Let Freedom Ring

Our 4th of July this year was pretty much a day we got to not worry about an alarm clock, not meeting with any customers and a day of cooking, eating, eating...well and eating some more.  What was on the menu...deliciousness.  The early wee hours of morning I let my beef brisket relax for about an hour.  Time for the rub down, sea salt, ground black peppercorns, fresh garlic from our back yard was stabbed into this delicious piece of meat.

Sprinkle sea salt, ground pepper and stuff with fresh garlic cloves.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Sear the meat and then set it aside

Use same pan, throw in chopped onions and carrots

Add a good red wine, I used White Oaks Vineyards from Carlock, IL.

Toss in some peppercorns

Cover and put in the oven 300F till meat melts in your mouth, about 4-5 hours for this baby

Time to reduce, strain all the peppercorns, carrots and onions

Put on medium heat and start reducing, do not give up this does take a long while but is the best gravy in the world!

Slice the brisket thin, try not to eat all of it while you are cutting

Add your favorite BBQ or make your own.  I cheated and used a Sweet and smoky and Sweet baby rays

Just let it do its thing

For a small side dish I chopped up some cabbage, radishes and tossed it with a dressing

Homemade yukon gold mashed

Reduced for perfection

Whala!!!  BBQ beef brisket, yukon mashed, gravy and slaw.  All homemade and all damn good 

Thanks to White Oaks Vineyards in Carlock, Ropp Cheese in Normal and Crump Farms in Carlock for all the fresh grown goodies.

Update

I have not had much time at all to take updated pictures of our home.  This is our busy season for work, when the snow falls we will be hibernating like bears.  Today it was time to give our home some attention, it kind of looked like a tornado had been through the inside of the home...it was time to pick up what we should always put away...our stuff.  Plus our friend is coming to visit for a week and well I do not want her to think I am a complete s l o b . . . :0)

So here it is...our home...well part of it.  It has already came a long way!

Berrylishious

Today or should I say tonight it is all about berries...strawberries that is.  For the first bloody time in my life it was time to make strawberry jam.  Now I'm the type of person to just dig right in and do it myself, I mean how hard can it be right.  Recipe/Shmishipe...Dice up some strawberries, put them on heat and add a few tablespoons of sugar and whollllaaaaaa.  Incredibly tasty.  My first big batch was tonight and I love to look on blogs to see how they made their jam while mine is boiling to perfection.  Now I am not sayin that my jam is better than anyone else's jam...but taste mine and you will see. (that my jam is better than anyone else's dam jam... :)  Most of the blogs I came across they added 3.5 cups of sugar or more!  HOLY JESUS!  I am not trying to make strawberry soda...yes I said soda.

So here it is step by step, throw those Smucker jars away and feed your family some fresh strawberry jam.  Dice em'  Heat em' and only 6 tablespoons of suga'

4 Cups of strawberries hand picked from Braffet Berry Farms in Carlock, IL.

Medium heat and let the juices free

Simma down my friend

And there you have it!  The best damn strawberry jam.  Eat it on toast, crackers, ice cream, french toast, PB&J, and just plain, need I say more...

 

Shop Local

Lets face it...I was raised on canned foods and frozen pizzas.  I am not saying my momma did not make good ol' fashioned homemade rolls and country meals because she did, but...(I know, when you always here a but it is the dreadful truth about to spill out)...we did eat a lot of canned green beans, corn, peaches, etc.  Now mom if you are reading this, I love you, you were a mom of seven children so bless your heart, but my cooking methods are a bit different. Quality, not quantity...remember mom, I love you.

Todd and I have been exploring our local markets and wow...that is all I can say.  Why have we been getting all of our groceries at the Fresh Market.  Now I must say the Fresh Market does have lots of choices for healthy good foods and you can buy all of your veggies in the US of A...but we are five minutes away from farmers that have worked their tails off to feed us.  We truly get so excited when we go from one place to another.  It is fun!  Okay, call me boring, call me lame, but have you ever bought 4 lbs of peas, shelled them, washed them, and cooked them the same day that they were harvested.  They are so green, so beautiful, so delicious.

So today I thank the farmers, Crump Farms, Braffet Berry Farm, White Oak Vineyards all in Carlock IL, Epiphany Farms in Downs, IL, Ropp Jersey Cheese in Normal, IL and last but not least Todd for digging up lots and lots of garlic, cleaning them, and being the best damn partner a woman could ask for.  I know there are so many other local farms, we will be visiting shortly.  Hats off to you guys for caring so much for others and what goes into our bodies day after day.  We truly appreciate you and all the hard work and dedication that you do day after day.

 

Kitchen...almost done

Yay, for KitchenAid counter depth frigs...our kitchen is still in the works but is looking exceptionally cute I must say!  Our floor is done and we got some tile work done.  It is getting there.  Here are a few updated pictures of our almost finished kitchen.  My farmhouse sink is the best purchase yet!

Beautiful

This is our first Spring in our home and I love seeing all the things I missed out on last year!  Who knew that apple trees grew flowers before producing apples...okay a lot of you probably knew...we didn't.  They are gorgeous!  Just sitting pretty all day long.  There is a nook back where we live where the dogs roam free.  Today was a day!  After work we rode bikes and then walked the doggies...O'Malley and Zara were in heaven back there...running wild.  Do not live life on a leash...run free like a wild animal!

Grillin' season

It is finally getting warm enough to grill out!  I know I should be posting updated pictures of our home but I am waiting on our Kitchenaid counter depth frig...should be here any day!  My good friend Courtney Crozier got to be a contestant on the Biggest Loser.  She has lost over 235 lbs!  We actually met in line for an audition a few years back and basically fell in love with each other!  We have been great friends ever since.  I have been watching her change week by week and have not been doing a thing about my weight.  A few weeks ago I decided it was time to make a change and start working out and not constantly be eating my yummy homemade goods!  Here are a few pics of some of my delicious creations!  All under 320 calories.

Grilled chicken with grilled zucchini, squash, half of a earthgrain bread with grilled tomatoes, garlic, a dash of salt + pepper

Grilled tilapia, organic spring mix salad topped with NY cheddar cheese, flat bread for a crunch and a cup of watermelon

Grilled chicken with NY cheddar, organic spring mix, onions, fresh mushrooms, flat bread, avocado, carrots and half boiled egg with pepper

Same salad as above with avocado, and grilled halibut 

Courtney, U rock!