Mexican Beef Tips. Slow down & eat.

My printer (in my usual techNo-Nological stupor) is offline, perhaps permanently. Not knowing where else to keep this recipe, I am putting it here.

It is a good one to keep, practical and easy. It was in the Deseret News' ridiculous food section in November. Look! It doesn't call for breakfast cereal, Pillsbury products OR re-formed frozen cheesecake! (No joke, Valerie Phillips often calls for those ingredients.) Credit needs to be given to Alicia Ross and Beverly MILLS (real name?) of the Desperation Dinners syndicated column.

MEXICAN BEEF TIPS

FLEXIBLE: Serve shredded over/in/with lettuce, cheese, rice or chips for nacho, burritto or quessidilla filling/topping.

Makes about 10 cups beef and liquid.

Note: The beef will hold on low in the slow cooker for up to two hours before serving. Or prepare beef completely up to 48 hours ahead and refrigerate. Then rewarm on the stove top over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until heated through, or place in the slow cooker on low for 45 minutes to an hour or until heated through. You may cool the beef completely and freeze it (with cooking liquid) in an airtight container for two to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat according to the directions above.

• 41/2 lb. extra-lean beef tips for stew

• 1 tbsp. chili powder

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• 1 tsp. onion powder

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• 2 (14.5 oz. each) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (or regular stewed tomatoes plus 1/2 tsp. additional cumin and garlic powder)

Directions: Place the beef tips in the bottom of a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, onion powder and garlic powder over the beef. Add both cans of tomatoes, with their juices, pouring them directly over the tips. Cover the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Stir well, and serve immediately, or store according to the directions in the Note above.

Variation: Stove-top method

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 41/2-quart or larger Dutch oven or soup pot. Brown the beef tips for about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the spices and both cans of tomatoes, and cover the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer the beef for 31/2 hours or until the beef cubes are so tender that they fall apart. Stir and check the liquid level periodically, and add water to keep moist but not soupy.

Nutrition information per 1/4-cup serving: Calories 76 Fat 3 g Sodium 86 mg, Carbohydrates 2 g Saturated fat 1 g Protein 10 g, Cholesterol 31 mg, Dietary fiber 0 g

I think it is Wednesday.

I realize there are a few of you out there who pop in to see what I might post here. Sorry to say that I am going NUTS this week with meetings. For some reason Margo's pre-schools think she is appliyng for a job at the FBI and needs a complete physical; they must have the DOCTOR'S SIGNATURE! She also needs her hard-working single mom (C is in China for 10 days, J said, "Oh yeah, I forgot Dad is on vacation!") to go to 4 meetings in ONE week for USDB. What the hell is this all about? Margo is a special case so I have her in two pre-schools, one so that she can be with hearing children on a regular basis. That school also had a parent orientation. I am on a rant. I have to sign papers each time I pick her up or drop her off. STICKERS! I need to sign papers in case they take her picture. I have to fill out car-pool papers, copy birth certificates, treat (100% junk food) approval forms... I'M NOT JOKING. This paper/school crap is making me reconsider home-schooling.

On another front... my house, one scrap of trash and paper and art supply at a time is coming together. The painting is done. Now I need to move back in. I'd just like to make my bed and put clean laundry away! Can't, gotta get ready for another meeting.

R is for Recylcing, Darling.

Truly, this photo was taken of my kitchen counter.

Ugh. When I was young , let alone when my grandparents were young, we didn't have 3 feet of hand out and insipid cut-out paper projects coming home every week. Perhaps we did one or two creative projects every few months, especially for holidays. Why? WHY?! Do children need to do so many "crafts?" Do they really learn anything from them? Why manufacture clutter for families?

Actually this picture is from a cool site from the Recycling Coalition of Utah. Check it out here.

Last year my birthday fell on recycling day. It was a happy day. They picked up twice! Shortly after that I ordered a second recycling can. They are picked up every other week. Still no glass though, drat. I used to drive my papers to the school, my tin cans to a friend's house, glass to SLC... Our other can is usually less than half full.