My name is Stephanie. I live right outside of Memphis, TN in a small town in AR. Not so very long ago, approximately three years, to be more exact, I was morbidly obese at 295 lbs and only 5' 2". It isn't surprising that this happened. I've always loved food. I've since lost 140 lbs, becoming a chronic dieter - obsessive with my food journal and calorie counts. This obsession doesn't really upset me; it's led me into far greater health and I'm far happier with my appearance. While my body has transformed, my love for food has matured and grown. I don't eat any less than I did before. I eat differently. I eat real food instead of fast-food, processed food. And I exercise a lot more. But, that's not something I really care to talk about. Food is my addiction. It always has been.
This is primarily going to be a way for me to look at my food habits in a less critical manner. Review what I've eaten in a more loving manner than calorie counts. Instead, I'll have recipes, menus, pictures, reviews, etc.
I'll begin with tonight's dinner, which I'll take a picture of later after it's done.
A classic cassoulet:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup salt
8 ounces chicken (bone in, skin on, cut of your choice; can also use duck)
1 1/2 Tbls canola oil
4 thick cut bacon slices, cut in 1/2 inch strips
3/4 lb beef roast (even the cheapest is fine, it will be tender when done. Can substitute lamb.)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup tomato puree
3 garlic cloves
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 lb beans (dry) or 4 cans beans, great northern. If using dry, soak overnight and boil for 2 hours when you begin cooking the rest of the cassoulet.
8 ounces italian sausage, sliced
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Directions:
1. Rub salt evenly over the chicken or duck, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. In the mean time, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Add bacon strips. Cook until crisp and then remove from pan. Increase heat to medium-high. Add beef/lamb to pan, cook until brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3.Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Rinse the chicken/duck with cold water. Pat dry. Add half skin side down, cook over medium heat for fifteen minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan. Repeat with remaining half. Remove from pan. Add onion and pepper. Cook seven minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in tomato puree and garlic. Cook one minute. Return beef/lamb to pan. Nestle chicken/duck into the lamb mixture. Add broth and water. Cover and bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 1/2 hours.
5. Remove chicken/duck from pan. Allow to sit long enough to be cool enough to handle. Remove skin. Cut into serving size portions, approximately six to eight pieces.
6. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Stir in half of the beans, add bacon and sausage and the chicken/duck. Add remaining half of beans. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top. Cook for an additional hour and ten minutes, covered. Remove cover, bake for twenty minutes.
This is, admittedly, a time consuming and not entirely cheap meal. That said, it is one of the most delicious things I've ever cooked and it does make enough that there are plenty of left-overs even if you go crazy and eat until you nearly burst.
