Good Food

This week Luke started a new job working for a construction company that does both commercial and agricultural buildings, mostly pole-barn-style which is his favorite type to work on! This means that he leaves home a little before 6am every morning and gets off from work between 4 and 5. However, he still has shoeing clients so Wed. and Thurs. nights he did not get home until 9pm or later! I'm so thankful for my hardworking husband!!! But all this hard work means he needs to be fed very well. And he has to pack a lunch every day, instead of pulling together something in the kitchen in between braiding projects. So I made a major shopping trip on Monday morning and think I've done pretty well feeding my sweet hubby all week. Unfortunately I don't have pictures... maybe next week. ;)

Monday night we had chick pea and cauliflower curry in the crock pot - SO EASY and so very very yummy. Luke used to think putting fruit/nuts/etc. on already cooked food was really strange, but now he's a convert. :)

Cauliflower/Chick Pea Curry

1/2 med. cauliflower, chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 can chick peas, mostly drained
1 can coconut milk
1-2 T Patak's mild curry paste (to taste)

Dump everything in the crock pot and cook for about 6 hrs. Or 4 or 8, whatever's most convenient! Potatoes can be substituted for the cauliflower (did this a couple weeks ago when we didn't have cauliflower). We ate our curry with brown rice, raisins, and flaked coconut - craisins were delicious last time, pineapple and/or mango would be lovely as well! This made enough for one dinner (with Luke having seconds) and lunch for Luke the next day. :)

On Monday I found pot roast for only $1.89/lb, so I snatched it up! I've never made pot roast before, but searched allrecipes (my fave!) and made pot roast on Tues. night. Here's my adjusted version of the recipe I used:

1 3-4 lb pot roast (mine was 3.26 :))
1 onion, chopped
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 c water
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
Seasoned salt and garlic powder

I chopped the onion and put half in the bottom of the crock pot. The recipe recommended montreal steak seasoning, which I didn't have, so I rubbed the roast with seasoned salt and garlic powder, then put it on top of the onions, sprinkled the dry onion soup mix and remaining chopped onion on top, and poured the water and Worcestershire sauce over top. Cooked for 8-9 hrs. on low. Luke said it was yummy and tender, and he's been eating roast beef sandwiches all week! :)

Luke's crew has a coffee break every morning and one member is assigned to bring snacks to share. Yesterday was Luke's day, so Wed. night I baked a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting which I sent along, and his crew loved it. This cake was yummy and very moist - I left the nuts out, not knowing the tastes of the guys he works with, but think it would be even better with them in.

Beat with a mixer:
4 eggs
3/4 c oil
1/2 c applesauce
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
3 t vanilla extract

Stir together and add to eggs/sugar:
2 c flour
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Fold in:
3 c grated carrots (use largest holes on box grater)
1 c pecans or walnuts

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake in a 350 oven for 40-50 min.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Blend til creamy:
1/4 c butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 t vanilla

Add up to 4 c powdered sugar, to reach desired consistency/sweetness. (I used 2 1/2 c, think I'll use a tad more next time as the frosting was a little soft, but nobody seemed to care!)

Mmm, there are few things that make me feel better than making good food that people can enjoy. I think I inherited this from my mother... ;)