It’s been a little over a year, and I’m beginning to feel comfortable in the life chapter that I am writing for myself. I’ve cooked and created recipes that are uniquely me, and shared them with a slowly expanding “public.” This has been one of the most satisfying times in my life…doing something that I’m passionate about and sharing it with the world (lol).
Life has a funny way of keeping us from becoming complacent and resting too comfortably on our laurels. As many of you know, I am only half of a team that has been together for almost 35 years. While our team membership has expanded, the core has never changed. It’s my husband Jeff and I that have sailed forward through life. That life has taken a new and very unexpected turn, but in typical J & J fashion we are leaping into it with excitement and faith.
Jeff recently retired from the school district where he worked for 13 years. Retirement, for some, is the final chapter. We however are taking the view that we are only somewhere slightly past the middle of our story. There are many new adventures awaiting. Those adventures will still include food, cooking and writing, as we well as “team adventures” many of which will be shared here.
As we begin to create our new life, we are making many changes. Can you say downsize? It has been a challenge to sit down in front of the computer and share what I’m cooking. Trust me, Mama D is in the kitchen every day and some really wonderful things are being created. I will be sharing some of my favorites here, even if it may be a little less often.
That brings me to a recent dinner that we found both tasty and satisfying. Steak Tacos with Roasted Pepper Salsa and Skillet Squash and Corn.
The tacos started with skirt steak that was marinated in lime juice, onion, garlic and cilantro. Olive oil and Mexican oregano added some depth of flavor.
The result was tender, juicy strips of beefy goodness
that nestled into a whole grain tortilla.
Garnished with Roasted Red Pepper Salsa and sliced avocado and tomato,
it was a marriage made in heaven.
My side dish of choice was a skillet vegetable medley. Local corn, zucchini and yellow squash were the backbone of this dish. Onions, red pepper and tomato joined in on the fun.
It was enhanced with light sour cream and pepper jack cheese that were the perfect counterpoint to the tender crisp vegetables.
I decided to try a “mildly” unusual salsa. I started with a jar of roasted red peppers. Fresh roasted would be outstanding, but I had a few other things going on. A bit of onion, garlic and jalapeno gave it a little bite and ripe olives and a parsley/cilantro combo made it interesting. Lime juice brought it all together.
As the days to the “big move” fly by, life seems a little like a whirlwind, but in a very good way. Love is the stabilizing force that keeps it all together and food, especially when it is cooked with love, gives us the energy to handle it all. Mama D
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Thanks Taryn. glad you liked it.
Hey, Mama D. Great post as always. I’ve followed your blog from the very beginning, and I love how you mix family memories with great food & recipes – something few cooking blogs do well.
You know, this post made me think about a time in my life that wasn’t very pleasant for my family. My father had lost his job, my parents had to leave an oppulant house and move to a humble rental on “Marlboro Ave,” in Joliet, Illinois. It was a dark period for my family, and my mother’s lavish kitchen had been replaced by the “Three’s Company” set…with outdated cabinets, hideous red/orange Formica countertops, and barely enough room to accommodate our family’s dining room set – the first “big” piece of furniture that dad bought mom in the early 1970s. It was a time in their lives that it was easy to get depressed – but my mother refused to let the situation bring us down, and prepared a killer Thanksgiving dinner for every one that year – complete with “fun” appetizers.
Food has always brought my family together, and in the two years that my folks lived in that rental hell-hole (an apartment that could have easily doubled as a 1970s Rockford Files set), the meals mom prepared brought our family together…from steaks on the grill to healthier fare in the electric wok. Eventually, my parents rebounded – and my mother’s current kitchen is the one she’s always wanted. But the dishes she created within that Marlboro kitchen still pop up during our family get-togethers – because they were fun & delicious. I mention this because it was hard not to laugh at your use of “skirt steak.” Skirt steak is the ALDI of meat, but if you know how to prepare it, it turns into something wonderful!
Forget George Ramsi, and forget those Food Network cooks who work with only the best of ingredients. I don’t know about the rest of your readers, but I can’t afford to buy those choice cuts that guarantee a good meal. For me, I shop at Cermak, Meijer, and ALDI…and I shop the bargain displays, looking for an economical way to create something tasty. A cheap piece of meat, prepared with love – with the right vegetables – makes me think of my mother’s own kitchen creativity…and that’s the meal I want to enjoy.
Thanks again for an amazing – and REAL – food blog, Mama D!
Your words mean a lot and are taken to heart. Thanks for the support and encouragement. Oh and do give the tacos a try.