Following the BTD and making wonderful meals from our lists of beneficial and neutrals is such a blessing. Usually I just comment on the content of what I’ve made for dinner without elaboration. So, tonight I decided to elaborate a bit and give you some additional information.

Although beef is listed as a beneficial for us O’s, grass-fed or organically grown beef is so terribly expensive at $15-17 a pound. So, I buy primarily ground elk or buffalo (bison) and sometimes buffalo roasts or steaks. Until a second store decided to have the ground elk and buffalo as a stock item at $3.99 a pound, the price at the first store was $6.99 a pound for ground and more for the roasts and steaks. Now their prices have dropped to $4.49 for ground and $6.99 and up for roasts and steaks.

Last week I cooked up some quinoa for a side dish and followed their recipe that used crimini mushrooms, onions, and garlic with a touch of soy sauce. It was really very good, however, there was still quite a bit left over. So, in a rather creative mood, I used those leftovers mixed in with ground buffalo, more onion, eggs, oats, and some ketchup to make a nice meatloaf. I got great reviews on that one! It really had a super flavor.

Tonight I prepared rice, beef bouillon, and onions in my rice cooker. I steamed some fresh carrots with basil. The main dish was sliced buffalo round steak with onion pieces, crushed garlic, and two large, sliced portabella mushrooms sautéed with just a little soy sauce for flavoring and served over the rice. It was very flavorful and everybody enjoyed it, even my type A husband who does know he shouldn’t have red meat but does so regularly.

We returned to winter for a few hours yesterday when we received some fresh snow. It has pretty well melted today. The nighttime temperatures are still going into the lower 20’s and the daytime highs are in the mid-30’s to mid-40’s here. The annual migration of snow geese should arrive in 10-14 days. The northern region of the state is still seeing temperatures that are below zero. In fact, one day last week the low temperature at Chandalar Lake was -41 degrees! About 1/3 of Alaska is above the Arctic Circle, so it does take a while for that area to warm up for spring.

The bears have left their dens, now, and are on the lookout for fast and easy meals. A couple days ago, my daughter got a good whiff of one when she got out of her car at her house. The dog was making a low growl sound, his hackles were up, and he was looking into their woods. She quickly escorted the kids into the house where they all stayed for a while. We have bears around here, too, but haven’t seen or heard from any yet this spring. Actually, I hope we don’t, either.

Daylight saving time began this morning. What a waste that is for us. It does nothing to help conserve gas and oil, but does serve to get us up earlier “just cause” so we can be just like those in the lower 48. Never could figure out the “reasoning” behind that one.

Oh well. That’s about all for tonight. Till next time…