Sunday, October 30, 2016

Busyness~Reflections on Sunday
















Have a Blessed Sunday Friends!

Friday, October 28, 2016

What's for Dinner~Steak with Celeriac & Horseradish Puree, Thyme Butter

First of all, thank you to those who read my previous post. But more importantly, thank you to those who took the time to comment.  It meant a lot.

It is up to each one of us as an individual to choose how we spend our time, and I shared how I choose to spend mine.  But, I am not here to judge those who choose differently.

In the end, be humble, kind and courteous.

Okay, so we had something entirely different on the Meal Plan for dinner last night.  But when I came across this recipe on my blog feed, hubby was all for changing that plan.  And I am so glad we did.




Rib-Eye Steak with Celeriac and Horseradish Puree, Thyme Butter
*side note, we used grass fed strip steaks as they looked better than the rib-eyes available

Ingredients:

For the thyme butter:
4 oz duck fat (we use EPIC brand)
1 large clove garlic, minced (we always have jars of minced and chopped on hand)
1 TBS thyme leaves, chopped
Generous pinch sea salt, lightly crushed

For the mash:
1 medium (12 oz) celeriac, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small (1 1/2 lb) cauliflower, cut into large florets
2 TBS freshly grated horseradish (we used prepared horseradish)
2 TBS duck fat
Generous pinch sea salt

For the steaks:
1 TBS avocado oil
Pinch sea salt, lightly crushed
4 rib-eye steaks, at room temperature (we subbed two good size strip steaks)

Instructions:

1. First, make the "butter".  Put all ingredients into a medium bowl and mix together well. Spoon onto a small sheet of parchment paper, roll into a log and chill until firm.  This can be frozen ahead of time and thawed when needed.  (I poured the mixture into a ramekin and placed in the freezer)

2. For the puree, put the celeriac into a pan, half cover with water and then lay the cauliflower florets over the top.  Place a lid on the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes or until tender.  Drain the water from the pan and let it sit for a couple minutes, with the lid on, to evaporate any excess liquid.  Alternatively cook in a steamer.  Now transfer to a food processor, add the horseradish, duck fat and sea salt, then blend until smooth (we used our Vitamix).  Mind your eyes when you open up the lid of your processor, if they are sensitive to newly chopped onions you may feel the same here too.  Set the mash aside while you cook the steak.

3. Heat a heavy frying pan until hot (we used our Staub grill pan).  Put the avocado oil onto a large plate, place the steaks over the top and turn to thinly coat on both sides.  Sprinkle a little salt over the flesh and place into the hot frying pan.  Turn the heat down to medium and leave for 3 minutes without moving or the meat will stick.  Turn the steaks over and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes more.  This should give you a medium rare cooked piece, but bear in mind yours may be a different size and thickness to mine and may need more or less cooking time.  Remove the steaks from the pan and allow to rest for 4-5 minutes on a large warmed plate.

4. Put a couple of large spoonfuls of the puree onto each plate, top with the steak and a thick round of the thyme "butter".

Original recipe can be found here.

On a side note...I just picked up this cookbook and cannot wait to try all the yummy recipes shared during the upcoming holidays.  The pictures alone are worth purchasing the cookbook.




Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Checking In and Where We Are~



Wow, it's been almost a month since my last post...but you know what?  That's okay in my book.  You see we've been busy doing this thing called life.

While I enjoy seeing all the pretty fall decor posts and pretty table settings all ready for Thanksgiving (hello, it's still a month away...flowers fade and dust collects, but I digress), what I enjoy more is living in the here and now.

Maybe it's because I am getting older hopefully wiser that while all of that is pretty and sometimes inspirational, I know that the saying" the days are long but the years are short " is very true.  And, I also know that things can change in the blink of an eye.  In the last three years we have experienced loss, a cancer scare, a horrific car accident, a loved one with a heart condition that thankfully ended well, and aging parents whose precious minds are fading each day.  We are all only here on this earth for as long as God planned for us to be, some for a long lived fruitful life, some taken well before their time.

I guess where I am going with this is, in the midst of all the holiday hoopla, social media, dare I mention the election, blogging, Pinterest, the constant need for more, stop and take the time for what is right in front of you...your spouse, your precious little or not so little ones, your parents, your siblings, your friends.  THINGS, PAINT COLORS, HOME DECOR and the like will never replace those people you cherish the most.

I challenge you the next time you decide to take on a project, ask yourself if it will truly make a difference or matter in five years.  Your answer might surprise you.