Beef Hash on Toast, April 15, 2016

My sweetie was suffering from a persistent headache Friday evening. We were also expecting the arrival of our oldest, a last visit home before graduating college and commissioning as an officer in the Army, so we wanted something simple that would allow us also to tidy up a bit, get the guest room ready, and so forth. He'd only announced he'd be visiting on Thursday. Since we had leftover pot roast in the fridge, making a quick hash seemed like a great option. I served it on toast with fried eggs. We had some peaches for dessert. I tell you what, that hash was absolutely terrific and I couldn't believe how easily it came together! Jeannene completely loved it and actually said she wished her dad could taste it, that he would love it. That's one of the very highest compliments she can give. Boot had stopped for dinner on the way, so he only tasted it, but he pronounced it excellent. I think I'm going to have to make it every single time we have leftover roast now.

Beef Hash

1 tbsp. butter

1 c. chopped leftover roast beef 

1 onion, chopped

14 oz. beef broth

1 c. potatoes, chopped

Salt & pepper

A little cornstarch, dissolved in water

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the beef and onion and cook for a few minutes. I also chopped up the cooked carrots from the pot roast and added them. Add broth and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until potatoes are tender. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened into a gravy. Serves 2-4. 

Chicken Noodle Soup, September 1, 2015

Since I had what was left of the chicken I roasted last week, I figured I might as well make chicken noodle soup for supper last night. I just threw the chicken and veggies I'd bagged up into a pot, covered them with water, threw in some carrot rounds (3 carrots) & celery slices (2 stalks), and cooked them on medium to medium-low for quite awhile (you can just do about 45 minutes, though, and you get a pretty decent broth). About 10 minutes before serving, I removed the chicken (you have to be careful that you don't accidentally leave bone bits or other yucky parts in the pot) & let it cool while I tossed some "dumpling" noodles into the pot of soup and cooked them for about 7 minutes. Then, I picked the remaining chicken off the carcass and threw it back into the pot. I adjusted the seasonings with some salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Then, I served it piping hot with some Pugliese bread and applesauce.

Dessert was scrumptious chocolate banana bread with dark chocolate chips. This is really gooey and cake-like and unruly when still warm. The cooler it gets, the more tidy and bread-like it becomes. It's still quite good when completely cool---and looks more like you expect bread to look, you know, holding its shape and everything. I sent a loaf to work with Jeannene and we kept one at home. The recipe makes one loaf.

Chocolate Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips

4 bananas, very ripe

1/3 c. brown sugar

A hearty shaking of lemon zest (I had dried on hand)

1 stick butter, room temp

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

A pinch of salt

A heaping tsp. baking powder

1 c. flour

1/4 c. cocoa

6 oz. chocolate chips (I had dark on hand, but you could use whatever you like---even PB or cinnamon or butterscotch chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Mix in brown sugar, lemon zest, butter, vanilla, and eggs. Stir salt, baking powder, flour, & cocoa together. Add to banana mix, along with chocolate chips, and mix well. Pour into a lightly greased loaf pan and bake 1-1 & 1/2 hours. It's done when it feels springy in the center. Cool at least 5 minutes before serving.