Showing posts with label stew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stew. Show all posts
Sunday, March 22, 2015
CrockPot Harvest Stew Recipe
Day 287.
Here is a cozy stew certain to warm you after a day of pumpkin-picking. Or after a day of spending $5 a pop for a corn maze, hay ride, pumpkin cannon, inflatable bouncer, pony rides, or kid-size tractors.
Or after a day watching other people pay $5 a pop for those things, and then deciding to get your pumpkins in front of the grocery store.
The Ingredients.
--1 pound lean ground turkey or chicken (I used chicken)
--1 yellow onion, chopped
--3 chopped garlic cloves
--1 can kidney beans, rinsed
--1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
--3 red potatoes, peeled and chopped
--1 acorn squash, peeled and chopped
--1 whole can tomatoes and chilies (rotel)
--4 cups chicken broth
--1/4 tsp cloves
--1/4 tsp all spice
--salt and pepper to taste
The Directions.
Use a big crockpot for this stew. I used a 6.5 quart eLume.
Guess what? I didnt brown the meat. If you are using extra lean ground turkey or chicken, there really isnt a need--the only worry about using beef or pork is the fat content. If you prefer those types of meat, or already have it on hand, brown on the stove top and drain before adding to the stew.
I used my moms microwaving-the-squash trick for cutting the acorn squash, and it worked. It worked so well, Im not scared to buy squash anymore. I microwaved it on high for 2 minutes. It sizzled and freaked me out, but it cut easily, and I used a paring knife to cut away the skin.
Peel and chop all of the vegetables, and add it to the crockpot. Break up the ground meat with your fingers and add it in. Dump in the kidney beans and the can of tomatoes and chilies. Add the broth and the seasonings. Stir well. It will look like there isnt enough liquid, but more will be made from the vegetables and meat. I promise.
Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. I cooked ours on low for exactly 8. It was perfect.
The Verdict.
My parents and brother ate this with us (well, the kids had toquitos), and we (the grown-ups) all liked it a lot, and had 2 bowls each.
Well, maybe my brother had only one bowl because he was going out to eat.
Anyhow, it was good.
Adam suggests next time using stew meat instead of the ground meat for a more-filling meal. He was pretty hungry a few hours later.
CrockPot Cowboy Stew Recipe
Day 197.
This recipe came from Headless Mom, and the second I read it I knew I needed to make it because I liked the name. I am excited to meet Headless Mom at the BlogHer conference in a few days to see if she looks in person the way that I have imagined her to. Probably not. I envision a Headless Horseman character, but instead of a pumpkin tucked under her neck, its a Donna Reed-type mom with pearls.
Now were all going to have nightmares...
but not over this stew. This stew is hearty and has a nice kick to it; real comfort food.
There are two ingredients pictures because I got a bit overwhelmed answering and reading email yesterday and forgot to put some stuff in there at first. You guys are so much fun. And a little bonkers.
The Ingredients.
--1 pound browned hamburger (can use turkey)
--2 cloves chopped garlic
--1 can tomato sauce
--1 can diced Italian seasoned tomatoes
--1 can corn, drained
--2 cans whole baby potatoes, drained (unless you can find a great big can of potatoes)
--1 can tomatoes with green chilies
--1 can Ranch Style beans (with the baked beans in the grocery store) (or see recipe below)
--1 cup water
--sliced jalapeno peppers for garnish (optional)
The Directions.
This makes a lot. Make sure that your crockpot is at least 5qts.
Brown the hamburger with the chopped garlic cloves on the stove top. Drain the fat. Let sit in the pan for a bit to cool.
Open all of you cans, and dump them into the crockpot. Drain the corn and the potatoes, but add the rest of the can liquid to the crockpot.
After adding all of the can contents, add the browned meat and a cup of water. Stir with a spoon to mix a bit.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5. Soup and stew tastes better the longer you cook it, so opt for the longer cooking time if you can.
Garnish with sliced jalapeno peppers, if desired.
Recycle your cans!
Cant Find Ranch Beans at your grocery store? No Problem!!
simply mix together:
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans (plus the goop!)
Cant Find Ranch Beans at your grocery store? No Problem!!
simply mix together:
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans (plus the goop!)
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vinegar (white or apple cider)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
The Verdict.
I had never before bought canned potatoes, or the Ranch Beans, which intrigued me about this recipe. Headless Mom says that if you use "real" potatoes they will disintegrate in the crockpot. I believe shes right. These stayed perfectly oval in shape, and looked like baby dinosaur eggs.
I really liked the flavor of this stew. It reminded me of taco soup, but the flavors were more subtle. I liked the texture of the broth vs. the chunky ingredients.
The kids picked out what they wanted, and didnt complain. They really liked the beans, and thought the floating potatoes were cool. We will have this for lunch for quite a few days.
Adam and I both wanted a sliced jalapeno in each bite---they gave a really nice tangy spice to the meal.
Thank you, Headless Mom! We will definitely make this again!
Next year.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
5 Ingredient Homemade Beef Stew
We have had the worlds funkiest weather in the Bay Area lately. On Monday my back and shoulders got burned while gardening, and today Im all snuggled up in a heavy sweater and fuzzy slippers.
Ive been getting emails asking for "easier" recipes --- so I dug through the cabinets and freezer and made a delicious and hearty beef stew using ONLY 5 INGREDIENTS!!
Id totally pat myself on the back, but Im still burnt...
The Ingredients
serves 6
2 pounds beef stew meat
1 (16-ounce) jar southwest salsa (has corn, black beans, onions, tomatoes, chiles)
4 cups beef broth
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup baby carrots, or chopped carrot
The Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the meat into the bottom of your cooker and add the rest of the ingredients --- there is no need for any other seasoning; the southwest salsa provides plenty of flavor all on its own. If you cant find this particular kind of salsa, you can certainly add frozen or canned corn or diced potatoes, or anything else youd like.
I was trying to keep the ingredient listing to 5, and to not pull out a cutting board, but if youd like to doctor it up with veggies you have in the house, go for it!
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the meat is so tender it falls apart when poked.
Serve with crusty bread and a green salad. I made a loaf of homemade gluten free bread in another slow cooker. I used this recipe, but added sliced garlic cloves, diced onion, and a teaspoon of kosher salt to the batter.
The Verdict
This was a successful meal! I was pleased at how the salsa and beef broth created a fantastic soup base, and was thrilled at how easy this was. It took no time to plop everything into the pot, and because I didnt need to peel or chop vegetables I had plenty of time to whip together the bread dough before leaving the house for the day.
I used a medium salsa, and it really retained its heat, even when mixed with the broth. If you or your family doesnt like things spicy, opt for mild salsa. You can always add a dash of Tobasco at the end if youd like a punch of heat.
Not the stew for you? Here are a few more!
Harvest Stew
Azorean Spiced Beef Stew
Sausage and Lentil Stew
Doro Wat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew)
Turkey Stew
Bean Stew (vegetarian)
Chicken and Sweet Potato Southwestern Stew (flop! dont make this!!)
CrockPot Bean Stew Recipe
Day 311.
This could be vegetarian if I had vegetable broth in the house. I did not, so I used chicken broth.
My back is not feeling the best, due to a bend-and-hug that turned into a hug-and-hang. Im typing this standing up. Every movement is taking more effort than I want, and Im a wee bit cranky.
I didnt make it the store, and needed to make due with stuff we had in the house. I was certain that I had a bag of green lentils in the pantry, and was totally bummed to realize that the bag actually was filled with split peas. I used them anyway.
The Ingredients.
--2 cups split peas (or lentils!)
--6 cups broth
--1 can kidney beans, rinsed
--1 can black beans, rinsed
--1 potato, chopped
--1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
--4 sad looking green onions, chopped
--3 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
--1 cub baby carrots
--handful of broccoli (or other veggies you have lying around)
--1 tsp dill (to be different!)
--1 tsp kosher salt
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--1 1/2 tsp paprika
The Directions.
I used a 6 quart crockpot.
Chop up the vegetables to desired size, and throw them in the pot. Rinse the beans, and add. Add the split peas. Cover with broth, and stir in the spices.
Cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. Soup tastes better the longer it cooks.
The Verdict.
I had read somewhere that dill enhanced soups and stews and it was an under-utilized spice. I threw some in, and immediately regretted it, but decided to climb back in bed with the heating pad hope for the best.
I think the dill works. It tastes too strong if the broth isnt salty enough---so salt and pepper to taste.
Then you can eat it without feeling like youre eating the guinea pigs alfalfa hay.
My kids fished out the stuff they liked, but mostly ate Toquitos for dinner.
I had Advil.
Im going to have a big bowl for lunch.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Navy Bean and Refried Bean Stew Recipe with Ham Leeks and Tomatoes
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| This Phase One Navy Bean and Refried Bean Stew with Ham, Leeks, and Tomatoes would be a great use for leftover holiday ham. |
(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites. If you're having ham during the holidays, this is a great phase one soup to make with the leftover ham. If you wanted to try this in the slow cooker, I would reduce the amount of ham stock to about 2 cups.)
When it's winter in Utah we often have a short little taste of warm weather, and then the lawn is covered with snow again and it seems like soup or stew is back on the menu. I created this recipe for a bean stew with leeks, ham, and tomatoes on a winter day when I was having guests for a soup and stew lunch. The recipe was partly inspired by an abundance of leeks and leftover ham, and the photo (which I was not crazy about) might have kept it from making an appearance on the blog, but when my nephew Jake and my brother Rand (two confirmed foodies) both raved about the flavors in this stew, I knew I should post it even if the photos didn't really show off its inner beauty.
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