weekend home

​My husband and I spent a relaxing weekend at home. Last week I prepared a recipe from the Food Section of the January 31st issue of the New York Times for Italian potato-pasta soup with greens. In the same issue, in Melissa Clark’s column “A Good Appetite” was a recipe for beer-braised beef and onions. 

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​I picked up the chuck beef stew meat at ShopRite yesterday. While the family pack was more economical, I didn’t need four pounds of beef for just two people as I was cutting the recipe in half. Instead, I picked up two one pound packages for $4.49/lb., fifty cents more per pound than a family size. I also needed Hungarian sweet paprika, $2.99, and a bunch of fresh parsley. In lieu of fresh thyme, I was drying the leftover thyme bunch from last week and decided to use a few stems of dry instead. I also needed bottle of Blue Moon Belgian-style ale, about $3 at the local liquor store.
 
When it was time, I used my LeCruesut braiser to caramelize my onions and cook the beef. I baked the beef for two and a half hours. (This recipe can be made in a pressure cooker or slower cooker.) The meat came out moist, tender and succulent. I served it on a bed of mashed potatoes and a side of broccoli dressed with butter and pecorino cheese. Delicious! What leftovers there were went to my granddaughter, who now has two teeth and has started eating real food and a dish for our parish’s “Share a Meal Sunday.” 
 
This week’s food values from Whole Foods include air-chilled whole chickens for $1.69/lb. (regular price $3.29/lb).  I picked up one seasoned with lemon pepper only to discover that it was mislabeled! It wasn’t a whole chicken, but one cut in half. Also, boneless pork loin chops & pork roast $4.99/lb. (regular price $7.99/lb.) The recipe for apple, onions and pork chops, Southern Living’s recipe for apple pork chops, and pork chops with sweet-and-sour cider glaze, would be great for this week.