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Real Romance Begins at Home!

by on ‎02-11-2014 04:55 PM

You know I’m all about any holiday that gives me an excuse to whip up a batch of something totally scrumptious. And Valentine’s Day is no exception. But you might be surprised what’s on my menu for the day…Scotch Hash!


What…You were expecting some kind of chocolate-covered decadence? Of course, I always celebrate the big day with something sweet, too. But here’s the scoop on why Scotch Hash ranks as the most romantic meal on record in my book.


When my mom was just a cute, little 12-going-on-13-year-old girl, she spent her summer at White Lake Covenanter Camp in Upstate New York. The first time she spotted one handsome, young 14-year-old boy named George across the crowded campground, she turned to her best friend, Diane, and said, “I’m going to marry that boy.”


Wedding Photo


(You can’t make this stuff up! Diane is still one of my mom’s best friends to this day, and she swears it’s true!)


 


You have to hand it to my mom. She knows exactly what she wants! And of course, my father, George, was just as smitten.  So, naturally, I grew up hearing stories about the childhood sweethearts that grew up to be best friends. Not just hearing the stories over and over, but seeing proof of their true love every day.


Tara's parents


Sometimes it was my parents humming or singing bits of the doo wop song “Little Star” by The Elegants. That was “their song” when they were first dating, and I will always think of it as their special little musical valentine.


But most often I saw evidence of their love at mealtime. I’ve said before that no matter how busy we were, my mom always made sure we sat down together for a meal. That’s what inspired me to create Temp-tations. In our home, dinnertime was always a special time, but some days, it was extra special. Like when my mom made my dad’s favorite dish…you guessed it, Scotch Hash.


My dad came from Scottish heritage, so he loved the classic dishes of Scotland. And while I was never a huge fan of steak and kidney pie while I was a kid, we all loved Scotch Hash…and I especially loved seeing the huge smile on my dad’s face whenever my mom brought his favorite meal to the table. The way to his heart definitely involved Scottish comfort food!


Food


There’s so much talk about romance this time of year. But for me, it’s not about champagne and roses and big fancy meals. It’s about celebrating with the people you love in the ways they love best.


That’s the most important thing I learned about love from my parents, growing up. And it’s a lesson I celebrate every Valentine’s Day. Even though my dad’s no longer with us, all it takes is one bite of warm, comforting Scotch Hash to remind me what true love is all about.


Here’s the recipe that kept my parents’ love going strong.




“Dad’s Favorite” Scotch Hash


Shopping List


2 lbs ground beef


1 tsp curry powder


¾ tsp salt


1/8 tsp pepper


1 large onion, thinly sliced


¼ cup all purpose flour


2 cups beef broth


 


Instructions



  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

  2. In a large skillet over med-high heat, sauté ground beef, curry powder, salt and pepper until beef is almost entirely browned.

  3. Add onions and continue cooking until onions are translucent.

  4. Sprinkle flour over top and then pour in beef broth. Stir all to combine.

  5. Transfer to a 2.5 quart temp-tations baking dish and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until bubbly and thickened.


So that’s what I’ll be dishing out on Valentine’s Day (along with a little something sweet, of course). How about you? I can’t wait to hear about all the recipes that say true love to my Temp-tationistas.


Whatever you’re cooking up this February 14th, I just want to wish a Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!


XOXO


Tara


lovebirds