Recipe: Ropa Vieja

Here's a quick shot of the Ropa Vieja I made in the slow cooker! It was seriously amazing, the juices were so tasty and the meat so tender!  Best of all, it's an EASY one. (If you've been following for a while then you already know "most" of my recipes have "easy" in the title.) This classic Cuban dish is one of our favorites and until now it was one we only ate when dining out. I came upon this recipe during one of our many trips to Home Depot last weekend. I picked up Taste of Home's Special Edition Ultimate Slow Cooker Cookbook. I glanced at a few recipes and muttered aloud, " I kinda want this." Honey chirps, " Get it!" So since we were in the "Self Check Out" lane I scanned the "book", which is more like a magazine. BLEEP! $9.99 flashed on the screen! " Well dang, that's an expensive magazine," he said. "You better make every recipe in there!" Thus this winter begins: Felicity's Slow Cooker Recipe Write Ups!

 Easy Ropa Vieja Stew

2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast (cut in half)
1 large onion chopped
1 large green pepper chopped
1 Serrano pepper, seeded, minced
1 large can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup of water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 cup of chopped pimento stuffed olives
2 tbls of minced fresh cilantro
4 cloves of garlic minced


Cut meat in half place in crock pot. Chop all onions, garlic, peppers. Open the can of diced tomatoes, soak the bouillon cubes in the water add salt and pepper. Now add all that to the crock pot. Set on low and cook for 6 - 8 hours. In my case, make it the night before, put it in the fridge and in the morning before work turn it on. Forget about it! 6 - 8 hours later, carefully, remove meat from pot set on plate and shred with fork. Now add fresh minced cilantro and chopped olives and replace shredded beef into pot. Make some rice and black beans. You may choose to serve it as a stew, or use small bowls for each side; rice, then beans, the Ropa Vieja and let the guest decide how they want to blend the flavors!!

I can only hope I didn't massacre our Cuban friends traditional dish! Let me know how you like it if you decide to make your own Ropa Vieja.

Buen provecho! ;)

"Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!"

While perfecting my "stewardess" skills I learned to take FULL advantage of our $limitless food budget$ and practice cooking - FOR REAL!   I practiced making meatballs with a mixture of ground turkey and pork instead of red meat. I practiced using all types of veggies like Butternut Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Kale (sauteed & raw), and even made Mashed Cauliflower as a replacement for Mashed Potatoes!

The first time I baked a whole chicken, it came out beautiful, and juicy,(surprise!) the second time I was in a rush and didn't let it fully defrost (FAIL)! The third time I did so well, I even made broth from the leftover carcass. I was feeling pretty Betty Crocker-ish!;) But nothing felt better than utilizing my skills at home! This weekend it was Chicken Dinner & Pot Roast, both meals I have completely conquered!

Cooking on board can be a challenge but like many things it's ALL in your mind. Think about what you want to make, get your ingredients and tools together and give yourself plenty of time. Just do it! Your crew will thank you!

Recycled Blog Posts! For the girls...

So I got to thinking (trouble, right?!) with this whole "Green" revolution going on that maybe I should "do my  part!" Only instead of recycling plastics, I'm recycling blog posts. Since this is a "new" blog,  many of our readers haven't read some of our stories from S/V San San, our last boat. AND since I'm short on time this saves me, yet keeps you all entertained!;) BONUS!

The cool thing is that even though this post originated from our sailboat days, it still applies to any boat/home and has even been enhanced a bit...

Thanks to Pinterest, I have been able to categorize all my favorite ideas in one place, like a virtual cork board! Therefore, whenever I want to show my handyman an idea I have for storage or in the galley, I just log on a VOILA! Check out my profile and see if there's anything you like, and if you would like to have a Pinterest account of your own, email me and I'll send you an invite. Oh yea, it's like that!;)

My girl friend came to visit and was totally impressed with this idea. It’s a great space saver! I bought this canvas shoe rack from Bed, Bath & Beyond, way back when. I wish I could claim this idea as my own but I gathered it from The Best Tips From Women Aboard. The book is packed with tons of helpful ideas for living aboard and I refer to it often!

Inside the canvas pockets I keep all kinds of girlie goodies, like lotions and creams. There are pumice stones, hair oils, patchouli, lavender, and almond oils, a sleep mask, ear plugs, tweezers, toe nail clippers, combs, hair clips and bands, aloe, nail polish, cotton balls and q-tips. Just because we come out here and live in swamp country or sandy land, does NOT mean we have to give up the once and a good while treats like a facial, polish, scrub or rub down.

There is plenty of time to apply and remove polish, plenty of time to pluck those stray hairs and plenty of time to twist your hair into a braid. One of the things I express to my friends that are new to cruising is the ability to still let yourself feel feminine. This is a tough environment, you will be sun burned, scratched, bitten and contorted in all kinds of ways while working and living on your boat.  So take time to make yourself feel pretty once in a while. And if your like me with a daughter, this makes for good Mommy/Daughter bonding time.

 You have worked hard to get to this dream of cruising and although the nuts and bolts are important, keep some things for yourself. Enjoy it because after all, Girls Rule and Boys WILL Drool! What things to you have on board to pamper yourself with?

Check out these other cool ways to store stuff onboard.

This would work well on a wall in the head.

Got a hanging locker? Maximize space like this!

Last one, I promise...

Reuse those egg cartons for delicate items like Holiday ornaments! GREEN!!!

Wishing you your own felicity.

Recipe: Cheesy Beef Pie

Thanks to a very special blog follower for this recipe. I made it Wednesday night for the family and they loved it! There was talk of substituting the mushroom but I just omitted them altogether. This is a delicious dinner and one slice of pie with a light salad or in our case a side of fresh green beans, will certainly fill you up.

Want to try it out for your self? Here's the recipe, please let me know what you think!

Cheesy Beef Pie

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup snipped parsley
1 - 3 oz can chopped or sliced mushrooms drained (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp dried oregano crushed
2 pkgs refrigerated crescent rolls (8 in each)
3 eggs
6 slices sharp American Cheese

Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

First, saute up some onions until translucent and add the ground beef. Drain the icky fat. Add tomato sauce, parsley and oregano (mushrooms if you like). Set aside.

Second, open 1 package of rolls. Place the sections of dough together to form a rectangle. Pinch the sections together so as to create a whole bottom pie crust, lay it down in your pan. I smashed the dough down in the pan and rounded out the edges as needed. this part made me feel like a big goof!

Now, take you eggs and beat them scrambled. Then brush the yolky goodness over the dough. Spoon the meat mix into the pie shell. Add slices of cheese on top. Spread the more egg mixture over the cheese. Roll out the second package of dough same as before only place it on top of and leave some escape hatches to let out the steam! Brush top layer of crusts with yolk that remains.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. 10 minutes into the 55 minute total add tin foil over your pie so it doesn't get too dark!

Bon Appetit!

Makes 6 servings. (We ate it for 2 days!)

Oven has arrived!

The second delivery of the stove was much better! I was called prior to the driver dropping it off, I ran down the street from work to receive it and when I had him open the box up it looked great! So last night we easily carried it down the steps to the galley and tucked it in nicely to the space where the old stove used to be. Isn't she pretty? We haven't come up with a name for her yet but imagine the more we get to know her the name will manifest.

Now we just need to get some hoses and fitting and hooked up the propane system. I think it's safe to say as early as this weekend I will be a baking fool! Here is another shot of the whole galley, I think it really looks great! I am so happy and thankful and proud to see things coming together in this way for us! Now, whose coming to dinner?!