Monday, March 25, 2013

Vintage 2013

Portable Vineyard Vintage

Kids helped out with the Harvest for the Portable Vineyard Vintage this year, the pressing was a single handed affair.
result 7 liters of Pinot Noir and Shiraz blend- about 20-80%, and about 23 liters of the Foxey Garage Grapes
















Sunday, March 3, 2013

Slow Cooked Tacos


Slow Cooker Tacos
with appreciation and thanks to The D. Cajun, with paraphrasing thrown in,

Ingredients:
  1. chuck roast  [ OR chicken, pork or lamb leg] to suit number of people
  2. onion/s, 
  3. tomatoe/s, 
  4. enchiladas [fresh or jar
  5. Two teaspoons minced garlic [ or half a clove per person ]
  6. taco shells, 
  7. taco seasoning [Old El Paso taco kit which contains both the shells and taco seasoning] or a jar of Hot Salsa Sauce.
  8. half teaspoons of ground hot spices like Cumin/ Coriander/ Hot Cayenne Pepper/  hot paprika, and plenty of pepper
  9. good shake of Lowery's seasoning (if you can get it....)-
  10. 1/2 cup water or beef stock- adds a nice flavor. 
  11. quarter cup vinegar
  12. two teaspoon dark sugar
  13. pinto beans previously soaked for at least a day or can of refried beans
  14. a slow cooker.

Procedures
  1. dice up the onion/ tomato/ garlic and put it in the bottom of your slow cooker.
  2. place roast on top of the onions, 
  3. pour in half a cup stock or water over it all.
  4. cover meat with the spices, vinegar, sugar, enchilada and minced garlic and a packet of taco seasoning blend. 
  5. Add soaked beans 
  6. put the lid on, turn it to low, and go about your day. 
  7. try to mix it up periodically, and try to mash up towards the end
  8. These taco meats needs at least 8 hours on low in the slow cooker.  I usually start before bedtime, waking up to a strange smell in the kitchen that makes the mouth water.
  9. To finish off.  It will literally be falling apart.  Use 2 forks to shred the meat, and mash ingredients up.
About 20 minutes before you are ready to eat, prepare your taco fillings, taco shells or tortillas, sour cream, cheeses like Parmesan.