Rustic Beef Stew Recipe

Lately our weather has been refusing to reach a temperature above the single digits, and often in the negative with the wind chill. Yes, brrrrr. On one particularly blustery day, I decided beef stew was the best solution to warm me inside and out.  

Normally I would brown the beef and the the rest in a crockpot for the day, but I thought would only serve the "rustic" quality of my beef stew vision if it were braised on the stovetop and simmering all day long. What a great idea it was. :)

Rustic Beef Stew Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 5-6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound stew meat

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar or balsamic or your favorite wine

3 potatoes, cut into large chunks

3 or 4 carrots, cut into large chunks

2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks

1 onion, cut into wedges

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp thyme

1 quart beef or vegetable stock 

2 bay leaves

Directions

Heat a 6 quart heavy bottom pot over medium heat and drizzle lightly with oil. Once preheated, add the chunks of stew meat and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Let brown on one side before turning to the second (third and fourth) sides. Pour in 2 to 3 Tbsp vinegar to de-glaze the pan, scraping up bits of meat as you stir. Add in potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cover the pot, allowing the moisture level to build, cooking the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. Stir occasionally. Allow to cook 5 to 10 minutes before adding in the beef stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, and then simmer for up to 3 hours. 

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Italian Pasta Soup Recipe

After spending a few minutes chopping peppers and onions and defrosting our gift of lean ground venison, I was quickly beginning to have an idea what we might be having for dinner. This is what I knew: a) it was going to be some kind of soup, b) I was leaning toward a broth-y soup, c) it would be a bit spicy, d) it would taste good with a mix of peppers and onions and celery. 

I tossed this and sprinkled that until the final product was taking shape in the pot. By the time I added the whole wheat penne to the soup, I was fairly certain this was going to be a winner. I was so thrilled to hear Kevin say, "This needs to go on our 'must make again' list."  

Italian Pasta Soup Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 4 

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef or venison 

1 small onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1 pinch crushed red pepper

1 -14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce 

2 cups beef broth or bouillon

2 cups water

2 cups short cut pasta, ditalini or penne

for topping, Parmesan cheese and additional crushed red pepper

Directions

In a large stock pot brown the ground beef over medium heat. Add in onion, jalapeno, green pepper, garlic, and celery. Saute until softened. Sprinkle in pepper, oregano, thyme, and crushed red pepper, then stir in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook 3-5 minutes. Stir in broth and water and bring to a full rolling boil. Add in short cut pasta and cook until pasta is softened. 

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and additional crushed red pepper if desired.  

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Spinach, Pepper, and Onion Omelet Recipe

Omelets are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They are totally versatile and customizable to your flavor preferences. They can include any variety of meat--ham, sausage, bacon--or vegetables--peppers, onions, spinach. I love this about omelets. 

This particular omelet is most certainly nutritious--loaded with protein and filled with fresh veggie nutrients. I omitted cheese and meat to keep calories low. 

Whether you're feeding your family or you're home alone, this is the perfect meal option. 

Spinach, Pepper, and Onion Omelet Recipe 

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

serves 1

Ingredients

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp milk

4 strips green pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp chopped red onion

1 cup fresh baby spinach, finely chopped 

1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a medium bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Beat in milk. Stir in vegetables and garlic. Check to be sure the pan is preheated by sprinkling with water. If the water sizzles, you're good to go. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, rocking the pan around to distribute eggs evenly. Cover with the skillet's lid or tin foil. Cook 3-5 minutes. Now, you have 2 options. Once the majority of the omelet is set, you can 1) flip the omelet over to finish cooking the other side or 2) lift an edge of the omelet and tilt the skillet to allow any remain liquid egg to run to the underside of the omelet. Cover with the lid or foil once again and cook until egg is no longer runny. Remove to your plate. Eat. 

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Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

I had never cooked with whole, fresh cabbage before, and honestly my childhood experiences with cabbage made me want to run the other way. My grandma would make stuffed cabbage rolls on occasion and I distinctly remember how awful it smell as it cooked for what seemed like hours. I think my grandma would be proud of me for getting past my dislike for cabbage and trying this soup. And I'm certain she would love the tasty results. 

My husband and I have been eating this soup every day since I made the first pot three days ago. This is a big deal for Kevin because he normally doesn't request leftovers even if he enjoyed the meal the first time around. He tells me it's the rice. He loves what the rice does to this soup. There's hardly more than a cup of rice in 6 quarts of soup, but it makes a difference and adds the perfect thickness and consistency. 

There aren't any special seasonings or spices in this soup aside from salt or pepper, and I love it that way. I'm the one who adds spices to everything, but I'm glad I stuck to the recipe on this one--the delicate flavor combination of the cabbage, beef and tomatoes is just too perfect to cover with extra seasonings. 

Hearty, delicious and nutritious, I hope you love this soup as much as we do!

Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Serves 10

Ingredients

1/2 cups uncooked rice plus up to 2 cups water

1 whole onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 pound ground beef or turkey

3 cans (14.5 Oz. Can) plain diced tomatoes

2 whole bay leaves

4 cups water

1/2 head cabbage, shredded

1 Tbsp tomato paste

Salt

Pepper

Directions

In a small sauce pot combine rice and up to 2 cups water (depending on type or rice and specific package directions.) Bring water to boil, stir occasionally until fully cooked.  

In a heavy pot, saute onions until translucent. Add minced garlic and sliced celery. Cook until fragrant and tender. Add ground beef or turkey to the cooking pot, breaking up into small pieces, and cooking until brown and cooked through. Add cooked rice, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, 4 cups water, shredded cabbage, and tomato paste (can substitute with ketchup). Salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for one hour, until cabbage is thoroughly softened. 

Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Soup will thicken after setting. Add additional water each time soup is reheated, to bring back to desired soup-consistency. 

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Jerk Chicken Soup Recipe

When I saw Rachael Ray making Jerk Chicken Soup on her daytime tv show, I knew that was "what's for dinner tonight." You see, Kevin and I have a soft spot for anything "jerk." Before our cross cultural studies trip to Jamaica in 2006, we couldn't have told you what that even meant. I thought it was a mean way of referring to their chicken. But no!  

Jerk is a dry rub filled with garlic, chili powder, crushed red pepper, and loads of other Jamaican secret ingredients. No American look alike can quite compare. 

But this soup was totally delicious, super spicy, and just a bit reminiscent of our weeks spent on the Caribbean island. 

Jerk Chicken Soup Recipe

recipe adapted from rachaelrayshow.com

Ingredients

2 Tbsp canola  oil

1-1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 cups chicken stock (or 4 cups water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes)

2 scotch bonnet chile peppers, finely chopped (for a milder jerk, use 1 chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed; for a very mild jerk, use a red Fresno pepper)

1 tsp thyme

1 Tbsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika

1 tsp allspice 

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Salt and pepper

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chile peppers. Stir in chicken and add thyme, paprika, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes,  Worcestershire, and vinegar; simmer to combine the flavors, about 5 minutes. (This can be simmered for hours to enhance the flavor.) Serve in bowls and top with the scallions.

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Italian Potato Salad Recipe

In an effort to take a delicious dish to our first potluck at our new church, I new some sort of potato salad would be a winner. I'm really not a huge fan of mayo-laden salads. Yes, I eat them and even enjoy them, but I can rarely bring myself to add that much mayonnaise to a dish. :) I decided to create a mayo-free version. Basically I took my traditional salad ingredients and replaced the lettuce with cooked potatoes. It turned out delicious! And no worrying about how long it's been out of the refrigerator! Bonus. :) 

Italian Potato Salad Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 6-10 

Ingredients

8-10 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 medium onion, diced

1-1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

salt 

pepper

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/4 tsp Paprika

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar 

Directions

Add cubed potatoes to a large pot and cover with water by one inch. Bring to a boil and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to warm pot to allow water to evaporate for 10-20 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients, drizzle in olive oil and vinegar (2 turns around the pan for each). Gently toss together. Keep refrigerated until serving.  

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Salsa Pasta

With homemade pico de gallo needing to be used and a hankering for pasta, I brainstormed this funky, fresh idea for dinner. (I probably shouldn't use "hankering" and "pasta" in the same sentence. Maybe it's in honor of my West-Virginian-Italian relatives...) With a few fresh ingredients I had on hand thanks to the bounty of summer produce, this was quick and easy to fix and a success for both mine and Kevin's palates. 

Salsa Pasta

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 2 

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta

1/2 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 green pepper, sliced

1 cup fresh pico de gallo

Canola oil

Directions

Fill a 2 quart sauce pan with water and bring it to a boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente. 

In the meantime, drizzle a skillet with canola oil and heat over medium. Add garlic, onions and peppers and saute until softened. Stir in salsa. Cover and cook 5-10 minutes, adding pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to achieve desired consistency. 

Drain pasta. Plate and pour salsa sauce over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. 

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Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Dip

Everyone raved about this dip! It's super easy (just a bit time consuming if you decide to use dry beans) and totally worth it. It's mild, yet intriguing and could be spiced up even more to suit your taste. Kevin described this as a hummus, but even better. Try it! (You'll have enough to serve at least 2 parties. We did!)

Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Dip
recipe adapted from annies-eats.com

Yields: 4 cups of dip (a LOT)


Ingredients

2 cups dry white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern

5 cups water

5 tbsp. chopped basil

¾ cup sweet marinated roasted red peppers

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic

½ tsp. salt

ground black pepper

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. sugar

Directions

Place beans in a large bowl.  Add water and soak for 6-8 hours.  In a large pot of water, bring the beans to a boil.  Turn the heat down and allow to simmer 45 minutes or until the beans are tender.  Remove from heat and drain.

Add the cooked beans to the bowl of a food processor.  Add all remaining ingredients and process until smooth.  Taste mixture and adjust seasonings as desired.

(Quick and Easy) Ricotta Tomato Penne

 This is an amazingly quick (15 minutes!), surprisingly elegant, and super delicious dish.

I came up with it as a dinner idea in a pinch last week. We didn't have much time but I had some quality ingredients. Sometimes less is more. Nothing fancy. Just pasta. tomatoes. cheese. and of course garlic. It's perfection in a flash! 

Ingredients

Canola or extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, finely diced

1--14 oz can stewed or whole tomatoes

salt

pepper

1 tsp dried basil

1/4-1/2 cup fresh Ricotta cheese 

Directions

Fill a 2 or 3 quart pot with water and heat to boiling. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium low heat. Drizzle with oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant. Stir in the can of tomatoes. Use a spoon or potato masher to crush tomatoes to your desired consistency for the sauce. Sprinkle in salt and pepper (be generous with both!) and basil. Let simmer for 5-15 minutes. Drop 2-3 cups penne pasta into the boiling water and cook to al dente. Drain and leave in pot. Stir in Ricotta cheese until melted. Serve onto plates and spoon tomato sauce on top.

Salsa Soup

I came up with this recipe on a whim. 

After church on Sunday, we were trying to figure out what to eat. 

I wanted something serving-worthy as my mom was here for the weekend, 

and I wanted something warm and comforting as it was 45 degrees outside. 

I decided to make a pot of soup. 

I started with sauteing onions and garlic and honestly had NO idea where I was going from there. 

Once I picked the "Mexican" salsa theme, I was on a roll. 

I fashioned this recipe after my Black Bean dump Salsa which is amazingly fast and perfectly delicious and satisfies all those Mexican food cravings without a hint of unhealthiness.

I think this might be one of my favorite soups ever. 

It's really pretty much a chili--minus the meat. 

It's so fat free it's not even funny. 

That is, until you had 12 spoons full of sour cream as garnish. lol

Ingredients

Drizzle of oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1/2-1 whole green pepper, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

salt

pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1--15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1--15 oz can corn, drained

1--15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (or just the tomatoes, whatever you have on hand!)

1--28 oz can crushed tomatoes

2 cups beef (or other) broth

Directions

Heat a large stock pot over medium low. Drizzle with oil and saute onions and garlic. Add in peppers and stir. Cook until softened. Stir in cilantro, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder. After 3-5 minutes, pour in beans, corn, and tomatoes. Thoroughly incorporate ingredients and cook another couple minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes. Pour some of the broth into the empty crushed tomato can to get all of the tomatoe-y goodness in your soup. Add the broth and stir. Bring to a boil. Simmer on medium low for 15 minutes to 2 hours. 

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and cilantro.  

Garlic and Lemon Tilapia

I'm not a huge a fan of fish. 

Which is either really ironic or really relieving given my maiden name. 

I only like shrimp or clams when they're all battered and fried. 

But who doesn't like anything battered and fried, I mean really?

But Tilapia? Now that's a fish I can sink my teeth into.

It's mild tasting.

It falls apart with the touch of your fork.

It's the EASIEST "meat" to prepare.

Seriously.

I was shocked the first time I fixed Tilapia for dinner.

It takes about 6 minutes on the stove top. 

With a sprinkle of garlic.

And you've got melt-in-your-mouth, not to mention uber nutritious fish. 

Ingredients

canola or extra virgin olive oil

Tilapia fillets, defrosted

Made for fish/poultry seasoning OR

Garlic powder

Parmesan cheese, grated

Thyme

Lemon Juice 

Directions

Heat a skillet to medium-low heat and drizzle with oil. Begin cooking the fish when the rest of the meal has less than 10 minutes to cook. Season fish on one side and place season-side-down in the heated skillet. Cook for 3 minutes. Season the top of the fish. Flip over and cook on the other side for 3 more minutes. Serve! (with a lemon wedge and these potatoes, if you feel like it. :D) 

Garlic Bubble Loaf

I have a large collection of Taste of Home recipes and I periodically look through them for new ideas.  I found this recipe and knew, if it turned out right, Kevin would love it.  I halved the recipe and that worked well.  Just be accurate in your divisions of ingredient amounts.  Also, when I dumped the loaf out of the pan, all the little rolls fell apart.  I'm not sure if that's supposed to happen or how this recipe kept it from happening...but it worked out fine for us--Kevin loved it!  All the little pieces were like appetizers or small rolls.  Enjoy!  

1 pkg (1/4 ounce) or 2 and 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon shortening 

2 teaspoons salt

6 1/4 to 6 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 tablespoon dired parsley (or oregano or something of the like)

2 teaspoons garlic powder (or 1-2 cloves of crushed garlic)

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Add milk, sugar, shortening, salt and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth.  Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.  Turn out on a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Combine melted butter, parsley and garlic.  Punch dough down; divide into fourths. Divide each portion into 12 pieces.  Roll each piece into a ball.  Dip into the butter mixture and place in two greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.  Pour any remaining butter mixture over the dough.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.  

Bake at 375 to 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and serve warm.  

Yield: 2 loaves