Digging Out and Using Leftovers

Hi! Enough with the snow! I'm ready for summer, aren't you too? We are more or less dug out; Mo and I had a long walk this afternoon. Mo was so happy, as I tippy toed behind him, ski pole in hand for icy spots.

My friend dug out a small space on my deck so at least I can open the door. I put out a wee wee pad for Mo but the snow is so high he can climb up on it and jump over the railing, long fall to the ground, as my house is raised for storm protection. So leash visits only!

The flood waters came all the way up to the high dunes, but no chance of breaching them. See the dark line?

The waves hit ocean-facing side of these large old dunes, which also stood through H Sandy and protect my house and neighborhood.

This is a familiar sight for you all, our favorite little passageway to the beach. This is as far as Mo and I could walk today.

We went pretty far!

All that pent up puppy energy!

Mo is content and tired out.

*****
Now what about the food supplies?"She bought all that food for Armageddon and now what?"

I gave half of the lasagna to my friends who dug out my deck and car, and then froze the rest. The dozen hard boiled eggs are being offered as high protein snacks. The large roast beef is still in use.* I mentioned soup and sandwiches as one meal; another favorite is roast beef salad: think ham salad. Minced roast beef with chopped onion and dill pickle, add cheese, either cheddar shreds or we like gorgonzola or goat cheese crumbles.Salt and pepper. Mix with mayo. We like it on a bed of lettuce, especially arugula, with whatever fixings are in the veggie bin. Maybe hot biscuits to go with?

Tonight I will make one of my fave leftover meals using the roast beef. Now please remember, these are old fashioned make do comfort meals! They aren't for diets or cleanses, they are warm and filling for folks who have been skiing or snow shovelling or tromping in the drifts with the doggy.

Beef Stroganoff

In a heavy skillet or dutch oven saute a sweet onion [half moon chop] and a box of well-washed button mushrooms. If the mushrooms are large, quarter for bite sized pieces. Saute until the onion is translucent and the 'rooms are a little bit brown.

Add your leftover gravy, some wine from that bottle in the fridge [1/2 C.?], and about 1 1/2 C. of milk or cream. 

If you planned ahead and bought a McCormick's Stroganoff seasoning pack you can add that now. Either way I like to add unusual spices so this tastes a bit different from just beef in gravy. I use dill, caraway, sage, black pepper, sweet paprika, lemon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Very fragrant! Bring to low simmer.

Add the leftover beef, portions as desired. Maybe 1/2 C per person? Cut the beef in 1/4" slices then recut in long julienned slivers 1/4" x 1/4" x 2 1/2" . Simmer til everything is piping hot!

[if you never make gravy, use a jar of store-bought beef gravy]

Serve on a bed of curly noodles with lots of steamed greens on the side. Here we have brussel sprouts. I also made broccolini for those who do not eat noodles. 

For the noodles, I like No Yolks, wide Dutch noodles. Papardelli is nice too, though very eggy.

Finish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of dill for pretty.

Enjoy.

PS *The side dish for the roast on its first night was roasted diced sweet potatoes and sweet onions. Simple and really good. here

How is everyone doing!? Did the snow miss you? Aren't you so glad!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

exactly two weeks: my paper whites are blooming!

Snow Update

edit: ''Snow totals are predicted to be between 30-36 inches in southwestern Nassau,''

Hi! Are you all keeping warm and comfy? We're doing great here so far, so this is just a little update.

Mo and I went for our walk!

This is not what I'd call a blizzard, but it's a lot of snow.

Making soup now, here's a quick recipe for you all. It is not exact amounts, use what you have.

TJ's frozen leeks, far left, in my freezer

Cream Of Leek Soup.

-approx 2 Cups of mashed potatoes. [you can use leftovers or boxed, or peel and boil 2 or 3 large white potatoes and mash them well with a fork.]

-3 or four large well washed leeks or 3 or 4 bunches of scallions. About 1 C. Cut into small slices.

-In your large stockpot or dutch oven, saute the leeks in 2 T of butter. [NOT oil].

[I'm going to use a premade bag from Trader Joe's, frozen, thawed.] Cook gently until translucent and soft but do not brown or or overcook.

-If you have carrots, dice one carrots, small dice, and add to the saute. This is just for color.

-Add approx 3 cups of chicken broth. Add the mashed potatoes. Stir until mixed and bring to a gentle simmer.

-Add salt and black pepper to taste. 

-Add about 3 cups of milk, I use skim, but if you like a richer soup you can use whole milk or even fat free half and half cream. I like to blend everything at this point with a hand mixer. Or an immersion blender. But you don't have to. 

At this point if the soup is too thick, add more chicken broth or water to make the consistency you like.

-Simmer gently for 1/2 hour. Be careful, because milk scorches easily. 

-Serve with a few garlicky croutons on top.

Very good with leftover roast beef & horseradish sandwiches, on pumpernickel bread.

If you'd like chowder, you can add a bag of corn at this point; asparagus spears, cut in 2" sticks is also nice.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.............

last winter

so cool. From Pinterest .

Snow Day?

So what's happening with this storm?
Hi guys! Weather Channel says one in four Americans will be affected by this storm, so I suppose it may hit you too. [Cathy? You okay?]. But what is really happening? Is this Armageddon, aka WS Jonas, or will we just have flurries as he heads on out to sea?

Have to prepare anyway, I guess.  My family will be away skiing so it'll just be me and Mo, braving the elements. I stocked up on puppy pads for Mo. Just. In. Case.

Of course got in lots of food. I am making a large roast beef which will last through the coming week; lasagna; potato leek soup. A new recipe of roasted sweet potatoes and sweet onions. I have lots of salads, some fruit, cold cuts, bread, all of which sounds like a lot but I'll be prepared when the kids return Sunday and I won't have to go shopping for a looong time. Probably too much food, but it will keep and better safe than sorry.

I have oatmeal cooky makings for tomorrow or Sunday. A reason to heat the oven during a storm, makes the house smell so nice.
The stores here are not crowded or empty shelved. (Though why people are buying bottled water is a mystery to me, as our water is sourced by pressure from a water tower and never stops.)

Look at these adorable sleds! I wanted one for Mo but my son convinced me Mo wouldn't ride in it. Too bad.

I've been picking up woodland-y pretties.

The birch trees have been shedding lovely white branches.

This is a whole birch limb I toted home. I may save it for an Easter egg tree, haven't done that in years.

I had a little disaster here last week during high winds: the driftwood star fell off the wall and toppled a very large very old and valuable platter which in turn toppled my best mercury glass candle jar, a lovely Staffordshire calicoware pitcher, and some of my best blue and white plates. What a clean up, shards everywhere. But I suppose it is one way to declutter.

On this shelf I use sticky wax to secure the plates, as they have been know to also fall from high winds' vibration. So let's be hopeful.

Flowers for my house in a snow storm are a must. I've been good about my resolve to buy less flowers but I definitely needed this pop of red tulips at only 4.99 a bunch.

This is the daff I rescued from the squirrel, so pretty!

And a new 1.99 hyacinth. Wonder what color it will be? No hint so far. I \hope it's pink.

Mo fell in love with my mittens. He carries them around then stows them carefully in his bowl of toys.

I have lots of handwork ready, all those January Dotties 365, and work to continue on Pokeberry. I saved some movies to the DVD thing, lol, nope I've never seen Magic Mike or Die Hard ....something.

Here is Mo in his best argyle fur lined vestie, from Puppia. It's the only garment he has never wiggled out of. I had to let it out, he has grown since last year. But I think he looks quite fine.

Oh and these are my new UGGs. Cozy! Too sweet for snow though, I'll wear my Merrell clogs or my hiking boots, both of which are black and impervious to wet and salt.

Hope all goes well! Wish us sunny skies and no power ''outages'' .

love 

lizzy 

gone to the beach....