eG Foodblog: tejon - Pepper Steak and Power Tools

[tejon]

As for breakfast, does oven-roasting the bacon dry it out a lot?  It certainly seems more convenient.

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It doesn't dry out the bacon, at least not that I have noticed. You can pull it out at any degree of doneness, too. Makes breakfast preparation much, much simpler.

[tejon]

My dad came over this afternoon, so I treated him to lunch. I grilled vegetables brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. I added some garlic powder - one of the few times I prefer it, as minced garlic tends to burn at such high temperature. I'm not really happy with this pan. It heats unevenly, has one corner without ridges that ends up unusable, and is a royal pain to clean. Have to find a better one since in theory I love the concept of grilling that can be done indoors.

Finished sandwich. I split crusty, soft rolls then brushed them with vinaigrette. Then I layered on the grilled zucchini, eggplant, red onion and red bell pepper (sliced thin) and topped each half with some Jack cheese (ran out of Havarti, sadly). The cheese browned under the broiler for a minute or so, then both halves put back together and sliced. Quick fruit salad of strawberries from breakfast, grapefruit, kiwi, and coconut on the side.

Now, time to primer the kitchen door. Dan and my dad took the boys to evil Chuck E Cheese, so I'm all alone with my paintbrush for a few hours. I would much rather paint than go to Chuck E Cheese. Wouldn't you?

Edited March 4, 2006 by tejon (log)

[Lori in PA]

I'm a huge fan of oven-cooked bacon. If you line the pan with foil, you don't even have to wash anything!

It sounds like your new-foods method is working. I admit to being the meanest mommy in the world -- we've always insisted on a no-complaints-at-the-table policy (complainers were given an extra amount of the offensive food) and required to eat it. A child who suddenly felt too sick to eat was solicitously offered the choice of going to bed (no music, reading, etc.) or remaining at the table to finish the meal (my insurance against forcing a truly ill child to eat, but amazing how they perked up 99.9% of the time!). All eaters are always allowed to request a "no thank you" helping of foods they don't care for and are given a miniscule serving, but this must be asked for cheerfully and kindly.

[tejon]

I wish something like that would have worked with the boys. My youngest would actually go hungry completely (and yes, we've tested this) if required to eat food that is uncomfortable for him. It goes far beyond simply being choosy, at least in their case. I don't think you're a mean mommy in the slightest - you are simply doing what works with your children, which is always the best choice .

[Lori in PA]

Oh, and I meant to add: I'd much rather do almost ANYTHING than go to Chuckie Cheese!!! (Thanks, Kathy, for supporting me in my mean-mommy-ness.)

[JAZ]

I'm not really happy with this pan. It heats unevenly, has one corner without ridges that ends up unusable, and is a royal pain to clean. Have to find a better one since in theory I love the concept of grilling that can be done indoors.

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What material is your grill pan? From the picture, it looks like cast iron, which in my experience heats pretty evenly -- although it can take a long time to heat up the section not over the burners. I have the two-burner reversible Le Creuset grill pan, which heats up well if I'm patient enough to wait for it. One trick I've read about but not tried is to preheat the pan in the oven and then move it to the stove when you're ready to cook. Way more planning than I'm capable of, though.

[tejon]

It's a cast iron griddle pan. I'm confused as well, since cast iron usually heats so evenly, but it has really marked hot spots that make using it frustrating. There are some Lodge pans I've had my eye on for a while that I think would be perfect as a replacement. Housewarming gift to myself, maybe...

[snowangel]

Kathy, thanks for the book recommendation. I've just reserved it at the library, and hopefully, we can make some headway with Heidi. She not only has some sensory issues, but some oral motor ones as well. Not to mention the PMR thing which just makes things even more difficult.

Chuck E. Cheese. I'd rather sand window frames down than visit that place again. An afternoon home alone with a paintbrush or That Place? No question!

Bacon in the oven? Absolutely. Sure beats wiping up all of that grease than lands everywhere close to the stove.

What was for dinner?

[christine007]

Wow, thanks for sharing about your son. My son Ross, has PDD, the mild end of the autisim spectrum, and we go through the same issues you do, in terms of what he will and will not eat.

He eats a lot better at my sister's home and my mom. Does your son eat better for other people?

[tejon]

Kathy, thanks for the book recommendation.  I've just reserved it at the library, and hopefully, we can make some headway with Heidi. She not only has some sensory issues, but some oral motor ones as well.  Not to mention the PMR thing which just makes things even more difficult.

What was for dinner?

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This book goes into great detail on sensory and oral issues, and has a huge section on how to deal with limitations and feeding issues as well as a whole host of sensory therapies that you can do easily at home. This book has been a true godsend - I wish I'd gotten it years ago for both of the boys.

Just finished dinner - roast chicken with orange and thyme and root vegetables. Had to be something easy to make while painting and pulling out carpet. Pictures in a few minutes.

[tejon]

Wow, thanks for sharing about your son. My son Ross, has  PDD, the mild end of the autisim spectrum, and we go through the same issues you do, in terms of what he will and will not eat.

He eats a lot better at my sister's home and my mom. Does your son eat better for other people?

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Sometimes he'll try things with other people that he won't try here, but only to a small extent. He has a hard time with new foods just about anywhere, and in general tries more new things with us than anywhere else.

[tejon]

Dinner tonight had to be something that I could start cooking and essentially forget about for a while while I painted and worked on the kitchen and bathroom. Roast chicken and vegetables seemed perfect. Orange zest and thyme tucked under the skin gave the chicken a lot of flavor, and the pan juices along with a bit of sherry and cream went into a fast sauce as the meat rested. Not the prettiest meal ever, but it was simple and tasted great after all that work.

Oh, and I have to add that ripping out carpet is fun, fun, fun!!!

[Abra]

Hey, welcome to the PNW! Portland is a really nice town and full of good food. When will you arrive?

[murraygrey]

Kathy, thanks from here, too, for your blog. I'm enjoying it very much. I do agree with your methods of helping your boys to develop dietary habits that will serve them well later in life. Having gone through similar times with my children (my daughter had some borderline autistic tendencies) I know it isn't easy. But, the methods you are using are pretty much what worked with my kids close to 40 years ago. I understand, too, Lori, that we each need to find what works best for our own children. So, no criticism from me.

It always makes me smile when I think back to when my daughter was little and called broccoli "trees." Somehow having "trees" for dinner made eating more fun for all of us.

However, Kathy, you can stop anytime with the talk about In-N-Out - and the pictures, too!! LOL You've had me drooling into my keyboard. I "escaped" So Cal more than 25 years ago, but In-N-Out is about the only thing I constantly miss. When we drive down to visit family, our only stop in Vegas is guess where? When we get down to CA I find myself looking for an In-N-Out at least once a day. I was just a kid when the first In-N-Out went into business not far from where I was raised. Most of my Saturday night dates included a drive through In-N-Out.

[TongoRad]

Not to get too OT, but my boys have similar issues as well. We've been letting them add foods to their repertoire at their own pace so as to not make dinnertime a source of conflict. The older one (8) has really come out of his shell lately, and even had some tuna sashimi last night. He loves broccoli too, even requests it a couple of times a week. The younger one's speech therapist has been working on getting him to try new things during sessions but as of yet the only thing he has picked up is a new phrase: "I do not like (fill in the blank)"

[Safran]

Not the prettiest meal ever, but it was simple and tasted great after all that work.

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Hey....I disagree... I thought it looked really neat and would have loved to have been at your place for dinner. Looks yummy!!

And yep, ripping carpet gives one a sense of achievement!

[tejon]

Abra, we'll probably move in May at this point. I'm looking forward to spring cleaning in a new house .

We just finished breakfast together. The boys opted for peanut butter sandwiches and juice. Dan and I had leftover roasted vegetables and soft scrambled eggs with tea - I think we made the far better choice .

Sunday is usually when I shop for the rest of the week, but I'm meeting up with a bunch of knitting friends for lunch and won't have time until tommorow. I will be working on the weekly menu plan today, though, and I could use some creative input. I'm trying to use up whatever I can from the freezer and pantry both to cut down on things to move and so the kitchen shows better for potential buyers. I know what we're having tonight, but Monday through next Saturday are up in the air.

Here's what I have on hand that needs using up:

Freezer

one whole chicken

rib eye steak

Chinese sausage

cracklins

pork stock with ginger

ham - both in large slices and cubed

peach puree

peach slices

Pantry

canned tomatoes of all kinds

various kinds of dal

black beans

dried garbanzo beans

rice flour

Nishiki rice

basmati rice

canned pineapple (not sure why I have this)

ziti and spaghetti

dried coconut

rolled oats

dried cranberries

tamarind sauce

home made chili sauce (this is an old, old family recipe)

[patti]

How about a take on jambalaya using your cubed ham, Chinese sausage, and basmati rice? You can use up some of your canned tomatoes in this dish, too. I've never had Chinese sausage, so I'm not quite sure about its use in this dish. What do you think?

[TongoRad]

For one night you could make up a tomato based marinade for the steak- chopped tomatoes, garlic and/or onion, olive oil, lemon zest, fresh rosemary, thyme and/or basil, a bit of red wine...marinade for a few hours- grill the steak and heat the marinade in a separate pot. When done slice the steak and arrange with the tomato mixture on to. As a side you could do a pasta/garbanzo salad, with roasted red peppers if you got 'em.

Another night you could go Indian and do Tandoori style chicken, dal tadka (sometimes I add a touch of shredded coconut to mine), basmati and a vegetable (i.e. green beans sauteed with mustard seeds and chiles). That tamarind sauce could be put to good use in bhel puri if you have the puri and sev lying around.

[MarketStEl]

Okay.

Guess it's time to ask for the obligatory fridge shot, since you've inventoried it.

And have your kids ever tried Pocky?

[andiesenji]

Terrific blog, Kathy.

I have been following the posts with great delight. Although I am sorry you are moving so far away, I am sure you will do beautifully wherever you go. I have some friends in the area around Portland - mostly basenji people, they are nice too.

In-N-Out Burger is one of my favorites too. There is one right next to the freeway just one exit from where I get on and off here in Lancaster and there is another just off the 14 about 2/3 of the way along my commute into the Valley - or rather 1/3 of the way home as they aren't open in the morning, but sometimes I miss lunch and it is the perfect place to stop on the way home. I get my fries "Well-done-dark" which means they are super crispy, crunchy, some even scorched.

I haven't ordered them "Animal-style" however I usually have a squeeze bottle of sour cream and a bottle of ketchup in my little fridge in the van and place a blob of each in the tray that held the fries (which have now been dumped into the box on top of napkins). With this in the wire file basket that stays neatly on the console between the seats, I can snack as I drive.

Your solution to the difficulty of feeding children who are picky about new foods, is very wise. I never believed in forcing kids to eat, although I was raised in the era when one ate whatever was placed on the plate because everyone else did and I didn't want to be different.

When my baby brother was little (15 years younger than me) he was very picky and my mom gave into him but I began telling him he couldn't have what I (and my sister) had on our plates and he began sneaking bits when we "weren't looking" and it wasn't long before he would be jumping up and down and shouting "me want dat" and pointing at something that earlier he had refused to eat.

"Headology" (apologies to Terry Pratchett and Granny Weatherwax) sometimes works in mysterious ways. The only way we could get Phillip to do anything was to tell him he wasn't allowed.

[Chufi]

I made your mashed zucchini with mint tonight. I had a tired old zucchini lying around and this was indeed a very good way to use it! I served it at room temp, as a side dish with a potato/mushroom/chorizo/egg fry-up (it was clean-out-the-fridge night). Delicious.

Edited March 5, 2006 by Chufi (log)

[andiesenji]

How much ribeye steak do you have?

Have you considered a version of braciola ?

I can pound a ribeye steak until it is 1/4 inch thick and the size of a dinner plate, then spread a mixture of various things over it, roll it up and braise it and finish with a tomato-based sauce with fennel or ??

There are lots of ideas on that site and you can combine various ingredients taken from several.

Heck, you could even add in some of the cracklins. I use bread crumbs, dried fruit, nuts, cooked sausage, grated potato or carrot and so on. It can make one steak go a long, long way.

Edited March 5, 2006 by andiesenji (log)

[snowangel]

Sunday is usually when I shop for the rest of the week, but I'm meeting up with a bunch of knitting friends for lunch and won't have time until tommorow.

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Did you eat and knit? Or just eat? What projects are everyone working on?

[Kouign Aman]

Thanks for the pix of your handsome lads!

Tejon: In-N-Out fries Animal style = must try. I never really liked their fries, finding them a bit lacking in flavor and crispness.

I find the same. I'll have to try them Animal style next time.

The kid/food book - thank you. I'll send a copy to my very good friend who's child is only eating white food. (And then I'll borrow it back when mine becomes a picky eater).

Why is it we live with irritations for so long, only to fix things up in order to sell? We did the same thing. We swore we'd keep this place in "ready to sell" condition, because 'we're worth it', but we havent kept our vow. (Tho we're trying...)

TongoRad, without diminishing the issues you relate, that's hilarious!

Edited March 5, 2006 by Kouign Aman (log)