Mom's Texas Flower Garden Quilt

 

Years ago, I was on the hunt for a specific color fabric. I can’t remember what it was, but I was searching through my mom’s bins of fabrics. This is always a fun adventure because she has some pretty awesome pieces buried and hidden for years.

 

 

While searching through the different bins, I came across this cute little panel she had. It was Texas flowers in a window pane style panel. There were only four blocks on the panel, and she only had one panel. It really caught my eye.

 

I took it home with me and tucked it away on my shelf while I contemplated what to do with it.

 

 

During the second year of the pandemic, I had one kiddo stay home for online school. While she was working, I had lots of time to play with fabrics. This little guy came out and I debated what I could do with it. At first thought I’d cut out each individual flower, but thought better of that as it would make lots of work.

 

 

Instead, I cut it into the four pieces and then added black to accentuate the window panel look. I picked a couple of colors that really popped and added to the flowers, and then used the black to allow the window pane look to continue out into the colors.

 

 

The backing was another fabric that I found at my mom’s. I thought it was a nice touch to have butterflies in search of all those beautiful flowers.

 

 

I kept the quilting really simple with a meander. Obviously, the flowers were the focus.  Finally, I used black for the binding, completing the window pane look. 

 

 

This quilt was a lot of fun to put together. It’s nice and small; a beautiful wall hanging or table décor. It always fun to have cute and quick little successes like this one. 

Multipurpose Pork Roast Rub

 

I admit, in our house we don’t eat a lot of pork. A big reason for this is that it tends to be really bland… or really salty.  For a long time, I just didn’t know what to do with that, so I stayed away from it. 

 

 

Enter the pandemic. I was at home with kids who were homeschooling online. I was struggling with the shortages of one thing after another. On a visit to the store, I came across a cut of Pork Sirloin Roast. I was curious.

 

 

For several months it sat in my freezer untouched, but I was trying to keep the storage moving so I pulled one out. I’d never tried putting seasonings on the meat before cooking it in the slow cooker and I wondered if it might help the flavor.

 

 

While searching for a rub recipe, I kept coming across brown sugar and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I tried one and it was no-go in our house. I found another one that omitted that sugar and stuck to savory flavors. I was sold!

 

 

After cooking in the slow cooker for the day, the meat was soft and juicy and had an amazing flavor! I added a small amount of water to keep the cooking moist, but it allowed the seasoning to drip into the brine and continue to flavor the meat. It was amazing!

 

 

The best part was that we tried the shredded pork in chimichangas and it was awesome! Then we tried it in BBQ sandwiches and it was fantastic! Then I tried it in a salad and I was in love. This also works great in tacos, and casseroles. The flavors can be used in so many different recipes. Total winner all around.

 

 

 

Multipurpose Pork Roast Rub

 

 

4 lb pork sirloin roast

3 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp paprika

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp black pepper

½ c water

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray. Mix all of the seasonings together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle a bit on each side of the roast and rub it into the meat. Continue to flip the meat, add more seasoning, and rub it in until all of it has been used.

 

Place the roast (if there’s a bone, place it on the bottom of the cooker) into the slow cooker. Add ½ c water around the roast and place the lid on top. Cook for 8-10 hours, depending on your cooker. When done, pull the roast out and immediately shred the meat. The bone should fall off as you’re pulling it out. It’s ready to use in whatever recipe you’d like, or save for another occasion.

 

When storing for future use, I use some of the drippings left in the slow cooker along with a bit of water to keep the meat moist in the freezer. When you thaw it out, the juices can be poured out before use.

Stout Irish Style Beef Stew

 

I know I’ve posted about stew before, but this one needed its recognition. My other beef stew is much more classic style with classic flavors. This one is so much more bold and rich, and you will fall in love with one bite.

 

 

It all started when I was on the hunt for some Irish meals to have on St. Patrick’s Day. None of us are big fans of corned beef and cabbage, and I wanted to try something in our wheelhouse that had a twist. 

 

 

While searching through recipes, I came across this little gem. I was a little skeptical at first, but when I read through the ingredients, I knew it would be something special. I already had a recipe that’s similar but uses a pilsner for flavor. The idea of using a stout sounded amazing!

 

 

For this recipe, I added basic vegetables but decided to keep the potatoes separate as a mash. It’s amazing with the gravy of the stew, and really adds a nice texture to the meal. Play with it though, and make it your way.

 

 

 

Rich and Stout Beef Stew

 

2 Tbs EVOO, divided

1 lb stew meat, cut into 1” cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1 leek, cut in half lengthwise and then thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 c beef broth

1 c dark stout beer (I used oatmeal stout)

2 Tbs freshly chopped parsley

½ tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs flour

½ c frozen peas

 

In a large enameled cast iron dish (I love my Le Creuset), heat 1 Tbs oil just until it’s smoking.  Season the meat with salt and pepper.  Add the meat to the dish and brown it on all sides, about 3-5 on each side. Pull it out of the dish and set aside.

 

Add one more Tbs of oil and brown the onion for a few minutes. Then add the leeks and carrots for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally add the garlic and allow to cook for just a minute, stirring occasionally.

 

Now add the beef broth, beer, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and beef to the vegetables.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the stew to a boil and then cover it with a lid and drop it down to a simmer. Allow it to cook for about 1 ½ hours.

 

Once it has been allowed to cook, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Add the mixture to the dish and stir it in as it thickens, just a couple minutes. Finally, stir in the frozen peas and allow them to heat through; just a couple minutes. Serve with your side or mashed potatoes, or whatever you’d like to enjoy with your stew.