It's time for my Sunday Dinner post once again, and wonder of wonders, I'm cooking again this week. Can you believe it?
My menu for Sunday Dinner this week consists of homemade beef and gravy, jasmine rice and Italian green beans cooked with bacon and potatoes. I have some speckled butter beans left over from our Friday supper that I'll warm up to complete the meal. If more people than I expect show up for dinner I'll open a can or two of veggies to add to the menu.
What are your plans for your Sunday Dinner? Just share your plans/menu in the comments if you want to participate this week.
I never buy beef stew meat unless it's the same price or less than the cheapest cut of beef roast. Any beef roast can be cut up into chunks for stew meat, usually a lot cheaper than you can buy cut up stew meat. I've got a beef chuck roast that I got on sale at Kro*ger last week for $1.97 a pound. It's about 2 lbs. or so and I'll make 2 meals of it. I'll cut up half of it for the beef and gravy and use the other half for another meal.
I'll make my beef and gravy the same way my Mama always did. I'll brown my stew meat in a little oil, then add water and a little seasoning salt and maybe some beef bouillon granules and simmer until it's tender. I'll thicken the broth with a little cornstarch and some water to make the gravy. The beef and gravy is really good over rice.
If you've never had basmati, popcorn or jasmine rice, I highly recommend that you do. I love the nutty, buttery aroma and flavor of the rice. You can find the jasmine rice at Wal*mart and Kro*ger I know, and it should be available at most big supermarkets. Arkansas produces a lot of the basmati or popcorn rice and jasmine rice so I don't know why I have so much trouble finding basmati rice. It's really the most aromatic and flavorful of the varieties and it's my favorite, but I haven't been able to find the basmati rice for several years now.
The Italian green beans are also my favorite. The "Italian" in the name has nothing to do with Italian herbs or flavors, it refers to the wide, flat green beans. I'll cook the bacon for a while in some water, then add some peeled and chunked potatoes and the green beans when the bacon is almost done.
I bought the speckled butter beans from Wal*mart's freezer case last week. I've mentioned before that they are now stocking Pict*sweet brand butter peas and speckled butter beans in 32-oz. packages for $1.98. That's a bargain around here! They have a few other vegetables for the same price but I got hung up on the butter beans and butter peas when I discovered them and haven't really paid much attention to the other varieties available.
If you've never had speckled butter beans or butter peas I urge you to look for them. You might be surprised how good they are, especially the frozen type that you cook and season yourself.
Time to thank some blogging buddies for a couple of awards now. I've already added them to MY AWARDS PAGE but I want to thank ANGELA for giving me THE DAILY DOSE AWARD & KAREN for giving me THE GREAT BLOG AWARD.
Thank you so much, ladies! I do appreciate them so much, and your friendship even more.I still have to cook that stew meat for beef and gravy tonight, so I'd better get to it.
Y'all have a blessed Sunday. May God bless you with all you need and enough to share.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Sunday Dinner, January 13, 2008
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have a good week Diane
Jen
Beef and gravy sounds DIVINE! And I'll be on the lookout for jasmine rice.
Tomorrow, since my hubby will be working his second job from noon 'til 9, it'll be just me and the kiddos for lunch. I'll probably pick up a $5 pizza rather than cook, though they eat WAY too much pizza (I'm lazy) and I really ought to make something decent. Who knows, maybe I'll have an attack of both good sense AND stamina and cook something up here.
I'm always interested in what's for Sunday Dinner at your place, and I usually end up wishing we could be some of those "extras" that happen to stop by!
Have a blessed Lord's Day.
Good Evening Diane,
I made it here. LOL. I had sent you an email wanting to know if you had trouble getting on to your blog, but I restarted my computer and I was able to get on my blog. I is "TARD" tonight as you would say. We got home around 5:45p.m. tonight after being gone all day. We finished up the rest of the "Cheeseburger" Hamburger Helper tonight, so I'm not sure what's on our Menu for tomorrow. My DH is leaving around Midnight tonight so it will just be me and the girls. Breakfast might be good. Your Beef and Gravy sounds delicious as well. I don't think I've ever had that before. I've had the Italian Green Beans before. My Mom used to fix them when we were still at home. I've never heard of that Basmati Rice or Jasmine Rice. And, I live right here with you in Rice Country. I've only had the White Rice as I call it and the Long Grain Rice. I'll have to be on the lookout for those kind of Rices next time I have to go to town. Oh, and I've never heard of Popcorn Rice as well. I had a box of Chicken Flavored Rice that my Sister had bought the girls when they went to the Rice Festival back in October and I fixed it Monday night I think it was. The girl's loved it. "THANK YOU" for all the kind comments you have left me the last couple of days. I so appreciate it very much. Take care my friend and have a great evennig. May God Bless You and Yours.
Love & Hugs,
Karen H.
Hi Diane,
Your dinner sounds yummy. I'm making soup in the crockpot tomorrow.
Thanks for your prayers and sweet comments.
xo
For once I have real plans for dinner on Sunday. We're taking Donna and Hank out to Outback for Donna's birthday. Steak or salmon or more steak! But no Bloomin' Onion - darn! Too many - way too many - WW points.
I usually buy a chuck roast if it's on sale instead of buying stew meat. Why should I pay the butcher an extra $1 or more a pound just to cut up the meat? I've got a nice sharp knife and I can do it myself.
We're all agreed on stew meat being overpriced. Your dinner sounds yummy and one that I'll probably do one day next week. Jasmine rice is a little expensive here but it is so good I may pick up a little on my next trip to the store. Right now, I have at least 10 lbs of long grain to use up though. I haven't seen Riceland out here. Probably Calrice has cornered the market. We grow a lot of rice.
Tomorrow? Lasagna.
Kristen's FIL fixed a lovely prime rib for Christmas Eve. But hardly anybody made it that night - lots of trauma and drama going on at the time. So there was a lot left over and we got a big chunk. That's what we'll be having - if I can figure out how to reheat it.
Basmati rice is my DIL's favorite rice - being from Africa she eats a lot of rice and a lot of beans. She's very fussy about her rice and I have learned why since I buy the basmati. I get it at King Soopers, which is Kroger. It is pricey, but worth it.
I have to admit I'm lazy sometimes and buy stew meat.
Hey Diane,
that dinner made my mouth water!
I'll have to try your gravy technique, never done it that way before. I'm actually making a pot roast tomorrow. I'll add red potatoes, cook green beans, salad, and bread and butter.
Gotta keep it simple for the little ones.
Love your blog!!
Pinky
Yum Diane your meal sounds wonderful. I have never even heard of basmati, popcorn or jasmine rice. It sounds good, so I will have to check it out.
Have a blessed Sunday.
Love and Hugs, Lyndy
Sounds like you are going to have a really nice Menu. Comfy food.
Hope everyone enjoys the day.
Hugs,
Hi Dianne Just popped in to say hi . Wow your dinners sounds like a lovely winters day meal. Oh I love a good stew in winter,,
I've got a crockpot of soup beans w/ham hock simmering and will make some cajun salmon patties to go with that later.
I just pulled a pineapple upside down cake from the oven. It is smellin' purdy dilish around my house today!
Congrats on the awards!
Oh, I just wanted to say too, that recently I made it by my favorite country cookin' restaurant (Cracker Barrel) and for a change I ordered the open face roast beef sandwich. This was roast in gravy served over their toasted sourdough bread and with a side of chunky mashed taters...it was all very nummy as I can imagine your beef and gravy will be.
BTW...I've never tried any of them types of rice...I'm a chunky tater gal myself ;)
Have a great day and enjoy your Sunday cookin' my friend!
Love YOU!
Hi Diane - I noticed your comments on Micheal Manning's blog and your smile is so warm and welcoming that I had to come say hi.
Now that I'm here I'm getting very hungry. I don't cook as much as I'd like since I work so many hours but my daughter-in-law loves new recipes and techniques so I'll share what I learn here with her.
Have a wonderful dinner.
Actually, I kind of prefer to buy an inexpensive roast and cut it up for stew. Sometimes pre-packaged stew meat leaves a lot to be desired.
OK, this will crack you up. I've never heard of jasmine rice. That's probably because I usually just grab the Minute Rice or if I've feeling really frisky, wild rice. So I'll be looking for that. I shop at Wal-Mart - bet I'll find it there.
Hope you're feeling OK and that cold isn't getting any worse. And I hope you have a nice week.
xoxo
We had steak of lamb and Diane had marinaded it soooo well - and then Brussels sprout and potatoes - all tasted sooo good!
Thanks for your visit and comments and hugs and you get the same worm wished back from Diane and me :-)
Btw: Could you do me a favour: I'm nominated for Santa's Blog of the Day. May I ask for a voting hand?
Hi Diane,
I hope you are having a good Sunday. I love your menu except for the beef. I don't like beef, and everyone tells me there's something wrong with me, lol.
Speckled butter beans are my favorite. Can I come to your house for supper in case you have left overs?
Italian green beans are my favorite green beans, too. I cook those all the time. This week Kroger has them for a $1.00 a pound package.
Have a good week.
Your Sunday dinner sounds great Diane and I'm sure it was!! I went to a Chinese Restaurant. It was okay. My husband loves mussels and they are the only place in town that has them, so I brought him food home. He loved it!
Have a wonderful week!
Plans changed - we went to Wendy's! It was good to just be the two of us, and we got lazy. It was nice. Then I dozed in my recliner for most of the afternoon. A perfect Day of Rest.
Diane, I cooked a small roast, made a tossed salad and steamed some brocklie and squash. We had some left-overs that are already almost gone. Tonight I'll cook a chicken to go along with the salad and more veggies. Talk to ya later.
Diane,
We did leftovers Sunday because we really needed to eat all that food. today I'm doing beef. A round steak we got a very good deal on. I'll do pretty much the same thing you did, but I seasoned it with paprika, savory and garlic. And I ws too lazy to cut it up! I don't know what I'm having with it yet. Your beans sounded very good. I'm still trying to use up Christmas ham I already made a pot of baby limas.
I am praying for you. You are on my list, and so is Emmy. Please keep us posted on your progress.
Nancy
Ham and mashed potatoes with stuffing balls and deviled eggs! :o)
Wowwwwwww...you cooked 2 Sundays in a row??? hehe You knew that was coming! lol I cooked a roast beef and had it with mashed potatoes, carrots and gravy. I often buy a cheap roast and slice it up thin...add onions, salt, pepper, water and bouillon cubes...and let it simmer in oven for a few hours. Then I serve it on long grain rice. So, very similar to what you were making:-) It's soooo good. I've never heard of the rice you mentioned, as well as speckled butter beans...this is when you realize how very different some of our foods are!! Take care my friend, love ya! xoxo
Diane: I could see you on a local cable show with your cooking and great personality!
Diane,
You're right about buying a roast and cutting it up yourself. It saves a lot of money. Stewing beef is VERY expensive here. I do the same thing.
Your Sunday dinner sounds so delicious. I do know that groceries are much more reasonable in the US south than they are here.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my blog.
Blessings,
Mary
I am going to take your advice and compare prices of stew meat and the roast. I am not big about cooking, but I do appreciate tips. I probably cook two major meals a week and eat leftovers, heat soups, bake pizza, or bake/nuke frozen foods.
I do like to make a stew with veggies in a creamy gravy from cream of mushroom soup.
Have a great week.
Yummy- sounds delicious!!
I've added you to the Blogaholics Anonymous Blogroll. Welcome to the club! Livin' With Me
YUUUUMMMMMYYYY!!
Good Morning Diane,
Thanks for your prayers and sweet comments. This morning I am up and moving very slowly...however, I'm on my way to being recharged.LOL!
I have you on my prayer list. My your day be filled with many blessings.
(((HUGS)))
Angela
Just a little late for Sunday dinner but my oh my I got a hankerin' for your beef and gravy over rice hon! I have some round steak frozen from our last processed bull that needs using. Think I will pull it out and make up some of Diane's beef and rice for supper tonight! It's cold and snowy today, this will sure hit the spot! You are in my prayers dear...hope you are feeling better. Love, Jen
Yum...sounds so delicious, and yes, I agree that Basmati rice is the most flavorful! I bought a couple of those roasts when they were on sale too, and I'm cooking one right now for dinner (that would be supper to you) tonight. It's a bitterly cold day here and roast/mashed potatoes sounds so good and warm and cozy!
Hope you're having a great week! I'm working on my questions, and the one you asked me is next!
Love,
Mer
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