Borscht - per request!

Classic Ukrainian Borscht from: Please to the Table - A Russian Cookbook
STOCK:
1½ lb. beef chuck, shank or flank
1 meaty ham bone (about 1 lb.)
2 beef marrow bones (about 1 lb.)
3 qts. water
1 onion
1 carrot, peeled
2 medium sized parsnips, peeled
1 rib celery with leaves
Bouquet garni (3 dill sprigs, 3 parsley sprigs, 4 bay leaves and 10 black peppercorns tied in a cheesecloth bag)
salt, to taste

SOUP:
2 large beets (about 1¼ lb.)
4 med. sized boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 lb. fresh, ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 can (16 oz.) plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
salt, to taste
¼ c. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into julienne
1 large green pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 c. shredded green cabbage
¼ c. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
3 Tbs. tomato paste
5-6 pitted dried prunes, chopped (I use 1 container of baby food prunes!)
1 tsp. sugar or to taste
freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley, plus additional for garnish
3 Tbs. chopped fresh dill, plus additional for garnish
sour cream


1. Preheat oven to 375º.  
2. In a large soup pot, bring the meat, bones and water to a boil over high heat, periodically skimming off the foam as it rises to the top.
3. Add remaining stock ingredients and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, until the meat is tender, at least 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, wash and dry the beets and wrap each one separately in aluminum foil.  Bake the beets until tender, 1¼ hours.
5. Allow the beets to cool until manageable, then stem, and peel them and cut into julienne or fine dice.
6. When the stock is ready, removed the beef, ham bone, and marrow bones, and set all but the marrow bones aside (I feed the meat to the dog!)  Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pot and discard all the solids.
7. Bring the stock to a boil, add the potatoes and tomatoes (if using fresh),  and season with salt.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
8. While the vegetables are cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot, and green pepper and saute over medium heat until the onion and green pepper are slightly softened, 5 minutes.  Stir in the cabbage and continue to saute the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is softened, 10 minutes more.  Add the vegetables to the soup.
9. Sprinkle the beets with ¼ c. lemon juice and add them to the soup.  Stir the soup an d simmer, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes.  
10. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste and prunes.  Season to taste with sugar, pepper and additional lemon juice and salt, if desired.  Simmer another 7 minutes.  
11. Cut the beef into bite-size pieces and scrape all the meat off the ham bone.  Add to the soup. (As I mentioned, I omit this step!!)
12. Remove the borscht from the heat and sprinkle with the minced garlic and parsley and dill.  Let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.  Serve garnished with additional chopped fresh herbs and pass the sour cream.  REALLY good after a day or two!

Happy Birthday, Coda!

We don't know Coda's exact birthdate, but the 17th of October seemed about right to the vet - 9 years ago!

Another good one worth remembering!

Whenever something starts to get you down, challenge yourself to remember why you're doing it. ~Ralph Marston (The Daily Motivator)

So, it's big time reading time, but I did like this from my pscyh book:

Those who strive for intimacy, personal growth and contribution to the community, experience a higher quality of life.

I know a company or two who could learn a thing or two from that!

Remembering...!

Aw! The Smiles!
 Introducing Aimee
 More about our time with Aimee
Sunday to Monday in Leavenworth
Notice the title of this one is NOT Good-bye!

How about a quick catch-up!

Well, a lot has happened since I last posted here.  Let's see...we've had some AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, WARM late summer days!!  So incredibly awesome!!!  It was so worth the wait to have some nice weather!  I'm currently out on the front deck writing this as the evening finally cools down.  I'm also out here for another reason, but I'll tell you about that a little later.

Next up...hm...school's officially halfway back in session.  By halfway I mean that the high school portion has begun.  Tiana is now a junior and as such she is also eligible for Running Start at the local community college.  That would be the same college that her mother attends!! Hee!Hee!!  The Running Start portion of her day doesn't get underway until the 20th.  We're both quite excited for that day to get here I think!  For now it means an incredibly crazy schedule for her because she's not allowed to stay on the high school campus if she doesn't have class.  Things are a bit tight for her to get home, and then back to the school if I'm not here to give her a ride.  She'll get to try out the bus system tomorrow!  So, public school session started on Wednesday -the same day that necessitates me being outside where I can keep an eye on Coda.

Click for more pictures

After I helped out at the school with schedule distribution I came home, picked up the happy, clueless pooch and took him to the vet.  He's had a mass growing on his belly and it has grown rather large rather quickly and it was determined that maybe it would be best to have it removed.  So began a fitful day of worrying and waiting anxiously for the call from the vet.  I know you don't understand that worry if you don't have a furbaby, but...! (Sis, that's for you!!)  Anyway, we finally picked him up about 3:45 and that was when I just about cried!  Poor baby was SOOOO loopy and out of it!  His tongue was all dried and folded and hanging out of his mouth.  All he could do was attempt to stand up and cry.  He made it into the car but we had a hard time getting him back out.  When he did finally get out of the car, he just collapsed on the front lawn and didn't move until MUCH later!  I've never felt like such a horrible "mom"!!  He was so bad off that Kent stayed home from Bible Study with him!  He finally "woke up" at about midnight which left us with a pretty sleepless night.  He was wandering and whimpering and so confused and in a lot of pain and couldn't get comfortable.  Now, 4 days later, he's his usual perky, spunky self, but he's also healing and itching and wanting to lick his wound.  That means he's now got to have a cone on or be watched like a hawk so he doesn't lick his incision!  He's already possibly battling an infection so it's best to watch him!  It will be so nice when his belly hair grows back!

Today was the last day of work for another shift supervisor.  For the last three who've left I've granted them a treat request.  For Kate I made a rhubarb pie, for Seann it was cinnamon rolls and for Kourtney it was Turtle Cheesecakes.  I melded two recipes and WOW!!!!  What a pain they were, but soo worth it!!  I used my favorite Individual Cheesecake recipe and the Ultimate Turtle Cheesecake recipe and made 18 cheesecakes!  Definitely a keeper recipe!!

So, there you have it.  Pretty much what we've been up to in the last while.  There have been odd trips downtown.  Once to see a friend play his first game as quarterback for his high school -- BUT at the pro football field, and once just because it's been a long time since we went downtown.