Venison/Beef Chili on a Wednesday in January and a Cameo Appearance by Maddy

I grew up with a dad who hunted, married a man who hunts and raised two sons who avoid hunting.  Well, they used to go out with their father, but really, they went to keep him happy.

I'm not sure how old I was the first time I ate venison, but I know it didn't bother me and I was fairly young.  I remember my Mommy making a wonderful roast with apples and the meat was tender, sweet and delicious.

As a cook, I have ruined a few venison meals by overcooking.  The meat has very little fat and it is that lean meat that makes it feel like a fairly healthy choice.  My sons, the ones who don't really like hunting, are also at times a bit sketchy about eating game meats including venison and pheasant.  However, when I can mix ground venison with another meat, it is far more palatable for them and to further reduce any chance of a gamey taste, I prepare a chili.

 

On this particular night, it is just one son and the Mr. and myself at the table.  Dinners are less rushed in the winter, a bit more leisurely also because we do not have to rush out the door to take someone to practice, scouts, or pick them up from a part-time job.  Everyone is just a little bit older and for the 3 of us, our day begins around 5 a.m. so by 6 p.m., we are just starting to feel a little bit wilted.

We talk about work. It's kind of like therapy.  We get out the things that may be giving us a bit of trouble and see what the others think.  Sometimes we are lucky to share a few highlights and bask in the prideful glow of our accomplishments.

We clean our plates and agree it was a good meal.  Deciding to just push our bowls to the middle of the table, the conversation continues until our Maddy protests.

She whimpers and if she could speak her noises say, "Um, I think it's time for me to eat, don't you agree?"

She is part of the family and it is just as important that she is Fed Well.  Maddy will be celebrating her 6th birthday this month and she may never know just how much joy she has brought us.

1 + 1 = Happy Breakfast

One pancake and one sausage patty.  The cook in our employee cafeteria laughs almost every time I order this breakfast.  My serving size seems smaller than the average at work.  The typical pancake sale is double the size.

For years, I was someone who skipped breakfast, then I went to carbs only like a buttered hard roll or a bagel, next I moved on to a healthy breakfast of oatmeal and now with an employee cafeteria, I splurge all over the place with eggs, pancakes, and I've even tried the raisin bread french toast.  Spoiled.

Part of the mulit-cultural environment in which I work includes unusual smells in our office area in the morning.  Some eat soup.  Some eat dinner in the morning.  And others may not enjoy the smell of eggs in the workplace.  We make it work.  We are tolerant and I am seriously considering jumping over to try the non-breakfast food items in the morning just to switch things up.  Mixing it up and trying new things contribute to me feeling Fed Well.

First Order but Bad AGAIN

One thing food blogging does is force a person to take a good, hard look at their diet.  I haven't ordered Kentucky Fried Chicken in years.  In fact, I went to the Drive-Thru window and had to ask a million questions to figure out what would work for my family.  Usually, a regular customer would likely be able to just walk up and order.

I purchased a 12 piece family deal which came with 3 sides and biscuits so I ordered traditional mashed potatoes/gravy, macaroni and cheese (which I don't eat) and corn - the corn is 1/2 ear serving size.  By the way, the corn was super soggy with kernels so over saturated they no longer had any substance to their flesh, but the corn itself was super sweet. 

I tore into my piece of chicken and my taste buds very much enjoyed the feel and saltiness of the fried skin but my brain registered a big bright red warning flag.  "This is not good for you!"

My memory then recalled I have already had golden arches lunch and a pizza dinner and we haven't even reached the 10th day of the month and new year.  This is a problem.

I enjoyed the meal anyway and felt Fed Well not because of the processed food but in spite of it.  I am able to choose what, when and how much I eat.  I am lucky enough to be of reasonable enough health that these few bad meals will not put my over a cholesterol or sugar cliff.  I am smart enough to know enough is enough for now.

These recent food flings were fun but it is time to reel it back.  I am even back on the treadmill for at least 2 miles every other day adding more time and miles as the days pass.  We all enjoy being a little bad now and then, right?

Play With Your Yolks

I once had a friend who's husband could not stand the sight of anyone dipping toast into egg yolk.  

Odd? 

Or is it odd that I think that is half the fun of eating any eggs with a nice runny yolk?

My Monday morning was made a bit more tolerable with a smiley egg plate and wheat toast designed to dunk.

Maybe it's just odd that I turned my plate of eggs into a smiley face?  I just want to have a little fun, have a few laughs, who doesn't?  

Take a minute if you can, play with your food, do whatever it is that makes you happy.  If it means dribbling egg yolk into a smile, well, who does it hurt?  Hoping your day starts well and ends leaving you Fed Well.

Venison Bourguignon (Fancy Deer Stew)

Cooking for a family and ensuring they are Fed Well is about more than following a recipe.  For me, it is about learning enough about food to swap ingredients, it is about learning techniques to be repeated and providing not only a good meal, but an atmosphere where everyone WANTS to come to the table.

For Venison Bourguignon (first time making it), I steal a little from Julia Child's famous Boeuf Bourguignon but not just a copy cat substituting venison for the beef.  For Julia's version, click here:  Boeuf-Bourguignon-recipe

To begin, 3 carrots - I like to cut them on a bias - so fancy.

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Soften in a dutch oven on the stove with onion to taste.  I only use about 1/2 of a large onion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Julia would have used reserved bacon fat for this step.  I just use a splash of olive oil.

Once soft, further options begin.  I remove the vegetables but in the same pot I give the venison (coated in flour) a quick sear then add the veggies back along with some mushrooms.  Next, liquids.  Julia would add a bottle of red wine, but our tastes lean more toward tomato for acid with beef broth or stock and a bit of butter.  Put the lid on, place in a 350 degree oven for hours and hours.  I let it go for 4 1/2.

The above photo is what the stew looked like before going in the oven.  The sauce thickened and reduced, the meat softened and a delicious meal was born.

Serve over the family's favorite carb if desired.  Only three of us were home for this meal, and if anyone was watching they may have thought something was wrong as we did not speak - we simply enjoyed the tender and tasty food.  My husband actually said something like, "That was the best you've ever made."

Compliments are a sure way to feel Fed Well.

Have it Your Way - Well, the chips at least...

The weekend eating schedule is often thrown off by well, the fact I don't really have a schedule.  Late breakfast means I'm not really hungry for lunch which leads to afternoon snacking.

Neither salsa nor guacamole, I combine a fairly ripe avocado with two vine ripe tomatoes, a bit of white onion chopped fairly fine, a pinch of kosher salt, a sprinkle of garlic powder in a bowl for a Sunday afternoon of football.

Our team is not playing, and so my interest wanes easily.

The top photo is with lime chips and the bottom a healthy version of scoop shaped chips.

It is slightly easier to walk by a bowl of sweets, but I will never be able to say no to a salty snack.

Sharing even the smallest of meals with the family is still satisfying and leaves me feeling Fed Well.

Sunday Smoothies with Sweet or Savory Breakfast

What to do with the fruit that is turning the corner?  The fruit the husband tried to throw away because he thought it wasn't good?  The fruit that you bought because you wanted it and then forgot about?

The strawberries were on sale and sold in a display next to the yellow sponge cakes.  I had much healthier plans for the juicy red berries, but they sat in the drawer in the refrigerator for just a day or two to long to simply eat them raw.

Smoothies!

Smoothies are always the answer.  Well, almost always.

A slice the pretty-darn-ripe banana with the same paring knife I used to halve the berries.

Give the berries a quick rinse and toss in the blender with blueberries and milk.

Everyone blends on low for about 30 seconds then a quick whip on high before evenly distributing into 4 short glasses.

Older son and his girlfriend are making pancakes.  A few with blueberries, some with "chocolate chippies" and I'm not sure if their was one or two with both.

The Mr. and I opt for savory sausage patty on toasted english muffin with scrambled egg.

We plan our day; son will play football with friends for awhile, his girlfriend is heading off to work, hubby and I have a morning errand date which includes a stop at Dunkin' for a french vanilla coffee for me, then son and hubby are off to do some guy shopping before we all plop in front of the t.v. for a bit of football playoffs.

Sundays are for that slower pace, a decreased sense of urgency, more casual and laid back while still feeling Fed Well.