Old Time Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 2 pounds stew beef
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Dash ground allspice or ground cloves
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Prep/Total Time: 10 min.

Yield: 32 Servings

 

Ingredients

·        1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

·        2 cups confectioners' sugar

·        1 cup canned pumpkin

·        1/2 cup sour cream

·        1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·        1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

·        1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

·        Gingersnap cookies, Graham Crackers, Apples

Directions

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and ginger until blended. Serve with gingersnaps. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 4 cups.

Nutritional Facts: 1 serving (2 tablespoons) equals 64 calories, 3 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 23 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

This is very tasty. It satisfied a sweet tooth without being too much. Hope you like it.

Curry Chicken with Spinach

Ingredients

·  1 pound 2 ounces spinach leaves, stemmed and well washed
·  6 tablespoons vegetable oil
·  3 black cardamom pods*
·  2 bay leaves
·  1 (2-inch) piece cinnamon
·  3 to 4 green chili's, pricked with a knife
·  1 large onion, chopped
·  1 (3/4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
·  11 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
·  3 large tomatoes, cut into quarters
·  1 pound 4 ounces chicken pieces, (drumsticks and thighs), skin removed
·  2 teaspoons ground coriander
·  1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
·  Kosher salt
·  4 tablespoons plain yogurt, stirred
·  Freshly ground black pepper
·  Basmati rice, cooked according to package instructions, to serve
 ·  *Can be found at specialty Asian markets.

· 

Directions

This is a garlicky and incredibly smooth spinach and chicken curry

Cook's Note: Instead of pureeing all of the spinach, you can add half the quantity of spinach whole and the rest as puree. Once the whole spinach has wilted in the pan, serve.
In a food processor, blend the spinach to a puree using 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to loosen the mixture, transfer the spinach to a bowl, and set aside. Clean the food  processor.
Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the cardamom pods, bay leaves, and cinnamon, and fry for 20 to 30 seconds. Add the green chili's, and onion, and continue to fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until caramelized.
Meanwhile, blend the ginger, garlic, and tomatoes to a smooth paste in the food processor.
When the onions have caramelized, add the paste, chicken pieces, coriander, and garam masala to the pan, and stir well, to combine. Season the mixture with salt, to taste, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the yogurt, stir well, and continue to simmer the mixture until the sauce has thickened and almost dried out.
Stir in the spinach puree and continue to simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through. Season the mixture, with salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, then serve with rice.

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

2 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans Ro-Tel (I like the lime & cilantro, but the regular is fine)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
1 onion, chopped
2 cans low-sodium chicken broth
1-2 cups of water
1 Tbsp garlic powder*
1 Tbsp chili powder*
1 Tbsp ground cumin*
1 Tbsp dried cilantro*
tortilla chips
sour cream
shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

*Instead of these spices, you could include a packet of Taco seasoning if you prefer.*
Put chopped onion, cans of beans, rotel, corn, chicken broth, water, and spices in Crockpot and stir to mix. Put chicken breasts on top of mixture and make sure they're at least partly submerged in liquid. Cook on high 6-7 hours or low 8-9 hours. Before serving remove the chicken breasts from soup and shred, if needed, (sometimes they'll just fall apart on their own, but sometimes they need some help). Return chicken to Crockpot, stir to combine.

To serve put a few tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl, ladle soup over tortilla chips, top with shredded cheddar cheese, (today I used the Kraft Mexican blend and it was yummy), and a dollop of sour cream, serve with more chips if you like. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cut in 2-inch chunks

1/2 cup flour (I used Bisquick Baking Mix) olive oil, for browning the chicken
1 tablespoon kosher salt
6 ounces (1/2 can) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (I'd opt for little-to-no pulp. The pulp can taste a bit bitter when cooked)
1/3 cup orange marmalade
3 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (add to taste)
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
3 chopped scallions

If you are using iodized or table salt, you may feel it is too salty. Kosher salt doesn't taste as "salty" as regular salt, and since the granules are larger, you don't get as much in the tablespoon as you would with regular salt. Adjust accordingly.

Directions: Use a 4 quart slow cooker for best results. Dredge the chicken pieces with the flour/baking mix, and shake off the excess. Go ahead and throw away any remaining flour, we won't need it. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on the stove and brown the chicken on all sides. There is no need to fully cook it, just sear it enough for the flour to stick and get a nice coating. Plop the chicken pieces into your slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, combine the orange juice concentrate, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, salt, ginger, marmalade, scallions and ketchup. Taste. If you'd like the chicken to be a bit sweeter, add a touch more sugar. Pour sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, and toss gingerly to coat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4. Serve over white or brown rice.

*I thickened the sauce with a cornstarch slurry at the end.

Crock Pot Broccoli Beef

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients
1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips*
1 cup beef consommé**
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sauce from the crock pot after being cooked
Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired)
Hot cooked rice

Directions
1. Place beef in a crock pot.
2. In a small bowl, combine consommé, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce from the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine.
4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken).
6. Serve over hot cooked rice.
 
* I bought a chuck roast and the butcher sliced it for me.

** I used cooking beef stock

This is really simple and really good. Stamp of approval from my men.

World's Easiest & Super Yummy Chocolate Mousse Recipe

This holds up in a thick layer for cake and pipes beautifully. It can be filling, frosting, piped into a brownie bite, cupcake, etc.

Ingredients

1/2 jar of Mrs. Richardson's Hot Fudge Sauce
2 Cups of Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions:

Mix hot fudge sauce with the whipping cream slowly and then whip until it holds a soft peak.
Add the cocoa powder and continue whipping until it holds a stiff peak.
Place into piping bag or use as needed.

 

Monster Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup raisins, optional
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

Chocolate Cherry Chunky Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup candied cherries **
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add milk to the butter mixture and then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Batter should be stiff.

In another bowl, combine nuts, cherries, and white chocolate. Then add to batter, stirring only to blend. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

** You can make these very Christmasy. You can get green and red candied cherries and these will be very festive.

Ikea Swedish Meatballs (Almost) with Sauce

I know how much that Jacqui LOVES the Swedish Meatballs at Ikea. I found this recipe in a magazine and had to share it here. Hope that they are just as yummy and you don't have to go across the water to have them.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup minced white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound lean ground pork
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
• Vegetable oil, for brushing

For the gravy:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• Lingonberry jam, for serving (optional)

Directions

Make the meatballs: Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Pour the milk mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir to make a thick paste; let cool. Add the beef, pork, egg and egg white to the bowl and mix until combined.

Brush a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the meatballs until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Make the gravy: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with the parsley and serve with lingonberry jam, if desired.

Corn Casserole (Yum!)

Something a bit different. This is super easy and yummers. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Mix in about 1/2 cup of the cheese. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Prime Rib Roast

I decided to do a prime rib roast for New Year's Eve. Not having done one before I decided to seek some help. I found this basic recipe and lengthened the time since I wanted it medium well - well done. It really is pretty fool proof.

Ingredients

• 1 (5-pound) standing beef rib roast
• seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Allow roast to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Rub roast all over with the House Seasoning. Place roast on a rack in a pan with the rib side down and the fatty side up. Roast for 1 hour. Turn off oven. Leave roast in the oven but do not open oven door for another 3 hours. About 1 hour before serving time, turn oven to 375 degrees F to reheat the roast.
Cook's Note: Do not remove roast or re-open the oven door from the time roast is put in until ready to serve.

It came out very yummy and very tender. I cooked it for 2.5 hours and did exactly as it states.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 1-pound loaf French or Italian bread, cut into cubes (about 15 cups)
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup coffee-flavored liqueur or 1/2 cup milk with espresso powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Place the bread in the baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, and liqueur.

In another bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars with the cocoa powder and mix well. Add this to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.

Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the cinnamon to the beaten eggs. Combine the egg mixture with the milk mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes; let stand, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed most of the milk mixture. Bake the pudding for 1 hour, or until set; a knife inserted into the center of the pudding should come out clean. Serving the pudding warm, or refrigerate it and serve chilled, with whipped cream or a dessert sauce.

Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
• 2 (4.5-ounce) cans fruit cocktail (undrained)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 (9-ounce) box raisins
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon  

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cube donuts into a large bowl. Pour other ingredients on top of donuts and let soak for a few minutes.
Mix all ingredients together until donuts have soaked up the liquid as much as possible.
Bake for about 1 hour until center has jelled.

Just for you Jacqui ~ You can make and smell it but that is all.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Soup

3	large onions, sliced (3 cups)
3	tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
3	tablespoons all-purpose flour
1	tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1	teaspoon sugar
1/4	teaspoon pepper
4	cans (14 1/2 ounces each) ready-to-serve beef broth

Cheesy Broiled French Bread

8	slices French bread, 1 inch thick
3/4	cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
2	tablespoons grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

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1. Mix onions and margarine in 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on high heat setting 30 to 35 minutes or until onions begin to slightly brown around edges.
3. Mix flour, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and pepper. Stir flour mixture and broth into onions. Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 9 hours (or high heat setting 3 to 4 hours) or until onions are very tender.
4. Prepare Cheesy Broiled French Bread. Place 1 slice bread on top of each bowl of soup. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Beefy French Onion Soup

7	small - medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced (about 7 cups)
1	tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
2	tablespoons sugar
2	dried bay leaves
1 1/2	pounds beef stew meat
3	cans (10 1/2 ounces each) condensed beef consommé
1/4	cup dry sherry or apple juice
1	cup apple juice
1/4	teaspoon dried thyme leaves
8	slices ( 1/2 inch thick) French bread, toasted
2	cups shredded Swiss cheese (8 ounces)

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1. Toss onions, butter and sugar in 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Top with bay leaves and beef.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 9 to 10 hours or until onions are deep brown.
3. Stir in beef consommé, sherry, apple juice and thyme. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until hot. Remove bay leaves.
4. To serve, spoon into ovenproof soup bowls and top each serving with slice of toast and 1/4 cup cheese. If desired, broil with tops 6 inches from heat 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and begins to brown.

Slow Cooker Vegetable-Beef-Barley Soup

Ingredients:

3/4

cup frozen cut green beans 

2/3

cup frozen whole kernel corn 

1 1/2

pounds beef stew meat

1/2

cup chopped bell pepper (Optional)

1

large onion, chopped (1 cup)

2/3

cup uncooked barley

1 1/2

cups water

1

teaspoon salt

1

teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4

teaspoon pepper

1

carton (32 ounces) beef flavored broth

2

cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with roasted garlic, undrained

1

can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Rinse green beans and corn with cold water to separate and partially thaw. Mix green beans, corn and remaining ingredients in cooker.

Cover and cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours.

Makes 10 servings (1 1/3 cups each)

 

Nutrition:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 230 (Calories from Fat 80), Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g),

Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 900mg; Total Carbohydrate 20g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 4g), Protein 18g;

Percent Daily Value*: Calcium ;

Exchanges: 1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 2 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 0 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices: 1; *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Raita Recipe

Kheera, Tamatar aur Pyaz ka Raita
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 small red onion, finely minced
• 1 medium tomato - finely minced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber (kheera or kakri)
• 2 green chillies, finely minced (optional)
• 1 tbs. chopped cilantro leaves minced
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. coarsely ground roast cumin seeds.
• 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground roast cumin seeds for garnish
• 1/4 tsp. red chilli for garnish (optional)
1. To make, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and transfer to a serving bowl.
2. Garnish with a sprinkle of roast cumin and chopped red chilli.
3. Serve chilled.

South Indian Style Chicken

 Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
• 1/4 cup dried curry leaves*
• 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon sambar powder*
• 1 teaspoon asafoetida*
• 1 teaspoon red chile powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cubed
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup water

*Can be found at specialty Asian and Indian markets.

 

Directions

Place the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and then add the onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, until onions are soft and golden. Add the curry leaves, mustard seeds, sambar powder, asafoetida, red chile powder, and turmeric to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, and water and cook until chicken is done, about 8 minutes. Serve the chicken with rice.

Bal's No Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup low-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup water
• Serving suggestion: Serve with roti or rice.

Directions

Put a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When it starts to get hot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for 4 minutes, or until the onion is golden. Add the tomato paste, brown sugar, cumin seeds, garam masala, red chile flakes, turmeric, and salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken cubes and stir well to coat. Add the yogurt and water and cook, stirring until the chicken is done, about 8 minutes. Serve the chicken with roti or rice.

 

Total Time:

27 min

• Prep: 7 min
• Cook: 20 min
• Level: Easy
• Yield: 4 servings