big pan (our Haney broiler pan) and pour some premade (or homemade, but remember, this is fast food) sauce in the bottom.  Then take your frozen ravioli and make a layer of them in the pan:

So now, pour your mixture of ricotta, eggs, parsley, oregano, garlic, whatever, all over those lovely ravioli's...followed by another layer of sauce....  Tonight we used 2 lb. of ricotta, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup haney dried parsley, etc. 

So then you cover this goodness, and bake it in a 375 oven for about 40 minutes.  Pull that scrumptious smelling mess out of the oven, sprinkle about 1/2 lb. of shredded mozzerella on the top, shove it back in for 20 minutes.

Then you've got this wonderfulness.  We're talking 10-15 minutes of prep time, 45 minutes baking time.  So, if you're home at 5:30, you have an awesome dinner on the table at 6:30.  Yummmmmmmmmy!!!

Wow...how good is this?  Seriously...I'm asking you....  We had rye bread & butter from last night, along with some Green Giant steemers (broccoli & cheese) for a fast food menu ready in minutes. 

Thank you BJ's, for your offer of "buy four" get a frozen turkey for free.  Ravioli was one of the four.  Awesomeness.