Cooking Ala Rick Week 22 on the radio

Why do some people cook, the answer is probably different for a lot of people, some, may be like me. May feel cooking is creating. Like painting. First there’s and empty canvas, an empty plate. A painter brings out the beauty of the blank canvas by adding a little color at a time, layer by layer. Slowly building up until the picture that wasn’t there is revealed. A cook, adds oils, herbs, spices. Oh the AROMAS! one ingredient after the other, one flavor on top of another until what once was an empty plate is now filled with anticipation of what is to come. What flavor will hit the palate, sometimes artfully done, others although not picturesque, definitely a form of art. Culinary art. A creation of flavor and color, something to warm the body, the soul and fill the heart. Yes the heart. We talk about cooking with love. Cooking with heart, people will love you for the food you cook for them.. Remember the way to a man’s heart is thru his stomach.. that saying has a lot to say for it.


Some people eat to live. You need food for your body. It makes sense. I understand that. There are foods that are good for you and some that are not. Some are ok in moderation. A slice of pie or cake is ok but not for every meal and not even for every day. Even as good as some pie is, I couldn’t eat it every day. I enjoy eating pie but its special.. especially since I am diabetic now, I have to be careful eating somethings… I still indulge a little. Birthdays I eat the cake but not the frosting. Pie, just a slice once in a while but that’s what makes it special. If I had it every day it wouldn’t be.

There are other people who Live to eat. I understand that even more. I love food, tasting new flavors, new combinations, the twists that make some everyday meals stand out above the rest. Taking chances, something no one else had thought of before. Some foods are called comfort foods. Is that because they taste good or is it because that the flavors remind you of Grandma’s or Moms cooking. Just the aromas of some foods will bring back memories of growing up and walking in the door and getting hit in the face with the wonderful smell of her cooking. Ahhhh , I can’t wait to eat.

When you eat .. just don’t eat….take your time … experience the flavors… taste the layers.. the building blocks, the foundations of a meal. Say to yourself, how did he do this, what did she put in this to make it taste like this, this is the best food I have ever eaten. Taste the food, enjoy the food . But even more enjoy the experience of the creation that came from love. I cook with love. I feel like if I am feeding you, you are like family to me. I hope if I get to cook for you, you will enjoy my cooking, that you can taste the love…or if you try my recipes you will understand what I mean when I say “if you cook with love , people will love what you cook.” all we have to do is cook with our hearts for the people we love and watch them enjoy our painting

Thick n hearty Beef Stew

Feeds 4-6

2lbs stew meat

4 Red potatoes skins on

6 carrots peeled

Birds eye frozen peas, Frozen corn, Green beans

3 celery ribs

1 med onion

2 cloves garlic

16 oz low sodium beef broth

Olive oil

¼ cup flour

1 TBL gravy master

Salt & Pepper

Granulated garlic powder



First trim the meat of any nerve or excess fat but leave a little fat for flavor. Cut to cubes, (explain)

Toss meat in flour to coat, tap off extra

Dice onion

Smash and chop garlic

In a dutch oven brown beef in olive oil on all sides remove and set aside

In the same pan, sauté onions, celery and garlic in olive oil over med low heat until onion is translucent.

Add beef then the gravy master

Pour in beef broth and add water to cover beef by 1”

Turn heat up to hi . Bring to a boil and cover

Reduce heat to med 30 mins

While beef is cooking, cut potatoes and carrots

After 30 mins add carrots

Add water to cover by 1”

After 30 mins add potatoes

After another 30 mins add any frozen vegetables and cook for another 30 mins.

Remove from heat, remove cover and let stand for 20 mins. Serve with your favorite rolls or bread, homemade is the best. so if you know how to bake bread, make some while the stew is cooking, if you have bread machine use that.. otherwise bread from the bakery or even pillsbury





Baked Stuffed Pork Rib Roast





make the following brine and soak the pork for 1 hour before continuing with this recipe



Brine

3 cups water

1 tsp blk pepper corns

2 TBS Kosher salt

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Bring water to a boil, add in other ingredients, pour all into a bowl and add 2 cups ice to help cool

Add roast and let soak for 1 hour. then pat dry with paper towel.



1- 3lb Pork Rib Roast have your butcher French cut this (explain)

1 cup apple sauce

½ cup raisins

¼ cup chopped walnuts

3 apples, 1 granny, 1 cortland, 1 macintosh peeled , cored, sliced

2 Bartlett pears, peeled cored sliced

½ acorn or butternut squash peeled diced

Mix 2 TBL cinnamon powder & 2 TBL sugar in a bowl

Salt, pepper



Preheat oven to 250 degrees



Butterfly open the roast (explain) and season on all sides with kosher salt and blk pepper

Mix all other ingredients using half the cinnamon/sugar in a bowl

Pour olive oil in bottom of roasting pan

Place roast in pan with bone down

Spread ½ mixture over meat and roll roast closed

Spread remaining mixture around roast tightly

Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the top

Place in oven for 20 mins then Tent the pan with foil and raise the oven temp down to 425 degrees

Cook until pork reaches 155 to 160 degrees internal.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 mins. Slice and serve.