1 pound stew beef, cut into bite sized pieces

1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon olive oil or butter

1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup beef broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

In a medium skillet, saute onion in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Mix seasonings in a medium bowl. Add beef and toss well to coat.

Add beef to skillet. Cook 5 minutes, turn and cook 5 more minutes. Add broth and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Approximately 7 minutes before the end of cooking time, remove 1/4 cup of broth from skillet and place in a small  bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch to broth in bowl, whisk to combine. Increase heat to medium-high, add broth back into skillet. Stir for 2 minutes.Taste and adjust for seasoning, if needed.

Tips: Serve with rice, noodles, mashed potatoes or biscuits.

Chicken paws! Wtf! You know you live in the ghetto when the supermarket sells oddly named animal parts.

Michael and I hit Vinnie’s an hour before they closed. Oh, the pressure! We found this handmade cabinet. It had just been put out on the sales floor and was priced at a very affordable $6.95.

I’m not sure where this was used, but it was filthy and odoriferous! (A thorough cleaning with Mr. Clean with Febreeze remedied that.)

I wish I had room for this one my desk. I could finally get organized! I think I will repaint it (it’s currently in the style of “Ye Olde Garage”), make a cushion and use it as a footstool with storage. It can house all the remotes, magazines, notepads, pens, etc that always get left laying around.

Now, let’s see how long it takes me to actually do it!

I started with cheddar zucchini wedges made with homemade baking mix and Farmer’s Market zucchini.

I moved on to a plum, apple, peach crisp. The extremely juicy plums were 50c a pound at the Farmer’s Market.

And I finished off the night with whole grain pizzas with fresh tomato sauce.

I get such joy out of preparing healthy, homemade food that costs a fraction of the price of chemical-laden processed food. I’m a food snob, but in a good way.

Michael and I wanted to spend some time outside, but we didn’t want to spend any money. I packed a picnic lunch and we headed to Mishawaka’s Riverwalk.

The geese had been contentedly standing on the falls, but proceeded to menace us when they realized we had food. They advanced on us like hungry zombies until Michael verbally threatened to bean one with his backpack. Go eat someone else’s chicken salad sandwiches!

There were only a  few families with dogs and a few old men fishing in the midday sun. Smell that fresh St. Joe River air!

Michael and I headed down to the beach. And by beach, I mean garbage-strewn, loose rock covered patch of dirt. Michael picked up a seashell (rivershell?). I had no idea that the St. Joe had mollusks! We collected half a ziptop baggie of shells in all sizes and colors.

Michael tried to catch one of the many crayfish hanging out on the rocks in the shallows. They were too wiley and too quick.

This guy was, apparently, not fast enough.

The empty exoskeleton was completely intact. Poor guy. (Is anyone else thinking lobster?)

Collecting shells and studying water-dwelling creatures together turned our trip to the nearby Riverwalk into a day of wonder and discovery. (And left me craving a shrimp cocktail.)