We plan to have a root'n toot'n good time!

Ok. I just couldn't resist. I actually wanted to text that subject line to my MiL to warn her of today's lunch plans. Hubby wouldn't let me, he didn't think she'd appreciate it. I've been busy, even if I haven't been on here. I've been reading through the big honking Vet Nutritional book. I've got Percy's homemade diet figured out, now I need to calculate the vitamins and minerals - and yes, I am mostly doing it by hand (I am using the USDA database for those amounts). Math isn't my strong suit, and dragging up all those things I haven't used since college hasn't been much fun I must admit. :) I've had to stare at my calculators and try to remember what all those function/shift keys do again too. Mastercook has come in handy a bit though, although it's geared more towards human stuff, it has helped me to scale up the recipe itself from 1 days worth though. Once I've got the vitamins and minerals figured out, then I get to figure out which supplements are the best choice - the vet offers a few different choices (and sizes - which makes a difference for one of my guys - Miko is picky) and even some human ones might even be better, depending. The big thing I'll have to keep an eye with the diet on is the calcium/phosphorus ratio because of the age of my guys. Percy got his bloodwork re-tested on Friday but I don't have the results back yet.

I haven't written much, there was that whole 'T' key popping off of my laptop making it a bit frustrating. Since it came off under normal wear-and-tear, there's no way to just pop it back on so it stays. Hubby has hooked up a regular keyboard via the USB but it's just a bit of a different layout and I mis-type a bit. I still mostly type on the laptop until I go to hit the t key for little things. I am just mostly avoiding typing long things. I could do as two people have suggested: One suggested just totally leave out the t and one suggested just substitute y's. Since I touch type I think both would be hard to do since my brain is so wired to do it without thinking. But then I got to thinking, why not give one of the other barely used keys a chance to shine. How abouq a key or xwo qhaq hardly ever geqs xo see qee lighx of day? Or maybe jusy alxernaqe beyween qhem giving each of xhem a chance qo shine? Ix would mean possibly geqxing more poinys during Scrabble games, righq? ;)

I've had my menu planned for quite a while, actually ever since I went shopping for last weeks menu. Since the leeks came bundled as 3's and they were ever so loverly, and MiL said that she was thinking of having White Beans and Cornbread like her dad used to like to eat that gave me 2 meals right off the bat. So I am going to present to you Menu Plan Monday (Sunday). :) For more menu ideas, don't forget to visit:For more menu ideas, don't forget to visit: I'm an Organizing Junkie

Sunday: Slow Cooked Navy Beans with Ham with cornbread (recipe below)
Monday: Potato Leek Soup (recipe below)
Tuesday: James Beef BBQ (from the freezer - recipe below)
Wednesday: Turkey Burgers (From Costco by Jennie-O)
Thursday: Chili with cornbread (recipe below)
Friday: Chez JJ pizza (recipe given a few times already)


Slow Cooked Navy Beans with Ham

1 lb dry navy beans (2 1/2 cups)
5 cups water
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ham hock
1 tsp salt

Soak beans in water at least 4 hours in slow cooker. (I actually did a quick soak instead: cover by water by 1 inch and brought to a boil on the stove, boiled for 2 minutes, removed from the heat and covered and let sit for 1 hour. Drained and continued as directed.)

Add garlic and ham hock.

Cover. Cook on low 7-8 hours, or High 4 hours. Add salt during last hour of cooking time. (I add salt at beginning and let it cook all day on low but it's an older crockpot.)

Remove ham hock from cooker. Allow to cool. Cut ham from hock and stir back into bean mixture. Correct seasonings and serve in soup bowls with hot corn bread.

Variation: For added flavor, stir in chopped onion, 2-3 chopped celery stalks, 2-3 sliced carrots, and 3-4 cups canned tomatoes into cooker with garlic and ham hock. (I do not add tomatoes until beans are done -but that being said, I did add the rest of the stuff and bay leaves too. I did not add any tomatoes at all.)

Makes 8-10 servings
From Julia Lapp New Holland, PA "Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook"


I'll give you two recipes for cornbread, I haven't decided which I'm going to make this time. I'm leaning toward the large pan (9x13) just so I won't have to make it twice. But cornbread is best fresh made, and it's not like it takes a long time. I am also debating if I want to go sweet or not too - usually I'm a not sweet cornbread person.



Cornbread I

2 c self-rising cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar (can omit if you don't like sweet)
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup oil

Preheat oven to 450. Heat oil in an iron skillet. Combine everything but the oil. Pour batter in the skillet and bake for about 25 minutes. Can add grated cheddar cheese, chopped jalapeno peppers or crumbles of crisp cooked bacon.

[To make your own self rising cornmeal: 2 cups self-rising corn meal = 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups corn meal, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda]


Cornbread II ( Sweet 9x13 pan)

2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups self-rising cornmeal
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter or margarine, melted (1/2 cup)
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups buttermilk (or milk with dash of apple cider vinegar)

Preaheat oven at 350. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake 45 minutes.


Simple Potato Soup with Carrots (with variations)
Makes 4 Servings
The simplest of potato soups (well, not really - you could omit the carrots), still quite delicious. This is a soup you could build upon: Add cut up turnips, diced tomatoes, or any other vegetables you like.

1 Tbsp butter or extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium potatoes, any type, peeled and cut into small cubes
3 carrotsm peeled and cut into small cubes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, preferably warmed

Place the butter or oil in a large, deep saucepan or casserole and turn the heat to medium. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes.

Add the stock and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. (You may prepare the soup in advance up to this point. Cover, refrigerate for up to 2 days, and reheat before preceeding.) Adjust seasoning and serve.

POTATO SOUP WITH LEEKS: Substitute 2 large leeks, well washed and chopped, for the carrots; or add the leeks in addition to the carrots. Proceed as above.

PUREED POTATO SOUP WITH LEEKS: Make the above variation with or without carrots. Add 1/2 to 1 cup cream, milk or half-and-half. Puree in a blender, then reheat. Adjust seasoning, garnish with minced chives, and serve.

From: "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman


James Beef Barbecue
Serving Size : 6

2 Lbs beef roast
4 Bermuda Onions -- cut into 1/8" thick rings
Add to taste:
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt
2 Tbsps Horseradish
2 Tbsps Mustard
1 C Ketchup
2 Tbsps Browning Sauce -- optional (Kitchen Boquet)
2 Tbsps Worcestershire Sauce

Add just enough water to cover onions. Add meat and stock, then mustard,
catsup, etc... Bring to a boil for 1/2 hour. Let simmer for 1 hour until
meat falls apart.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 395 Calories; 24g Fat (54.8%
calories from fat); 26g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 87mg
Cholesterol; 694mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 1/2
Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.


This is the chili I usually make. I do it in the crockpot. I've found that I don't need the extra 2 cups of water if I do it in the CP. And it's pretty spicy, so keep that in mind, depending on your brand of chili powder - so 3 Tbsp of chili powder may be too much for you - it is for me. I also figure that about 3 medium tomatoes would equal about a 15 oz can or so of tomatoes.

Wendy's Chili
Recipe from: Top Secret Recipes
Servings: 12

Here's a favorite recipe for chili that clones the stuff served at the Wendy's chain. Dave Thomas, Wendy's founder, has been serving this chili since 1969, the year the first Wendy's opened its doors. Over the years the recipe has changed a bit, but this version here is an amazing copy of the version of chili served in the early 90's. Try topping it with some chopped onion and cheddar cheese, as you can request in the restaurant.

2 pounds ground beef
One 29 ounce can tomato sauce
One 29 ounce can kidney beans, with liquid
One 29 ounce can pinto beans, with liquid
1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion)
1/2 cup diced green chili (2 chilies)
1/4 cup diced celery (1 stalk)
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat; drain off the fat.

Using a fork, crumble the cooked beef into pea-size pieces.

In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours.

Notes:
For spicier chili, add 1/2 teaspoon more black pepper.
For much spicier chili, add 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper.
And for a real stomach stinger, add 5 or 6 sliced jalapeño peppers to the pot.
Leftovers can be frozen for several months.