Southwestern Beef Stew

Beef Stew is one of my favorite comfort meals.  It is a hearty and flavorful meal that is easy to put together.  This beef stew has a southwestern  flavor to it - green chili and aromatic and flavorful spices of chili powder, cumin, and Mexican oregano.  The primary ingredients in this stew are carrots, mushrooms, and boneless beef chuck short ribs.  I like to use boneless beef chuck short ribs in my stew because the meat is fork tender and adds a wonderful flavor to the stew.   The stew is cooked for 8 hours on low in a slow cooker.   Ladle into bowels and you have a rich hearty and delicious meal to enjoy.  What I sometimes do with the leftovers is freeze them.  The stew freezes nicely and just needs a quick reheating.

Southwestern Beef Stew

Southwestern Beef Stew
Special Equipment:  Large Slow Cooker

Ingredients:

3 ½-4 pounds boneless beef chuck short ribs well trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili
1 ½ tablespoons red chili powder
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound white button mushrooms, quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Directions:
1. Whisk together flour, onion powder, garlic powder, red chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Add beef, a few pieces at a time and toss until lightly coated.  Shake off excess flour mixture.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet.  Add beef in batches and cook until browned on all sides.  Place the meat in the slow cooker.
3. Add onions to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and tomato paste.  Add wine and cook, scraping the pan until the liquid comes to a simmer.  Pour contents of skillet over meat.  Add broth, carrots, tomatoes, green chili, red chili powder, bay leaf, Mexican oregano, and cumin to the slow cooker.  Stir, cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or until beef is tender when pierced with a fork.
4. When stew is almost ready heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are golden brown.
5. Stir the mushrooms into the stew.  Taste.  Add salt and pepper if needed.   Serve and garnish with cilantro.


Makes 8 servings

.

Rice Pudding And Caramel Apples

Rice Pudding and Caramel Apples

This was a perfect recipe to make for autumn.   Apples in a rich caramel sauce served over rice pudding.   This delicious dessert was our assignment this week in French Fridays With Dorie.  It was a very easy recipe to make.   You start by making a deliciously creamy rice pudding.  Arborio rice is first boiled in water than drained and boiled in milk anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes.  The pudding is removed from the heat and vanilla extract is added.  Let the pudding sit till it reaches room temperature.  Next you make a scrumptious caramel sauce with apples.  The sauce is made by cooking sugar with some lemon juice.  Butter is added once the sugar reaches an amber color.   You then add some apple cider and salt to the sugar mixture.  Next comes the apples.  They are cooked in the sauce until they are tender.  Finally you add some cream to the apple mixture. Let the sauce come to room temperature and serve it with your rice pudding.  To be honest with you, I could have just eaten the apples.  The sauce is  fantastic.   This dessert was a hit at my house.  The kids and I loved the pudding with the apples while the spouse just ate the pudding.  The kids and I did not care that left more apples for us.
I highly recommend you try this recipe.  You will not be disappointed.

This recipe can be found on pages 429-430 in  "Around My French Table" or here.

A Great Comfort Dessert

Olive-Pecan Finger Sandwiches

Cream Cheese and Olive sandwiches used  be a staple in my diet when I was going to Graduate school.  I haven't had one in ages.  That changed when I found this recipe in Tea Time magazine.  This cream cheese spread is made with  both green olives and black olives.  The spread  gets extra flavor and texture  by adding toasted pecans.   You can make this spread ahead of time.  When ready to use take the spread out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.  This spread is  great on crackers, bagels, or spread on flour tortillas that are rolled up and cut into 3/4 inch slices - pinwheels.
These sandwiches were very good and make a healthy after school snack or an adult snack.

Olive-Pecan Finger Sandwiches

Olive-Pecan Finger Sandwiches
From Tea Time Magazine

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons finely chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
2 tablespoons finely chopped pitted black olives
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
12 slices very thin whole wheat sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Wheat

Directions:  
1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and cream.  Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.  Add green olives, black olives, and pecans, stirring until incorporated.
2. Spread cream cheese mixture onto a bread slice.  Top with another bread slice, and spread with cream cheese mixture.  Top with a third bread slice.  Repeat with remaining cream cheese mixture and bread slices.
3. Using a serrated knife, trim and discard crust from all sides of sandwiches.  Cut each sandwich into thirds to yield 3 finger sandwiches.

Makes 12 finger sandwiches

Blue Corn Parfait Bread

Blue Corn Parfait Bread

Tonight was Chili night at our house.  I always make cornbread to go with our chili.  I deviated from my standard Corn Bread recipe and I tried a totally different one using blue corn meal.   I must admit, I love blue corn tortillas, tortilla chips, and even pancakes.  To me, blue corn has a much sweeter and nuttier flavor than white or yellow corn.    Anyway, back to this delicious recipe. This recipe comes from Jane  Butel.  She has a cooking school here in New Mexico.  Some day,  when my schedule slows down, I need to take a series of her classes or go to a demonstration. Back to the cornbread.   To make this delicious bread,  you start by whisking together blue cornmeal or blue corn flour, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, you combine the eggs, sour cream and melted butter.  To this mixture, you fold in one can of whole-kernel corn which has been well drained.  Make a well in your blue cornmeal mixture and incorporate the ingredients.  Then you pour half of the corn batter into a lightly greased 8x8-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle the grated pepper jack cheese over the batter and  arrange the jalapeno peppers over the cheese.   Next you pour the remaining corn meal mixture over the jalapenos and cheese.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until the cornbread is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the bread sit for about 5-10 minutes before cutting.   Enjoy:)

Blue Corn Parfait Bread
From Jane Butel

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup blue corn flour or blue cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 (15.5 ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained
4 ounces pepper jack cheese grated
1/4 cup sliced jalapeno peppers

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray lightly an 8x8-inch baking dish.  Set aside.
2. Whisk together in a large mixing bowl, blue corn flour or cornmeal, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

Blue Corn Meal, Baking Powder and Salt

3. Mix together the eggs and the sour cream.  Slowly, whisk the melted butter into the mixture.  Fold the corn into the mixture.
4.  Make a well in the center of the flour/cornmeal mixture and pour the egg mixture into it.  Mix until just combined.

Cornbread Batter

5. Pour half of the batter into the prepare baking dish and smooth it to the edges with a spatula.  Sprinkle the cheese over the batter.  Arrange the jalapeno pepper on top of the cheese.  Pour the remaining batter over the cheese and peppers.

Half of the Batter in the Baking Dish

Cheese and Jalapenos 

6. Smooth the batter over the filling.  Be sure to cover the peppers and cheese.  Bake the cornbread 30-40 minutes or until the cornbread is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.  It may have some cheese on it.

Remaining Layer of Batter

7. Cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting.  Serve.

Makes 9 servings

Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni

Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni

Kid tested and approved.  A great endorsement for this easy and quick to prepare one skillet meal.   This recipe comes from  Cook's Country magazine.   You start by browning some ground beef in a skillet.  Add some onions to the ground beef.  Next you add in the macaroni, chicken broth, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt and pepper.   Bring to a boil,  cover and cook until the macaroni is tender.  Next, add some American cheese (I used Velveeta) and chopped dill pickles.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.  Your dish is ready to serve.  It has all the flavors of a cheeseburger, ground beef, cheese, mustard, tomato, and pickles mixed together with some macaroni.  Delicious:)


Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni
From Cook's Country Magazine

Ingredients:

1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
1 cup finely chopped onion
12 ounces (3 cups) elbow macaroni
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
Salt and Pepper
6 ounces chopped deli American Cheese
1/2 cup chopped dill pickles

Directions:

1.  Cook beef and 1/2 cup onion in 12-inch  nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink, about 7 minutes.
2. Add macaroni, broth, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir in cheese, pickles, and remaining 1/2 cup onion.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

Serves 4 to 6

Creamy Vegetable Soup

Creamy Vegetable Soup

This recipe evolved as I was preparing it.  I started out making a recipe for  "Hearty Vegetable Chowder" I found in Country Cooks Magazine.  As I was making this recipe, I realized my kids weren't going to touch the soup with visible  pieces of leeks no matter how good it was.   The original recipe had you puree one cup of the veggies. I took it a step further and pureed the whole batch.  I added more liquid about 1/2 cup additional chicken broth and an additional 1/2 cup of half-and-half.  I like my cream soups a little on the thick side.   If you prefer a thinner soup, add more liquid.  Other than the changes I made above, I followed the recipe.  The main ingredients are leeks, carrots, celery , and russet potatoes.  These veggies are cooked in chicken broth that is seasoned with fresh thyme, garlic, and a bay leaf.  Once the vegetables were tender,  I  let them sit for a while to cool then I pureed them.  I returned the purred veggies back to the pot, and added 1 cup of half-and-half, some fresh chives, and lemon juice.  The lemon juice really kicks up the the flavor of the soup.  I tried a small sample of the soup without the lemon juice and the flavor wasn't as good.  Finally, season the soup to your liking and serve.
I loved the beautiful autumn color of the soup.  The soup was hearty and very flavorful. It had a lovely velvety texture from the pureed leeks and potatoes.  It had  about a cup of this soup leftover -  which I have claimed for my lunch.


Creamy Vegetable Soup
Adapted From Hearty Vegetable Chowder Cook's Country Magazine

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until fat has rendered and bacon is nearly crispy, 7 to 9 minutes.  Add leeks, carrots, celery, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until leeks are translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add potatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until starch begins to release and coat vegetables, about 2 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add 4 1/2 cups of the broth and the bay leaf.  Bring to a boil.

Veggies Cooking

2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.  Discard bay leaf and let soup cool about 5 minutes.  Transfer the soup in batches to a stand blender and puree.   Stir pureed soup back into  the pot.  Stir in half-and-half, chives, and lemon juice.  If you need, add more chicken broth to thin the soup.  Gently rewarm soup.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.


Makes 4 to 6 servings

Breakfast Cookies

Breakfast Cookies - Don't  They Look Good

What could be tastier than cookies for breakfast?  In my home, according to my youngest - nothing.  He has been a Cookie lover from the moment he could eat solid food.  So this morning when I told him I had cookies for breakfast he was delighted and somewhat suspicious.  I have never let him eat a cookie before for breakfast.    These cookies, however were different.  They were breakfast cookies.  I found this recipe in the latest issue of "Cook's Country" magazine.  These cookies have all of your basic breakfast foods, cereal, egg, orange juice, and bacon. This cookie recipe is a drop cookie one - which are my favorites to make.  The recipe was easy to follow and the cookies were not difficult to make.  The only suggestion I would make, is to refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour.  This will make the dough easier to work with. As the cookies are baking, they emit  a wonderful orange aroma mixed with a hint of bacon.     I was amazed at how delicious these cookies were.  The cookies were soft, chewy, and slightly nutty from the Grape-Nuts. I wish I had found this recipe sooner.  We will be having more of these cookies for breakfast or anytime.

Breakfast Cookies
From Cook's Country Magazine

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon
1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all- purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Grape-Nuts cereal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed (2 1/3 ounces) light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

Directions:

1. Cook bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.  Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.  Once cool, crumble coarsely; set aside.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour,  Grape-Nuts, salt,  baking powder, and baking soda in bowl.  Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute.  Add egg, orange juice concentrate, and orange zest and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.  Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, and mix until just incorporated.  Add bacon and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
3. Place remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar in shallow dish.  Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into 16 balls, then roll balls in granulated sugar.  Space balls on prepared sheet in staggered pattern.  Using bottom of drinking glass, flatten balls to 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  Sprinkle each sheet with 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar from dish.

4. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until slightly puffy and light golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking.  Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.  Let cookies cool completely before serving.

Makes 16 cookies