Homemade Vegetable Stock

I love using stock while cooking.  It adds a much better flavor than the powdered bouillon I usually use.  I never thought of using vegetable stock before.  Just beef or chicken. I have never made a meat based stock so have no idea how  easy it is too make. Veggie stock, however, is super easy.  Plus, it has a great golden color and super flavor.

I came across a tip in an old magazine to save the ends and bits you don't use when cutting up vegetables to make stock with.  I keep a gallon size Ziploc in my freezer just for this purpose.  My usually ends up consisting of just onions, carrots and celery.  I put skins, root ends, peelings and whatever else I would normally throw in the trash or compost in the baggie.  When the bag finally fills up, then it's time to make stock.

My freezer bag currently only has some celery in it.

I threw the veggies in my stock pot, filled it with water, and let it come to a boil.  Once it was boiling, I turned the heat down to low and let it simmer all day.

That's right.  All day.  If you are going to do this, make sure it is on a day when you are home all day.  I start it in the morning and take it off the heat before bed.  I check on it occasionally and add water if it is getting low.

I only put the vegetable peelings in it.  I don't add salt but you could add some if you want.

Simmering

Once it has cooled, I put it in quart sized freezer bags.  I measure out the stock, and just pour it in.  I then push as much air out as possible before sealing it.  Make sure to do this step over a bowl.  If the bag leaks or you spill, you don't lose that stock.  I lay the bags flat in a baking dish and freeze them.
Before freezing, I usually let it sit out for an hour or so to make sure the bags aren't leaking.

Ready to go in the freezer

When I need to use some stock, I just thaw one out in a pan or bowl.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Sometimes a person is just in the mood for some good old comfort food.  No counting calories or carbs.  Just something that makes you feel good.  I was at a loss yesterday with what to make for dinner.  Ken and A2 were going hunting and would want something rib sticking when they got home at night.

So what's a girl to do?  Hit Pinterest, of course.  I pinned this yesterday morning.  It's a recipe from Paula Dean, y'all.  Yeah, yeah.  I know, her recipes are loaded with fat and carbohydrates and super unhealthy.  But like I said, sometimes you just need comfort food and that is exactly what she does best.  This recipe comes courtesy of the Dallas Morning News.  Click on over if you want to see what their version looks like.

This was pretty easy to throw together.  I did make some changes to my recipe, which made it even more calorie laden than before.

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole

Ingredients

8 medium baking potatoes, about 4 pounds
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 pint sour cream
2 cups ( ½ pound) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided use)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup chopped chives, for garnish
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Pierce potatoes and place on baking pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until very soft.

Peel and mash potatoes in large bowl with potato masher or back of fork. Add cream cheese, butter, sour cream and 1 cup of cheddar. Stir well. Add garlic, salt and pepper, and stir again.

Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place potato mixture in dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate casserole until ready to bake.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F, remove plastic wrap and bake casserole 30 to 35 minutes until hot. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheddar over casserole and return to oven for about 5 minutes, until cheese melts. Garnish with chopped chives and crumbled bacon before serving. Makes 10 to 12 servings. 

 

What I Made

 

I didn't sprinkle the top with chives because I'm lazy like that.  I did add some minced onions for a bit of oniony flavor.  I used an entire pound of bacon (Oh, the humanity!) and mixed 3/4 of it in with the potatoes and sprinkled the rest on top.  We love our bacon.  Plus, I had a pound in the fridge that needed to be used in the next few days.

 

 Final Verdict

I liked it.  It is nothing special but it just tasted good.  Ken said he's not into this kind of food but it was okay.  A2 said it was "pretty good" and had two helpings.  I guess I'll keep this in the rotation but just as an occasional meal or side because it's so unhealthy.  It would be excellent for potlucks  though.

 

 

This, That, and Some Really Bad Food

Well, I've already failed at doing 30DS.  I pulled something in my hip joint and it hurts like a not so nice word.  So, I'm taking a few days off.  Wednesday will be the day to start back up again.

In other news, I had to go to the doctor today and I haven't lost any weight but I haven't gained any either.  Good news considering I haven't been exercising and have been eating like crap all weekend.

On Saturday, since we were feeling a little cabin fever, Ken and I decided to go for a little drive to see his Grandma Katie's house.  It was a nice 30 minute drive out there.  We drove past the house and it has not changed since his grandma passed away.  Right down to the fake security camera and fake flowers in the window boxes.  It looks like whoever owns it just uses it as a vacation home.

We then headed to Berlin and walked around.  I found a lamp I wanted at this antique shop but sadly, it wasn't in our budget that day.  I hope it's still there in a few weeks.  It would look great in our bedroom.  Of course, we had to have a look-see in a clothing store geared towards hunters.  I think we will actually go down there again to purchase hunting clothes.

Since we hadn't eaten breakfast and all that walking was making us peckish, we stopped at the Berlin Family Restaurant for a bite of lunch.  Just the fact that it was a Saturday at lunchtime and was lacking in patrons should have been our first clue.  However, we were hungry and ignored our baser instincts.  Ken ordered beef tips over noodles and I ordered a French dip.  We had soup and salad first which was okay.  When our food arrived, Ken just looked at his and knew it would be bad.  My sandwich smelled bad but I thought it was because I sometimes go off the smell of meat.

I've seen tastier morsels in a baby's diaper than the stuff that was on Ken's plate.  He took two bites and was done.  Mine tasted off and was put to the side also.  We decided maybe a good old hamburger was the way to go so we paid our bill and went to seek a bar and grill.

We ended up at Tommy's Roadhouse in Red Granite "just past the prison."  That is what it says on their t shirts.   I'm not kidding.  It was geared to the summer people but I didn't care.  Just locals and a family that was on their "annual drunken Christmas tree hunt."   Ken had a burger and I had a pulled pork sandwich.  Much better than the previous fare.  We left sated and headed on our way home, picking up a tree on the way.

That's it.  Nothing exciting.  I prefer life that way though.