The difficulty that I have when it comes to canning is multi-tasking.  Normally I'm a decent multi-tasker.  Not great.  Not twenty-balls-in-the-air kind of multi-tasking but maybe five balls.  The strange thing is when I start canning the ability to multi-task gets flung out the window and I'm completely and utterly enveloped, distracted and obsessed with the process going on right in front of me.
I don't eat.
I don't talk.
I don't listen to music (that's a big one).
I don't answer the phone (not so big).
I don't cook.
This leaves certain other people who live in the same house as I do in a bit of difficulty.  First problem: Although I'm not the only person who cooks here, I am the primary person.  Things just get thrown off when I'm not kind of delegating at the very least.  Second Problem:  Canning takes up space, both counter and stove and even oven sometimes.  In order to eat food must be prepared - even if it's just toast - and I'm in the way, standing, stirring, staring into the pot enraptured by the bubbles.
A couple of weeks ago, while doing the tomatoes, I didn't eat for the whole day.  Finally, at about 8pm,  it was just kid #2 and I.  I broke my roll and walked out to pick up a pizza and bring it home.  Kid #2 ate more pizza than I'd even seen him eat before and I'm not too embarrassed to tell you that I ate almost a whole medium pizza by myself.  That's just how it gets.  Today I'm finishing up some blueberry and gooseberry jam and making some tomatillo salsa.  Uh Oh.
I've determined to try to improve.  If I can prepare ahead then, even if I don't eat, the rest of the clan can  fill their belly's with something good.  This recipe is a great make ahead because it actually improves with age.  It's a kind of mishmash of ingredients but it ended up being 'interesting' enough for the adults and 'not interesting' enough for the kids.


I'm not sure where your multi-tasking limit is.  I'm learning.  Learning limits is hard and sometimes painful.  When it comes to the food stuff though this dish made things a lot less painful.  I'm going to go now and finish up some jars now and all the while I'll be trying to get my brain off the idea that a couple of more bushels of tomatoes would get me loads of ketchup and salsa for the year (what is wrong with me - two weeks ago I never wanted to see jars and tomatoes and funnels again).  The Fam will be chowing down on this awesome food.  Happy All Around.


Beef and Orzo Bake adapted from BBC GoodFood Magazine
serves 4 - 6

1 lb stewing beef (or lamb which would be even better)
2-3 tbsp lemon juice (I used one lemon)
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 heaping tbsp grainy mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 good pinches of pepper
2 cinnamon sticks about 2 - 3 inches long each (do not use ground cinnamon for this one)
1/2 cup onion, thickly sliced
3 cloves garlic, quartered
1 1/2 red pepper, thickly sliced
1/2 tsp (1 good pinch) saffron
1/3 cup ketchup
3 cups fresh tomato, chopped
2 cups chard, chopped
1 2/3 cup orzo
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup parmesan, grated


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a heavy baking dish - one that has a lid -  (I used one of the Le Creuset Dutch oven thingy's - I got it from a yard sale) add the beef, lemon, Worcestershire, Honey, grainy mustard, salt, pepper, cinnamon sticks, onion and garlic.  Mix so that the beef is well coated.  Cover and roast for about 30 minutes - everything should be bubbling well and smell great.
Remove from the oven.
Add in the the rest of the ingredients but save half of the parmesan.  Again, mix well so that the orzo is mixed into everything and the liquid should cover everything.
Cover and bake again for 15 minutes.  Remove the cover, sprinkle the other half of the parmesan on top and bake uncovered for another 15 - 20 minutes.  Test to make sure that the orzo is done.  It should be bubbly and the cheese just browning.
Remove from the oven and cool for about 15 minutes before serving.