Good morning Darlings! It is going to be a wonderful day! And if it turns out to be not such a wonderful day -- if a gal can't triumph, she can prevail. Of course, it is our way.
Speaking of prevailing, Vegetables, nutrients, fiber, do children (and a lot of grown men) just know when something is good for them so they automatically won't eat it, even if they haven't tasted it? It seems so to this Fab, which is why when she makes sauerkraut, she makes this:
Pork Chops with Sauerkraut
Brown Pork Chops on medium heat in a big Skillet with a lid. You will be adding an entire package of Sauerkraut later so bigger is better.
While chops are browning, empty your package of Sauerkraut into a mixing bowl.
Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar (The amount of Brown Sugar varies depending on taste and the size of the Sauerkraut package -- dears you are looking to just cut back the acid and to make a sweet sour taste -- you knew that sugar cancels out acid, right? In judging the amount of sugar remember that you are making a vegetable, not candy.)
Add a sprinkling of Caraway Seed. A scant 1/8 teaspoon for you measurers out there. Caraway seed is wonderful spice with a pungent sweet tangy flavor, so use a light hand when adding this seed. You can always add more later.
Mix until the Brown Sugar and Caraway Seed are mixed into the Sauerkraut
Once the chops are brown , add the Sauerkraut, turn the heat to simmer, cover the Skillet with a lid, simmer for at least an hour. You can simmer longer, as the length of time increases, the Pork Chops become more tender, just keep an eye on the liquid. If your skillet lid isn't tight, you may need to add a splash of water.
To serve, place a spoonful of the Sauerkraut on a plate, put a Pork Chop on top. Add a side of mashed potatoes and you have, maybe, a dinner that includes a vegetable the kids will eat.
Dressing in Layers for work out in the cold.
Gentlemen, please avert your eyes, the animation at the bottom of this page is intended as educational material for the Ladies. If you are thinking Victoria's Secret model in oh so sexy underwear, wow are you in for a surprise. And don't come crying to Fabiola if after this warning, you scroll down and the image of the Fab in her danties is burned onto your retinas for all time.
Ladies! I don't know what the temperature has been like 'round your part of the world, but here in Fabiola Land, this morning, the thermometer read 18 degrees, with wind. What does a gal do on days like this, when she has to spend some time outside working? (Actually, Mary had to go out and horrible creature that she is, she dragged the Fab with her.) To battle cold temperatures, a gal dresses in layers!
No, not one cute contrasting T-shirt over another layers; layers designed to prevent frostbite layers. As much as the Fab hates to admit it, this is something that Mary knows a little bit about. Back to the layers ... this instructional is for serious killer cold, below zero cold, for winter warm days like today, omit a layer or two.
1. Basics - unmentionables of your choice plus 2 pair of cotton or silk knit socks. Yes, two.
2. Bright Red Wool long johns, or similar garmet. Wool is best, yes it can be scratchy, so what? It is warm. And a thick pair of wool knit socks. The ones with the bright red dot on the toe are great for wearing and for turning into sock monkeys.
3. Loose jeans and a heavy wool or cotton sweater, natural fabrics only gals, fake-a-roo's don't insulate as well. They don't. Unless you buy the special made for cold insulation fake a roo materials. Here the Fab is talking about acrylics, and our friends poly and ester.
4. Snow boots, the ones with the insulated take out liner, yes they will make your feet look big, but compared to what the next layer is going to do to the look of your behind, your feet will seem downright dainty.
5. Insulated coveralls. The kind with the quilted lining and the legs that zip open at the bottom so that you can get them over your gigantic booted feet.
6. Polar Fleece jacket and earband. Don't skip the earband, it will keep the next step from leaving knit cap dents in your forehead.
7. Insulated vest (keeping your core warm is very important). Two thick knit watch caps, one over the other. The Fab prefers blaze orange (it isn't like a gal is going to go unnoticed in this get-up so why not make sure that you can be spotted from the space shuttle?)
8. Down Jacket, then gloves in multiple layers. The Fab wears two pair of cotton string knit gloves with winter jersey work gloves over them (at least).
Yes, this outfit will make you look fat. Fortunately in the Fab's case she started out that way, so that isn't such the issue. When working out in the cold, warm is better than waffer thin regardless.
Darlings. You looked didn't you. Told ya.
Carnation Famous Fudge Kit and a Figment
The Fab spotted a Carnation Famous Fudge Kit at the Kroger. Into the cart it went. The kit provides everything that a Fab will need to make a batch of fudge -- MINUS two tablespoons of real butter. And who doesn't keep a supply of butter in the house? Not the Fab, not ever. Meat, milk, bread, eggs all optional in the Fab's kitchen -- butter? In the event of a tornado or flood, the Fab would save her butter before the family photos. The Fab digresses.
Follow the instructions on the back of the box and you will have perfect, creamy fudge. The Fab promises.
Happy Cold Blustery New Year! And Evelyn's Famous Quick and Easy Chili Soup!
Darlings!
The Fab trusts that you are well this fine first day of 2012! Here a cold front is movin' through and the wind is a whippin' <-- that link will take you to YouTube music and a song by the Gap band. One of the Fab's New Years Resolutions was NOT to develop her taste in music beyond '80's funk.
It is a known fact that a gal should never attempt to fix something that isn't broken.
Regardless ... The Fab is staying mostly indoors today and because it is a cold windy day ... the Fab is making Evelyn's Famous Quick and Easy Chili Soup.
Note: Chili Soup is slightly sweet, slightly spicy hot and more soup than Chili. Try it with Grilled Cheese sandwiches and / or Ritz Crackers. Fabiola says "Yum'!
Evelyn's Famous Quick and Easy Chili Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 medium yellow onion chopped medium (photo below)
1/2 medium yellow onion chopped medium (photo below)
Fabiola uses a whomper-chopper (that is what she calls it) fast, easy, whacking the top of the chopper releases frustrations.
(seriously, these two taste best to Fabiola -- use your favorite -- but don't say that Fabiola didn't try to help!).
1 - 16 ounce can Bush's Best Chili Beans, Medium Sauce (or mild or hot -- but use Bush's, trust Fabiola on this one). - 420 calories
******
1 lb. Ground Beef (70/30) - 750 calories for pan browned, drained, crumbles
1 medium Yellow Onion - 64 calories
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder - 5 calories
1 medium Yellow Onion - 64 calories
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder - 5 calories
1/8 teaspoon Ground Celery Seed - 2 calories
1/4 teaspoon Corse Ground Black Pepper - 2 calories
1 teaspoon Salt - 0 calories
1 teaspoon Salt - 0 calories
4 tablespoons Dark Chili Powder (or to taste) - 100 calories
(Fabiola likes the Kroger store brand best. Also: keep in mind that Chili Powder looses flavor as it sits in your cupboard. Buy small quantities more often rather than leaving it sit on a shelf).
********
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar packed - 836 calories
2 tablespoons Blackstrap Molasses - 116 calories
(Fabiola has a thing for Blackstrap Molasses - have you checked out the nutrition label? Calcium, iron, B vitamins ... the link takes you to nutrition data's information on Blackstrap Molasses -- click this link if you want to look up other ingredientshttp://www.nutritiondata.com/ great site!)
(Fabiola has a thing for Blackstrap Molasses - have you checked out the nutrition label? Calcium, iron, B vitamins ... the link takes you to nutrition data's information on Blackstrap Molasses -- click this link if you want to look up other ingredientshttp://www.nutritiondata.com/ great site!)
Assembly:
Put the Tomato Juice and Chili Beans in your slow cooker, start cooking on low heat.
Brown (stirring frequently), the ground beef and onion over medium heat. You want the meat to brown and the onion to cook until transparent. Drain fat.
Turn off the heat, move your skillet to a cool burner, add the Garlic Powder, Celery Seed, Black Pepper, Salt, Chili Powder to the browned grond beef and onion. Stir, stir, stir. Add the brown sugar and molasses, stir until mixed. Transfer to your slow cooker, stir until mixed. Let the soup cook for at least 2 hours, but will be just fine if you leave it all day.
2835 calories for the entire recipe
Recipe makes 8 servings of about 16 ounces - 354 calories per serving
2835 calories for the entire recipe
Recipe makes 8 servings of about 16 ounces - 354 calories per serving
Fabiola serves the fella a big bowl of this soup with grilled cheese sandwiches and Ritz crackers.
Yes, this is a cast iron skillet. Cast Iron is a permanant non-stick, precision cooking tool - yet again, Grandma knew what she was doing.
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