Italian Beef Stew

I am not really a beef girl.  I never make steak or pot roast.  I only keep some chuck stew meat in the freezer for chili.  However, my husband loves beef so I decided to attempt a beef stew for him.  This one worked and even the kids liked it.  You can use different veggies but I would not recommend using the stove top.  I think the slow cooker is best for this stew to allow the beef to really get tender and delicious.

Makes 5 or 6 Servings

1-1 1/2lbs Beef Chuck, cubed
2 Tbsps Flour
2 Tbsps Balsamic Vinegar
6 oz Tomato Paste
4 or 5 Carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 Cup Pearl Onions (I used frozen onions)
8 oz Package of Mushrooms, sliced
Thyme (fresh or dried)
Rosemary (fresh or dried)
1/2 Cup Water

Place beef in the slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Mix flour, vinegar and tomato paste together and spoon over meat.  Add carrots, onions and mushrooms to the slow cooker.  Sprinkle thyme (about 1/4 tsp) and rosemary (about 1/2 tsp) over meat and veggies or add fresh sprigs to slow cooker.  If using fresh herbs be sure to remove the stems before serving the stew.  Finally add the water, cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken

I feel a little bit like Sandra Lee because this recipe is definitely semi-homemade!  I love broccoli cheddar soup and used this as inspiration for a hearty, comforting chicken dinner.  I highly recommend serving this in a big bowl over brown rice.  I used chicken tenders for smaller, kid friendly portions but you could easily use chicken breasts instead.

Serves 5-6 People

2 Tbsps Olive Oil
2 Small or Medium Onions, sliced
1 8oz Package Sliced Mushrooms
1 1/2-2lbs Chicken Tenders
1 Package Frozen Broccoli in Cheese Sauce (16oz)
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced into bite size pieces
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Can Skim Milk (use the soup can to measure)
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese (feel free to use a stronger cheese, like Asiago)

If you have the time (or my favorite multi-cooker) saute the onions, mushrooms and chicken first in the olive oil just to brown them.

Otherwise, place all ingredients in the slow cooker in the order listed and cook on high for an hour and then low for 4-6 hours more.

Serve over brown rice and enjoy!

Meatloaf

I will be honest and say that I have never truly measured when making my meatloaf.  I basically dump the ingredients in a gallon sized Ziploc bag and smash it around.  I mostly make this with beef but have made it with turkey.  It can be roasted in the oven or cooked in the slow cooker over an afternoon.

2 lbs Ground Beef
2 Eggs
1/3 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1 Envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix (or Beefy Onion)
1/4 Cup Breadcrumbs
1-2 Tbsps Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Tastefully Simple Merlot Sauce (optional)
1/3 Cup Red Wine
1 or 2 Onions, quartered

Place all the ingredients from beef to Merlot sauce (if using) in a gallon sized Ziploc bag or large bowl and mix until well blended.  From here meatloaf can be placed in the freezer until a later time or placed in a 2 quart baking pan or slow cooker.  I recommend spraying the pan with Pam first.

If baking in the oven, place meatloaf in a 2 quart baking dish (sprayed with Pam) and place quartered onions around the loaf.  Pour the wine over top and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes until cooked through.  This will form a nice crust on the outside of the loaf.

If baking in the slow cooker, place loaf in the slow cooker surrounded by the onions.  Cook on high for 1 hour.  Pour red wine over the loaf and continue cooking on low for 4-6 hours. 

Smothered Chicken & Mushrooms

I started by looking at a chicken piccata recipe, but I really do not care for capers.  So I had the chicken breasts and needed a sauce and basically started throwing things in the pan!  Luckily, it worked!

However, half of the credit belongs to my new favorite appliance: The Cuisinart Multi Cooker.  I love this thing!  It browns, sautes, slow cooks, steams and roasts.  Amazing.  Browning meat in the same pan as you slow cook it just makes it taste better.  It really does.  I could write a full ode to my slow cooker but will stop here.

2 Medium Yellow Onions, sliced
2 Tbsps Olive Oil
2 Tbsps Butter
16oz Package Mushrooms, sliced
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/4 Tsp Tarragon (dried)
2 Tbsps Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup White Wine (I actually used Prosecco because I had it leftover)
2 Tbsps Dijon Mustard
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup + 1/2 Can of Water

Place the onions, olive oil and butter in a saute pan (or my favorite slow cooker) over medium heat.  Let the onions cook, stirring occasionally, for a good 15 minutes.  The onions should start to brown and caramelize a little.  Once they do, add the mushrooms.  If it looks like there is no moisture in the pan, add a little water.  Let the mushrooms cook for about 3 minutes.

Move the onions and mushrooms to the outer edge of the pan and place the chicken in the center.  Season chicken with salt and pepper in the pan.  Let the chicken cook for a good 5 minutes or more before turning and seasoning the other side with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle chicken with tarragon.  This was where I switched to slow cook but you could certainly finish the chicken on the stove top.

Whisk together lemon juice, wine, mustard, soup and water.  Pour sauce over chicken and stir to combine.  Let chicken finish cooking in the sauce, it makes it nice and tender.  I cooked mine on high in the slow cooker for about 2 hours.

Easy & Delicious Guacamole

Yes, I use any old store bought salsa in this recipe and that is how I control the heat!  I like to make it kid friendly and use a nice mild salsa.  The best is, of course, in the summer when I can use fresh tomato salsa but for this dreary, winter day store bought is just fine.

2 Ripe Avocados
1 Lime
1/4 to 1/2 Tsp Cilantro (depends on your taste)
2 Tbsps Salsa

Remove the pits from the avocados and scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl.  Roll the lime across the counter and cut in half.  Squeeze all the lime juice from both halves over the avocado.  Add the cilantro and salsa and mash up to mix together, still keeping it somewhat chunky.  Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Sloppy Dogs

My kids love hot dogs.  Sneaking the switch to turkey dogs was easier than I expected, especially with this recipe.  My husband did not even notice the difference the first time I swapped turkey for beef.  These can be done ahead of time and placed in the slow cooker to keep warm.  Great for eating during a baseball or football game!

2 Tbsps Olive Oil
1lb Package of Ball Park Turkey Franks (I have tried other brands, but Ball Park is the best)
1 Onion, diced
Half of a Red Pepper, seeded and sliced into bite sized pieces
2 Tbsps Tomato Paste
1 8oz Can of Tomato Sauce, no salt added
1 1/2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsps Red Wine Vinegar
Hot Dog Buns

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat and add the onions and peppers.  While the veggies begin to soften, cut the hot dogs into bite sized pieces and add them to the skillet.  Let them cook for a good 5 to 10 minutes until dogs start to brown.  Add the tomato paste and stir.

In a small bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and vinegar.  Make sure the sugar is mixed in and not lumpy.  Add the sauce to the skillet and stir.  Lower the heat to low and let dogs simmer for about 5 minutes (or transfer to the slow cooker here).

Serve hearty portions in hot dog buns topped with yellow mustard.  They will be good and sloppy!

Potato & Asparagus Soup

This is a hearty, creamy, baked-potato-like soup that will certainly fill you up!  I did mine in the slow cooker but it can certainly be done stove top as well.

3 Cups Skim Milk
1 Cup Half & Half
1/2 Cup Flour
3 or 4 Red Potatoes, diced into cubes (I left the skin on, but you can peel them)
1lb Asparagus, bottoms discarded and stalks cut into thirds
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Sour Cream (I used light sour cream)
Sour Cream, Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Green Onions, Crumbled Bacon (optional toppings)

Place milk, cream and flour in the slow cooker and whisk until flour is mixed in.  Add potatoes, asparagus and some salt and pepper.  Turn slow cooker on low for about 4 or 5 hours.  An hour to 30 minutes before serving add the cheese and sour cream and stir to combine.

When serving, top with sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions and or crumbled bacon.