Bear Bolognese.....Amazing

Bob shot a nice 190# bear during Bear season.  We got the meat back and he did a beautiful job processing it.  I took the leap and made my first Bear dish...Bear Bolognese.  Of course I change things. 
The kitchen prior to starting:

 I started with Giada DeLaurentis maranara sauce.  I won't copy it since there could be a problem with copywrite.  Surfice it to say there is 2 gloves of garlic, I used one large onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots all finely diced, 2 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes and one can of tomato sauce since the recipe called for 32 oz cans, salt, pepper and 2 bay leafs.  Pictures of the veggies sauteing.   (I think there are spelling errors-sorry)

 Adding the tomatoes and the bay leafs

 Simmer for one hour.  I use the splatter screen to keep it from getting all over the stove top.  Notice I didn't get there in time. 

Browning the one pound ground bear meat with salt and pepper.  It was absolutely beautiful, lean meat.  There was barely any fat after browning it. 

 All cooked up and ready to mix with some of the sauce.  I used about half and froze the other half.  I tried it after it was browned but, the intrepid hunter was afraid to. 

 I mixed the meat with half the sauce, deglazed the pan with sherry, added that to the slow cookeer.  I also added 4 tbsp of fresh basil.  I love basil.  Cooked it in the slow cooker on high for 5 hours.

And the end result on linguine.  It was amazing.  I wasn't sure how it would turn out.  The back up plan was to go out.  Glad we didn't have to since it is raining and blowing.  People in Florida would call this a hurricane. 

I'm not sure what I will try next.  I would definately make this again!

Cooking this Weekend

We had company this weekend and I made one of my favorite breakfast dishes.  I get a lot of recipes from http://www.allrecipes.com/.  The one this morning was:

Make Ahead French Toast
6 servings
Ingredients:                                                              
5 eggs lightly beaten                                                     
1 1/2c. milk  (I use 1 c.)                                              
1 c. half and half                                                           
1 tsp vanilla extract                                                      
1/2 (1#) French bread, cut diagnonally in 1" slice

Topping:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 c. chopped pecans

The night before:  Beat together the eggs, milk, half and half and vanilla in a bowl.  Slice the french bread into one inch slices.  Dip in the egg mixture and arrange in a greased 9x13 pan.  (I make sure it is all snug and fill in the gaps with partial pieces).  Cover and refrigerate

The next morning:  Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter, add brown sugar and maple syrup.  Still well and add the pecans.  Spread over the top of the bread and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.  Let set 5 minutes before cutting.  (Everyone who has ever tasted this wants the recipe!).  This is what was left. 

Then I made granola today.  Again the recipe sort of came from allrecipes.com but, I altered it. 

Granola
Preheat oven to 300
Ingredients: 
4c. rolled oats
1 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. flax seed meal
1/2 c. brown sugar
Here's where I deviated:  sunflower seed mix with nuts and raisins but, I took the raisins out for later
1/4 c. pecans
1/4 c. almonds
1 tsp cinnamon  Mix all these together in a large bowl
Whisk together:  1/3 c. canola oil
                          1/4 c. honey
                          1 tsp vanilla
                          1/2 c. cold water.
Pour over the dry ingredients and mix very well.  Spread in 9x13 pan and bake for one hour, mixing every 20 minutes. 
(I deviated again)
Cool and mix in 1 c. raisins and 1/2 c. craisins

 They both turned out really well.  Like I said I love http://www.allrecipes.com/. 

Sewing Basket Rescued

I rescued this wicker sewing basket from the in-laws before the sale and the cleanout.  It is kind of cool.  Someday, when I have a sewing room I will put it in there.  With some TLC,  soft brush and Murphy's Oil Soap it cleaned up pretty good.  It was made by Heywood and Wakefield.  I tried to research it online.  The ones you find are quite ornate.  I haven't found one like this.  It was probably a inexpensive one since there are no curly q's. 

 It was probably a light green originally.  You can see traces of the color on the inside. 

You can see the green underneath better.          

I think the coolest thing is that there is still a serial number under the shelf.  I think there is a book that I may have to try and get a copy and look it up.

LaCrosse Cross Stitch Shoppe

Whenever I go to a new city, I like to check out a few things.  Usually I like to see if there is a cross stitch store.  And there is.  It's called Crosse Stitchery and Mainstreet Framing and it was very cute.  It was very full of wonderful things.  I did contain myself.  I only picked up Chessie & Me Pumpkins in a Row (and all the thread) and the Mighty Oak Sampler.  Oh and the Christmas Ornament Just Cross Stitch. 

The Historic Landmark Designation.  Its always fun asking if you can take pictures for your blog. 

Check out the pics of the store.  It use to be on Pearl Street, when I was there 10 years ago and has since moved.  The building is very cool.

 The Christmas section and threads.

The front window of the store.  The building is long and narrow.  There was a basement but, I didn't go down there since my knee is still all messed up

Just some of the displays.  What I like out the Ipad is now I can look at them close up.  I just can't blog real well from that. 

I am definately returning to this place when we go for family weekend.  Maybe I can spend a little more time and money.  I also went to the Bead Shoppe but, forgot to take pictures.  That place was really cool too.  But, may first love will always be my stitching and thread. 

Back from the College Experience

We are back from dropping Katy off at LAX.  What an experience.  It started off being a rainy day.  Instead we went shopping since her drop off time was noon anyway.  Good thing because traffic was backed up at least two miles.  It was quite an operation!  You had to go a certain way around the parking lot and then wait until the handler told you were to go, after there was a parking spot infront of the dorm.  She checked, got her room number and key and then a swarm of college kids took everything out of the car and hauled it up the stairs to the room.  I'm sure it won't be that easy when it comes time to move out.  By the time we got to the dorm, it had stopped raining.  Yeah!!!

Before pictures

And pictures down the hall

 Katy with the Screaming Eagle mascot

All of us with the Screaming Eagle or as I like to refer to it as the co-ed, the sausage and the baked potato!

And the after shots once the room mate moved it but, we kept missing her.

And then imagine the madness with the Guns and Roses song Sweet Child of Mine playing, like it was friday afternoon......Madness, madness, MADNESS......but, I should be the one going to college again.  With all I know now....just imagine....the chaos!!!!

After it was all over, thunder, lightening and a torrencial downpour!

Next installment:  the cross stitch store I went to. 

Promise to be Better

I promise to be a better Mom this week as we get ready to take Katy to college.  Ed is doing fine.  He went to a football game tonight and then the beach because they were all hot from the indoor stadium.  What do you bet there will be a lack of swimsuits at the beach....at night.....Needless to say he really doesn't want to talk to us.  No care package until I hear some heartfelt sobs of homesickness.  Well maybe I could send coal and sticks.

Anyway tomorrow we leave to take Katy on her big adventure.  She is in the process of packing.  Will it get done? 

I suppose this is a state of organized chaos.  I hope once two girls get in a 12x12 room, it looks better.