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Fast & Easy Dinner: Hurry-Up Beef-Vegetable Stew

partysugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:58:31 -0800

Beef stew is not your average quick cooking meal. Most recipes take a couple hours, or even an entire day to fully develop a robust stew flavor. However, I've found a recipe for a super simple beef stew that comes together in under an hour. Red wine, thyme, mushroom and tomato soups, give this stew a slow cooked feeling. All you have to do is throw everything into a pot and wait for it to boil, making it the perfect end of the week meal. To get the recipe please read more

Hurry-Up Beef-Vegetable Stew
From Better Homes and Gardens magazine

2 cups water
1 10.75-oz. can condensed golden-mushroom soup
1 10.75-oz. can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup dry red wine or beef broth
2 cups chopped cooked roast beef
1 16-oz. package frozen sugar-snap stir-fry vegetables or one 16-oz. package frozen cut broccoli
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

In a 4-qt. Dutch oven combine water, mushroom soup, tomato soup, and wine. Stir in beef, frozen vegetables, and thyme.
Cook over medium heat until bubbly, stirring frequently. Continue cooking, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender, stirring occasionally.

Serves 5.

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Weekend Well-Being: Mediterranean Beef Stew

FitSugar — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:00:00 -0800

I know that Super Bowl Sunday is usually a day for chili, but think about switching it up with an equally filling and tasty beef stew - winter is the time for hearty beef stew, and weekends are the best time to make a slow cooking stew. Not only does stew make your house smell great, but it's a crowd pleaser and you can freeze the leftovers.

This beef stew is tasty and when shopping for stew meat always go for a cut that is low in fat and not labeled prime. I have added more veggies than the original recipe called for, because it is an easy way to increase my veggie intake. I like to make this recipe with beef stock, but doing so does add extra calories and sodium to the stew. You can use water instead of stock, but make sure to add a teaspoon of salt.

Interested in reading the recipe? Then read more

Mediterranean Beef Stew
adapted from Cooking Light

What you need:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups halved mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
3 cups diagonally cut carrot
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
3 cups sliced celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups beef stock (or water)
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
coarsely ground black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, drained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

What you do:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef in two batches; cook for about 5 minutes, browning on all sides.
Remove beef from pan and place on paper towel to strain.
Sauté mushrooms, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return beef to pan.
Add beef stock, wine, herbs and tomatoes; bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.
Add olives, and cook for 30 minutes or until beef is tender.
Discard bay leaves. Stir in vinegar. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve over mashed potatoes (keep the skins on the potatoes because they contain lots of important nutrients and use low fat milk and olive oil for mashing). Keep the mashed potatoes thick and chunky.

Recipe makes 6 servings

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Sunday Dinner: Sirloin Stew With Dill Noodles

YumSugar — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:30:02 -0800

Earlier this month, Party and I were enticed by one reader's rendition of beef stroganoff. If you, too, found yourself salivating over her creation, here's another dish that you need to bookmark! Unlike the classic course, which has sour cream and mushrooms, the ground beef in this recipe becomes a stew with the help of a roux, beef broth, and Worcestershire. Pile it on top of herbed egg noodles, serve with a salad, and you've got a speedy (and guest-worthy!) dinner. Curious? Then read more.

Monday's Leftovers: Guinness Stew

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 08:53:19 -0700

Yesterday I provided the recipe for a hearty Guinness Beef Stew and today I'm wondering what to do with the leftovers. I've come up with a bunch of different ideas (hollow out a small loaf of bread and serve it inside a bread bowl, get some large tortillas and create a irish stew wrap, serve it over pasta or rice, heat it back up with a little bit of cornstarch to thicken it up and serve it in a sandwich), however what I really want to do is just heat up the stew and eat it again! And, since the flavors have had some time to hang out and meld more, I know the stew is going to take even better today.

In case you missed the recipe, I'm putting it up again, but this time with step-by-step picture instructions. To check it out, read more

Guinness Beef Stew
From Cook's Country March 2007

3.5 lbs boneless beef chuck stew meat
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups Guinness Draught (not the extra stout)
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp dried thyme
1 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 1/2 lb baby red potatoes, scrubbed clean cut into 1" chunks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp minced parsley (fresh)

Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.
Cook half of beef until browned on all-sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker insert and repeat with additional 2 tsp oil and remaining beef.
Add remaining 2 tsp oil, onions, and 1/4 tsp salt to skillet and cook until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add broth and 1 1/4 cups stout.
Add sugar, thyme, chocolate and bay leaves.
Bring to boil using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits.
Transfer to slow cooker insert.
Add carrots, parsnips, and potatoes to slow cooker insert.
Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 9-10 hours (or cook on hight for 6-7 hours).Our slow-cooker was ridiculously full and I was pretty sure it was going to overflow. So to be safe, I placed it inside of a baking sheet. Turned out to be a good idea... !
Set slow cooker to high.
Whisk flour and remaining 1/4 cup beer until smooth.
Stir mixture into slow cooker. Cook, covered, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.
Remove bay leafs from stew. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper. Serve!

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Monday's Leftovers: Beef Stew Lasagna

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:13:39 -0800

When faced with leftover beef stew or beef bourguignon, you may be tempted to reheat it for dinner and call it a night. You could also layer it between puff pastry, or fill a pie crust with it. Those ideas are great, however they're a bit obvious. That's why I went on a hunt for something a little extraordinary. After a bit of searching I've discovered a spectacular beef stew lasagna. It's unexpected and tasty and will sure to be a hit at your house. To get the recipe, read more

Beef Stew Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce
From the Scotto Family via The Today Show

12 servings

For béchamel sauce
3 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste

For lasagna
2 tablespoons unsalted butter to grease lasagna pan
1 pound dried lasagna sheets
2 cups diced mozzarella cheese
11/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta
2 large eggs
2-3 cups leftover beef stew less the liquid
Salt and pepper to taste

To make béchamel sauce:

Combine the milk and nutmeg in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk in flour and 2 tablespoons butter until the sauce is smooth. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 8 minutes until sauce is thick. Season with salt and pepper, cover and set aside.

To make lasagna:

In a large bowl, combine mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, ricotta and eggs; mix well.
Bring to a boil a large pot of lightly salted water; cook lasagna sheets for 8 minutes till al dente.
Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the boiling water to prevent lasagna sheets from sticking. Drain and separate the sheets to cool.
In an 8x12-inch baking pan that is at least 2 inches high, grease pan with butter.
Line pan with a layer of lasagna, spread half the cheese mixture over the pasta, top with leftover beef stew that is at room temperature.
Lay a second layer of pasta and use the remaining cheese mixture with the beef stew.
Lay a third layer of pasta sheets and top with béchamel sauce and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered in 350° oven for 35 minutes until top is golden brown. Let lasagna stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

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6 Scrumptious Uses For Stout Beer

YumSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 05:50:59 -0700

Planning a boisterous bash for St. Patrick's Day? Chances are, you'll have plenty of Guinness - the famous Irish brew - on hand. Deliciously creamy, slightly sweet, and a tad bitter all at the same time, Guinness makes for a great drink on its own. But did you know the stout also packs a punch of flavor to many different types of dishes? Read on to find out what you can cook with yours.

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Must-Read: Lobel's Meat Bible

YumSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:00:03 -0700

I have a confession to make. Although a good number of you are vegetarians, and even more of you eat less meat now that we're in a recession, I still crave meat on a regular basis - whether it's a lamb chop, slice of jamon Iberico, or charcuterie. So when I received a copy of Lobel's Meat Bible ($40), a new book by revered New York butcher brothers Stanley, Evan, Mark, and David Lobel, I couldn't wait to check it out. See what I thought of it when you read more

Come Party With Me: Passover - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:00:23 -0700

After the ceremonious reading of the Haggadah, invite your loved ones to join you for a hearty Seder dinner that is both traditional and modern. Start things off with a reinterpretation of the classic gefilte fish: pan-fried matzo-crusted trout. Serve with a crisp green salad. Next move on to rich bowls of piping hot matzo ball soup. Instead of offering the expected brisket, select another tough cut of meat - beef short ribs - and slow-cook in Kosher red wine. A tzimmes, a time-honored Passover stew made from sweet potatoes and dried fruit, is delicious on the side.

For these festive recipes, read more.

Matzo Meal-Crusted Trout
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 large egg
1/4 cup water
Kosher salt
1 cup matzo meal
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Eight 6-ounce rainbow trout fillets with skin, rinsed and patted dry
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Oregano Oil, recipe below

Directions

In a bowl, beat the egg and water with a pinch of salt. In a shallow baking dish, toss the matzo meal with the pepper, garlic powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
Dip the trout fillets in the beaten egg, then dredge in the matzo meal mixture; transfer to a baking sheet.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in each of 2 large nonstick skillets. Add 4 fillets, skin side up, to each skillet and cook over moderately high heat until browned at the edges, 5 minutes. Turn and cook until the skin is crisp and the fish is just opaque throughout, about 3 minutes.
Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with salt. Serve with the Oregano Oil.

Serves 8.

Oregano Oil

3 oregano sprigs, lightly crushed
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a glass measuring cup, combine the oregano and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 and up to 2 days. The oil can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Discard the sprigs before using.

Makes 2/3 cup.

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Simple Spring Green Salad
From Gourmet

Ingredients

7 to 8 ounces Boston lettuce (2 heads), torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound Bibb lettuce (2 heads), large leaves torn into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Combine lettuces in a large bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

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Matzo Ball Soup
From Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients

4 eggs
5 Tbs. melted chicken fat or vegetable oil
8 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup matzo meal
1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
2 Tbs. minced shallots
1 carrot, peeled and finely grated
1 cup peeled and finely diced carrots

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, 4 Tbs. of the chicken fat and 1/2 cup of the stock and whisk until well blended. Stir in the matzo meal, the 1 tsp. salt, the pepper, dill, shallots and grated carrot. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the remaining 8 cups stock to a simmer. Season with salt.
Meanwhile, with wet hands, gently form the matzo meal mixture into 6 balls, each about 2 inches in diameter. Do not make them too compact.
Slip the matzo balls into the simmering stock. When they rise to the surface, reduce the heat so the stock is barely simmering. Cover and cook for about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs. chicken fat. Add the diced carrots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes; do not allow them to brown. Set aside.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to a bowl. Strain the stock into a clean pot and return the matzo balls to the soup. Ladle the soup and 1 matzo ball into each of 6 warmed bowls. Garnish with the sautéed carrots.

Serves 6.

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Braised Short Ribs
From Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients

1 bottle kosher for Passover Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tablespoons kosher for Passover vegetable oil
6 short ribs, trimmed
Salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
Matzoh meal, for dredging
10 cloves garlic, peeled
8 large shallots, peeled, trimmed, rinsed, split, and dried
2 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 stalks celery, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, coarsely chopped
6 sprigs Italian parsley
2 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 quarts unsalted beef stock or chicken stock
Freshly ground white pepper

Directions

Pour the wine into a large saucepan set over medium heat. When the wine is heated, carefully set it aflame. Let the flames die out, then increase the heat so that the wine boils; allow it to boil until it cooks down by 1/2. Remove from the heat.
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large casserole, large enough to hold 6 ribs, over medium-high heat. Season the ribs all over with salt and the crushed pepper. Dust the ribs with about 2 tablespoons of matzoh meal and then when the oil is hot, slip the ribs into the pot and sear for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until well browned.
Transfer the browned ribs to a plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot; lower the heat to medium, and toss in the vegetables and herbs. Brown the vegetables lightly, 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to blend.
Add the reduced wine, browned ribs, and stock to the pot. Bring to a boil; cover the pot tightly, and slide it into the oven to braise for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the ribs are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork. Every 30 minutes or so, lift the lid and skim and discard whatever fat may have bubbled up to the surface.
Carefully transfer the meat to a heated serving platter with a lip and keep warm.
Boil the pan liquid until it thickens and reduces to approximately 1 quart. Season with salt and pepper and pass through a fine-mesh strainer; discard the solids.
Pour the sauce over the meat. Serve with vegetables of your choice.

Serves 6.

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Tzimmes
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

9 medium carrots, (about 1 pound), peeled
4 sweet potatoes, (about 2 pounds)
1 cup bite-size pitted prunes, (about 6 ounces)
1 cup dried apricots, (about 5 ounces)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons orange zest, (from one orange)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut carrots into 2-inch pieces.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, and lower heat to medium; add sweet potatoes in their skins, and cook for 20 minutes, adding the carrots after 10 minutes. Drain in a colander, and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Peel sweet potatoes, and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large bowl along with carrots and remaining ingredients. Mix well, and transfer to a 2-quart baking dish.
Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, basting with pan juices after 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve immediately.

Serves 10.

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Sunday Slow Cooker: Polenta With Beef Ragout

YumSugar — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 06:00:02 -0800

I like to think of this meal of warm, creamy polenta with ground beef and vegetables as comfort food on its best behavior. The soothing texture of polenta is everything your body craves in Winter, but, unlike so many other carbo-licious foods, the ground beef and stewed vegetables are actually wholesome and nutritious. When I make it for dinner tonight, I'll be stirring in some sun-dried tomatoes and my favorite Italian pesto. To add this recipe to your slow cooker collection, read more.

Polenta With Beef Ragout
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 14-1/2-ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
1 large red sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 16-ounce tube refrigerated cooked polenta
6 tablespoons purchased pesto or olive tapenade
Fresh basil sprigs (optional)

Directions

In a large skillet, cook ground beef until brown. Drain off fat. Transfer meat to a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in undrained tomatoes, carrots, onions, sweet pepper, broth, salt, black pepper, and garlic.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours.
If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in zucchini. Cover and cook about 30 minutes more or until zucchini is crisp-tender.
Meanwhile, prepare polenta according to package directions. Serve meat mixture over polenta. Top individual servings with pesto. If desired, garnish with basil. Makes 6 servings.

Serves 6.

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52 Weeks of Baking: Irish Soda Bread

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:03:40 -0700

This weekend we made a Guinness Beef Stew (although why we were making stew on such a gorgeous day is beyond me...) and I figured that a good hearty Irish Soda Bread would be a nice accompaniment. So I dug out the trusty Baking Illustrated and gathered up all my ingredients.

Since the stew took over 8 hours to make, and since I am the world's greatest procrastinator, I kept saying, "Oh I'll make the bread in a little bit." The boyfriend kept asking when I was starting and I kept saying, "soon, soon..." Then suddenly, the stew was almost done, the bread was just a pile of ingredients, the butter was beyond room temp (it was really hot out and I didn't pay attention, I highly recommend room temp butter and nothing more) and I needed to get cracking!

So I pulled out the ol' mixing bowl and got to work. It was barely done in time (it could have used a little bit longer to set) and an old friend I hadn't seen in over a year arrived while I was halfway done (translation: this bread did not get my full-undivided attention). I guess the bf was right, I should have started earlier in the day...

At any rate, the bread held up really nicely and paired fantastically with the stew. If this is what I get with haste and negligence, I can only imagine what a real loaf would be like (translation: this recipe is easy and hard to screw up). For step by step pictures and the full recipe, read more

Classic Irish Soda Bread
From Baking Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen

3 cups (15 oz) low-protein unbleached all-purpose flour (although I used regular all-purpose flour and it came out okay)
1 cup (4 oz) plain cake flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp softened unsalted butter, plus 1 tbps melted butter for crust
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Pre-heat oven to 400F.
Whisk flours, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl.
Work the softened butter into the dry ingredient with a fork or your fingertips. Do this until the texture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add buttermilk and stir with a fork just until the dough begins to come together.
Turn the dough out onto a flour-coated work surface. Knead until the dough becomes cohesive and bumpy (12 - 14 turns, do not overknead, you do not want it to be smooth).
Pat the dough into a round about 6 inches in diameter and 2 inches in height.
Place on a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Score the dough by cutting a cross shape on the top of the loaf.
Bake until loaf is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the loaf from the oven and brush the surface with the melted butter.Ignore this baking pan, I just needed somewhere to set the loaf...
Cool to room temperature, 30-40 minutes.

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