Potato Soup
by Brea Stewart
This very basic potato soup is a favorite around our house, because you can dress it up in so many ways, and it's CHEAP!! It's simple to make, and if you're just making it for 2, then halve the recipe and enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day.
1 large baked Russet potato
2 large raw Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small white or yellow onion, cubed
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup cream (or half and half, or whole milk)
1 T fresh thyme (or 3/4 t dried thyme)
salt and pepper to taste
garnish*
In a food processor or blender, pulse raw potato chunks until finely minced. Repeat with the onion. Add both to the chicken broth, with 1t each salt and pepper and the thyme, in a large stockpot. Cook just below a simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring frequently. Slowly stir in cream, and add chunks of baked potato (leave the skin on for a more rustic taste). Test the taste and add salt or pepper as needed. Cook for 10 more minutes, ladle into deep bowls, and garnish as desired and serve immediately.
*cheddar cheese, fresh bacon bits, sour cream, chives, diced broccoli, diced peppers, shredded chicken, or anything else that sounds good!
**For an interesting twist, puree 1 cup roasted red peppers with 3 T roasted garlic and add about halfway through the cooking process. Mmmmmm ...
***Amazing and hearty on a cold day. Goes great with a side of salad and/or some toasted french bread.
Showing posts with label main meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label main meals. Show all posts
Monday, October 12
Tuesday, April 14
Amazing Pizza
I got this recipe from Debbie King. Anything that goes over well with 10 kids, enough to make an appearance on the table each week, immediately is ok in my book. I modified it a bit, because I seem to be utterly incapable of following a recipe as its written ... We have this pizza at least once a week, usually on Friday Pizza and Movie Night, but it also doubles really, really well and we have it often when company with kids comes over. Involve the whole family, and get ready for a fun, tasty, and healthy night!
Pizza
by Brea, modified from Debbie King
makes one extra-large pizza, or two medium pizzas
4 c white whole wheat flour
4 t yeast
1 1/2 t gluten*
2 T brown sugar
1 t salt
1 3/4 c warm water
garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and/or whatever pizza-y flavors you like**
olive oil
cornmeal
sauce, cheese, and toppings
Preheat oven to its lowest setting, usually 170 or 150. Toss everything in your mixer with your dough hook attachment, and start mixing. When the dough starts to pull in the flour, but there's still some left at the bottom of the bowl, start adding the olive oil one T at a time, until it's all incorporated and slightly sticky, but can still be kneaded with the dough hook without making a huge mess. Knead in the bowl with the hook for a few more minutes, then take off the bowl and drizzle more olive oil on the dough, turning to coat. Cover with a dish towel, and put it in the warm oven for about 20 minutes.
Let it rise, then take it out, turn your oven to 400 (if you have a convection, turn on that function), dump the dough on the counter, knead two or three times, and start rolling it out. When the dough starts to stick, start tossing small handfuls of cornmeal on the dough and counter to keep it from sticking and tearing. Slide it onto your pizza pan, fold the crust at the edges should you be so inclined, and poke the bottom all over with a fork so it doesn't have huge air bubbles when you pre-bake it. Please trust me on this step.
Put it back in your oven at 400 until the crust just starts to change color, and isn't doughy anymore. Take it out, top with anything you like to use***, and put it back in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. (Start out using less cheese than you think you're going to need.) Slice it and enjoy with a cold beer or glass of lemonade, and a fresh-picked green salad!
*If you don't have gluten available like SOME PEOPLE I KNOW WHO LIVE IN OHIO, you can reduce the whole-wheat flour by 1/2 c, and add 1/2 c bread flour.
**I usually add, in an ever-so-precise manner, a few shakes of garlic powder and several shakes of basil. I like to keep it simple.
***Some topping suggestions: green pepper, red peppers, roasted red peppers, banana peppers (are we starting to see a pepper-obsessed trend at Brea's house?), pineapples, pepperoni, portabella mushrooms, sliced grilled chicken, black olives, fresh sliced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, spinach, bell peppers, bacon, ham, anchovies, peanut butter ... whatever you like. That's the great thing about homemade pizza ... it's full of endless possibilities!
Pizza
by Brea, modified from Debbie King
makes one extra-large pizza, or two medium pizzas
4 c white whole wheat flour
4 t yeast
1 1/2 t gluten*
2 T brown sugar
1 t salt
1 3/4 c warm water
garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and/or whatever pizza-y flavors you like**
olive oil
cornmeal
sauce, cheese, and toppings
Preheat oven to its lowest setting, usually 170 or 150. Toss everything in your mixer with your dough hook attachment, and start mixing. When the dough starts to pull in the flour, but there's still some left at the bottom of the bowl, start adding the olive oil one T at a time, until it's all incorporated and slightly sticky, but can still be kneaded with the dough hook without making a huge mess. Knead in the bowl with the hook for a few more minutes, then take off the bowl and drizzle more olive oil on the dough, turning to coat. Cover with a dish towel, and put it in the warm oven for about 20 minutes.
Let it rise, then take it out, turn your oven to 400 (if you have a convection, turn on that function), dump the dough on the counter, knead two or three times, and start rolling it out. When the dough starts to stick, start tossing small handfuls of cornmeal on the dough and counter to keep it from sticking and tearing. Slide it onto your pizza pan, fold the crust at the edges should you be so inclined, and poke the bottom all over with a fork so it doesn't have huge air bubbles when you pre-bake it. Please trust me on this step.
Put it back in your oven at 400 until the crust just starts to change color, and isn't doughy anymore. Take it out, top with anything you like to use***, and put it back in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. (Start out using less cheese than you think you're going to need.) Slice it and enjoy with a cold beer or glass of lemonade, and a fresh-picked green salad!
*If you don't have gluten available like SOME PEOPLE I KNOW WHO LIVE IN OHIO, you can reduce the whole-wheat flour by 1/2 c, and add 1/2 c bread flour.
**I usually add, in an ever-so-precise manner, a few shakes of garlic powder and several shakes of basil. I like to keep it simple.
***Some topping suggestions: green pepper, red peppers, roasted red peppers, banana peppers (are we starting to see a pepper-obsessed trend at Brea's house?), pineapples, pepperoni, portabella mushrooms, sliced grilled chicken, black olives, fresh sliced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, spinach, bell peppers, bacon, ham, anchovies, peanut butter ... whatever you like. That's the great thing about homemade pizza ... it's full of endless possibilities!
Monday, November 10
Chili
Cold weather is kind of here. Maybe it's already here for you. So have some friends over, and eat around the fire with a nice cold beer. What will you feed them? Make this now. Thank me later.
Chili
by Brea
3 dried ancho peppers, stemmed and seeded
2 T dried oregano
2 T sweet paprika
2 T whole coriander
1 T cumin seed
2T chili powder
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
1 lb ground venison*
1 lb ground beef*
3 c cooked pinto beans
salt and pepper
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 canned chipotle pepper, diced (or 2 T chipotle puree)
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 yellow, red, orange, or white bell pepper, diced
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 whole cinnamon sticks (break in half)
1 t sugar
2 T masa harina
Fritos, grated cheese, lime wedges, cilantro leaves, for garnish
In a small dry skillet over low heat add the ancho peppers, oregano, paprika, coriander, cumin, and chili powder. Cook until they begin to smell, about two minutes. Put the spices in a spice mill or food grinder and grind until they are powdered. Set aside.
In a heave bottomed pot over medium heat, add the oil, onions, garlic, meat, and peppers. Cook until the meat has lost almost all traces of pink. Add 2-3 T of the spice mix, along with the tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, and sugar. Season with salt and stir well. Add some hot water until the meat is just covered. Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook covered for 45 minutes, stirring often and adding liquid to keep everything covered.
After 45 minutes barely simmering, add the beans and mesa harina, and cook at a medium simmer for 10 more minutes, uncovered, to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve over Fritos, with cheese, lime, and cilantro for garnish.
*You can use and combination of ground meat you'd like. I usually only use one pound, total.
Yes, I know. There are beans in my chili, and I'm from Texas. Believe me, I feel very, very ashamed. Please don't tell my family. But I'm not rich enough to be snobby; I can't afford 4 pounds of meat for one dish. And the beans really are a great addition. Just please don't tell my grandma I said that, mmmkay??
Chili
by Brea
3 dried ancho peppers, stemmed and seeded
2 T dried oregano
2 T sweet paprika
2 T whole coriander
1 T cumin seed
2T chili powder
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
1 lb ground venison*
1 lb ground beef*
3 c cooked pinto beans
salt and pepper
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 canned chipotle pepper, diced (or 2 T chipotle puree)
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 yellow, red, orange, or white bell pepper, diced
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 whole cinnamon sticks (break in half)
1 t sugar
2 T masa harina
Fritos, grated cheese, lime wedges, cilantro leaves, for garnish
In a small dry skillet over low heat add the ancho peppers, oregano, paprika, coriander, cumin, and chili powder. Cook until they begin to smell, about two minutes. Put the spices in a spice mill or food grinder and grind until they are powdered. Set aside.
In a heave bottomed pot over medium heat, add the oil, onions, garlic, meat, and peppers. Cook until the meat has lost almost all traces of pink. Add 2-3 T of the spice mix, along with the tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, and sugar. Season with salt and stir well. Add some hot water until the meat is just covered. Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook covered for 45 minutes, stirring often and adding liquid to keep everything covered.
After 45 minutes barely simmering, add the beans and mesa harina, and cook at a medium simmer for 10 more minutes, uncovered, to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve over Fritos, with cheese, lime, and cilantro for garnish.
*You can use and combination of ground meat you'd like. I usually only use one pound, total.
Yes, I know. There are beans in my chili, and I'm from Texas. Believe me, I feel very, very ashamed. Please don't tell my family. But I'm not rich enough to be snobby; I can't afford 4 pounds of meat for one dish. And the beans really are a great addition. Just please don't tell my grandma I said that, mmmkay??
Saturday, June 7
Stuffed Squash ... my favorite!!
Mmmm ... I get hungry just writing that title. This is probably my absolute all-time favorite summer meal. Make sure you buy as many of the ingredients from your local farmers' market as you can; it just doesn't taste as good if you have to go to the store for everything (unless you don't live within two hours of a farmers' market, in which case I suggest either moving, or planting a really great garden). And you can do anything with this recipe! Substitute to your heart's content!!
Stuffed Eight-Ball Squash
by Brea!
4-5 eight ball squash (a kind of zucchini, actually!)*
2 cups brown rice, cooked (measure out two uncooked cups, and use the whole amount in the recipe)
1 lb ground meat (I like to use venison, but beef or turkey would work great, too)
3 bell peppers: red, gold, and purple (or whatever colors you like), diced
1 large or two small red tomatoes, diced
1 yellow or orange tomato, diced
1 c finely diced carrots (optional)
1/2 sweet onion, diced
3-6 cloves garlic, diced
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350. Heat a really big stock pot 2/3 full of salted water. Either cut the top off the squash, or (I like to do this) without removing the top, cut the squash in half, from top to bottom. Remove all the seeds (this isn't like doing a pumpkin, you can just use a spoon), and throw them out or feed them to the chickens. When your water is boiling, place all the cut squash in the water for about 3-4 minutes, not enough to fully cook them, just enough to take a little of the crunch out. Remove, and set aside to drain and cool.
In a large frying pan, brown the meat, onion, carrots, garlic, and if you don't like crunchy peppers, the peppers. (Since I use venison, I have to add olive oil at this phase to make it brown correctly, but if you're using regular ground beef, you might want to brown the meat and veggies separately, then mix them together once you've drained the fat off the meat.) Turn off the heat, and add the peppers if you haven't already, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and the rice, then add a few tablespoons or freshly grated Parmesan to make sure everything binds together. Mix it all really well (you might need to use a really big bowl if your pan isn't ginormus), then start filling your squash.
NOTE: Make sure your squash doesn't have any water in it!! If you have to use a paper towel to soak up the water, then do that, just trust me, you do not want water in your squash.
Add as much filling as you can to each squash**; don't be afraid to really pack it in there. Just don't break your squash. Place all the filled squash on a large baking sheet (if you cover it with foil first, clean up will be really easy, and you'll thank me later!), and add a sprinkle of Parmesan to the top of each squash, just for fun. And because it tastes awesome. Place the pan in the oven, and bake for about 10-15 minutes, just enough to let everything get all warm and yummy and good smelling and the squash to finish cooking.
Remove from the oven and serve pretty quickly, while it still looks pretty, and I recommend bowls and not plates, it just makes life easier. Enjoy!!!
*I guess you could use some really big regular squash or zucchini, but I've never tried it. Just make sure that they're really big, big enough that they'll hold plenty of filling once you scoop out the seeds and pulpy goo.
**Yes, you will have filling left over. Lots of it. So either invite a million people over for supper and make 12 servings instead of 5, or do what I do: put the extra in the fridge, and have it for lunch the next day. It's sooooo good reheated the second day.
ps- this recipe is insanely healthy, especially of you don't use ground beef, but don't tell anyone. It tastes almost sinfully delicious!!!!
Stuffed Eight-Ball Squash
by Brea!
4-5 eight ball squash (a kind of zucchini, actually!)*
2 cups brown rice, cooked (measure out two uncooked cups, and use the whole amount in the recipe)
1 lb ground meat (I like to use venison, but beef or turkey would work great, too)
3 bell peppers: red, gold, and purple (or whatever colors you like), diced
1 large or two small red tomatoes, diced
1 yellow or orange tomato, diced
1 c finely diced carrots (optional)
1/2 sweet onion, diced
3-6 cloves garlic, diced
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350. Heat a really big stock pot 2/3 full of salted water. Either cut the top off the squash, or (I like to do this) without removing the top, cut the squash in half, from top to bottom. Remove all the seeds (this isn't like doing a pumpkin, you can just use a spoon), and throw them out or feed them to the chickens. When your water is boiling, place all the cut squash in the water for about 3-4 minutes, not enough to fully cook them, just enough to take a little of the crunch out. Remove, and set aside to drain and cool.
In a large frying pan, brown the meat, onion, carrots, garlic, and if you don't like crunchy peppers, the peppers. (Since I use venison, I have to add olive oil at this phase to make it brown correctly, but if you're using regular ground beef, you might want to brown the meat and veggies separately, then mix them together once you've drained the fat off the meat.) Turn off the heat, and add the peppers if you haven't already, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and the rice, then add a few tablespoons or freshly grated Parmesan to make sure everything binds together. Mix it all really well (you might need to use a really big bowl if your pan isn't ginormus), then start filling your squash.
NOTE: Make sure your squash doesn't have any water in it!! If you have to use a paper towel to soak up the water, then do that, just trust me, you do not want water in your squash.
Add as much filling as you can to each squash**; don't be afraid to really pack it in there. Just don't break your squash. Place all the filled squash on a large baking sheet (if you cover it with foil first, clean up will be really easy, and you'll thank me later!), and add a sprinkle of Parmesan to the top of each squash, just for fun. And because it tastes awesome. Place the pan in the oven, and bake for about 10-15 minutes, just enough to let everything get all warm and yummy and good smelling and the squash to finish cooking.
Remove from the oven and serve pretty quickly, while it still looks pretty, and I recommend bowls and not plates, it just makes life easier. Enjoy!!!
*I guess you could use some really big regular squash or zucchini, but I've never tried it. Just make sure that they're really big, big enough that they'll hold plenty of filling once you scoop out the seeds and pulpy goo.
**Yes, you will have filling left over. Lots of it. So either invite a million people over for supper and make 12 servings instead of 5, or do what I do: put the extra in the fridge, and have it for lunch the next day. It's sooooo good reheated the second day.
ps- this recipe is insanely healthy, especially of you don't use ground beef, but don't tell anyone. It tastes almost sinfully delicious!!!!
Monday, March 31
Oven Brisket
I had my book club here on Saturday, and originally, John was going to make us fajitas and then take the kids and get out go have some playtime with them. This ended up not working out, so I had to do lunch on my own. I've made Ree's brisket before, and I love it, because it's so stinking easy! I've modified it a little, so here's the new recipe. (Click on the link above for the original, and scroll down until you find the brisket)
Oven Brisket
by Ree, modified by Brea
2 cans beef consume
1 c soy sauce (I use the low-sodium kind)
1 bottle Shiner Bock
1/2 c lemon juice (juice of two large lemons)
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 T liquid smoke
1 brisket*
Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a large roasting pan (I love using those huge disposable ones, because cleanup is great!), then add your brisket, fat side up. Spoon some of the liquid over the top, then cover tightly with foil. Stick it in the fridge, and marinate at least 12 hours, up to 48 hours.
Turn your oven to 300, and put the whole pan as-is in the oven, and cook 45-50 minutes per pound of brisket. Or maybe more. It takes a while.** The goal is this: when you pull the foil up the check the brisket (being very, very careful about the steam and all that hot liquid, of course), you should be able to take a fork or tongs and easily pull a piece of meat off. This is the most tender recipe I've ever made, if you cook it long enough.
When it's done (and this is best made a day before your event), pull it out and let it cool on the counter for a few hours. Put it in the fridge overnight. Please don't attempt to cut this while it's hot, or even warm, because it'll just fall apart. Wait till it's cold, and then cut that big hunk of fat off the top. At that point, you can either slice it into thin slices, put it into a smaller baking dish, add lots of the jus, cover with foil, and heat it back up in the oven. Or, you could chop it up really fine, add some good b-b-q sauce, and make about a zillion chopped beef sandwiches. Or do a little of both. It all freezes really well, too.
*Let's talk brisket. There are four basic kinds you can buy, from what I've observed at my HEB. 1) A small one, completely trimmed. Don't buy that one. You want the big hunk o' fat. 2) A smaller, somewhat trimmed one. I usually buy this one, because I have a small oven, and it gets pretty tricky to get a big brisket in there. These are usually 5-8 pounds each. 3) A bigger, less trimmed one. These are good for cooking on the grill, and good for the oven, too, if you can fit the brisket in the oven. I can't without quite a bit of difficulty. See above. These are 10-15 pounds. Mmm ... 4) A big ole' whopping untrimmed brisket. Fabulous for the grill. It's got fat all around it. Not good for this recipe.
**Please read this section three times, until you understand it very clearly. You do not want too much of the liquid in your pan. Brisket produces a lot of its own juices, so the liquid level will rise as you cook it. If it spills over the sides of the pan, the first thing to spill will be the liquefied fat. Then, you'll think to yourself, 'I'm going to wait until my oven is cool after this brisket is done, and then I'll spray that cleaner stuff in there and get all that gross stuff out.' Except that you'll forget, and then try to back a pizza three days later. Which has to be cooked at 450. Which is hot enough, apparently, to ignite all that once-liquefied and then solidified and now liquefied again fat. And you'll end up with a big fire in your oven. And your 5-year-old will be the one to notice it. And then he'll scare the crap out of his sister. And the very least of your problems will be when your husband calls and says, 'Hon, what's that noise in the background?' And because you're all stressed, what with the fire and all, you'll snap back at him and say, 'It's the smoke detector. I can't talk right now. Bye!' And he'll get really worried and call back a few minutes later and you'll be much calmer (from what he can tell, anyway) and be able to tell him everything is ok, but could he please just pick up at chicken on the way home from work, because the pizza thing isn't happening tonight. And to add insult to injury, this all will happen when it's about 38 degrees outside, and you have to open ever single window in the house to get the ridiculous amount of smoke out, and you'll just end up cold and hungry until your husband gets home. And as everyone knows, you hate being cold.
Ahem. Sorry. I got a little carried away there with thattotally true purely hypothetical story. The moral is, if you start off with a lot of liquid in the pan, be sure to check it every few hours to make sure it doesn't overflow. Enjoy your yummy brisket!
The end.
Oven Brisket
by Ree, modified by Brea
2 cans beef consume
1 c soy sauce (I use the low-sodium kind)
1 bottle Shiner Bock
1/2 c lemon juice (juice of two large lemons)
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 T liquid smoke
1 brisket*
Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a large roasting pan (I love using those huge disposable ones, because cleanup is great!), then add your brisket, fat side up. Spoon some of the liquid over the top, then cover tightly with foil. Stick it in the fridge, and marinate at least 12 hours, up to 48 hours.
Turn your oven to 300, and put the whole pan as-is in the oven, and cook 45-50 minutes per pound of brisket. Or maybe more. It takes a while.** The goal is this: when you pull the foil up the check the brisket (being very, very careful about the steam and all that hot liquid, of course), you should be able to take a fork or tongs and easily pull a piece of meat off. This is the most tender recipe I've ever made, if you cook it long enough.
When it's done (and this is best made a day before your event), pull it out and let it cool on the counter for a few hours. Put it in the fridge overnight. Please don't attempt to cut this while it's hot, or even warm, because it'll just fall apart. Wait till it's cold, and then cut that big hunk of fat off the top. At that point, you can either slice it into thin slices, put it into a smaller baking dish, add lots of the jus, cover with foil, and heat it back up in the oven. Or, you could chop it up really fine, add some good b-b-q sauce, and make about a zillion chopped beef sandwiches. Or do a little of both. It all freezes really well, too.
*Let's talk brisket. There are four basic kinds you can buy, from what I've observed at my HEB. 1) A small one, completely trimmed. Don't buy that one. You want the big hunk o' fat. 2) A smaller, somewhat trimmed one. I usually buy this one, because I have a small oven, and it gets pretty tricky to get a big brisket in there. These are usually 5-8 pounds each. 3) A bigger, less trimmed one. These are good for cooking on the grill, and good for the oven, too, if you can fit the brisket in the oven. I can't without quite a bit of difficulty. See above. These are 10-15 pounds. Mmm ... 4) A big ole' whopping untrimmed brisket. Fabulous for the grill. It's got fat all around it. Not good for this recipe.
**Please read this section three times, until you understand it very clearly. You do not want too much of the liquid in your pan. Brisket produces a lot of its own juices, so the liquid level will rise as you cook it. If it spills over the sides of the pan, the first thing to spill will be the liquefied fat. Then, you'll think to yourself, 'I'm going to wait until my oven is cool after this brisket is done, and then I'll spray that cleaner stuff in there and get all that gross stuff out.' Except that you'll forget, and then try to back a pizza three days later. Which has to be cooked at 450. Which is hot enough, apparently, to ignite all that once-liquefied and then solidified and now liquefied again fat. And you'll end up with a big fire in your oven. And your 5-year-old will be the one to notice it. And then he'll scare the crap out of his sister. And the very least of your problems will be when your husband calls and says, 'Hon, what's that noise in the background?' And because you're all stressed, what with the fire and all, you'll snap back at him and say, 'It's the smoke detector. I can't talk right now. Bye!' And he'll get really worried and call back a few minutes later and you'll be much calmer (from what he can tell, anyway) and be able to tell him everything is ok, but could he please just pick up at chicken on the way home from work, because the pizza thing isn't happening tonight. And to add insult to injury, this all will happen when it's about 38 degrees outside, and you have to open ever single window in the house to get the ridiculous amount of smoke out, and you'll just end up cold and hungry until your husband gets home. And as everyone knows, you hate being cold.
Ahem. Sorry. I got a little carried away there with that
The end.
Tuesday, September 25
Pot Roast
We have this every other Sunday. A favorite with, well, eveyone!
Crock Pot Pot Roast
by Brea!
1 pot roast
1 medium onion, cut in thick slices
5-6 cloves garlic, diced (we love garlic, and I use about 10 cloves)
1 bottle Shiner Bock (optional, but this really brings everything together, trust me!)
2 c + diced carrots
2 c + diced red potatoes, skin on
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 t dried basil, or 1 T fresh
salt and pepper to taste
flour and oil for browning roast
Salt and pepper roast, and light flour while heating a small amount of oil in a frying pan. Brown the roast on all sides on medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side.
When the roast in browned, place it in the crock pot. Turn crock pot to high. Add Shiner, all veggies, basil, pepper, and 1/2 t salt. Add enough water to just cover everything.
Cook on high for 6 hours, checking every so often to make sure everything is under water, until roast is fork tender. Adjust seasoning in the last half hour of cooking.
Serve with homemade cornbread and a salad, and enjoy!
**Notes: If you don't have the full 6 hours (and possibly a little more) to cook the roast, cut it into two or three pieces before you brown it. This will make it cook faster.
**Also, if you're kind of new to buying roast, the packaging should say something like 'good for roasting.' And since you're doing this in a crock pot and not the oven, you can use a much more lean cut of mean, because you don't have to depend on the fat to keep it moist.
**If you're planning on prepping this whole thing the night before, follow the instructions the same way except for the potatoes. Wait until right before you actually cook the roast to cut to potatoes.
Crock Pot Pot Roast
by Brea!
1 pot roast
1 medium onion, cut in thick slices
5-6 cloves garlic, diced (we love garlic, and I use about 10 cloves)
1 bottle Shiner Bock (optional, but this really brings everything together, trust me!)
2 c + diced carrots
2 c + diced red potatoes, skin on
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 t dried basil, or 1 T fresh
salt and pepper to taste
flour and oil for browning roast
Salt and pepper roast, and light flour while heating a small amount of oil in a frying pan. Brown the roast on all sides on medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side.
When the roast in browned, place it in the crock pot. Turn crock pot to high. Add Shiner, all veggies, basil, pepper, and 1/2 t salt. Add enough water to just cover everything.
Cook on high for 6 hours, checking every so often to make sure everything is under water, until roast is fork tender. Adjust seasoning in the last half hour of cooking.
Serve with homemade cornbread and a salad, and enjoy!
**Notes: If you don't have the full 6 hours (and possibly a little more) to cook the roast, cut it into two or three pieces before you brown it. This will make it cook faster.
**Also, if you're kind of new to buying roast, the packaging should say something like 'good for roasting.' And since you're doing this in a crock pot and not the oven, you can use a much more lean cut of mean, because you don't have to depend on the fat to keep it moist.
**If you're planning on prepping this whole thing the night before, follow the instructions the same way except for the potatoes. Wait until right before you actually cook the roast to cut to potatoes.
Tuesday, May 29
Sauteed Swiss Chard over Pasta
This one is a new fav around here. Packed with all kinds of yummy, healthy goodness, and a ton of veggies, this has become one of Sam's most requested meals.
Swiss chard is a big, leafy green that looks a lot like mustard or collard greens. I get mine fresh every Friday from our wonderful Farmer's Market here in town, and now refuse to buy it from the store after having eaten it so fresh. It's very, very easy to grow, also. It is called 'summer spinach' and tastes like spinach, only slightly sweeter, and a little sturdier. The more ingredients you can find fresh, the better this meal will turn out. This also doubles well for a big family. As written below, this feeds all 4 of us, plus leftovers for at least one grown up lunch, or two kid lunches.
Sauteed Swiss Chard over Penne Pasta
by Brea!
1 large bunch swiss chard, well rinsed, well dried, and very roughly chopped, stems removed
2 raw strips good bacon, diced (optional)
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
white and light green of one leek, minced (you can also do 1/4 cup minced yellow onion)
one large head broccoli, cut into small florets
one large red bell pepper, diced
2/3 c diced or shredded chicken breast (optional)
good quality cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
one pound whole wheat penne pasta, cooked al dente
In a large frying pan, cook bacon over medium heat. When bacon is almost done, add leeks (or onions), garlic, a lot of olive oil, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. (The leeks cook very fast, so you might want to wait a few seconds to add them if your garlic isn't finely minced.) As soon as your garlic starts to look soft, add all the swiss chard to the pan. Pour on more olive oil and add more salt to help bring out all the water from the chard, and carefully turn chard several times, making sure to move the garlic mix, too.
Add broccoli after chard has been cooking for about 2 minutes. Cook until chard is completely wilted, then add bell pepper and chicken. Cook 30 seconds more, adjust seasoning as needed, then pour over the pasta. Generously grate fresh Parmesan over the top, and serve immediately. Enjoy with a good garlic bread!
**This is a good meatless meal, and we sometimes add other veggies at the same time as the broccoli, like sugar snap peas or fresh green beans.
Swiss chard is a big, leafy green that looks a lot like mustard or collard greens. I get mine fresh every Friday from our wonderful Farmer's Market here in town, and now refuse to buy it from the store after having eaten it so fresh. It's very, very easy to grow, also. It is called 'summer spinach' and tastes like spinach, only slightly sweeter, and a little sturdier. The more ingredients you can find fresh, the better this meal will turn out. This also doubles well for a big family. As written below, this feeds all 4 of us, plus leftovers for at least one grown up lunch, or two kid lunches.
Sauteed Swiss Chard over Penne Pasta
by Brea!
1 large bunch swiss chard, well rinsed, well dried, and very roughly chopped, stems removed
2 raw strips good bacon, diced (optional)
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
white and light green of one leek, minced (you can also do 1/4 cup minced yellow onion)
one large head broccoli, cut into small florets
one large red bell pepper, diced
2/3 c diced or shredded chicken breast (optional)
good quality cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
one pound whole wheat penne pasta, cooked al dente
In a large frying pan, cook bacon over medium heat. When bacon is almost done, add leeks (or onions), garlic, a lot of olive oil, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. (The leeks cook very fast, so you might want to wait a few seconds to add them if your garlic isn't finely minced.) As soon as your garlic starts to look soft, add all the swiss chard to the pan. Pour on more olive oil and add more salt to help bring out all the water from the chard, and carefully turn chard several times, making sure to move the garlic mix, too.
Add broccoli after chard has been cooking for about 2 minutes. Cook until chard is completely wilted, then add bell pepper and chicken. Cook 30 seconds more, adjust seasoning as needed, then pour over the pasta. Generously grate fresh Parmesan over the top, and serve immediately. Enjoy with a good garlic bread!
**This is a good meatless meal, and we sometimes add other veggies at the same time as the broccoli, like sugar snap peas or fresh green beans.
Monday, March 12
Mexican Rice Cassarole
This is a wonderful dish, because it freezes as well as anything I've ever frozen before, and it tastes great! It's also pretty good for ya, and it doubles very well. A good way to clean out your fridge, and it can feed a lot of people for not a whole lot of money.
Mexican Rice Casserole
by Brea!
3 cups uncooked brown rice
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can flavored diced tomatoes
cheese
meat (cold, however much, whatever kind; I use leftover fajitas, or two cooked, shredded, seasoned chicken breasts)
tortilla chips
Cook rice according to package directions (add 1 teaspoon salt), and set aside to cool. Heat oven to 350. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, and meat in a large mixing bowl, reserving the liquid from the corn for possible later use. Mix together and add a handful of shredded cheddar cheese, if you want. When the rice is cool, mix into the mixing bowl. Combine well, adding the reserved corn liquid if needed to form a very thick but slightly wet mix.
Layer the bottom of a baking pan with lightly crushed tortilla chips. Spoon half of the mix into the pan, sprinkle the top with cheese, and bake for 20-30 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted.
Put the remaining mix into a heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze up to three months. Place it in the fridge two days before you want to cook it, then follow the directions from the above paragraph.
Note: I use the HEB brand Chipotle diced tomatoes, which give a great smoky flavor without adding too much ‘heat.’ My kids can eat it, but if you're real sensitive to heat, just pour a little of the liquid down the drain before you add the tomatoes. Also, I don’t to add any additional seasoning when I use those tomatoes … which I love!
Mexican Rice Casserole
by Brea!
3 cups uncooked brown rice
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can flavored diced tomatoes
cheese
meat (cold, however much, whatever kind; I use leftover fajitas, or two cooked, shredded, seasoned chicken breasts)
tortilla chips
Cook rice according to package directions (add 1 teaspoon salt), and set aside to cool. Heat oven to 350. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, and meat in a large mixing bowl, reserving the liquid from the corn for possible later use. Mix together and add a handful of shredded cheddar cheese, if you want. When the rice is cool, mix into the mixing bowl. Combine well, adding the reserved corn liquid if needed to form a very thick but slightly wet mix.
Layer the bottom of a baking pan with lightly crushed tortilla chips. Spoon half of the mix into the pan, sprinkle the top with cheese, and bake for 20-30 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted.
Put the remaining mix into a heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze up to three months. Place it in the fridge two days before you want to cook it, then follow the directions from the above paragraph.
Note: I use the HEB brand Chipotle diced tomatoes, which give a great smoky flavor without adding too much ‘heat.’ My kids can eat it, but if you're real sensitive to heat, just pour a little of the liquid down the drain before you add the tomatoes. Also, I don’t to add any additional seasoning when I use those tomatoes … which I love!
Monday, January 29
Chicken Vegatable Soup
This is a relatively new recipe for us. I came up with it during the ice storm, when it was really cold outside, I couldn't get to the store, and we all wanted something warm and very hearty!!
Chicken Vegatable Soup
by Brea!
3 skinless chicken breasts, simmered on medium heat until very tender, shredded
6 medium red potatoes, cut into half-inch cubes
2 1/2 c carrots, cut into half-inch cubes
8 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 stalks celery, cut up
1 1/2 c canned corn, drained
1 1/2 c black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c half & half
1 T freshly dried basil
1 T chili powder
chicken stock (fat-free, reduced sodium)
olive oil
salt and pepper
Place al veggies (except corn and black beans) in a large stock pot. Just coat with olive oil, and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on medium to medium-high heat, until onion is tender. Add 2 cups chicken stock, enough to just cover all veggies, and basil and chili powder. Cover, and simmer, stirring often, until potatoes are tender (al dente, if they were pasta, lol!). Add 2 more cups chicken stock, chicken, corn, black beans, and cook until corn is heated through. Add half & half and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately. Great with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top, eaten with fresh cornbread.
Chicken Vegatable Soup
by Brea!
3 skinless chicken breasts, simmered on medium heat until very tender, shredded
6 medium red potatoes, cut into half-inch cubes
2 1/2 c carrots, cut into half-inch cubes
8 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 stalks celery, cut up
1 1/2 c canned corn, drained
1 1/2 c black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c half & half
1 T freshly dried basil
1 T chili powder
chicken stock (fat-free, reduced sodium)
olive oil
salt and pepper
Place al veggies (except corn and black beans) in a large stock pot. Just coat with olive oil, and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on medium to medium-high heat, until onion is tender. Add 2 cups chicken stock, enough to just cover all veggies, and basil and chili powder. Cover, and simmer, stirring often, until potatoes are tender (al dente, if they were pasta, lol!). Add 2 more cups chicken stock, chicken, corn, black beans, and cook until corn is heated through. Add half & half and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately. Great with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top, eaten with fresh cornbread.
Taco Soup
A cold weather mainstay at the Stewart casa.
Taco Soup
by Brea, modified from Rebecca Smith
1 lb ground venison or turkey thighs
1 jar salsa (I love Mrs Renfro's Roasted Garlic salsa, if your store carries it!)
1 jar water
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 can black beans
1 can no-salt corn
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
shredded cheddar cheese, corn chips, sour cream to garnish
Brown venison or turkey meat in a large sauce pot. Add all remaining ingredients (except garnishes), and cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Ladle into deep bowls, garnish, and serve immediately. Enjoy!!
Taco Soup
by Brea, modified from Rebecca Smith
1 lb ground venison or turkey thighs
1 jar salsa (I love Mrs Renfro's Roasted Garlic salsa, if your store carries it!)
1 jar water
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 can black beans
1 can no-salt corn
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
shredded cheddar cheese, corn chips, sour cream to garnish
Brown venison or turkey meat in a large sauce pot. Add all remaining ingredients (except garnishes), and cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Ladle into deep bowls, garnish, and serve immediately. Enjoy!!
Shiner Beef Stew
One of John's favorite meals, and especailly good on a cold night when paired with homemade cornbread.
Shiner Beef Stew
by Brea!
1 bottle regualr Shiner Bock
4 c water
seasoning salt
1 package (3/4 pound-ish) stew meat
flour and oil to brown meat
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 small white or yellow onion, cut into very large pieces
2+ c cut up carrots
4-6 small red potatoes, cut into chunks
2 T freshly dried basil
2 c corn (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Put Shiner, 2 c water, onion, garlic, basil, tomato, and 1 t seasoning salt in crock pot on high. Brown lightly seasoned and floured beef in a very hot skillet, adding to crock pot as soon as browned on top and bottom. Cover chrock pot and cook on high for 2 hours.
Add potatoes, carrots, salt & pepper to taste, and hot water as needed. Cook for 2 more hours, until beef starts to become tender. Adjust seasonings, and add corn. Cook one more hour, then serve immediately.
Shiner Beef Stew
by Brea!
1 bottle regualr Shiner Bock
4 c water
seasoning salt
1 package (3/4 pound-ish) stew meat
flour and oil to brown meat
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 small white or yellow onion, cut into very large pieces
2+ c cut up carrots
4-6 small red potatoes, cut into chunks
2 T freshly dried basil
2 c corn (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Put Shiner, 2 c water, onion, garlic, basil, tomato, and 1 t seasoning salt in crock pot on high. Brown lightly seasoned and floured beef in a very hot skillet, adding to crock pot as soon as browned on top and bottom. Cover chrock pot and cook on high for 2 hours.
Add potatoes, carrots, salt & pepper to taste, and hot water as needed. Cook for 2 more hours, until beef starts to become tender. Adjust seasonings, and add corn. Cook one more hour, then serve immediately.
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