Beef Stew

I tweaked this recipe from the Food Network somewhat. I like to cut the beef cubes into smaller pieces. I peeled, cubed and boiled 5 potatoes till tender on top of the stove; not adding to the stew until I heat it up to serve. This way you may freeze the leftovers without mushy potatoes. I doubled the recipe; as Whole Foods have large packages of stew meat for sale. Always good to have extra in the freezer. Thinking without potatoes the stew could be a base for other meals; example with green chili or cooked egg rice noodles... The beef is very tender; which is the only way I enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoon EVOO
• 3.30 pounds stew meat ( patted dry and cut in 1" cubes)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
• 2 teaspoons BAM! (blog: 2/28/13)
• 6 ounce tomato paste
• 1 15 oz can stewed tomato
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 32 ounce beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 large zucchini, shredded or 1 leek, sliced
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

 Combine the salt, pepper and BAM! season the beef cubes. Set a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Brown the beef in 3 batches adding reserved olive oil as you go. About 2-3 minutes per side. 

Add the spices to the tomato paste and stewed tomatoes: combine well. Place the browned meat, tomato paste mixture and beef broth into the crock pot and combine. 

Melt the butter in a large pan and add the carrots, onion,, garlic zucchini or leek and celery and saute for about 2 minutes. Add to meat in the crock pot. Stir to combine.

Cook on low for 7 hours.

Add chopped parsley and serve with cooked cubed potatoes or noodles of choice.

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is from Emeril and is well worth the painful work of peeling the butternut squash. I use a vegetable peeler; cut off both ends first. Peel half the squash and turn around and peel other half. Cut in thirds, deseed and cube. You do not have to use cream; milk works as well. To the hot soup you may add: cooked shrimp, crisp cooked bacon, or pesto. Just some suggestions.

Whole Foods has 1.5 pound packages of butternut squash already cubed. This eliminates much time in the kitchen! I used 2 packages.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh jalapeno pepper (I use as a garnish; rather than in the soup for those who do not care for spice)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (I use 1/4 cup hot water & Whole Foods 4 oz herb & garlic goat cheese, mixed until smooth) 
• 2 slices bacon, cooked until crisp & then minced ( Used as a garnish, sprinkled on top of soup before serving)

Directions:

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot and saute 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute

Add the squash and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender; about 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat. I use a manual masher to get mixture as smooth as possible. Once slightly cooled puree in a food processor until completely smooth. You will have to process in batches. Return to pot; add cream and adjust seasonings.

An alternative to cooking the vegetables in a pot is to roast the cubed butternut squash (about 3 pounds), cubed onion, cubed carrot and sliced jalapeno. Toss the vegetables in 3 tablespoons olive oil and divide among 2 large, parchment-lined cookie sheets. Salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 425-degrees for 25 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables to a stock pot; along with minced garlic and 4 cups chicken stock. Heat till simmering and then using your immersion blender, puree the mixture. Add the cream and adjust seasonings. Instead of cumin try curry powder.

I like to serve in small custard cups; as the soup is rich...

Ginger Cookies

Family favorite, yummy.

Ingredients:

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1/2 cup molasses, use Mother's do not use unfiltered
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• 3 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

Blend the butter and sugar until creamy in an upright mixer. Add the beaten egg, molasses and vinegar.

Sift the dry ingredients together using a fork. Add to the creamed mixture.

Form into 3/4-inch balls and then roll in granulated sugar. Dough will be sticky, so rinsing off hands frequently helps.

Place 12 balls per cookie sheet on a well-greased cookie sheet at 350-degrees for 10 minutes. Watch carefully. Cookies will just start to puff and crack: removed from oven. Allow to sit on cookie sheet a minute before removing to cooling rack; as they are soft.

Turkey Chili and Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

This is a recipe from Rachel Ray. I made two pies; one with sweet potatoes and one with white potatoes. I halved the ingredients for the two pies; each in a 10-inch glass pie pan. I cooked the potatoes the day before the chili to save time instead of doing all at once. Everyone loved the dish! Will certainly make again. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients for Potatoes:

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (4-5 potatoes), peeled and cubed
• salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup sour cream 
• salt and pepper to taste

Direction for Potatoes:

Add the potatoes to a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Add salt and cook until tender; about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot. Mash adding the butter, sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Ingredients for Chili:

• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 small jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions for Chili:

Heat a skillet with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and brown. Add the onions and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the peppers and garlic. Stir in the spices and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 8 minutes, then add paste and broth. Simmer until thickened.

To assemble:

I used two 10-inch glass pie pans; dividing chili, potatoes and cheese evenly.

First spread the chili, add all but 1/4 cup of the cheese, potatoes and then the reserved 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake at 350-degrees until hot and bubbly; about 30 minutes.

Variation:
Use one pound ground chicken thighs and one pound spicy Italian sausage ( I use Boulder Sausage); in place of  the 2 pounds ground turkey.

Instead of mashed potatoes on top use prepared cooked Polenta (blog: 1/7/2014). One recipe of Polenta will cover two 10-inch pie pans of chili. I used shredded Pecorino for the cheese.

Fall Salad

This salad is from Food Network. Love the dressing; however I did not have the shallot, but was good none the less. I used 1/4 teaspoon dried onion. Also the candied pecans, next time I will cut the butter amount in half. I used pecan pieces, apple instead of pear and romaine lettuce. Enough for 4 servings.

Ingredients for Candied Pecans:

• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup raw pecans pieces

Directions for Candied Pecans:

Set a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the butter and brown sugar and once melted toss in the pecans. Cook evenly until slightly pecans begin to brown; stirring frequently.

Ingredients for Maple-Balsamic Dressing:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons EVOO
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions for Maple-Balsamic Dressing:

Combine the chopped shallot, Dijon, vinegar and maple syrup in a glass measuring cup. Slowly drizzle the olive oil to emulsify. I use my Wonder Whisk. Add the salt and pepper to taste.