While grocery shopping earlier in the week, I found a bargain price on chuck steaks. The steaks were all rather small. I had a brainstorm. I bought the little chuck steaks and took them home.

Tonight we are enjoying the results. Steak stew. I put the steaks in my Dutch oven with water and my usual seasonings: rosemary, black pepper, chopped onions, garlic, black pepper and salt substitute. I let it all simmer overnight.

Today, I used two packages of Pioneer brand brown gravy mix to thicken the broth. At about 4 pm I added the stew veggies to the pot: potatoes, carrots, celery and pearl onions. As I type this I am enjoying a very delicious and tender stew. With sourdough bread, of course.

Just perfect to eat while watching the premiere of Big Brother 10 on CBS!

Try it, you'll like it!

Learning a new trick!

Hey, foodie friends! Guess what? I'm learning how to make tamales!! I love those fiery treats and have long wanted to learn how. Now I get the chance.

After I have made a couple or twelve batches I will share my recipes here, including tips and tricks based on my experiences. I'm in for some fun and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I will.

I knew I was right! :)

I have long been a proponent of storing my open peanut butter in the cabinet or pantry instead of the fridge. It turns out that Live Science . Com has scientific evidence to back me up!

http://www.livescience.com/mysteries/080408-spoiled-pb.html

So, if you don't like the PB in the fridge because it tears holy heck out of your bread and just won't spread, put it in the pantry instead. Go ahead, it lasts for a year without refrigeration. Down with frozen peanut butter! Go smooshy PB&J sammiches!

New Mexico Breakfast - I hope!

This is my attempt to recreate the New Mexico Breakfast recipe I posted on Idolfriends before the database met a vicious, permanent end. Sorry Slim. Technology isn't supposed to do that to you.

New Mexico Breakfast

These ingredient amounts are per person. Reason being that I cook mine with Egg Beaters or Better-N-Eggs and my wife's with Just Whites. Different maladies, different diets. But I can handle it!

Two large eggs or 1/2 cup of egg substitute
1/4 to 1/2 cup New Mexico green chiles (sometimes called Anaheims but not in New Mexico)
More chiles will result in a difficult dish to handle and will serve up a little ugly, but indulge your passion for the spicy stuff. These chiles are mild enough for a baby.
1/4 cup Colby-Jack shredded cheese or 1 stick. My favorite is Precious brand Sticksters.

Preheat a 6 inch or 8 inch non-stick skillet. You may use either 1 tsp. of olive oil or 1 tsp. of butter. Put the chiles into the hot pan and stir with a plastic or wooden spatula. I love my wooden tools! Don't let the chiles overbrown or your eggs, especially if you use allwhites, will look an unsavory shade of tan.

You may also add minced onion at this step if you so desire. I like green onions in mine. Add the eggs and stir until the chiles and/or onions are well coated. Let stand for a few minuites and scramble. Soft scrambled works best. Add the cheese, either shredded or broken into pieces and stir continuously until all the cheese disappears into the eggs.

Serve with hot tortillas, your choice of juice and enjoy!

If everybody in the family or group wants whole eggs, you can go nuts with a big skillet and lots of eggs, chiles and cheese. Let your mind go and your hands get into it. :D