Heather Solos - Home-Ec 101

Beef it’s What’s for Dinner: The Giveaway

Heather says: It’s time for a giveaway. Today*, thanks to the fine folks at BeefitsWhatsforDinner.com we have a $100 American Express gift card and three copies of The Healthy Beef Cookbook to giveaway. Entering is simple and you can have a total of three entries. Leave a comment telling us which of the three recipes we shared this …

Heather says: It has been unusually cool here near Charleston, SC, but our summer is just around the corner. Summer, in my world means grilling and not just steaks, but vegetables, too. Our third and final installment of recipes from BeefItsWhatsforDinner.com take us out onto the porch where I fired up the grill to prepare …

Walnut Crusted Roast: Beef it’s What’s for Dinner

Heather says:

Walnut roast with bleu cheese mashed potatoes, wilted walnut spinach, drizzled with a worcestshire sauce — Walnut roast with bleu cheese mashed potatoes, wilted walnut spinach, drizzled with a worcestershire sauce

I have to get this off my chest. Yum, yum, get your fork away from my plate, yum.

My husband’s grandmother recently celebrated her 75th birthday (Happy Birthday Nana!). His mother is planning a nice dinner after they return to Minnesota and she is on the lookout for a company worthy meal with low effort. Listen to me, this is it. Sure, it sounds all fancy schmancy, but the techniques are not complicated. With a good thermometer and the ability to resist the temptation to open the oven, anyone can make a good roast. The mashed potatoes could easily be switched with instant, it’s the blue cheese that makes them special. The wilted spinach? Can you heat oil in a pan? Then you can handle this. The Worcestershire sauce? If you can boil water, you’ve got it in the bag.

The recipes and nutrition information for the roast are after the jump.

Heather says:

My 14yo stepdaughter is here for her spring break and we bond over dinner preparation. She teases that I just enjoy having an indentured servant at my disposal. Well, I do miss having a sous chef. (For those unfamiliar with restaurant hierarchy, a sous chef performs a lot of the drudge work in a professional kitchen) Alas, our household budget doesn’t come close to including hired help. Her enthusiasm usually increases when she is given the opportunity to help plan the menu. With that in mind, I had her check out BeefitsWhatsforDinner.com, where she chose the Mediterranean Beef Pitas.

To round out the meal we also prepared a Greek salad and cucumber sauce, like tzatziki, for those who may not care for hummus. As my in-laws are also visiting, we laid out a buffet rather than filling individual pitas for everyone. I doubled the beef recipe to serve 8.

Recipes and commentary are after the jump.

Beef it’s What’s for Dinner, The Series

Heather says: A few months ago I was lamenting the size of my childrens’ appetites to a friend. I live in fear of the day they reach their teens and begin the nonstop quest for calories that I remember from my own adolescence. Dan commented, “Your family should be sponsored by a beef council.” In …

Vacationing with Kids: Keeping Extra Costs Under Control

Heather says: The children and I were very lucky this trip, most of our meals have been provided. This has been a very enjoyable experience, but tomorrow we return to reality and cooking. Typically the change of scenery is about all the splurge that fits our budget. To keep costs in line with our vacation …

Vacationing with Kids: Schedule Downtime

Heather says: Do you remember being a child, crying and then getting furious with your mother for suggesting you were upset due to being overtired? While I’m not necessarily an old hand at this whole parenting gig, three kids have taught me there is a lot of truth to the idea. We’ve spent time in …

Vacationing with Kids: Hotel Room Safety

Heather says: My three children are all under six years of age. I’m not quite sure at what point children stop working hard to put themselves in imminent danger, but none of mine seem to have reached it, yet. While I travel frequently with our kids, this is the first time I’ve had to worry …

25 Babysteps to Frugality

Heather says: Not all of these tips are suitable for every person, but they are a springboard to help readers find inspiration to tackle life in frugal ways. Every day we have a choice to “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” General cleaning: Plain white vinegar, water, and elbow …

Freezing Using Mason Jars

Dear Home Ec 101, I was given a whole bunch of glass canning jars and I was wondering if I could use them to freeze things like homemade stock? I don’t own a pressure canner, but don’t want these to go to waste. Signed, You Really Frost My Glass Heather says: Some canning jars are …