British Beef Stew

I have been trying to find a great beef stew recipe, and came across many in my search, but nothing that was complete enough for me...so I picked and chose the parts I liked and made up my own.

British Beef Stew

1 Kg (about 2 lbs) Irish Casserole Beef
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 c. beef broth
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. paprika
4 carrots, sliced
6 potatoes, diced
2 onions, chopped
1 cup frozen sweet peas

Place meat in crockpot.
Mix flour, salt, and pepper, and pour over meat.
Stir to coat meat.
Add remaining ingredients, except peas, and stir to mix well.
Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours or on high 5-6 hours.
Add peas about 15 minutes before end.
Stir stew thoroughly before serving.

** for the beef broth, I use bullion cubes. I add an extra cube (usually 1 cube + 1 cup water = I cup broth) to the mix for a stronger flavor.

Mom's Homemade Salsa

My Mom is the canning queen, and has been making homemade salsa for a really long time. It is very delicious, and she has shared the recipe. So props to my mom, Lynda, for her great recipe...Enjoy!!

Salsa

3 quarts tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 C celery, chopped
2 C onion, chopped
1 C green pepper, chopped... Read More
¼ C plain salt
Combine and let stand overnight, in fridge.
Next day, drain in colander place in pot then add:
½ c white sugar
¼ c brown sugar
1 c vinegar
1 ½ t pepper
1 sm can chillies
1 ½ t mixed pickling spices, tied in cheesecloth
Bring to a boil, simmer 15 minutes. Ladle into sterile jars, process in hot water bath 10 minutes.
Makes 5-6 pints
This is a sweet salsa and can be made “hotter” by adding a small can of Jalapeno to the batch, it does get hot!

Fun Fish Cakes

Fun Fish Cakes

Here is another new recipe I've tried. They turned out okay, but were a little dry...easily overcome with some lemon and/or tartar sauce.

Fun Fish Cakes

50g salmon fillets
4 baking potatoes
lemon
round lettuce
cucumber
2 tomatoes
red onion
1 egg
salt and pepper
olive oil
mustard


Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes


1. Place the salmon fillets in a metal colander over a pan of simmering water. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
2. Peel the 4 potatoes, cut each into about 8 pieces and boil until soft. Mash and leave to cool. Remove any skin from the salmon, flake and mix with the potatoes, one lightly whisked egg, lemon zest and some salt and pepper. Roll the mixture into 8 fish cakes.
3. Drizzle olive oil on both sides of the fish cakes and cook on a baking tray in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6 or until crispy on the outside and heated through.
4. To prepare the salad, quarter the heart of the lettuce and set aside. Chop all the remaining washed salad ingredients, including the outer lettuce leaves, on a large board. Make a well in the middle and squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Add a dash of olive oil, a spoonful of Dijon mustard and salt and pepper, then mix through the salad. Serve the fish cakes with the salad and quartered lettuce heart.

** I substituted smoked salmon for the fresh fillets. I like the smoked flavour. I used about 8 ozs of smoke salmon (flaked)

Carmelised Onion and Bacon Pasta

I found this recipe from one of the local grocery stores here in the UK (Sainsbury's). It is really good. Sorry the measurements are all in the British standard, but there are conversion sites out there if you want to try it across the pond!

Carmelised Onion and Bacon Pasta

• 200g bacon (more if you want an extra bacon flavour)
  
• 400g farfalle pasta (aka bow tie pasta)
  
• 4 onions, finely chopped
• 300ml crème fraîche
• 28g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• garlic, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• black pepper

1. Peel and finely slice 4 loose onions.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan, then add the onions and 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely sliced, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook over a medium heat for 12–15 minutes until the onions have softened and started to caramelise.
3. Meanwhile, chop 200g bacon into chunks and fry in another pan until crispy. Once cooked, add to the onions.
4. Cook 400g farfalle pasta, following pack instructions. Drain and stir in the onions and bacon. Add 200g crème fraîche and 28g fresh fat leaf parsley, finely chopped, and stir to combine. Serve the pasta sprinkled with black pepper.

Broccoli Salad

This recipe was served at a church function here. It is from my friend Raechele Garcia. It was delicious so enjoy!

Broccoli Salad

4 cups chopped fresh broccoli
2 cups raisins
1 cup chopped cashews
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup real bacon bits

Dressing:

1 cup Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip ( I used Mayo)
2 tablespoons vinegar (apple cider works great)
1/3 Cup sugar

1.Salad: Mix all ingredients together in lard bowl
2. Dressing: Mix all three ingredients together in a small bowl, blending well.
3. Pour dressing over veggies about 15 minutes before serving. Toss well to coat all over.

Makes 12 servings

**I used golden raisins because I like there flavor a bit more.

Brownie Cheesecake

Brownie Cheesecake

1 pkg (13 X9 pan size) Brownie Mix
4 pkg (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup granulate sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (approx. 180 degree C).
2. Line 13x9x2 pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan.
3. Spray with Cooking spray.
4. Prepare brownie batter as directed on package and then pour into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until top of brownie is shiny and center is almost set.
6. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
7. Add sour cream and mix well.
8. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.
9. Pour over partially baked brownie batter in pan (filling will come almost to top of pan).
10. Bake 40 min. or until center is almost set.
11. Cool.
12. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Yummy Chicken Salad!!

Thanks to my friend Lisa for passing along this recipe. It was delicious!!

Easy Chicken Salad

cooked chicken (I use the kind in the can sometimes, about 3 cans, or you can cook it, 4 or 5 breasts?)
3 T dijon mustard
1 c. mayo
2 T. honey
salt & pepper
olives, sliced or chopped
celery (maybe 2 or 3 stalks)
green onions (5 or 6)
red seedless grapes (couple handfuls cut in half)

mix and serve on bread or crackers.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

I have a lot of peanut butter and jelly/jam in storage that needs to get used up, and I needed an idea. Someone told me about jam thumbprint cookies, so I tried a combo recipe. I used my regular peanut butter cookie recipe and then just added a few things.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 Cup shortening
1 Cup Peanut butter, creamy
1/4 Cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt

Granulated Sugar

Jam or Jelly of your choice

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F (or 191 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, cream sugars, shortening, and peanut butter together.
3. Add in eggs and vanilla, and cream well.
4. Add milk and mix well.
5. In separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.
6. Slowly mix dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture.
7. Mix well until soft dough forms.
8. Roll dough into 1 inch balls.
9. Roll balls in granulated sugar until coated.
10. Place cookies about 1-2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
11. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
12. When done baking, remove cookies from oven.
13. With your finger make a depression in the middle of the cookie. (you may need to do this more than once to reach the depth you want)
14. Spoon your favorite jam or jelly into depression.
15. Place cookies on wire rack to cool.
16. Store in air tight container.

My kids loved these, and the make a good treat for school lunches.

Perfectly Easy Party Punch

I made this for several things this past week, and it is still yummy!

Perfectly Easy Party Punch

1 64 ounce container Cran-Raspberry juice
1 2 Litre bottle of Ginger Ale soda
1 package frozen raspberries

Mix juice and soda in punch bowl. Add frozen raspberries just before serving.

** Party Ice Cubes
Cran-Raspberry Juice
Frozen Raspberries
Fresh or frozen whole cranberries

Place one or two berries (you can mix them if you want) into ice cube tray.
Pour juice into ice cube tray.
Freeze.
Place in punch bowl just before serving.
(for an easier take just place berries in bottom of bunt cake pan and pour juice on top. Works easiest with silicone bunt cake pan).

Sausage and Potato Quesadilla

In an effort to be more "adventurous" with my culinary exploits, I thought I would try something new. I came across a quesadilla recipe, and tweaked it out for our family. Here is the recipe I ended up with.

Sausage and Potato Quesadilla

1/2 lb spicy pork sausage
2 cups mashed potatoes*
1 tsp crushed fresh garlic
1 tbsp dehydrated onion
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp butter
2 cups shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
12 flour tortillas, soft taco sized
cooking oil
salt
pepper

1. Brown sausage in medium frying pan, drain.
2. Mix mashed potatoes, sausage, herbs, and seasonings in large bowl.
3. On griddle (or large skillet), heat oil.
4. Place 2-3 tbsp of filling on middle of each tortilla.
5. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of cheese on top of filling.
6. Fold tortillas over filling, and place on griddle or pan.
7. Cook about 1 min on each side, or until tortillas are browned.
8. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

This was a super easy and quick meal to make. The kids even ate it! You can use a spicier sausage like chorizo if you want a more "authentic" experience.

You could even use this as an appetizer, just cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges, top with dollop of sour cream and garnish with sprig of fresh parsley or cilantro.

*For the mashed potatoes, I used normal white potatoes (about 3 medium sized). I cubed them, with skins still on, and boiled them for 15-20 min. I mashed them up and mixed in about 2 tbsp of butter and 2/3 C of milk. If you are in a hurry you could use instant mashed potatoes, just make sure that you use ones made from real potatoes.