Stuffed Potatoes

This recipe is well worth the time and effort.  It is elegant enough to serve to company.  And it's just delicious!  To make this delectable entree you will need:
8 cups of beef stock (low sodium)
2 pounds of chuck beef cubes (cut in 1 inch cubes)
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 small bag pearl onions (fresh or frozen)
1 8 ounce package of mushrooms
1/2 red wine
4 large russet potatoes
1 tablespoon prepared Creamy Horseradish Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
few tablespoons of milk

1.)  In a medium saucepan, over medium heat ad the 8 cups of beef stock.  Allow this to simmer until it reduces to half.  Once it does, you can remove it from the heat.
2.)  If you are using fresh pearl onions, while the stock is reducing, boil the onions for three minutes in water to make peeling the onions easier.  Once they are cool enough to touch you then remove the root end and squeeze.  The onion will pop out of the skin easily.  If you are using frozen, you will want to defrost the onions.
3.)  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  On a paper plate, put the flour and the salt and pepper.  In a dutch oven, over medium heat add a few turns of olive oil to coat the pan.  Dredge the cubes in the flour and place in the dutch oven.  Do not overcrowd the pan.  If you do all you will be doing is steaming the beef cubes.  You are looking for browned beef cubes.  Do in batches if necessary.  Remove the cubes once browned.
4.)  If needed, add a little bit more oil.  Add the onions and the mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stirring to remove the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  Add the wine.  Let the wine reduce into the onions and mushrooms. 
5.)   While the onions and mushrooms are working,   Wash and dry the potatoes, stab with a fork and bake for about 45 minutes or until tender.
6.)  Once the onions and mushrooms have absorbed the wine, add in the beef stock and the beef.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer.  Cover and let simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.  You should check it periodically and you might need to add a bit of water.
7.)  Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch.  Cut off the top half of the potato.  Scoop out the the flesh with a spoon, leaving about a 1/4" to 1/2" rim to form a bowl.  Spray a baking sheet with Pam, put the potatoes cut side down on the baking sheet, spray with Pam and return the potatoes to the oven for about 20 minutes, until the shell is crispy.
8.)  In the meantime, mash the potato flesh with the horseradish, the butter and just enough milk to give them a smooth consistency.
9.)  Place a "potato bowl"  on a plate.  Fill with the beef mixture and top with the mashed potato mixture.  Enjoy!

Crock pot Chicken and dumplings

This is a delicious and super easy recipe.  It's great for busy days.  Throw everything in the crock pot in the morning.  Come home add 3 more ingredients and then 45 minutes later you have a hearty dinner for the family.  Let's get cooking!  You will need:

1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup wine
1 can of water
spritz of garlic powder, salt and pepper

3 carrots, peeled and cut in 1" pieces (or half a bag of baby carrots cut in half)
2 stalks of celery cut in 1" pieces
2 medium red skinned potatoes, peeled and cut in 1" pieces
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1" pieces
1 cup peas
1 cup mushrooms (optional if you are a hater)
1 can of buttermilk flaky biscuits
chives

 

1.)  In the crock pot, add the soups, wine, water, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine. 

2.)  Add the carrots, celery, potatoes and chicken chunks.  Stir again.  Put the lid on the crock pot and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.

3.)   About 45 minutes prior to serving, add the mushrooms and the peas.  Stir to combine. 
4.)  Change the crock pot to the high setting.  Open the biscuits and put on top of the stew.  Sprinkle with the chives.  Cover.  In about 35 -45 minutes they will puff up and become dumplings!

Easy right?  One of my husbands favorites!

Canning - Fresh Veggies all winter

August is the best time for produce.  Every year I freeze corn, green beans and beets so that we have the best vegetables all winter long.  It's not hard to do.  This especially makes sense this year with the drought and the threat of rising prices.  This year I took it a step further, I'm growing my own corn, green beans and beets!
Freezing corn
A dozen ears of corn.  (Around here you can get 14 ears for $4)
Resealable sandwich bags
1.)  Put on a large pot of water on high heat to bring to a boil.  Husk the corn.
2.)  In batches, boil the corn for 4 minutes.  In the meantime, prepare another pot with ice water.
After the boil time, immediately immerse the corn in the ice water for 4 minutes.
3.)  Put the corn on a clean dish towel and allow it to "dry off" a bit.
4.)  In a large bowl, with a knife remove the corn from the cob.
5.)  In a resealable sandwich, put 1 1/2 cups of the corn.  Seal the bag removing as much air as possible.  Freeze.  This should give you about 6 baggies of corn.  Fresh, inexpensive and better tasting vegetables all winter long!


Green Beans
1 quart of green beans, cut in bite size pieces.
Resealable sandwich bags
1.)  Same process as above.
This will yield about 3 baggies of green beans.


We will cover beets another day!

Street Fair Sausage & Peppers - turned healthy (vegan version to follow)

If you have ever traveled to the Jersey shore or gone to a NY street festival, you have most likely eaten a Sausage, Pepper and Onion heros.  They are a tasty treat that sticks in the memory for years.  I have started to make the sandwiches at home.  A summertime favorite.  For the sandwiches you will need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 Italian Turkey links
2  green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 tablespoons red wine or water
6 sub rolls or crusty Italian rolls, split lengthwise

1. Place oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell peppers, onion, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium-low and saute, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add wine or water and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes. The vegetables should be thoroughly cooked and tender.
2.  Turn the grill to high.  Grill the sausages until brown (about 15-20 minutes).
3. Brush rolls with olive oil (or spray with Pam) and grill 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
4. Open 1 roll. Place 1 sausage link firmly inside. Smother with  the peppers and onions. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Eat immediately.

Baked "Fried" Green Beans - can also be made vegan

My garden is over run with green beans.   I am a happy camper.  I love the multitude of things we can make with green beans.  This is one of my new favorites.  And it can be baked so you don't have the "fry" calories!  This recipe is very similar to my baked tomatoes, just a little bit different.  You will need:
Green beans (about a pound and a half)
Pam
1/2 cup of flour
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup of egg replacer (vegan use vegan egg replacer)
couple dashes of hot sauce
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup corn meal.
1.) Preheat the oven to 400.  Cut off the stem end of the green beans.  Put the green beans in a microwave safe dish.  Put a wet paper towel on top of the green beans.  Microwave on high for approximately 3 minutes.  You want them semi soft.  Immediately run the the beans under cold water and let them sit in the cold water while you set up your breading stations.
2.)  On a paper plate, place the flour.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a bowl put the egg replacer and mix in the hot sauce.  On another paper plate combine the Panko and the corn meal.
3.)  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam.  Drain the green beans and lightly pat dry.  Using a fork, coat the beans in the flour, then the egg mixture and lastly the panko mixture.  Put on the baking sheet.  Spray the green beans with a coating of Pam.
4.)  Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes.  Turn off the oven, turn on the broiler.  Allow the beans to get brown and crispy.  Turning them frequently.  Pay attention at this point, you do not want to burn the green beans.
5.)  I served my green beans with a low calorie creamy Italian salad dressing sprinkled with crushed black pepper.  Enjoy!

Easy Paella

The list of ingredients in this dish is rather daunting, but not to worry it's relatively easy.  I do not own a wok or a Paella pan.  I used my electric fry pan, worked just fine!  Some like to add mussels and or lobster tails.  The saffron is pricey enough, I opted to use shrimp only and it was still fabulous.  To make the Paella you will need:
4 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 package chicken tenders, cubed
2 hot Italian sausages
2 boil in bags, bags of basmati rice
3 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of white wine
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 big pinch of saffron
salt and pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined






1.)  Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the sausages to brown the outside.  Once browned, remove from the pan and cut into rounds. 
2.)  Add the onions, the garlic and the bell pepper.  Cook for 3-5 minutes.  Add the chicken and the sausage.  Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.  Add the
rice and cook for another few minutes.  Add 1/2 cup of the wine and let it absorb.
3.)  Stir in the other 1/2 cup of wine, the chicken stock, the thyme, and the saffron.  Add some salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
4.)  Check the rice for doneness.  You can add more stock if the rice is not soft 1/2 cup at a time.  Quality check for salt and pepper also.
5.)  Layer in the tomatoes, peas and shrimp.  Cover and let it heat through on low for about another 5 minutes.