Could it be the cooler weather? Or perhaps just a post-pregnancy craving? Either way, I mentioned this stew to the owner of The Black Chicken Wine Cellar the other day and I'm posting the recipe so all can enjoy the tasty goodness known as Braised Beef Stew. Serves 12 4.5-5 lbs of boneless beef chuck cut into 2 inch pieces (sometimes I ask the butcher to do it for me, but always ask with a smile!) 2 tbsp olive oil 3 carrots washed and quartered 3 celery ribs washed and quartered 2 medium onions peeled and quartered 1 garlic head halved 3 tbsp tomato paste 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1 bottle dry red wine 2 Turkish bay leaves 5 sprigs fresh thyme 3 cups beef broth 3 cups water Later: 2 1/2 lbs. red potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces 1 1/2 lbs. carrots peeled and sliced diagonally 1/2 inch thick 3-4 cups beef broth Dry and season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy bottom 6-8 quart pot (Le Creuset is best!) and brown meat in batches so as not to crowd- about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to a platter. Add carrots, celery, onions and garlic until well browned- about 12 minutes. Push veggies to side and add tomato paste until warmed and distributed. Add vinegar and cook 2 minutes. Add wine, bay leaves, thyme and boil 10 minutes. Add broth, water, meat and juices collected on platter. Cover and braise in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. Put a colander in a large bowl, pour stew into colander and remove meat and discard remaining solids. Let cooking liquid in bowl stand for 10 minutes. Return meat, fresh veggies (under Later section) and liquid into pot-add more broth to ensure everything is covered under liquid. Simmer uncovered 40 minutes. Excellent if made 1 day ahead, allowed to cool and then re-warmed on stovetop. Serve with crusty baguette and good wine and lots of napkins!
This is one of my new favorites....I'd make it every other night if I could because it's soooo easy and looks and tastes soooo good. The recipe is from Real Simple Feb 2011.
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled
2 large shallots, chopped
1 5 oz package of baby spinach
Fit your food processor with the coarse grating disk and grate sweet potatoes. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non‐stick skillet over medium‐high heat. Add the shallots and cook until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and cook tossing occasionally, until tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, tossing until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas weekend! I had a house full of guests and food, and was nursing a nasty head cold at the same time. So I did what any graceful host would do....I took some cold meds, put on a smile and made a big pot of Chicken Noodle Soup.....which ended up being more popular than the ham and other tasting treats. So here is the recipe, nothing is exact, so make it your own!
Roast 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper in a hot oven. Allow to cool slightly and then shred with 2 forks into bite size pieces.
In heavy bottom stock pot saute 2 small onions that have been small diced in some olive oil. Add chopped celery (3 stalks), and chopped carrots (3-4). Season lightly with salt and add 2 bay leaves. Cook until veggies are tender. Add 12 cups of water and 3 tbsp chicken base (Better Than Bouillon brand is good). Allow to simmer and add some thyme, rosemary and parsley (fresh is best, but dried will work too.)
Meanwhile in large mixing bowl add 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, a pinch of salt and 2 eggs. Mix until just combined and turn out onto a floured board. Knead slightly if necessary, flatten and roll out as thin as possible. Cut strips by hand about 1/2 inch thick and no longer than 3 inches. When soup is simmering add chicken and then drop noodles in by small handfuls, make sure the noodles don't clump.
Let soup simmer on low for a minimum of 30 minutes so noodles cook through. Season to taste with fresh pepper and more salt if necessary. Reheat leftovers on stovetop for best results.
I'm making this peanut sauce for dinner tonight and putting it over noodles (angel hair) with grilled chicken, grilled red bell pepper and some fresh crispy cucumbers! I'm so excited about dinner I just have to share this recipe for the peanut sauce with you....it's fool-proof and best of all if you make a double batch it's yummy in my tummy on fresh veggies!
Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 Tbsp. Rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 garlic cloves crushed
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. fresh ginger minced
1/2-2/3 cup water
Combine all ingredients except water and heat, when sauce begins to form add water slowly to desired consistency. Keep in mind after it comes of the heat it hardens a bit.
I can think of nothing better on a hot day than sitting poolside with a cool glass of fruity sangria. I have a to-die-for recipe that I'm often asked about, so here it is!
6-Fruit Sangria
Ingredients:
1 bottle of sweet Italian Red wine (I use a sparkling version from Trader Joes)
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup triple sec
1/2 cup sugar
1 orange, wedged
1 apple, wedged
1 lime, wedged
1 red apple, wedged
1 peach, wedged
1 cup strawberries, halved
1 bottle club soda
Combine all ingredients, except club soda, in glass container and refrigerate for at least 48 hours. Stir and add club soda before serving. Pour into a glass filled with ice and scoop in some of the soaked fruit for a garnish.
**Watch out, it's strong!**
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to salad season! I get so excited when it warms up and all you want for dinner is a big salad and cold glass of white wine! The other day I was simply dying for a salad and created this out of what I had in the fridge....and I must say, it was amazing! It's a marriage between caprese and bacon and blue cheese salads.....I'm just calling it Yummy.
I don't have measurements for anything, it's a make as much as you want or need salad, I put everything in a metal mixing bowl and toss, then served on pretty plates.
Ingredients:
Romaine lettuce in bite size pieces
Mixed spring greens
Crisp bacon (I used turkey bacon)
Mozzarella cheese (sliced)
Fresh tomotoes
Basil (sliced)
Blue cheese dressing-I love the Yogurt-based Maries brand
Fresh ground pepper
It's cold and rainy today, something I hate on a Sunday morning, but I will prevail with the help of my big weekend breakfast! Almost every weekend since we were gifted with a professional-grade waffle iron for our wedding we have made Belgian Waffles for breakfast. There is something so fantastically homey about the smell of fresh waffles, and it's truly a decadent treat so few people indulge in on a regular basis. I love our waffle maker so much we have hosted 'waffle breakfasts' for as many as 20 people! It's just so easy and everyone loves every morsel, so I thought I would share with you my secrets for a perfect waffle bar. 1. Get thee a good waffle maker....I'm talking big, industrial and self-timing. 2. Test a few brands of waffle mix (this is no time to fumble with homemade when the mixes are just fine.) I personally have prefer the Krusteaz brand. 3. Conjure up a plethora of toppings; the standard Maple Syrup (real please!) is always a crowd pleaser, but encourage new and adventurous waffle maniacs with a strawberry sauce, whip cream, powdered sugar, bananas with cinnamon, peaches, chocolate chips and bacon (yes, chocolate chips and crispy bacon are an amazing combination, trust me.) 4. Set up everything in an easily accessible area so each guest can 'top' there waffle just as it comes off the presses. The one downside to waffle breakfast is that the waffle maker can only make 1 waffle at a time, so have a mimosa bar set up so guests can sip and enjoy their wait. Also, make sure once each guest partakes immediately and doesn't wait for everyone else to eat....
I just got this recipe from a friend who has excellent taste! I haven't made it yet, but I just know it's fabulous! It makes me want to Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup cold butter
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- FILLING:
- 1 package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Remove 1 cup and set aside. To the remaining crumbs, add baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the sour cream, egg and almond extract, mix well. Spread in the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan.
- For the filling, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg in a small bowl until blended. Pour over batter, spoon raspberry jam on top. Sprinkle with almonds and reserved crumbs.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen, remove sides from pan.
In the mid-west we call anything that is made in a sheet pan a 'bar'--it may be of cake consistency but it usually gets the 'bar' title. So calls these bars, or if you want to serve them for a nice event, change it to cake....either way you will be asked for the recipe! The key to this recipe is to use the ugliest bananas possible. In my house when bananas start to go black I just throw them into the freezer, and take them out to make this recipe, after the defrost they are the perfect consistency.
1/2 cup butter softened
2 cups all purpose flour
3 eggs
2 cups mashed bananas (about 3)
1 tsp good vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl, beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla. In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt through a sifter. Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture.
Transfer into a greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes, do not overcook, test the middle with a toothpick. While cooling, make frosting.
8 oz fat free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp good vanilla extract
1 mashed banana
Beat cream cheese and butter in medium sized bowl, add sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth. Pour onto bars when they are still slightly warm, put into refrigerator to allow frosting to set. Keep covered and cool.
Yields about 3 dozen. For showers and parties I like to cut these into triangles, simple cut into 4 in squares, then slice diagonally across. It's a pretty shape on platters and easier to pick up with hands or cake lifter.
So some of you can tell I've been on a Mexican kick lately (could it be caused by the sale on avocados?) I created this marinade last weekend and have been craving it ever since: 3 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin2 cloves of garlic, crushed 2 Tbsp lemon juice 3 Tbsp orange juice 2 packets of Sazon seasoning (as mentioned in Amazing Black Beans, found in International aisle in a box.) 2 tsp crushed red pepper 1/4 cup olive oil Put all ingredients, except chicken in non-reactive bowl (glass or plastic) and mix well (like you are making a dressing). Put chicken in and cover all sides of chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning chicken at least twice so it absorbs all the goodness. Grill on a preheated grill until done. Note: when chicken is pounded thin, it cooks faster, absorbs more marinade and is easier to eat in fajitas. Serve with sautéed peppers, onions, fresh salsa, black beans, sour cream, cilantro, guacamole on warm flour tortillas.
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