Chipped Chopped Ham

Photo from Isalys.com

A lot of people look at me weird and ask me why I always call it "chipped chopped ham." I grew up around Pittsburgh, PA and we always got Isaly's at the meat counter in the grocery store. Why is it called "chipped chopped ham?" If you look at the label, you will notice that it is called Chopped Ham. You ask the person behind the counter to get it it chipped, not sliced. You combine all of the words to get what you want, "I would like a pound of chipped chopped ham."

The next question is probably "what is CHIPPED?" That just means that it is cut so very thin that you can almost read a newspaper through it. If you've ever used a deli slicer, it is setting 2. Sliced, is a setting of about 4 or 5. I know, because I used to do that, and cut off the tip of my thumb when cleaning it one time. Chipping ANY meat on a deli slicer makes the FLAVOR come through more in the dish you prepare. Heck, I go to a butcher shop to get my roast beef, bacon, and even chicken breast lunch-meat chipped. I get it that way because I don't have to do it on my own, and they don't charge me to do it. I love true butchers.

Next question is: what recipe do you use when getting ready to watch a Steelers game on a Sunday? Here is what I use, in the crockpot/slow cooker.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup BBQ or chili sauce
• 1 cup Coke (no other brands because they are too sweet)
• 1 - 2 pounds of CHIPPED CHOPPED HAM

Directions:

1. Mix sauce and Coke in a bowl.
2. Place half of the ham in the crockpot/slow cooker.
3. Cover with half of the sauce.
4. Put in remaining ham, cover with the rest of the sauce.
5. Cook on a low setting for 5 hours, stirring often.
6. Serve on a bun.

Add other ingredients (sweet relish, Tabasco, salt, pepper, etc.) if you want a slightly different flavor, it is all up to you. Remember, a recipe is only a guideline. BUT, quit asking me why I call it that unless you find out why...otherwise, yinz wouldn't get a Burgh thing...

Thanksgiving 2012 - Part II (Stuffing)

As mentioned in Thanksgiving Sometimes IS about Compromise and Thanksgiving 2012 - Part I, it was mentioned that I'd discuss the most often MOST important part of Thanksgiving dinner, the STUFFING.

This is a modern recipe for making stuffing but compromising how it is done for amazing taste and economy of scale. A lot of people do not stuff their turkeys anymore with home made stuffing but still require a lot of work and space in the oven for the casserole dishes used for stuffing, the green bean casserole, and even candied yams. How about we compromise what it takes to prepare stuffing AND save you some room in the oven? Use a crock pot...

Ingredients

• 1 14oz bag of Pepperidge  Farm herb stuffing mix
• 1 stick of margarine or butter
• 2 cups water
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• Spices/herbs that you like

Directions

1. Melt butter in the water in a large stock pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add celery and cook on low for 5 mins.
3. Pour stuffing mix, celery, and broth into the crock pot.
4. Mix well.
5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, adding some liquid, herbs, and stir as needed until the turkey is done.

Easy peasy, tasty, saves room in the oven, and most importantly is filling and moist. Add a bouillon cube to the water to add a little flavor. I recommend a vegetable bouillon cube. Using the crock pot also enables you to offer to make the stuffing when you are having dinner at another house (just be sure to cook it mostly before you get there so it is done when the turkey is). Enjoy

Give Your Steak a Hot Water Bath

Finger included to cover the brand

Shame on me. I forgot to take the stew meat out of the freezer last night and put it in the fridge. We all were taught that is what you do. Or, give it a bath in cold water for a while. I remembered a recent conversation with a local chef. He explained to me that the USDA has approved a HOT water bath to thaw meat in almost no time. Before I decided to simply do it, I fired up Google and found some information about that.

The best info I encountered was in the New York Times, by Harold McGee (click HERE for his article). The article was based on some testing done by the USDA and himself. I'm going to just quote and summarize McGee's article here:

At the U.S.D.A. labs in Beltsville, Md., Janet S. Eastridge and Brian C. Bowker test-thawed more than 200 one-inch-thick beef strip loin steaks in three different groups: some in a refrigerator at 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, some in a constantly circulating water bath at 68 degrees, and some in a water bath at 102 degrees.

Air-thawing in the refrigerator took 18 to 20 hours, while the room-temperature water bath thawed the steaks in about 20 minutes, and the hot-summer-day bath in 11 minutes. These water-bath times are so short that any bacterial growth would remain within safe limits.

Stopwatch and instant thermometer

More detailed information can be found in that article and from the publication in March, 2011 by the USDA for the Journal of Food Science [link]. So, I tried this concept in my kitchen with stew meat by giving it a hot water bath. I used an instant thermometer to monitor the temp of the water, and kept it a little higher than the test amount. I kept it at about 120° F. I stirred the meat and refreshed the water every few minutes as I cut the veggies and rinsed/drained the black beans. My stew meat was thawed in about 8 minutes. WOW!!! Yeah, as a roller derby ref with some OCD, I tend to time everything.

I took notice of something in McGee's article (quoted below), that I tested too, about the flavor. Since he said it applied to steak, I applied it to stew meat. Both are beef based meat. Maybe I'll write some more blog entries as I test it on chicken, pork chops, ground beef, turkey, etc.

The water-thawed steaks actually leaked less juice than the air-thawed steaks.

I can verify that the stew meat did have a little more juice and flavor, once the crock pot stew was done. Quick and easy, and full of flavor. Try it yourself. Stay tuned for more usage of the hot water bath on frozen chops and chicken.

ZAP!!! Saving Electricity

As mentioned in Save the Earth vs. Utility Bill Reduction, this is about ways to reduce electric usage. Reducing usage benefits the environment because the power plant can cut back on generating it so they don't deplete the coal, oil, or natural gas they use. Fortunately other ways are being used more with renewable sources like wind turbines, solar panels, and water wheels. Another benefit means more $$$ stays in your wallet. The key items that use electricity in a house fall into one of three categories: lighting, climate control, and appliances. What small things in each category would help reduce usage and save some $$$?

Lighting

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I learned a lot of common sense things from grandparents that lived through the Depression. I often heard "turn off the lights when you leave the room, don't turn one on just to walk through a room, use a nightlight in the hall at night instead of turning on the overhead, hit the switch off and open the drapes." All of them are great ways to start diminishing usage of lights. A few more suggestions:

• Use natural sunlight as much as possible by opening the blinds or drapes in the most used areas.
• In large rooms, use a focused lamp for any work or reading instead of using an overhead. A floor or table lamp uses one light bulb while overheads typically use several.
• Switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent lamps or LEDs. More detailed info is available on the CFL vs Incandescent entry.

Climate Control

The Save the Earth vs. Utility Bill Reduction entry already mentions that the largest energy drain is due to heating and cooling. It also explains that changing your air filters, installing a programmable thermostat, and closing vents in unused rooms can help reduce energy use. An air conditioner makes sense for how it draws electricity, but "I have a gas furnace." Guess what? It uses electricity too. Keep in mind the furnace recommendations on the Thermostat Settings. The point is to turn the furnace down to save energy and $$$, and put on a layer of clothing.

The more you set back, the more you save

Set back	8 hours per day	16 hours per day	24 hours per day
5°	5%	10%	15%
7°	7%	14%	21%
11°	11%	22%	33%
13°	13%	26%	39%

A key understanding about staying cool, is that air circulation creates the feeling of staying cool without requiring a lot of energy to do it. Ceiling and floor fans consume far less electricity than an air conditioner. Estimates show that the average ceiling fan uses 90% less electricity than the A/C unit. So does opening windows and creating a cross-draft of air through the living space. The Thermostat Settings entry recommends temperature settings for both the furnace and the air conditioner. To save even more electricity, if you are going out, turn off the fans. They don't truly change the temperature of the room, the air moving across your body makes you feel cooler. Leaving them on while you are gone is a waste of electricity. 

Appliances

Appliances account for nearly 20% of electricity bills. Many appliances (stereos, DVD/VCRs, computers, toasters, lamps) draw a trace of electricity even when not in use or are turned "off." Unplug any appliances and electronics that are not being used to more significantly reduce electricity usage. If you are going to be gone for a while, unplug the microwave, coffee maker, radios, etc. until you get back. Sure, it isn't a ton, but if you have several unused items plugged in, it adds up.

In the kitchen, consider how much you are going to cook and the "tool" that you will use. There is a large difference between cooking a small dish on/in the stove, using a crock pot or slow cooker, and even a toaster oven for small pizzas or casseroles. See the Toaster Oven vs. Crock Pot vs. Stove entry for more detail. Baking in the stove during the summer means that your kitchen will heat up causing your air conditioner to run more.
 

Computers are also in this category. Turning on and off a computer takes less energy than when it is left running for a long time. Most new computers and hardware have energy-saving settings to automatically turn off if they have not been used for a certain period. Computers should be turned off if they aren't used for more than 2 hours, including overnight. A lot of people use laptops on battery supply only, and they go into sleep/standby mode. But guess what? You will eventually have to plug them in to charge, so they really don't "reduce" electricity usage.

In summary, the majority of the things we have in our homes depend on electricity (even the natural gas furnace and hot water heater). By saving every little bit, it adds up to a lot of energy savings and keeps more in your wallet. Some other minor suggestions are:

• Use an insulating blanket around the hot water heater
• Install foam insulation tubes around exposed water lines
• Keep the refrigerator coils clean. Build up of dirt/dust prevents them from working efficiently
• Buy EnergyStar products
• Change the air filters for the furnace and air conditioner
• Unplug what isn't used or won't be used for a while 

It isn't easy, trust me. But if you tackle only a few things per month, it will make noticeable changes. But my main point is that it all adds up in the end, look at the big picture about saving the planet for the future for the kids, and keeping a little in the pocket for you.

Recipe Research

I am always searching for new ways to prepare meals. Normally I start searching at All Recipes.com (yes, I do have an account there and have stuffed my recipe box), but I also do random searches to find things that catch my attention. This time, I started with a simple search but discovered some AWESOME ideas that I just had to share... so here goes...

Bob Evans Sausage Gravy

Of all of the meals of the day, I LOVE breakfast foods most of all, followed by Italian dinners... Ask a roller derby friend of mine, Elektra Q-Tion about going to Perkins, Eat N Park, or a hole-in-the-wall diner for breakfast with me. One breakfast item that I particularly crave, is sausage gravy. So, I did a search for a decent recipe for it, and discovered some great things shared on the Bob Evans website, including their recipe for sausage gravy. Okay, yes, I'm sharing the Bob Evans Sausage Gravy recipe, with some minor personal edits in green, but please scroll down to read what else I have to say about their website.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Bob Evans Sausage Roll (whatever flavor in the pantry or that you desire)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (unbleached white works best)
• 2 cups milk (whole, 2%, and 1% work best, keep your eye on skim)
• Salt & black pepper to taste (or whatever other herbs you want to add, I suggest Old Bay)

Directions:

• Crumble and cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat until browned. 
• Stir in flour until dissolved (a small fork or whisk works better than a spoon). 
• Gradually stir in milk (whole, 2%, and 1% work best, keep your eye on skim). 
• Cook gravy until thick and bubbly (medium setting, any higher would set off the smoke alarm). 
• Season with salt and pepper (or whatever other herbs you want to add, I suggest Old Bay). 
• Serve hot over biscuits (or whatever you want to put it over). 
• Refrigerate leftovers (if you happen to HAVE any, LOL).

Personal Recommendations:

• Use ground turkey and the sausage gravy over stuffing at Thanksgiving
• Use the sausage gravy over tortillas wrapping scrambled eggs & bacon
• Use it as sauce over ANY pasta
• Make a pizza using this recipe as the sauce
• Check out all of the Bob Evans recipes
• Check out the 20 Recipes under $2 (per serving) recipes

Crock Pot Italian Chicken Breasts

My crock pot

Yes, I raided the pantry again, to throw something in the crock pot that would be done when I got back from practice at 10:30 tonight and wouldn't really be in the mood to cook or stop at a fast food joint. So, here it is.

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (totaling 1.5 lbs)
• 1 can of Italian spiced stewed tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 8z can of tomato sauce
• 2 tsp mixed Italian Herb seasoning

Directions:

1. Place the chicken breasts in a crock pot
2. Pour the stewed tomatoes & tomato sauce over them
3. Sprinkle the seasoning over them
4. Set on the LOW setting for 4-5 hours

Tortilla Image via Wikipedia

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve whole chicken breasts over a bed of rice or pasta
• Use 2 forks & shred chicken for a sandwich
• Italian bread is a good start
• Toasted Texas Toast is another good idea
• Add some lettuce and roll it in a tortilla
• Use shredded chicken as a topping for a medium or large sized salad
• If you use any of the ideas above, make sure to add some shredded cheese into the meal
• Whatever sauce is left in the crock pot after you have served dinner, save it for use tomorrow...

Toaster Oven vs. Crock Pot vs. Stove

Being single and living in an apartment can sure change your perspective about appliances. At first it was because I am only cooking for 1, but doing some simple research showed that it can help reduce my utility costs. And now I'm going to share my findings with you.

A lot of my entries have been about cooking and that I typically use a crock pot or the toaster oven instead of the full stove/oven. Part of the reason I started using them was because it kept my apartment cooler during the summer months, and by not using the stove meant my air conditioner would run less. But in doing some more research, I found the information on the Consumer Energy Center site. This confirmed to me that even the cost of cooking was reduced by using a crock pot or toaster oven, but also contributed to my air conditioner running less, so even more savings were achieved. I occasionally use a microwave oven (thank you Elektra Q-Tion for giving it to me). Unfortunately, my apartment doesn't have a gas stove/oven, it is electric. I wish I had my old gas stove still.

Cost of Cooking

This table from the Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings compares the cost of cooking a casserole in several ways. It assumes the cost of gas is $.60 a therm, and electricity is $.08 a kWh.

Appliance	Temperature	Time	Energy	Cost
Electric Oven	350	1 hour	2.0 kWh	$.16
Electric Convection Oven	325	45 minutes	1.39 kWh	$.11
Gas Oven	350	1 hour	.112 therm	$.07
Electric Frying Pan	420	1 hour	.9 kWh	$.07
Toaster Oven	425	50 minutes	.95 kWh	$.08
Electric Crockpot	200	7 hour	.7 kWh	$.06
Microwave Oven	"High"	15 minutes	.36 kWh	$.03

So, my point is that you should consider using the crock pot and toaster oven more during the summer to keep your place cooler, use less energy, and save yourself a little bit each time you do. Add up the cents you saved, and that means you can stop at Dunkin Donuts for a cup of coffee... saving cents makes sense, IMHO.

Easy Peasy Casserole for 3

3 ingredients, 3 steps, 3 tips...

Pre-peeling & slicing

Ingredients:

• 4 peeled medium potatoes
• 1 lbs. ground mild Italian sausage
• 1 15 oz. can sweet peas drained

 Directions:

1. While browning sausage in a skillet, cut potatoes into 1/4" slices
2. Layer potatoes on bottom of crock-pot before spreading browned sausage over them to cook on low for 3 hours
3. Spread peas over the top to finish another 2 hours of cooking on low

 Tips:
      ✔ Add a little water in the last hour if it is too dry
      ✔ Gently stir the mixture once or twice during the last hour
      ✔ Serves 3 if you provide a side of fruit, a beverage, and dessert

Year In Review

So... since we are "between holidays" (Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas) and rapidly approaching the end of the year, it sometimes causes some reflections on the past year. And what a year it has been for me.

Image via Wikipedia

Just over a year ago, I moved out of the house that I lived in for 12 years. Where I installed some ceramic tile floors in the bathrooms, remodeled the basement to create a play room for my son, and carefully tended the landscape. Yeah, I am a bit of a "handyman."

One year ago, on Halloween, I was let go from a company that I worked for, for over 17 years. Trick or Treat for me. More of a "trick" than a "treat." I was put in a psych ward for 5 days because of this, and the company thought I was suicidal. Hee hee, I'm still here. I use my knife on pumpkins instead of my wrists.

Two weeks after I moved out of the house, I was in the hospital for 5 days because of a collapsed lung. Why did my lung collapse? Because I am a tall male and athletic. I was at the set up for a roller derby bout for my league (that I ref for) when it happened. I spent two hours in extreme pain in my chest, but had to make sure they were set up, before I asked to be taken to the emergency room in a local hospital.

Image via Wikipedia

The day before Thanksgiving last year, I went to court to appear before a judge, that signed the papers that ended a 17 year marriage. Happy Thanksgiving Day to me. Ended up putting shaved turkey lunch meat on a couple of tortillas, with slices of cheese as my Thanksgiving dinner. YUM!!!


I spent 6 months without a driver's license (due to my own fault), while all of this was going on. I learned to walk the 4.2 miles between my apartment and the grocery store, with a backpack, to get food and needed items. On the way, I was able to stop at the library to get books and movies to entertain me during my "hiatus from life." It is hard to apply for jobs when you can't drive there to fill out the applications or attend interviews, trust me, I know.

Image by What's the rush via Flickr

Okay, enough of the negativity. On to the positive. In the last year, I've had to resurrect the cooking lessons that I shared with my grandparents, hence why there are so many blog entries about recipes, cooking, a Dutch oven, and a crock pot. I've been able to reconnect with my dog, on a more personal level. I've gotten a LOT more tattoos, because I always wanted to get at least one, it is addictive, and I finally felt the freedom do get them. I have 9 now, and am scheduled to get a few more in the next few months. Plus, I know an amazing designer that not only inspires me, but also desires to see them on me.

I guess to "bottom line" it, I've been through a lot in the last year. I've tried to adapt and correct it, and am successfully  overcoming it all. So, stay tuned to the blog to experience my experiences that come from it all...