Beef Bourguignon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Admittedly, I have no idea how to pronounce "bourguignon" or do I even know what it means for that matter.  My guess is that it means something like: divine, beautiful, or simply heavenly.  Sometimes I find a recipe that looks interesting and I hang onto it for months before I finally end up cooking it.  But there are other times, like this time, that I find a recipe and I MUST prepare it immediately.  Trust me, if you happened to see the photo that was printed alongside this recipe (which was featured in the October issue of the Rachel Ray magazine) you wouldn't have hesitated either.  A picture is worth a thousand words, or in this case, it was worth a thousand teeny tiny bursts of the salivary glands.

Another true fact is that the husband and I are not big fans of the traditional beef stew and this recipe is pretty similar to beef stew, but there is just something about this recipe that attracted me.  My guess is that it has something to do with the lack of potatoes called for in the recipe.  Or it may have been the addition of bacon and red wine.  Oh YUM! Those glands are kicking into gear again as I type! I prepared this dish exactly as directed in the original recipe, no alterations needed.  I'm going to do you a favor and stop babbling about it now so that you can head straight into your kitchen to cook it right up!


INGREDIENTS:

2 slices bacon, chopped
1 lb. beef chuck stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes
2 C white mushrooms, quartered
3/4 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2 in. pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 TBSP tomato paste
1 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
1 C beef stock
3/4 C dry red wine
2 TBSP fresh thyme
salt & pepper
1 small baguette, cut into slices


DIRECTIONS:


In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over med-high heat until crisp, 4 minutes or so.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer into a bowl. Season the beef with salt and pepper and add it to the pot in a single layer.  Cook, stirring, until browned all over, about 8 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.  Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cooked meat, carrots, onion, tomato paste and butter.  Season and cook, stirring, 1 minute.  Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.  Stir in the stock, wine and 1 tbsp. thyme; bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to med-low, cover and simmer until the meat is tender and the sauce thickens, about 1 1/2 hours.  Stir in the cooked bacon; season.  Divide among bowls, garnish with the remaining thyme and serve with the sliced baguette.  Enjoy! :)

Tricia's 20min. Stovetop Chili

Its been a little while since my last post.  I went through another one of my cooking funks.  It's the kind of funk where I never know what to cook, nothing ever sounds good, and I go on a menu planning strike.  I think I am over it.  For now.

The boys have been bugging me for weeks to make them some chili and cornbread.  The weather is getting nicer here so I was hoping they'd forget about it and instead be satisfied with the lighter dishes that I like to cook during this time of the year.  Nope!  So last night, I gave in and cooked them what they wanted.  I love to take care of my spoiled brats!

This is a super quick recipe that will definitly satisfy your chili cravings.  It is one of my go-to recipes since I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  Start to finish, you can have this dinner on the table in 20 minutes! What's not to love? If prepared the way the recipe is written, the chili will have a kick to it.  My way of dealing with that when serving it to my boys is to stir in a healthy helping of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, it helps curve the spice. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 14.5 oz. can of petiete diced tomatoes
1 15oz. can of red kidney beans (drained)
1.5 TBSP ancho chili powder
1 TBSP cumin
1TBSP paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C water

*Topping options*:

cheddar cheese
chopped onion (yellow or green!)
sour cream or plain Greek yogurt


DIRECTIONS:

Chop the onion and garlic.  Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic and drain any excess fat.  Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.  Let simmer on low for 5-10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Mexican Shrimp Bisque

(What an amateur photo, gee...I wonder who took it!? hehehe ;))

When I was nine years old my mom let me invite a boy over for dinner for the first time.  His name was Michael.  We were neighbors and we were in the same fourth grade class.  I can still remember that he wore a button-up shirt with a collar.  He arrived to my house late and he brought with him two pink carnations.  One for me, and the other for my mom.  (Impressive!)

That night, Michael had his first encounter with Rice-a-Roni.  I was completely shocked that he had never before tasted the San Francisco treat!  He raved about how much he loved it and told us how he was going to ask his mom to make it for him at home. I can still remember us standing in the kitchen while I sang the Rice-a-Roni jingle to him.  It wasn't too long before Michael became my very first boyfriend. 

So there you have it...the best kept secret and the key to a mans heart is simply through a box of Rice-a-Roni!  Who knew?! ;)


Aside from the poor photo provided, this bisque was AMAZING!  Would you believe me if I told you that it only took thirty minutes from start to finish!? Now that's my kind of fast food!

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 small onion, chopped

1 TBSP olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 TBSP all-purpose flour

1 C water

1/2 C heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1 TBSP chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 C plain Greek yogurt

fresh cilantro, chopped

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

In a small saucepan, sauté the onion in the oil until tender.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.  Stir in the flour until well blended.  Stir in the water, cream, bouillon and seasonings; bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and cover, simmer for 5 minutes.  Cut half of the shrimp into small pieces.  Add the shrimp to the soup.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes longer or until all of the shrimp turn pink.  Place the Greek yogurt in a small bowl and gradually stir in 1/2 C of the hot soup.  Return the Greek yogurt mixture to the pan while stirring it constantly.  Heat through, but do not boil.  Top with cilantro.  Enjoy!

 

 

Korean Chicken Soup

This is a new recipe for me and I can tell already that it's one of my favorites. It's super easy and relatively quick...which I love. I used to think I hated ginger, but it's dishes like this one that have made me realize that I actually adore ginger! It's so yummy! You can find the recipe in the comments below. If you decide to try it, come back and let me know what you think!

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups chicken broth
2 TBSP finely chopped garlic
2 TBSP fresh grated ginger
1/2 C white rice, uncooked
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1-2 tsp hot chile paste or hot chile sauce
1 C cooked chicken, shredded
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 TBSP sesame seeds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

Add broth, garlic and ginger in a Large sauce pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add rice. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer until the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil; add chile paste (or sauce) to taste. Add the chicken and heat through. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

NOTE: If you plan to serve this soup to kids (mine loved it!) then I recommend to leave the hot chili sauce out and then add it to the individual bowls instead. It's also an easier way to control the spiciness if one person likes theirs with more or less of a kick!

 

 

Turkey Sausage & Lentil Soup

Soup season is taking its time getting to our neck of the woods, but I haven't let that stop me from making soups for dinner anyway. This recipe for Turkey Sausage & Lentil Soup was yummy. The husband requested that next time I either double the sausage or throw in some bacon. Bacon would be a GREAT addition to this recipe! As is, more sausage, or adding bacon...either way, give it a try! :)

 

 

 

Turkey Sausage & Lentil Soup

1 TBSP olive oil
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 package smoked turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch-thick
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 cans diced tomatoes
16 oz. lentils
8 C chicken broth
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion, and cook 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Add sausage and mushrooms, and cook 5 to 7 minutes longer or until vegetables are just tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, lentils, broth and seasonings and heat to simmering (do not bring to a boil). Reduce heat to medium and simmer 45-55 minutes or until lentils are tender. Serve soup with sprinkled cheese. Enjoy!

White Bean, Sausage, and Kale Soup

This is a recipe that was recently posted by Edesiasnotebook.com, one of my favorite food blogs that I follow.  The recipe sounded quick, easy, and tasty...the top three things I go for in a recipe!!  As with her, it was my first time cooking with kale and therefore my first time shopping for kale in the produce department of the grocery store.  I had no idea there was such a thing as red kale, well not until I bought the green one and then read the recipe a little closer! So that is where one of my minor changes came about.  Red vs. Green...big deal??? I have no idea being that this was also my first time even eating kale!! My second minor change was adding red pepper flakes to the soup after plating.  It gave nice color and a nice little kick! (If you've been following my blog closely, you may have caught on by now that the hubby and I like a little kick in our dishes!)

INGREDIENTS:
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic (I used 3)
1 lb. bulk italian sausage
2 cans white beans, one drained and rinsed, the other not
4 C reduced sodium chicken broth
6 C red kale, chopped (or green!)
red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:
Over Medium heat, heat olive oil in a large pot.  Saute the onion and garlic until the onion starts to soften.  Next, add the sausage to the pot and break into chunks.  If needed, drain excess grease.  Add the remaining ingredients and  bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until kale is softened.

recipe adapted from edesiasnotebook.com

Mexican Chicken & Tomato Soup

This is not an authentic "Mexican" soup, but it is still an oldie but goodie in our household.  It works wonderfully for a cold night, middle of the week meal.  I believe the original recipe was called "tortilla soup", but I never called it that since I never served it with the tortilla chips and cheese as the original recipe notes.  I feel the soup goes better by itself or the broth can be decreased and it goes really well over a plate of steamed white rice.  This recipe uses a lot of canned products, so if your not a fan then this recipe isn't for you.  I suppose you can make it happen purely from scratch, but then it wouldn't be "quick and easy"! :)  Avocado slices are a nice addition to this dish, but I wasn't able to find any at the grocery store last night that were ready to be cut into.  (I hate it when that happens!!!)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cooked chicken breasts; shredded
2 cans Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can chopped green chillies
1 onion chopped
1 TBSP fresh chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin
2 limes; juiced
2 cans fat free chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:
Sprinkle the cumin over the shredded chicken in a large pot; mix to coat completely.  Add all other ingredients.  Bring to a boil, simmer 20 min.  This can be served in bowls with tortilla chips and cheese, alone or over steamed rice.

recipe from my lovely Aunt Mari!

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Normally on a Sunday, I like to cook meals that involves more time since I don't have time forthat kind of cooking during the week.  BUT...we had a lot going on yesterday so I decided to give this crockpot chicken enchilada soup recipe a try!  It was yummy, I brought it over to my sisters house and she prepared a tasty salad to go with it and bread and butter.  I'd say overall it would be a good, hearty weeknight meal!  I'd make it again, but might try to make a few adjustments.  We added Tapatio and a blend of cheddar and monterey jack cheese to the soup.  (We like things spicy in our household!)

INGREDIENTS:
3 TBSP butter
3TBSP flour
1/2 C chicken broth
2 C milk
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5oz) Rotel diced tomatoes and jalapenos
1 package (10oz) frozen corn
1/2 C onion, chopped
1/2 C bell pepper, diced
1 can (10oz) enchilada sauce
2 whole chicken breasts
1 C shredded monterey jack cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir in flour; keep stirring until smooth and bubbly.  Remove from heat and add the chicken broth and 1/2 cup milk, a little at a time, stirring to keep smooth.  Return to heat.  Bring sauce to a gentle boil; cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
In a crockpot, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper.  Place 2 chicken breasts on top of the mixture.
In a large bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and chicken broth mixture.  Gradually whisk in remaining milk until smooth.  Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.  Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Remove chicken and cut or shread into bite-sized pieces.  Add chicken back into the soup.  Top with cheese and serve.  The soup can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips!

Baked Potato Soup

This is a very delicious soup that is SUPER easy and fast to make! My husband and I LOVED it :) It was a little peppery so my son wouldn't eat it, but the recipe can easily be adjusted to take care of that if you have picky kids to feed.

INGREDIENTS:
3 bacon strips, diced (I used half a pack of thick sliced bacon because I knew my husband would want more)
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (psssht! I used three!)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth (whenever I boil chicken I reserve the water, measure it out, and freeze to use it for things like this!)
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup half and half cream
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Minced fresh parsley.

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp.  Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings.  Set bacon aside.  Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender.  Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well.  Gradually add broth.  Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes.  Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil.  Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsely.