beef – That's Just Me

Walmart Factory Farmed USDA Choice Steak

Walmart is in full tilt promotion mode.

On Master Chef tonight, they were shamelessly promoting Walmart’s new USDA Choice steaks, touting how cheap they were, but not bothering to mention that the cheap meat is raised in a devastating factory farm.

Shame on Gordon Ramsey who used to be all about sustainability and high quality food. It just goes to show how a few advertising dollars can sway someone’s ethics.

And while we’re at it, someone needs to smack, err, gently wipe the smugness off Joe Bastianich’s face, because who is he to condemn someone’s cooking ability or knowledge, when he has resorted to promoting food that he would never in a million years eat. It’s disgusting!

Is it bad to eat corn & soy fed meat from a humanely raised farm?

I’m in the middle of a debate with myself. Which is a better purchase?

100% grass-fed animal products sold at Whole Foods that might or might not be humanely raised, from an faceless farm in different state many many miles away?
or
local humanely-raised outdoors, mostly grass-fed but also fed corn & soy?
or
local humanely-raised outdoors, 100% grass-fed, but at a much higher cost to purchase?

I had a long conversation with a local farmer at the farmer’s market yesterday. He pasture-raises his animals, but he also supplements with soy and corn feed. I don’t necessarily agree with all his reasons to feed GMO corn and soy, but our discussion was enlightening.

Corn-fed beef tastes more familiar to consumers than 100% grassfed, and it’s more cost effective.

He didn’t come right out and say it, but reading between the lines, I realized that as a farmer, you’re trying to sell to many people, so it’s necessary to make local humanely-raised animals more attractive and accessible by keeping the cost as low as you can, and at the same time, offering a meat product that tastes better but more “familiar” to the consumer.

He is a responsible farmer. He uses no chemical fertilizers, as the fields are self-fertilized by the animals. He’s sustainable, and that’s more than we can say about the majority of other farms (even organic) across the country.

I wrestle with the idea of adding corn/soy to a cow’s diet, and I know there are other local farms that do not feed corn and soy, but they also have to charge much much more. Is it worth the extra cost? Perhaps, yes, or perhaps it doesn’t matter so much either way because we personally limit our animal product consumption, and eat mostly plant based foods.

Or perhaps it doesn’t matter because the animals and the farmland they are raised on, are treated with respect and care by ALL of these farmers.

Then it hit me. I realized the most important question I should be asking is how well the animal is being treated? As long as an animal is raised with respect, on land that is equally respected, THAT is a good life. THAT should be priority number one!

So I did purchase a few items from that farmer. I bought a small whole chicken, a beefalo brisket, and a small picnic pork roast. My total was just shy of $60. I’m still considering other sources, but it’s a start for me in my quest for local meat!

PS He told me he feeds about 5-6 pounds of formulated grain (no anti-biotic or growth hormones) to each his beef cows per day; from what I gathered online, the average feedlot cow eats about 20 pounds of corn/grain per day, so, if my calculations are correct, his animals are not getting a whole lot of corn/soy per day and are mostly grass fed.

Ground Grass Fed Beef at Whole Foods Disappointing

I’m disappointed with the ground grass fed beef I bought at the last big sale from Whole Foods. It’s supposed to be 90%, but it’s been awfully greasy/fatty when cooked.

I don’t know what cut of beef they are starting with, but I don’t think it’s up to the quality of prior purchases when it WASN’T on sale. It tastes a little dull and gray too.

But I really shouldn’t complain, I mean, what did I expect it was only $5 per pound!

I really have to buckle down and find a local grass fed beef seller.

Big BIG Plan Ahead Cooking Weekend

My sweet niece is having her first baby within a couple of weeks. I know as new parents, they are not going to have a lot of time (and energy) to cook healthy meals for themselves, so I am taking this weekend to cook up big batches of food to freeze for them.

Yesterday, I went shopping and purchased most of what I needed.

Chicken bone-in whole breast (found a good deal on Bell & Evans air-chilled) – chicken soup
A large beef chuck shoulder roast along with a 7-bone chuck roast – braised beef
5 lb potatoes and 5 lb onions – not sure if I’ll be able to use the potatoes, as I’m reading that potatoes do not freeze well.
Kale, carrots, poplano peppers
Swanson chicken low sodium broth – a brand I haven’t bought in a long time.
Small bag of store brand white rice
6 cans of Pine Cone whole tomatoes – another brand that I haven’t bought in awhile, but it was cheap!
And the purchase that shames me more than anything….a pack of frozen Perdue chicken breast. Oh the horror. I have spent so much time criticizing Perdue and other “Big Food” companies like them, I can’t believe that I stooped so low to actually purchase their product! But they are convenient, and my niece and her DBF will be able to prepare them quickly and easily.

So, yesterday afternoon I got started on the chicken soup and white rice.

The soup turned out very well. I sauteed onions, celery, carrots, (and from my fridge,) zucchini and a couple chopped radishes in my new 7 qt Staub cast iron pot (oh have I mentioned I absolutely ADORE this pot!) and then I added some fresh tomato chunks, and both cartons of chicken broth, along with the bone-in chicken breast and tons of dried herbs and a little turmeric. Simmered it on the stove for over an hour, and it was done.

I divided the chicken into two 1-gallon freezer bags along with a hefty portion of soup. I filled one more bag with just the soup (no chicken) with instructions to add a cooked Perdue chicken breast if needed.

The rice didn’t fair as well. I decided to try Lucinda Scala Quinn’s suggestion of a 1 to 1.5 ratio when cooking white rice.

In my 4 qt Staub pot, I poured 3 cups water and added 2 cups of rice and some salt. I was a little distracted, and made the mistake of leaving it for a couple of minutes, and then stirring the rice. You’re not supposed to stir rice while cooking, but there was still a big mound of rice rising out of the water. When the liquid was cooked out, I took it off heat, and allowed it to “steam” like I always do. Well, when I tasted it afterward, there were “crunchy” parts. Oh no!

My biggest mistake I think, looking back in hindsight was using such a large pot. The water wasn’t filled enough over the top of the rice and I think it evaporated too quickly. Then I left the pot with the rice still mounded up over the water for a few minutes and stirred it!

I tried to fix my mistake today by re-cooking the rice (same pot) but adding about 1.5 cups more water. I allowed it to cook until the water evaporated and then I took off heat to allow it to steam. I like steaming rice after cooking, as it allows any “stuck” on bits at the bottom to soften and lift from the pot. Makes it easier to clean and it make the rice fluffy!

So, I think the rice is saved! I packed it into 3 quart sized freezer bags.

Oh and a bit of advice about freezing. I know my niece doesn’t have a large freezer, so I wanted to make the food as compact as possible. I am freezing everything flat on a large cookie sheet, so she won’t have to worry about too much bulk.

Today’s cooking started out with braised beef, and ended with some tasty tomato sauce. In between I made her a loaf of homemade bread.

For the braised beef, I used my wonderful 7 quart Staub again (I can’t believe how useful this pot is!) and I browned the beef. Starting with the taller roast chunk, I browned all 4 sides, then I transferred onto a plate. I browned the larger flatter 7-bone “roast” (it’s not really a roast, it’s more like a chuck steak, but then I suppose shoppers might confuse it for a real steak and try to grill it, not braise it) on top and bottom. Oh and I generously salted and peppered all sides of the roasts as I was flipping.

Once the 7-bone was browned, I transferred that to the dish as well, then tossed in 5 large-chopped onions and a little bit of juice from one can of tomatoes. Using a wooden spoon (I NEVER use metal in my beloved enameled cast iron) I scraped up some of the delicious flavor bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

I allowed the onions to cook for a few minutes, covered, then added some cheap red wine, scraping up more flavor bits at the bottom, making sure they were all found. I arranged each piece of meat back into the pot, then poured the rest of the canned tomatoes and more wine on top. Covered and cooked for about 5 hours. I checked on it once after 3 hours.

When it was tender and falling apart, I removed the meat from pot to a large platter to cool. What was left in the pot was scrumptious, so I figured it would be a great base for tomato sauce, which I could then make into chili later.

So, I poured 4 cans of tomatoes into the pot, along with what I thought was some mild Poblano chili peppers – ouch. My fingers are still stinging from chopping them. I usually wear gloves while chopping hot chiles, but since Poblanos are known to be very mild, I didn’t. Thankfully I tasted a small piece before putting too many into the pot. It was powerfully hot! So, I chopped the rest to freeze in a quart freezer bag for them to use in future recipes. I only added about a half a chili, figuring I can add more later.

In the meantime, I started to shred the beef and transfer the pieces to a glass storage container, making sure to keep out any gross fat pieces. The large chuck roast didn’t have much fat to remove, but the 7-bone had a bit.

I’ll keep the meat in the fridge overnight and pack it into freezer bags tomorrow, along with maybe starting on a batch of chili with beans, and the rest of the carrots and kale.

And so, all in all, it was a productive day…Yes, my fingers are still stinging and tingling from the chili oils, and I have two small burns on my arm. One from the beef splattering up at me trying to take it out of the pot, and once when I touched the top of the oven while taking the pot out of the oven. Boy, that pot is a heavy one too. But I love cast iron for muscles! Who needs a gym when you can lift heavy pots!

Anyway, it was a good cooking day! Tomorrow, I’ll probably make her some blueberry muffins, and get the tomato sauce and beef into freezer bags.

I was thinking I’d also like to make her a small batch of quinoa. We’ll see.

Whole Foods – One Day Sale – Ground Grass Fed Beef

Friday is Whole Food’s one-day sale on ground grass fed beef! $4.99 per pound! Yay! I’m already planning on buying 2-3 pounds. My freezer will be very happy this autumn/winter!

UPDATE 2011-09-21: I’m a little disappointed with the ground grass fed beef at Whole Foods. It’s supposed to be 90%, but it’s awfully greasy. I don’t know what cut of beef they are starting with, but I don’t think it’s up to the quality of prior purchases when it WASN’T on sale. I’m guessing the sale ground beef is different!

Sunday is Plan Ahead Cooking Day

Sunday is a great day to cook ahead for the week (and beyond). Today I’m slow cooking two big pieces of yummy meat:

I put a big piece of beef round into my 6 quart cast iron with 2 large purple onions and a good helping of Penzy’s BBQ 3000 spice. I added a few cups of left-over white wine.
And I didn’t have room enough for my normal roasting pan, so I had to use a rectangle glass pyrex dish to cook the big pork picnic shoulder. It was my first time “scoring” the fat on the roast, hopefully it comes out nice and crispy, but not too dry inside! I didn’t season or use any spices. Just a big ole naked pork shoulder!

I was hoping to be able to roast one of the small organic chickens I bought Friday at Whole Foods (on sale @1.69/lb) but there is absolutely no room in that oven. So, the chicken will have to wait until tomorrow, or hmm, depending on when the meat is finished, I might just throw it into the oven tonight.

UPDATE: beef was finished cooking first. I baked some rice and steamed beets & carrots and we ate a delicious dinner. There is enough beef for lunch tomorrow as well as a chili or pasta sauce recipe.

braised beef with onions and wine

Pork is still cooking. I’m almost intimidated to take it out. I hope it tastes good. I mean how bad could it really be? Hmm if it’s good, it could be our lunch tomorrow and I’ll freeze the beef.

UPDATE #2: Oh wow, the pork came out of the oven, and the fat was all crackling and crunchy. Broke off a couple of chunks, and oh oh yum. I allowed it to rest for an hour or so, and then I took it apart in chunks. Some of it was kind of tough and fibrous. I froze the bone with some tough meat attached for a soup starter. There is enough pork for at least three meals for the two of us, plus the bone for soup!

slow roasted pork picnic shoulder

Oprah and Her Harpo Staff Going Vegan for 7 Days

Much hoopla was made about Oprah and her staff challenging themselves to live vegan for a week. I just watched the show on my DVR and here are some of my thoughts.

The show opens with a video of last week’s Harpo staff meeting and the challenge to go vegan for a week – that means no meat, eggs, & dairy. Immediately all you see is Kashi logos! Kashi is everywhere, on the bags they’re handing out to staff members, later in her office, Oprah even mentions how much she loves Kashi products. Yuck. Doesn’t anyone realize that Kashi is Kelloggs crap in disguise? sigh. It’s highly processed, sugarly, full of soy! STOP with the Kashi!

Michael Pollan

I loved seeing Michael Pollan. I adore him. He has so many good ideas, and his books “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto” and “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual” truly changed my life!

So, he advises that it’s okay to eat meat, just don’t eat a lot of it! That is how I am slowly trying to live. (Baby steps, baby steps!) Be a conscience eater! Be aware about where your food is coming from!

Michael states that the American diet is now a catastrophe. 75% of our healthcare spending is on chronic diseases linked to diet and it’s bankrupting us. Too many calories, too much processed food, tons of refined carbs (sugar, white flour).

Unfortunately, the show was interrupted for a few minutes by an important ABC news special report on the situation in Egypt, and I did miss a chunk of Michael’s interview, but I found a video on Oprah’s web site:
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Michael-Pollan-on-Eating-Meat-Video/topic/oprahshow

Behind the Scenes @ Cargill

Next, was a video segment on how beef is produced. The video starts at Timmerman Feedlot in La Salle, Colorado, where cows eat corn and corn by-products for 200 days until they are fat enough for slaughter. They gain about 3 pounds per day. The video shows the following day at Cargill Meat Solutions in Fort Morgan, Colorado, the largest producer of ground beef in the world.

Cargill was portrayed as a “kind” beef slaughter house (that sounds like an oxymoron) and I immediately recognized the handling system, designed by Temple Grandin to keep the animals calm. I suppose if you have to die, the way they do it seemed to be fairly respectful.

They filmed the process except when the animals were struck with the 4 inch metal bolt and killed. They showed skinning, sawing, and other assorted beef processing.

Unfortunately (as pointed out on the show) a lot of the slaughter houses are not as kind or clean, especially when it comes to poultry. It’s too bad that Oprah didn’t show a poultry plant, but I imagine not many of them were too eager to be filmed.

I would be a hypocrite if I said I never bought feed-lot beef, but it really doesn’t seem like a healthy, happy way for a cow to live for 200 days, stuck in a lot, eating corn. Thankfully, Whole Foods always has freshly ground 100% grass fed beef, so I never have to purchase beef ground in a factory.

The Veganist, Kathy Freston

Oprah’s next guest was Kathy Freston, the “Veganist”, her book “Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change the World” was just released. Kathy led the week long Vegan challenge, and offered a lot of advice to the staff.

I love the new buzz word “veganish” – that’s a lifestyle that perhaps I can someday see myself living. From the Urban Dictionary: Veganish: An eating practice for people who kinda want to be vegan, but sometimes just need to eat some cheese or chicken.

Michael Pollan voiced a concern about going “all the way vegan”, as opposed to someone that eats meat occasionally: first “these great farmers we have in this country who are doing really good work” going on to say we need to reform the meat system not eliminate it. He also worries that getting off meat entirely that you “end up on a lot of processed foods” and he praised Kathy’s book for warning about this danger.

Sounds promising, you don’t need all that processed “meat and cheese alternative” junk! I like what I’m hearing!

…until a later segment where Kathy’s shown going grocery shopping with Jill, an Oprah producer. What do you think she’s suggesting to them? Processed meat/dairy alternatives!

Shopping For Vegan Friendly Processed Foods

Suggested dairy alternative: Daiya Vegan Cheese Products, made from tapioca. Here’s a list of ingredients:

Filtered water, tapioca and/or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, vegan natural flavours, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor).

Still processed, but not too bad; I might actually try this food. I like that they clearly state that there’s no GMO canola or safflower. And they are soy free! And yes, this cheese substitute can be easily frozen!

On the negative side, yeah, there are some ingredients that my grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food (Food Rule #2) and there is no calcium, like normal cheese.

Next recommendations are meat substitutes. Did you notice the camera paused effectively on the Kellogg’s Boca Burger package? hmm.

Oprah producer, Jill chooses a box of Hickory Smoked Tofurky Deli Slices. Okay, so it’s made from organic tofu and there’s no GM oils, but nutritionally, what is the difference between that and a package of Hormel turkey slices? Wouldn’t it be better to just tell people to eat a (natural) nut butter and (lower sugar) jelly sandwich, and get off the deli meat all together!?

So, Kathy Freston then recommends Gardein products. Although this product line is not as horrible as the Boca burgers (Kraft) and Morningstar Farms (Kelloggs), it’s still a highly processed food.

Here is the ingredient list from Gardein™ chick’n filets:

water, soy protein, vital wheat gluten, ancient grains (quinoa, amaranth, millet and kamut®), natural flavors (from plant sources), potato starch, expeller pressed canola oil and/or safflower oil, pea protein, modified vegetable gum, carrot fiber, organic beet root fiber, organic evaporated cane juice, yeast extract, vinegar, sea salt. rub: spices, red bell pepper flakes.

First, there’s a good chunk of processed soy and processed wheat (TVP) which is probably genetically modified, along with canola/safflower oils and sugar from cane juice. Why do we need sugar in chicken? Hmm, could it be the product tastes so bad, it needs a boost of sugar (and salt) to make it taste better.

“Ancient grains” are on their list of ingredients, but the pessimist in me thinks these buzz word grains are added just so the product looks healthy and “modern”. And sorry, their beef alternative products really look scary!

Non-dairy milk is next. Kathy grabs a carton of Almond Breeze chocolate milk. Okay I have used unsweetened Almond Breeze milk before, but why is she recommending the chocolate flavor? Yeah, of course it tastes great because it’s loaded with sugar!!! Duh! I wish she verbally suggested the SoDelicious unsweetened coconut milk, but at least the camera focused on their products.

Of course veganaise and earth balance are next on her shopping list. ~~I might actually buy the grapeseed veganaise product, because it’s soy and canola free~~ – update: I took a look at the ingredients at the store, and it DOES have soy, so nope, I won’t be purchasing this. I previously considered buying the soy-free Earth Balance, but it still includes canola oil, so I just choose organic whipped butter instead. Simple, fresh, and less fat/calories.

Oprah’s Real Objectives

The problem with shows like Oprah, is they try to nudge people into making choices for a healthier lifestyle, but stop short of revealing the whole picture. Sure, it’s a great idea to eat meatless whenever you can, but to replace meat with highly processed soy products isn’t helping our health or our environment. (Read the “beef vs veggie burger” article at Mother Jones)

The show was supposed to be about being conscience of where your food comes from. Do you know where soy protein and canola oil comes from? Most of us might know how a pea comes to our table, it’s grown in a farm, but how is pea protein created and what impact does the process have on our environment and health?

My guess is they couldn’t really tell the truth because the episode was heavily sponsored by Kelloggs (ending titles credited Kashi with partially funded the show’s production)! So, they left out important details about these processed vegan-friendly foods.

Unfortunately, a lot of Oprah groupies will buy anything that she and her guests’ recommend. I can hear roar at the grocery store, followers stocking up on any and all meat/dairy alternative products without even a glance to the list of ingredients and/or nutritional data. They’ll be replacing their normal processed foods with other processed foods and think they’re making a healthier choice!

All in all, it was a decent show, and it was great to hear the experiences of some of the staff members. But I wish they didn’t put so much emphasis on the processed alternative foods, after all the show was supposed to be about being conscience about where your food comes from. I wanted to see more discussion on whole grains, beans, nuts, fruit and vegetables!

Plan Ahead Cooking Sunday

Today was another plan ahead cooking day!

It’s been very busy at work, so time is limited for cooking healthy meals. I don’t want to revert to my old ways of “convenience” processed food and take-out, so I have been using my slow cooker (crock pot) a couple of days a week. It’s been a great time saver, but I was recently reminded about the crock pot/slow cooker lead problem. So, I am trying NOT to use it until I perhaps test the crock with a home lead test.

So, today in the oven:

A big pot of bolognese sauce (inspired by Cristina Ferrare’s Big Bowl of Love Bolognese recipe)
Braising two large boneless chuck steaks (London Broil) with onions, warm spices (cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, pepper, paprika) and wine. Unfortunately the beef was mostly frozen when I started, so when I tried to sear, it was just steaming. It didn’t matter though. I tasted a bite, and it was fabulous!
I also decided to make a batch of brown rice in the already hot oven for use later in the week.

The Meal Plan:

Bolognese sauce with pasta tonight.
Cooked extra pasta for our lunches for either tomorrow or Tuesday
Even after dividing into 4 portions, there is still some bolognese sauce left-over, so I think on Tuesday, that’ll be transformed into chili with beans and rice.
The braised beef has been divided into freezer bags. It’ll be enough for three separate dinners, including a small portion for transformation into soup or stew.
I also have boneless chicken defrosting in the fridge, and tomorrow or Tuesday, I’ll make chicken soup with rice. That’s usually a quick easy meal.
We’ll have a meatless meal sometime later in the week. It might be a great time to finally try making a pizza with homemade flatbread!
Gotta try to fit in salmon, and that could be a good day for DH to have left-overs. (He doesn’t eat fish)

I’m also considering a rice cooker purchase. It’s difficult to find a rice cooker that’s NOT non-stick, but these Vitaclay rice slow cookers look promising.

One Day Cooking For Meals All Week

My days are getting longer at work, and then with afternoon errands, it’s been so stressful worrying about finding time for healthy weekday cooking. So, I took a tip from Rachael Ray’s new show, Week in a Day and decided that I would try cooking a bunch recipes on the weekend, making it easier to put together meals during busier days during the week. Plus, I need to fill our new chest freezer with some goodies!

So, today I set the oven on 300° and started cooking:

St Louis Style Pork Ribs

I rubbed some Arizona Dreaming seasoning from Penzey’s Spices on a rack of St Louis style pork ribs and slow cooked them on a roasting pan with rack. Thankfully, I applied a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom of the pan so clean up was a breeze!

They cooked for about 4 hours (300°), and then I raised the oven temp to about 375° to crisp them for a few minutes. Delicious and so easy.

Chuck Beef Roast

Next, I sliced all the outer fat off of a small one pound chuck beef roast (looked like a steak) and cut it into two pieces. In one of my smaller 2 quart cast iron covered pots, I browned each piece separately, then deglazed the bottom of the pan with a little bit of Merlot wine. I added both pieces of beef back into the pot, and covered with large chunks of onion, then poured some additional wine over the top. I let it slow cook (300°) for about 4 hours. I didn’t peek inside the pot, I just kept it covered and left it alone.

We ended up having it for our dinner tonight, and it was scrumptious. Tender and flavorful. Chuck rocks I tell you!!! It’s one of the best cuts of beef, it’s cheap and the flavor is outstanding! And so simple! I didn’t even have to add one smidgen of salt, pepper, spice or herb to the pot, and it develops into lusciousness. Just take the time to brown the meat first, deglaze, then add wine!

Chicken Drumsticks

On the stove, I browned 8 chicken drumsticks (two batches of 4 drums each) with some olive oil in my 4 quart cast iron pot. The chicken was reserved on a plate, while I started sauteing chopped onion, carrot, and some leftover purple cabbage. I thought it would be a good opportunity to try out the new bottle of three acre kitchen Balsamic Marinade I just bought from Whole Foods, so I poured a couple of tablespoons in, and deglazed the pan; it bubbled and reduced very quickly. Then I deglazed again with some Merlot wine, then added the chicken back into the pot, and poured more wine.

I placed the covered pot into the oven (300°) and cooked for hmm, I think it was about 2 hours or so. The chicken was falling off the bone, and I tasted a couple of tiny bits, and it was delicious. I completely cooled the chicken, vegetables, and sauce in a separate bowl, and then transferred into a large freezer bag to freeze for a later date.

Ground Beef and Leek Chili

On the stovetop, I browned a 1/3 pound of grass fed beef in my other 2 quart cast iron pot (I love my 2 quart pots, and I highly recommend this size for smaller 2-3 person families), then added in a couple of chopped leeks. Cooked down for a few minutes, then added poblano peppers (frozen from summer veggies), cranberry beans (also frozen from summer), fresh parsley, a carton of Pomi strained tomatoes and lots of spices and herbs.

That was also put into the oven along side the 4 qt pot with drumsticks, 2 quart pot with beef. The roaster with the ribs was on the bottom oven rack. It all just fit! Phew!

It cooked for about 1.5 hours or so, and then I cooled the chili completely; I transferred most of it into a quart sized freezer bag to freeze for a later date. I kept a portion in the fridge, enough for tomorrow’s lunch for either my husband or myself.

Transitional Whole Wheat Bread

I started my soaker and biga for a loaf of bread yesterday, following the transitional wheat bread recipe from Peter Reinhart. I removed the biga from the fridge this morning, and once all the pots were in the oven, it was perfect timing to start creating the final dough.

By the time the chili and chicken drumsticks were done baking, my dough had risen, was proofed and was ready to be baked, so I temporarily increased the oven temp to 350° and the loaf went into the oven.

40 minutes later, it was baked and I lowered the temp back down to 300° for the beef and pork ribs to finish.

Salad Greens

I was thrilled to find some local organic red and green leaf lettuce at Whole Foods at a bargain price of only 1.29/lb. I picked up 3 heads! The total cost was about $2.50, which equaled to one small head of green leaf from California.

I washed, spun dried, and bagged all of it, so now I have enough lettuce for a few dinner and lunch salads for the week.

Accomplishment

Once everything was done cooking, I poured a cup of jasmine brown rice with 2 cups of water into one of the 2 qt cast iron pots, and in an hour or so, we were ready to eat tonight’s meal.

I think it’ll get even easier next time. I will be able to coordinate a little better, multi-tasking a bit more. But I feel so accomplished knowing that a big portion of the cooking for this week is done!

There is a portion of beef left over along with 2 servings of brown rice, so I have a plan to either make tomato beef sauce (with rice or pasta) or possibly some beef stew with rice, leeks and kale. I think I’ll probably go for the soup.

As for the rest of the week, we have pork ribs, chicken (enough for at least two meals), and chili. I have some beets in the fridge, and they will roast nicely with potatoes and/or a butternut squash. I think we’ll be good to go!

Beef Bottom Round Roast

Darn it! I defrosted a small bottom round roast for dinner tonight, and just stuck it in the oven following “roast beef” instructions I found on the web. I am so glad that I searched for “bottom round roast” just now, because now I’m seeing that it needs to be cooked low and slow! Darn!

I would have started cooking earlier this afternoon, had I known. I specifically asked the meat department associate at Whole Foods Market if this cut should be slow cooked. He said yeah, but you can also cook it like a roast…sooo that’s what I thought!

I’m so glad I found out before it was too late, because it would have been horrible! So, now we have to order take out, and I transferred the roast into my small cast iron and lowered the oven temp. I think it’ll be in there all night!