Cooking with Us: E6: Tipsy Talk and Fondue

While we were working on our flank steak the other night, we also made fondue! We were going to make it as a topping, but got hungry and ate it first instead.

I thought I would share our tipsy talk and fondue recipe, because it was funny - at least, to me!

Our in-depth conversation about countries ^-^

Real fondue recipe (also a great steak topper):

Cooking with Us: E5: Mexican Flank Steak

I married Val! and I hate flank steak!

So, I recently reached out to my Facebook friends to ask what they'd like to see made on my blog.

My friend Jay was the first to reply - with a request of steak with peppers... more specifically, flank steak!

My husband is very much *not* a fan of flank steak.  Still, he is usually up for a challenge. He married me, after all, didn't he? 

 He was also feeling under the weather so wasn't in a mood to argue. His only stipulation was that I get the meat from Meisfeld's - our local meat market. No problemo!

What follows is our attempt at slow cooking a 2lb flank steak in a ton of deliciousness (veggies, salsas, beer), which we started way too late in the day.

As always, please watch the video in high res.

 Even my sister, Vanessa, makes an 'appearance' via cell phone :)  

Some photos, a semi-recipe, and the transcript follow!

Butternut Squash & Turkey Soup

My little fall forest

 For many of us, it's fall right about now - or was when I made this last week for myself, my husband, and our friend Leigh.

 As it's in the 40's outside right now, it's sure feeling more like winter to me.

I guess that works out either way, as butternut squash soup is great for fall and winter - though the squash may be more difficult to find as the season edges onward.

Once again, we were lucky enough to have one of Theron's very thoughtful coworkers give us a huge squash from her neighbor's garden.

You may also notice these photos are darker than usual - that's because Theron was trying out a new camera.  They are *too* dark, IMO...

We sent the camera back ;)

I microwaved the squash for approximately 25-30 minutes in 15 to 10 minute intervals, where I would test it for squooshiness. 

Finally, I pulled it out and let it cool b/c believe me - 

you do not want to cut into this and start messing with it right away. 

 This baby was HOT!

 But once it's cooled it's super easy to peel off the skin. 

Cooking with Us: E4: Chili

Howdy gang!

Welcome to another vlog ;D  This time - instead of waxing in typeface about the past, and my mom's chili as I wrote on here last year, I decided to video tape it for posterity... or something ;)

It's getting close to late October here in Wisconsin, which means it's definitely chili weather.  For my family in Tejas, it may be another month yet before it is truly, as my cousin Karen said the other day, "caldo weather."

(Though caldo is not what we're talking about here.. Back to chili!)

But why don't you click the video below, or go to youtube, full screen that baby, and follow along for some truly awesome (and actually surprisingly, not super-spicy chili!)

^ You know you want to view me in high-res.

As usual, the transcript and recipe follow, but first, I am going to do a photo blog as well, for all you out there who don't want to view my cooking in all its 2 dimensional motion glory ;D

Via screen grabs again, of course!! :)

First, we started with 1.5 lbs of 90% lean ground beef.

Cooking with Us: E3: Apple Picking and Smoke Salmon Crostini

Hi!

I hoped to have this vlog up last week, but the past couple of weeks have been crazy, not least of which due to the fact that this past weekend was mine and Theron's one year wedding anniversary! 

That pic on the right is from one year ago, October 13th 2012. Don't we look happy? :)

For our anniversary we went to Chicago (of course!) and picked up a replica of the top tier of our cake, which was awesome and apple-spicy!

Speaking of apples! This post is about apple picking, and something you can make with them that is not apple pie.  

Also in this video, I included an attempt at apple sauerkraut (a simple recipe I found online) that was truly an utter failure!

And then we made something truly delicious - which was of course - a total win!

As usual, I suggest viewing this at high quality and full screen. :)

The transcript and recipe will follow, but I wanted to tell you a little about the day. 

First of all, it was an absolutely beautiful day to be picking apples in such a gorgeous orchard.

As you might have guessed, this is a screen grab from my podcast. How awesome is that apple tree?

Home Cooking Heroes Spotlight: Peter's Smoky Chipotle Chicken Soup

Petie & I during his visit in May

You guys probably all remember Peter from his Home Cooking Heroes debut, when he taught us how to make amazing scallops. Or perhaps you recall him more recently from his podcast on how to make awesome salsa?

Well folks, we are in luck once more, as he has shared his photos and recipe on how to make a Tangy Tomato-Chipotle soup with chicken and veggies!!

Unlike normal, I'll put the ingredients list at the top (the full recipe will follow the photos as always):

Ingredients:
- 1 qt of tomato purée
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 2 cups diced boneless chicken
- Frozen (or fresh) mixed veggies
- 2 Reconstituted dried chipotle peppers
- 2 teaspoons of cilantro purée
- Sour cream (or plain yogurt)
- Salt, black pepper, onion powder, white pepper, oregano

(Peter adds that you can use regular cilantro, but that it tends to stick to your teethy weefys. Howevz, that's up to you!)

The photo post is in Petie Pie's own words:

I like using a heavy enameled pot for soups. Even heating, good for low and slow!