Dinner time as a little girl was one of my favorite times of the day...not just because I love to eat; but because I was able to help my dad. He is the cook in the family....a navy cook.
I still joke to this day, that my dad will cook for 50 people when only 6 of us are showing up to the table......it's just the way he is..and I love it!
Everything he makes is simple, not good for you and delicious! I have taken my years of training and created my own style...following very few recipes and simply making something to taste.
15 (almost 16 years ago) I started making family dinners a tradition in my home...we may not always eat together, every night...but you can pretty much bank on the fact that dinner will be prepared and ready for you! Dinner starts for me- first thing in the morning...my wheels start turning and I start to create what it is we will dine on in the evening.....everyday (except for Fridays- I don't cook on Fridays...it's just a rule). Pretty much all my meals take under 40 minutes to prepare...start to "time to eat"!
I have 3 children, a dog and a husband (not necessarily in that order!) So- you will find that everything that I make is easy, quick and a twist or modified favorite. I also prepare side dishes....homemade Mac & Cheese (I just perfected this recipe 2 weeks ago) stewed tomatoes (this one goes back many a generations) as well as good Ol' Maryland Sauerkraut (which I am sure you have never tried my way)!
My newest addiction is the Crock Pot...what an amazing kitchen tool that every family should use and know how to use. I have made many a mushy potato until getting it right!
Friends have asked that I share my meals...well, here goes. Some are good, some are great and some just don't turn out.
2/4/2012
Early this morning (at like 6am...) I realized that I had polish sausage in the fridge. While making Brayden his traditional bacon on Saturday mornings with syrup to dip.....I thought, "Mmmmmm...wouldn't it be nice to use some of this bacon in my CROCK POT!"
This led me to pull out the Crock and get started.....it wasn't much of a surprise to Jay when he came into the kitchen at 8a to see bacon sizzling, chili stewing (for our Super Bowl nachos tomorrow...of course!) and the Crock Pot plugged in and ready to go!
This is when Sausage & Bean Stew (my way)...was born!
I boiled 1 lb of Polish Sausage in a skillet for about 10 minutes......drained the water, sliced the sausage into bite sized pieces and proceeded to brown them over Medium heat.
In a measuring cup I combined and mixed:
1 cup Ketchup
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar (I decreased this a bit when measuring...all the "sugars" started to scare me!)
1 tbsp vinegar (maybe even a little less- after last weeks failed boneless pork ribs in the Crock...vinegar isn't my favorite ingredient but I appreciate it's value!)
2 tbsp Molasses (again...I don't really measure anything..but I used a big "soup spoon" so I'm assuming it's true measurement).
2 tbsp mustard (good old hot dog yellow!)
1/2 of a chopped white onion (I really only use white onions...)
If you can't tell.....I like easy.....2 of most everything seemed like a good bet for this one!
After mixing a thick paste, I dumped it into the Crock.
Added my sausage.
Crumpled up about 8 pieces of cooked bacon- threw it in...
Had cooked ground beef for my chili...decided to take about 2 cups of it and add it to the Crock....
Grabbed 3 cans of beans.....Light Red kidney, White kidney and Great Whites.....drained almost all the canned juices and added them as well.
*Crock Note: keeping some of any canned juice (not draining all even if it says to) is a good idea...it's natural flavor and cooks off in the Crock process anyway....
I cooked everything on High for about 2 hours than moved it to Low.......within 3 hours it was ready to eat...but 5 hours later it's even better! What a savory, sweet and hardy meal! I call it a stew because I used a spoon to eat it but it really doesn't have much broth to it.....I will make this again for sure!! I can see it as a meal, all day snack, appetizer......cold day comfort food!
Enjoy!
