All About Food

I have always loved to cook. Even as a young girl, I remember wanting to help in the kitchen--- probably to sample all of it more than anything. But sampling the food and cooking what I know tastes good is part of why I am so passionate about food and what I prepare for my family. Not only do I love to cook for my husband and children, but I also love to entertain and cook for friends and family whenever I get the chance. I guess you can say that a huge way that I show my love is by cooking delicious foods for those that I care about.

So what does Christine cook? I try to balance my meals out with inexpensive foods most days like pasta, casseroles, and potato or nacho bars and then I am able to splurge on better cuts of meat a few days a week. I also buy what is on sale and as all of you know that ranges from week to week, store to store, so often times I surprise even myself with what I pick out and decide to delight my family with.


One day last week I made fried Polska-Kielbasa and red potatoes with green beans on the side.

I love to buy stew meat and make different recipes with it.

Last week I made Beef Burgundy that was very yummy. I always try to take the time to braise the meat first so that it will sear in the flavor and come out more tender.

I served the tender meat with onions and mushrooms in a red wine sauce over rice pilaf. It was a hit as long as those who didn't like the vegetables were allowed to pick them out and have John and I eat them. I was okay with that because they still had their veggies from the side salad I served with it. Crusty French Bread sopped up the rich flavorful sauce. Mmm-mmmm-mmm-mmm-mmm.

Just had to throw this picture of Dennis in because he is afterall eating food and that's what this post is all about.

Taco Soup is another big hit in my family. It is so versatile that I have no set recipe. Each pot is never the same.

The main ingredients are ground beef, taco seasoning, tomato sauce, canned beans, canned corn, and water. Sometimes I add Ranch dressing seasoning or green chiles.

We pour the soup over crushed tortilla chips and top with cheese, chopped olives, green onions, and sour cream.

For snack, I give the kids anything from handfuls of cereal, to apples with peanut butter and a few M&M's on top, to toast with jam, cookies, cheese and crackers, or bowls of Top Ramen.

Dennis can eat just about anything now, and now that he has exercised his mouth so much from all his eating, he can almost touch his lips together. Here he is reaching for his sippy cup. That is a huge achievement for him since he used to just let his drink spill all over him. He is learning to control the amount of liquid that goes into his mouth.

Tonight was more of a splurge night because dinner came out to about $3.00 a person. On the menu---- tri-tip, rice pilaf, fruit cocktail, and butter-baked bread.

I season my tri-tip with worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt, and ground mustard.

I cover the bottom of the roasting pan with seasoning before I lay the meat down so that the juice will be extra flavorful.

Then I season the top of the meat before I cover it and slow roast it for three hours.

I love this part because I get to sample what I have made.

We go through about a gallon of milk a day.

With the leftover tri-tip I will be able to make John a sandwich in the morning and still have some meat leftover to make myself a yummy quesadilla.