Asian inspired ground beef

I've been on a hunt for ground beef recipes because our CSA provides a lot of ground beef and one can eat chili and burgers so many times.

It's probably just me. :)  I really have trouble eating the same dish multiple times and if I've made it once, unless it's requested again I probably will forget about the dish. I know, it is very odd.  But, I like to make new things and try new flavors - hence the blog.  So, that I can recall a really good dish and do it up again.  And, you thought I was writing for you. uh?

Ok. I was writing for anyone who is willing to put up with my random moments of writing. And for the people I love who really don't need to hear about me going on and on and on about food. ;)

The thing I love about this dish is that you can add any veggie you want to it and I had some cabbage and spinach.  So, I tossed it in.  The original recipe is from This Primal Life which I haven't tried anything but this recipe.  It looks cool and I'm hoping to wander around her site some more.

Asian Ground Beef

1 lb. ground beef
3 tablespoons butter/ghee
1 bell pepper, sliced - red/yellow/orange - something to make it pretty
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup cabbage, shredded (optional)
1/2 cup spinach, chopped (optional) 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Sauce:
3 tablespoons almond butter or peanut butter
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

Mix the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

In a warm skillet, melt some butter/ghee.  Add onions and cook until softened.  Add garlic and ginger, cook about a minute or so.  Add ground beef and cook until browned.

Once the beef has browned, add veggies (carrots, spinach, peppers, etc).   Once the veggies are cooked to your taste, I like it a bit on the al dente side so there is a crunch.  Add the sauce. Give a quick stir.  Turn off the stove, add the cilantro.  Serve.

Yum!

Notes on the recipe:

•  I cook my onion as I don't like the sharp bite of onion. You do not have to do so. And, in the original recipe it is not cooked early. 
•  If using cabbage, you can put it in with the ground beef depending on how much you like cabbage. The earlier you put it in, the less the cabbage flavor will show through in the dish. Since the BF isn't a big fan of cabbage, I chopped it up into tiny bits and cooked it earlier in the process.
• While I say use "pretty" peppers, this really isn't that attractive of a dish. Yummy! but not pretty. But, I figure taste wins! And, as long as I don't do this up for company... we're all good, right? 
• Now, you can put these in lettuce leaves and serve. I'd suggest Boston or even the dreaded Iceburg which both have nice big leaves. But, we just ate it up right from the bowl.

Log thing, you make my heart sing...

I made this desert a while back which the BF loved.  I had started with a chocolate fudge recipe but I was craving chocolate and raspberries. So, I ended up creating this yummy desert that turned out really great.


So yesterday, the BF requested the chocolate/raspberry desert.  He named it "log thing" so he could sing a song in it's honor... which makes me happy. :)

And, while it's not pretty in log form - it does cut up beautifully and I could see serving it for a nice dinner.  And, it is so easy.

Log Thing

Chocolate fudge:
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon sugar (more or less or not at all)
1 3.5 oz chocolate bar (I used 85% green and black)
1/2 cup hazelnut flour (finely ground nuts)
1/2 cup almond flour (finely ground nuts)
1 tsp vanilla

Raspberry Filling:
1 package cream cheese (8 oz)
1/3 cup raspberry jam (depending on how much you like raspberry)

Additional: 
parchment paper
cookie sheet or flat pan you can place into the freezer

In a sauce pan put in cream to heat.  Break up chocolate bar into small pieces and add to cream.  Bring the cream to a simmer, whisking the chocolate and cream while it is heating so that nothing burns at the bottom.  Once it comes to a simmer, turn off the heat.  Add flours and vanilla.  Stir until everything is nicely mixed.  

On the cookie sheet, place the parchment paper.  Spread the chocolate mixture smoothly on to the parchment paper so that you have a nice flat rectangle about 1/2 inch or so thick.  You want it to be fairly thin so that you can roll it easily. Put another piece of parchment on top and place it into the freezer to cool down and solidify a bit - about 15-20 min.

While you are waiting for the fudge to set, put the cream cheese and raspberry jam into a nice size bowl.  Take a wooden spoon or fork and mix the two ingredients together.  Taste to see if you want it to be more raspberry or sweeter.

Pull out the fudge, remove the top parchment paper.   Put the raspberry filling on top of the fudge and smooth out covering the rectangle as much as possible.  Trying to keep it even and fairly thin.  Once the fudge is covered, pick a short side to start the roll.  Take the parchment paper and push over a small portion of the fudge into the cream cheese.  Starting up the roll.  You are going to use the parchment to help you roll the fudge into a log shape.

Place it into the fridge, wrapped in the parchment paper.  Let it solidify a bit more or not - depending on how much control you have. :)  Cut slices and serve.  It will keep in the fridge for a week wrapped in parchment paper in a ziplock bag.

Quick links for the lady at Gene's

I was at the Gene's grocery store today to get some cream and milk, as they are one of the few that carry Kilgus dairy.   There was a nice woman in front of me who was deciding which milk to buy - whole, skim or low fat.  I was behind her, waiting and hoping really, really hard that she would not pick the very last container of whole milk.  Lucky for me...she didn't pick the whole milk!  We then got into a conversation about fat and how it's not bad for you.

And being who I am... I couldn't help myself and told her about Mark's Daily Apple and the whole paleo/primal thing.   So, I'm going to post this up for her... and hopefully it's helpful.

Links:
PaNu's getting started has a great listing on what you should or shouldn't eat and to some degree why.
Gary Taubes Blog while only has two postings takes on from his book Good Calories/Bad Calories and is a pretty easy read.  I especially like the first posting on "The insanity of over eating".
The LA times article on fat/carbs - I'm not sure I completely agree with the article but that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who knows me. *grin*
The Gary Taubes article in Science from 2001 on "The Soft Science of Fat" - in which he shows that dietary fat hasn't been proven to make one fat.  But, the switch to a high carb diet has definitely proven to make one fat and more prone to diabetes.
Mark's Daily Apple primer has loads of info.  I like the "10 steps to primalize  your pantry" and "Why Grains Are Unhealthy". 

Mostly the info above are starting points - as are the links on the blog.  I've found from reading various sites that people tend to make primal work for them.  And, isn't that the point? :)