Slow Cooker Beef Stew

I'm not sure how it happened that we don't have a regular beef stew recipe in our collection, but I've fixed that today. Below is not the actual recipe that I used but after I made a very similar one this week I thought what I really would have liked in it was a bay leaf. And a little less tomato paste. And voila! Here is one that fits the bill. I also had thought about adding wine. I didn't think about adding beer, because I don't have any. In any case, beef stew is a flexible dish anyway so you could put in beer or wine or just stick with beef broth. This one calls for browning the meat, but I didn't. But I may try tenderizing it next time, as this one suggests.
Ingredients

• 1 pound beef stew meat
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 1/4 cup beer
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup peas
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Directions
Sprinkle stew meat with salt and toss till well combined. Using a fork, prick the meat in multiple places to tenderize. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, but ideally refrigerate overnight.
Toss the meat with flour. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and then sear meat until browned on the outside.
While meat is browning, mix together tomato paste, soy sauce, beef stock (use more if you like it more soupy than stewy) and Guinness & red wine (if using) in slow cooker.
Transfer meat (browned or not) to slow cooker. Add garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, and black pepper.
Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 until meat is falling apart and tender.
If using peas, microwave for ~1 minute and then fold them into stew.
Remove bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 2 cups
Per serving: Calories: 363; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 9mg; Sodium: 582mg; Carbohydrate: 35g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 27g

Quinoa Tabbouleh

The woman I used to nanny for used to make something similar to this. It's great for lunches and keeps really well. The more it marinates, the better it tastes! I eyeballed the parsley because the bunch I got was huge. The original recipe said to mince the garlic, but I used a garlic press because who likes mincing garlic?

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 large tomato, diced
1 large cucumber, seeded and diced
1 bunch of curly leaf parsley, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 large lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt

1. Cook the quinoa. If you need some help with this step, give me a call and I'll walk you through it. Let the quinoa cool so that it doesn't wilt the parsley. You can stick the quinoa in the fridge to help it cool faster.

2. While the quinoa is cooling, prepare the tomato, cucumber, and parsley and combine it into a large bowl.

3. Pour olive oil into measuring cup. Juice lemon into the cup. Add garlic and salt, and whisk everything together.

4. Combine cooled quinoa and veggies. Toss with the dressing and serve! Throw the leftovers into some mason jars for lunch.

Sausage Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage(some commenters suggested hot, I used mild)
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 package sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 bag shredded carrots
• 1 package baby spinach
• 1/2 - 1 cup uncooked pearl barley

Directions

1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, onion, mushrooms, and garlic until the sausage is evenly brown. Season with Italian seasoning. Remove from heat, and drain.
2. In a slow cooker, mix the sausage mixture, chicken broth, carrot, and barley.
3. Cover, and cook 3 hours on High.
4. About 1 hour before it's done, slice the spinach into shreds (you could just add it whole but I find that hard to eat whole wilted spinach leaves) and add to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. I stirred for the whole cooking time about once every half hour.

Carrot, Cumin, and Barley Summer Stew

Ingredients

For the carrots

• 500ml/18fl oz carrot juice
• large pinch of sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 6 carrots (ideally Early Nantes), skin on, scrubbed, halved lengthways then cut into 1cm/½in slices at an angle

For the barley

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 80g/2¾oz white onion (about ½ a medium onion), chopped
• 2 Pasilla Bajio chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 150g/5½oz pearl barley
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 corn cob, cooked in boiling water for 20 minutes, covered
• 4 rainbow chard leaves, rolled and chopped; stems cut into 3cm/1¼in pieces
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced
• small bunch coriander, chopped
• ½ lemon, juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To finish

• 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
• micro coriander (optional)

1. For the carrots, in a large saucepan over a medium heat, bring the carrot juice and 100ml/3½fl oz water to the boil, then add the salt and cumin. Add the carrots and simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Remove from the heat, remove the carrots and reserve the cooking liquor.
   
2. For the barley, in a medium, lidded saucepan over a medium heat, heat the oil and gently fry the onions and chillies for 5 minutes, covered with a lid, until softened. Stir in the barley and cumin and continue to fry for a minute. Add 500ml/18fl oz of the carrot cooking liquor to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with the lid and cook for 50–55 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the barley swells and is firm with a good bite. Check the texture, taste and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes more, if necessary. Set aside in the pan.
   
3. To finish the barley risotto, using a long knife, carefully cut the kernels off the corn cob by running a knife along the central core. Keep 4 of the biggest lengths intact to use as garnish. Set these aside then release the kernels from the rest. Add the chard stems and leaves, spring onions and loose corn kernels to the barley pan and stir. Place the pan back on a medium heat and cook for 12 minutes. Add the coriander and cook for a further minute until wilted. Finally, taste and adjust the seasoning if required, then add the lemon juice to sharpen the flavour.
   
4. To finish, in a frying pan over a medium heat, fry the cooked carrot pieces in the rapeseed oil for 6–7 minutes, until caramelised. Add the reserved pieces of sliced corn to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, or until they begin to brown.
   
5. To serve, remove the caramelised carrots, add them to the barley risotto and divide the risotto evenly between four plates. Finish with a length of sliced corn and micro coriander, if using. Serve immediately.
   

Lemon Risotto with Peas and Leeks

The very first risotto I ever made --- plus, I learned what leeks were! 

 

Photo: Cooking Light

When we lived in Baltimore, we used to get a gigantic bag of fresh peas at the farmer's market (under the highway overpass). The peas were only available for a few weeks, and judging by the line, they were the IT veggie. Sometimes, this dish turned out to be more peas with risotto (rather than risotto with peas).

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup fresh green peas (or thawed frozen peas)
• 4 cups Chicken Stock
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 cup (uncooked) Arborio rice
• 3 Tbps dry white wine
• 1/2 cup Parmesan
• 1 tsp grated lemon rind
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (or 2 tsp dried)
• 1 Tbsp butter

DIRECTIONS

1. To cook (fresh) peas: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add peas, cook 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water (and drain again).
2. Bring chicken stock to a simmer, keep warm over low heat.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
4. Add leeks and shallots, cook ~7min, stirring frequently.
5. Add rice, cook 1 min, stirring constantly.
6. Add wine, cook 30 sec, stirring constantly.
7. Add 1 cup stock, cook 4 minutes (or until the liquid is nearly absorbed), stirring frequently (you'll learn what you can get away in this regard).
8. Continue to add the remaining stock, ~1/2 cup at a time, until each portion is absorbed (~25 min total). 
9. Stir in peas, cook 1 min.
10. Stir in cheese, rind, juice, salt, and pepper.
11. Remove from heat and stir in tarragon & butter.

Recipe via Cooking Light

Peanut Chicken Noodle Bowl

 
When you're combining the ingredients for the sauce, this is not the most visually appetizing dish, but do not be discouraged. It is delicious! Because the veggies are not cooked they are crisp and full of flavor. This dish would work really well with a number of veggies. I meant to throw in some broccoli in my fridge with which I am currently holding a staring contest, but forgot. If I had, I would have thrown it in for the last 45 seconds-1 minute of cooking with the noodles to blanche it. Given the relative intensity of the vegetables the kids were not into it. But, because I had the peanut butter out already I just made them some sandwiches and helped myself to seconds on the noodles.

INGREDIENTS 

• 7 ounces rice noodles
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded 1/2”
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to package directions and reserve.
2. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter, fish sauce, water, honey, and crushed red pepper in a microwave safe bowl.
3. Microwave sauce for 30 seconds to soften peanut butter and stir to combine.
4. Marinate chicken in 1/4 cup of the sauce for about 20 minutes.
5. Grill the chicken 3-4 minutes per side or until juices run clear.
6. Toss reserved noodles, bell pepper, carrot, and green onion with remaining sauce. Top with sliced chicken and garnish with cilantro.

 Photo & recipe courtesy of NoMoreToGo.com
 

Chicken and rosemary lentil traybake

I used the attached recipe as a base for the meal pictured below. 

The dish was enjoyable, but the recipe raised a few questions. Either the liquid volume or the timings seemed way out to me, but I'll make it again with adjustments. Despite giving everything extra time, the chicken skin was pale (which is fine, if you're not going to eat it, but I like it when it's crisp) and there was still a lot of liquid in the dish. This picture is of a re-heat, so the chicken looks a bit more the way I like it.

http://www.morrisonsmag.co.uk/march_2015/chicken_and_rosemary_lentil_traybake

Not having red onions, I cut 2 small leeks into 1in pieces, used dried rosemary, a yellow pepper, and pressed some garlic, as it gives a stronger flavour than sliced. It was accompanied by baby potatoes. (They were Charlottes, Lizzie. I know you like to know :)

8 chicken thighs

• 1 red onion, sliced into wedges
• 2 pointed red peppers, deseeded and sliced into rings
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 200g green lentils
• 600ml chicken stock, made from cubes
  

1. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Make slashes in the skin of each chicken thigh, season and arrange in a large roasting dish. Roast for 10 minutes.
2. Scatter the red onion, peppers, garlic and rosemary around the chicken and toss well to mix the different elements together.
   
   Incidentally, I'm going to try using the leftover stock and lentils as the base for a soup. We'll see how that goes.
   

Kerala Prawn (Shrimp) Curry

For Valentine's Day dinner, we fancied a prawn curry.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1326/kerala-prawn-curry

• 2 red chillies split, cut into quarters lengthways and seeded
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2½ cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
• 1 tsp black mustard seed
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 14 curry leaves, fresh or dried
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp cracked black peppercorns
• 250g jumbo prawns, leave some with their tails on if you like
• 150ml reduced-fat coconut milk

To serve

• a squeeze of lime
• chopped fresh coriander, plus a sprig or two
• freshly boiled basmati rice

We were very excited to find an Indian grocery store in the area that carried curry leaves. This was one of the ingredients and apparently there's no subbing on this so we went for fun to include them. Not to worry, though, it would be fine without it because it's not the flavor of curry that it brings but just a smokiness. We added a tomato to the food processor, just because there was an over-ripe one lying around.

We really enjoyed it. You'll have to ask Amy or Alistair what they thought since we brought them leftovers when we visited the next day.

Very Unrefined Chicken Soup

Here's a version of a soup which I put together fairly regularly. As Liz said, when I roast chicken, I keep the pan juices to "beef"-up the stock.  I Scotland I'd use "neep" (rutabaga) instead of sweet potato, and maybe a small leek, or cabbage, or any other vegetable that was to hand, but the onion and carrots are constants for me.
The soup in the photo was made this week, and it has Savoy cabbage in it. You could add any small pieces of leftover chicken.

Very Unrefined Chicken Soup

1 carton chicken broth
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups diced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced sweet potato
2 cups kale, finely chopped
1 or 2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring chicken broth to a simmer, adding all ingredients as you do. Simmer for 45mins to 1hr..............ummm.....

that's it.

Mediterranean Cod

I saw a glimpse of this dish in a TV ad for Sainsbury's supermarket, and I thought I'd have a look at it. Fish and seafood would probably be my first choice from any menu, but I don't cook it as often as I'd like.

Onyhoo, here's the original recipe.
https://www.homemadebyyou.co.uk/recipes/main-courses/mediterranean-cod

The fish I used was fresh hake, but any firm white fish would do fine.
 Sainsbury's were promoting their frozen produce, but whether the ingredients are or aren't frozen is neither here nor there.
Not having any of the frozen stuff, I managed to chop an onion and a pepper, mince three cloves of garlic, and open a can of chopped tomatoes. I didn't have any black olives either (Liz says a few chopped Kalamata would do the job) but to lift the sauce a wee bit, I added a small, chopped birds-eye chilli.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g frozen chopped onion
• 1 tbsp frozen chopped garlic
• 230g tin Italian chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 200g frozen mixed peppers
• 400g pack frozen responsibly sourced skinless and boneless cod fillets
• 50g pitted black olives
• 1 tbsp frozen chopped parsley
• 800g pack frozen microwaveable white rice  

Baked Quinoa with Spinach and Cheese

I think this was the first recipe I tried after joining the NCC; credit goes to Meredith for discovering it. It is so amazing that even my first attempt --- in which I neglected to cook the quinoa in advance and then had to scrape it out --- did not discourage me from making it again and again and again....

This is also the recipe in which we learned that DAN LIKES SPINACH! Turns out, his formative experience with spinach was a meal his mom made growing up --- where she cooked the spinach in vinegar and combined it with rubbery scallops. I can deal with the mushroom hate, but his refusal to eat spinach was wearing on me. Thankfully, we no longer have to avoid it :-)

Photo Credit: Andrew Scivani for The New York Times

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 oz frozen (chopped) spinach, thawed
• For fresh spinach, see the original recipe.
• 3 cups COOKED quinoa (~1 cup uncooked)
• Cook according to package directions, but make sure to bring the water to a boil :-)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup)
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1 ounce Parmesan, grated (1/4 cup)
• Salt & pepper for seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions (~30 minutes).
2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Oil/spray a 2-quart gratin or baking dish (I use an 8x8).
3. Heat the skillet on medium with 1 Tbsp olive oil.
4. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for ~5 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for ~1 min
6. Stir in the spinach and season with salt & pepper. Remove from the heat.
7. Beat the eggs in a bowl with 1/2 tsp salt. 
8. Stir in the quinoa, the onion and spinach mixture, the Gruyère, and the sage. Add freshly ground pepper and mix.
9. Scrape into the baking dish and sprinkle Parmesan on top.
10. Bake for 25 minutes and allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe via The New York Times

Paprika Parsnip Fries

This makes two servings, but be prepared to eat them both. It's just that good. And OMG, so easy.



Ingredients

• 1 pound parsnips (about 4)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Pesto sauce for dipping (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Wash and cut the ends off of your parsnips. Cut them into strips to make fries. Place them on a lined baking sheet and drizzle the oil over them. Season with the paprika, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until soft on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside.
Serve with pesto or your favorite dipping sauce.

Brussels Sprouts Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Another one of my favorites. This sandwich has a hearty flavor to it without being too heavy. Obviously, grilled cheese sandwiches are usually pretty easy to compose and same applies here. I imagine you carnivores could add some bacon to this, though it's delicious on its own. We used a mandolin instead of a grater for the brussels sprouts, which is gentler on the sprouts and I think made for a better texture. We served it with some tomato soup, of course! Enjoy!




Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup of red onion, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup of thinly shredded brussels sprouts
• kosher salt
• 4 thick slices of sourdough bread
• 4 ounces of gouda (Heather suggests havarti or mozzarella possible substitutes)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter for frying

1. In a large nonstick pan add the 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the brussels sprouts, sprinkle with kosher salt, then sauté for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Construct your sandwiches with the gouda (of course, using MORE than suggested) and the brussels sprouts/onion mix.
3. Heat olive oil or butter in pan over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until the cheese has melted... you know? Until it's done.
4. Slice and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Heather Christo.

Hot and Sweet Sesame Tofu

Here's one of my favorite recipes I've made with my cooking buddy, so far. Super easy and quite delicious. It's great as a quick meal or a fun appetizer, if you're having guests over. There's a little bit of prep because you have to get the excess water out of the tofu, either with paper towels or by placing something heavy on it and let the water drain that way. We found extra firm tofu was the way to go and we doubled the sauce recipe (that was just our preference), except for the red pepper flakes because that made it too spicy the first time we tried it, which means we've definitely enjoyed this recipe more than once. This one is a winner, even if you don't like tofu, give fried tofu a chance.



Ingredients:

• 1 block of extra firm tofu
• 1/4 cup of cornflour or corn starch 
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp of white sesame seeds
• A small bunch of green onions (not entirely necessary, if you don't feel like buying them)
• 1/2 cup of oil, more or less, for shallow frying

for sauce:

• 3 tbsp of honey
• 1 tsp of soy sauce
• 1 tsp of vinegar 
• 2 tsp of red chili flakes
• 1 tsp of freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp of freshly grated garlic
• 2 tsp of sesame oil (we added a bit of this when we were frying, as well)

1. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a pan.
2. Simmer on low heat until it starts to bubble up a bit. Continue to simmer for 2-3 min, then turn off flame.
3. If your tofu came in packaged in water, drain the water completely with paper towels or a heavy plate. Cut into bite-sized cubes and dredge in cornflour until fully coated.
4. Heat oil in a deep pan and add tofu in small batches, making sure they don't overlap. Fry until light golden brown. Allow them to cool on kitchen or paper towels to absorb some of the oil.
5. Add fried tofu to large bowl, pour sauce on top and toss until coated
6. Top with sesame seeds and green onions.

Recipe courtesy of Honest Cooking (Nagalakshmi Viswanathan)

Beef Barley Soup

 I used Meredith's suggestion and used frozen hash browns. Could not have been easier and this was super delicious. I did the on the stove variety since, as Meredith said when she made it, the slow cooker way isn't all that much less work.

Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 pounds stew meat (nicely marbled beef chunks)
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 10 cups water
• 3 mounded tablespoons good quality beef base*
• 3 stalks celery (about 2 cups), chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large potato, peeled and shredded, about 2 cups
• 3-4 large carrots, peeled and shredded, about 2 cups
• 1 cup barley, rinsed

Instructions

1. Generously salt and pepper the beef. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. When it is very hot, add about 1/3 of the meat. Brown for about 1-2 minutes, then turn to brown the other side. Remove to a plate when it is browned on all sides.
3. Repeat with remaining meat in 2 more batches. (If you add it all at once it will steam the meat instead of browning it--not what you want.)
4. When all the meat is browned, add all the meat back to the pot with 10 cups of water. Add 3 healthy tablespoons beef stock concentrate.
5. Add the chopped celery, onions, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 2 hours with the lid on.
6. When the meat is tender and you can break it apart easily with a wooden spoon, add the shredded potato and carrots. Bring to a boil, then continue to simmer on low for another 30-45 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
7. Add 1 cup of barley. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Cook for another half hour, or until barley is tender and the soup tastes...like home.
Slow cooker instructions:
8. In a large pan, brown the meat according to the instructions. Remove the browned meat to a large crockpot.
9. Add 2 cups of the water to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir up all the browned bits. Add this and the remaining 8 cups of water to the crock pot.
10. Add the beef base, celery, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker and stir.
11. Cook on low for about 6 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for another hour.
12. Add the barley and simmer for another hour or so, until it is tender.

Notes

*I suggest Better than Bullion Beef Base.

The simmer times on this soup are pretty rough. I let mine simmer all morning because I was feeling a lazy-soup-day. The best kind of day for October.

If your meat is not marbled well, you might want to add a bit of worcestershire sauce toward the end, to boost the flavor.

Lemony Orgo Vegetable Salad with Chicken

I made this for my dinner tonight. I've only had a few bites, but it's delicious. I used asparagus and tomatoes in place of the cucumber and red pepper. And I used a splash more olive oil and almost twice the honey because it tasted a bit too lemony first time through.

Lemony Orzo Veggie Salad with Chicken
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup uncooked orzo
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/2 cup diced English cucumber
• 1/2 cup pre-chopped red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Directions
Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain and place in a large bowl.
While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind and next 6 ingredients (through black pepper), stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle juice mixture over orzo; toss to coat. Add chicken and next 4 ingredients (through dill); toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with cheese.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups
Per serving: Calories: 281; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 26mg; Sodium: 301mg; Carbohydrate: 35g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 16g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 82mg; Iron: 11%; Vitamin A: 18%; Vitamin C: 56%; Calcium: 3%

Broccoli and Cheese Stromboli

The cooking with my kid blog... I very rarely actually do these recipes with either of my kids but, regardless, I do find the simplicity of the recipes very appealing! Here was another of her simple but tasty treats. It's basically a pizza that is rolled into a log before you cook it. Interestingly, I enjoyed this more as a reheated dish than I did when it was straight out of the oven. Straight out of the oven the cheese is too melty and so it oozes out the side when you cut it up. If you let it cool completely first and then cut it up and microwave it, the cheese stays (more) in place and allows you to eat this like a sandwich. Max loved it... Stella was dubious but ate about 1/3-1/2 of what I served her. As with any pizza-like recipe you could easily change the "toppings" (or filings, in this case) but this is one of those great ways to sneak some green veggies in to whomever you are serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 package pre-made pizza dough (we used whole wheat)
• 2 cups broccoli florets (blanched and chopped)
• 1 cup good marinara sauce
• 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 1/2 cups part skim mozzarella
• Grated Parmesan for sprinkling
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. In a small bowl mix together ricotta, sauce and oregano. 
3. Roll out pizza dough on a floured surface into a rectangle. Spread sauce mixture evenly on dough leaving room on the sides for crimping. Top with broccoli and mozzarella. Sprinkle the top with some Parmesan. 
4. Starting at one end roll the dough up and crimp the edges to seal. Transfer to a greased cookie sheet. 
5. Crack egg into a small bowl, add water to egg and whisk to form egg wash. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash and poke a few holes to let steam out. 
6. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until crust is well cooked and golden brown. Be sure to let it cook until it’s good and crusty – otherwise the inside will be too doughy. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing. 
7. Serve with extra marinara for dipping. Makes approximately 8 slices.

Recipe and photo courtesy of cookingwithmykid.com

Teriyaki Tilapia

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 4 6-ounce tilapia fillets
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions

1. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
2. Heat broiler. Place the tilapia on a baking sheet lined with foil and broil, basting occasionally with the teriyaki sauce, until cooked through, 7 to 9 minutes. Break into pieces.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cilantro, mint, scallions, and lime juice. Serve the tilapia over the rice and top with the herb salad and crushed red pepper. 

Photo and recipe from realsimple.com

Kale-Apple Smoothie

This was one of those... I have three things  that I need to use up before they go bad. Let's see if I can find a recipe that uses all of them. It's nothing special but, it being St. Patrick's Day and all, it felt like the right day to post this.
 
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chopped kale, ribs and thick stems removed
• 1 small stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 tablespoon
• fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Place the kale, celery, banana, apple juice, ice, and lemon juice in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth and frothy. 

Photo and recipe from realsimple.com

Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup

 

A couple of years ago, after Stella was born, I was getting ready to go back to work and Amanda was just about to give birth to Ethan. The two of us got together for an all day cooking marathon. We cooked 9 different recipes to freeze in order to prepare us for the next, even busier, phases of our lives. This was one of the recipes that Amanda brought to the marathon. She added in some cubed ham steak, probably when you add the milk to make sure the ham got properly warmed up. A delicious comfort food and one of my favorite soups of all time. I don't usually have a lot of luck with the kids and soups, but I'm pretty sure they would gobble this up. Hmmm, this may have to make it into next week's meal plan.

 

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes (Idaho or russet)
• 12 slices thick-cut applewood smoked bacon
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups 2 percent low-fat milk, heated
• 5 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces sour cream
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the potatoes on a roasting tray and bake for 45 minutes. When done, the tip of a paring knife should go through the potatoes easily.
3. Slice the bacon into lardons (thin strips) and cook in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.
4. Add the flour to the drippings in the pot and stir to combine. Cook, without adding color, until the flour and fat has combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk while you whisk to incorporate. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
5. Scoop out the potato pulp from the skins and add to the milk mixture. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon leaving it a little bit chunky.
6. Add the cooked bacon (leaving a little out for garnishing the soup), 1 cup of the cheese, and season well with salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with sour cream (from a squeeze bottle), sprinkle with remaining bacon bits, grated cheese and chives.

Recipe from foodnetwork.com

Photo from communitytable.com

ngredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup pre-chopped onion
1 cup pre chopped celery
2 cloves crushed garlic
2  32oz boxes of chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ bag of baby carrots
1 precooked rotisserie chicken
premade biscuits in the tube
¼ cup flour
½ cup frozen corn
½ cup frozen peas
2 teaspoons dried parsley
Heat oil over medium heat in large pot. Add onions and celery and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 boxes of chicken broth, carrots and basil. Boil for 15 minutes. Meanwhile open the tube of biscuits and tear each one into 3-4 pieces and drop into a bag with ¼ cup of flour. Be sure to cover each piece with flour. Add to the broth and boil for 10 minutes. Debone the chicken and add to the pot along with the frozen corn and peas. Cook for another 5 minutes, add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 with plenty of leftovers.
- See more at: http://www.cookingwithmykid.com/dinner/mackis-famous-chicken-dumplings/#sthash.RwOj5ebK.dpuf

ngredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup pre-chopped onion
1 cup pre chopped celery
2 cloves crushed garlic
2  32oz boxes of chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ bag of baby carrots
1 precooked rotisserie chicken
premade biscuits in the tube
¼ cup flour
½ cup frozen corn
½ cup frozen peas
2 teaspoons dried parsley
Heat oil over medium heat in large pot. Add onions and celery and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 boxes of chicken broth, carrots and basil. Boil for 15 minutes. Meanwhile open the tube of biscuits and tear each one into 3-4 pieces and drop into a bag with ¼ cup of flour. Be sure to cover each piece with flour. Add to the broth and boil for 10 minutes. Debone the chicken and add to the pot along with the frozen corn and peas. Cook for another 5 minutes, add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 with plenty of leftovers.
- See more at: http://www.cookingwithmykid.com/dinner/mackis-famous-chicken-dumplings/#sthash.RwOj5ebK.dpuf

Pinto Bean Chili with Corn and Winter Squash

 
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups (12-ounce) packages cubed butternut squash (about 5 1/2 cups)
• 3 cups cooked pinto beans
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undraine
• 3 ounces crumbled queso fresco (about 3/4 cup)
• 6 lime wedges

Preparation

1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add chili powder and cumin; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
2. Place onion mixture in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Add butternut squash and next 6 ingredients (through chiles). Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until vegetables are tender and chili is thick. Sprinkle with cheese; serve with lime wedges. 

Photo and recipe from myrecipes.com

1.  

Slow Cooker Garlic Sweet Potato Mash

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs (4 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 2 tbsp light sour cream
• salt and fresh cracked ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Place the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker and add just enough water to cover them. Add salt to the water, then cover and set the slow cooker to 4 hours on LOW.
2. Just before the potatoes are ready, melt the butter in a small saute pan and sauté garlic until lightly golden. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the slow cooker. 
3. Pour the garlic butter over them, add milk and sour cream and mash until smooth and creamy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and keep the slow cooker set to warm until ready to eat or up to 2 hours.

Recipe and photo from skinnytaste.com

Raisin and Oat Scones

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
• 1/2 cup raisins or dried cherries
• 2 teaspoons fennel seed (optional)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, oats, raisins, and fennel seed, if using. 
3. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, egg, and buttermilk until combined, then add to flour mixture. 
4. Stir until batter is evenly moistened (do not overmix). 
5. Drop batter by 1/3 cupfuls, 2 inches apart, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
6. Bake until golden brown, 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let scones cool on a wire rack, 5 minutes.

Cook's Note
Store scones in an airtight container, up to 1 day.

Slow-Cooker Harvest Chicken & Potatoes

 
Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 ounces small new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
• 2 cups baby carrots, cut into thirds
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 4 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Directions

1. In a medium-size bowl, stir together chicken, 2 tablespoons of the flour, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper; add to slow cooker. Stir in potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme, the sage and broth. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6 hours.
2. In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1 tablespoon flour and the butter until a paste forms. Push the chicken and veggies to one side and whisk paste, remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and thyme into slow cooker bowl. Cook 1 more hour or until thickened. 

Photo and recipe from recipe.com

Carrot Couscous

 
This recipe is a bit bland but can be easily spiced up with some salt, white pepper or whatever your spice of choice is. The real draw of this dish is the visual presentation. It is a nearly neon orange couscous with bright green chives sprinkled across the top. It could also easily be modified to include some cooked carrots or any number of ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup carrot juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup uncooked couscous
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preparation

1. Bring first 4 ingredients to a simmer over medium-high heat; gradually stir in couscous. 
2. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. 
3. Drizzle with oil; fluff with a fork. 
4. Sprinkle with chives; toss to combine. 

Recipe from cookinglight.com; photo from veganchronicle.blogspot.com

Fried Pickles

INGREDIENTS

• canola oil
• 16 ounces sliced dill pickles
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (or plain yogurt)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Coating

• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1” oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Drain pickles reserving 3/4 cup juice.
3. Place pickles in between paper towels and press out extra juice.
4. In a medium bowl, combine pickle juice, yogurt, egg, flour, and cornstarch.
5. In a separate bowl, combine coating ingredients.
6. Place as many pickles as will comfortably fit in the bowl of batter. Toss.
7. Then place a couple at a time in coating.
8. Test one pickle in oil to see if it is hot enough. You will know it is at the right temperature if your pickle immediately starts to bubble around the edges.
9. Fry pickles in batches, not overcrowding, for 2-3 minutes and transfer to a paper towel line plate.

 Recipe and photo from No More To Go

Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta

The original recipe defeats the purpose of a slow cooker for me, namely, that it calls for briefly cooking the chicken and some of the vegetables on the stove in advance. I've simplified the recipe with good results, though it still involves some minor advance cooking on the stove.

And while I really LOVE the polenta with this recipe (neither rice nor pasta seem to blend as well with it), re-heating requires some effort (added water and mixing) to try to return it to its original state (and still falls short).

Photo from Cooking Light

INGREDIENTS
Main Dish

• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• ~1 lb skinless, boneless chicken (your choice of bird section)
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped red bell pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 1 x 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 Tbsp capers
• Not critical, but I decided to be adventurous with a new ingredient. They were located among the olives and other canned Italian delicacies.
• 1.5 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper 
• 3/4 tsp salt

Polenta

• 1 cup polenta
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Main Dish

1. Heat a large skillet on medium with olive oil.
2. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté 4 minutes. 
3. Add wine, and bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes.  
4. Combine skillet contents, along with the remaining non-chicken ingredients, in the slow cooker. Place chicken on top.
5. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours, shredding the chicken at that time, and then let it simmer on low for ~30 min.

Polenta 

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
2. Whisk in 1 cup of polenta and 1 tsp salt.
3. Turn down the heat and stir until the polenta is suspended/no longer settling on the bottom of the pot. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, at a bare simmer.
4. Stir in 3 Tbsp butter and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

 
Recipes via Cooking Light (main dish) and Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food (polenta)
 

Beef, Cheddar, and Stout Pie

Helo inspecting the ingredients. Photo Credit: E.Evans

It took some tinkering, but the taste of the dish finally matches the AMAZING aroma.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 medium red onions, peeled and chopped
• This may seem like a lot, but the final result is tasty (and not at all overwhelming)!
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1/3 cup butter, plus extra for greasing
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped
• 6 cremini mushrooms, peeled and sliced (optional)
• 2 1/4 pounds beef brisket, or stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 440ml Guinness (or other similar stout)
• I have a wide, shallow Dutch oven, and because it is key to ensure all the meat and veggies are covered in liquid before I put it into the oven, I needed another can of Guinness.
• 2 heaping Tbsp flour
• 5 ounces freshly grated Cheddar cheese
• You can also omit the cheese for a more authentic Scottish dish, I'm told ;)
• 8 ounces ready-made all-butter puff pastry
• 1 large egg with a tablespoon of water, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch Oven on low heat. Add the onions and saute for ~10 minutes.
3. Turn the heat to high and add the garlic, butter, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Mix everything together.
4. Add beef, rosemary, a large pinch of salt, and a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. Fry on high for ~4 minutes.
5. Pour in the stout (and add extra stout and/or water to ensure everything is covered). Stir in the flour. Bring to a simmer and cover. 
6. Place in the oven for 1.5 hours. Remove the Dutch oven and stir the stew, making sure to scrape bits off of the bottom. Return to the oven and cook for 1 more hour.
7. Transfer the stew mixture to a 13 x 9 baking dish. Stir in the cheese, then season with salt and pepper.
8. Roll out the pastry sheet to fit and then place over the top of the baking dish. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash (beaten egg and water).
9. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 45 min. (Hint: place the dish on a baking sheet to catch spills.)

Recipe via A Tale of Three Kitchens (original recipe - with metric measurements - from Jamie Oliver)

Risotto with Bacon and Kale

 
It's not that impressive to look at. And it requires quite a bit of chopping and prep work. So far, not a good combination. However, the results... oh, the results! It is well worth every second of chopping and roasting and stirring and cooking. This is the first time I have ever made risotto in the oven and I will likely never do it on the stove top again. At this period in my life, any cooking that can be made in a hands off fashion is going to get rave reviews from me. This was delicious and, thanks to the host of veggies, also felt good for you. As with anything like this, it is easy to mess with the vegetables to suit taste. I've made it as-is and also using peas (that I did not roast) instead of the parsnips. Both were delicious. I used far more kale than 3 leaves (in part because it is what makes this dish feel good for you and also because I am unlikely to use kale in other dishes and I wanted to use as much of it as I could get away with).
 
4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, chopped coarsely
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 3 cups low-salt chicken broth, plus ¼ to ½ cup
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
• ¾ cup diced cooked chicken
• 3 medium curly kale leaves, stemmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 parsnip, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Mix vegetables with olive oil and minced garlic. Roast for ~20-30 minutes.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
4. In a large heavy saucepan or braising pan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.
5. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups broth and the lemon juice. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover with a tight lid and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Remove the lid and stir in the chicken, kale, roasted vegetables and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Stir until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes, adding extra broth, as needed, until the risotto is creamy. Stir in the cooked bacon and cheese. Ladle into bowls and serve.

 Photo and recipe from giadadelaurentiis.com