In The Morning, We're Making Waffles!

Hello again everyone! For most folks, the process of making waffles involves adapting pancake batter to the "waffle" instructions on the side of the box. We're not excluded from that generalization - for the longest time our waffle making process was simply adjusting the quantity of liquid to the pre-packaged mix.

The results aren't bad - we're not here to rag on the boxed pancake mix - but they're not all that waffles could be. You see, waffles from pancake mix are typically thicker which makes for a dense little waffle that is heavy in the stomach and that doesn't take well to a lot of toppings or other culinary uses. True waffle batter should yield a flavorful waffle (that can shine on it's own accord, without toppings if necessary) that is also light and fluffy.

Enter, Alton Brown. Who has crafted a basic waffle recipe that achieves all of these goals - best of all it contains only things you'll typically find in your pantry and it doesn't take any longer than the pre-package pancake batter does. Given that, why would you make waffles any other way? (You wouldn't...or shouldn't!)

The Recipe: Waffles...REALLY Good Waffles
Original Recipe By: Alton Brown

What You'll Need:

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/2 Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
3 Whole Eggs (Beaten)
2 Ounces Unsalted Butter (Melted)
16 Ounces Milk (Buttermilk is the original requirement, we used almond milk)

Coat your waffle iron with non-stick spray and heat according to its instructions.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to incorporate. In a separate bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients (eggs, milk, butter) and whisk until combined. Finally, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until a majority of the lumps have been removed. DO NOT stir until all the lumps are gone - this will over toughen the batter and make things a bit too thick. After a few stirs to makes sure all of the dry and wet ingredients have melded nicely, simply walk away. You'll want to keep stirring. Don't! Just put the whisk down, and walk away.

Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes before adding it to the waffle iron and cooking until you reach the desired doneness.

Top with syrup for a traditional flare, or use them for any variety of uses such as bread pudding, ice cream sandwiches, or whatever you can craft up (Seriously, the realm of uses for waffles is vast - start checking your recipe books, they're used EVERYWHERE).

The Results:

These simple little waffles truly outshine their boxed counterparts in every way. They're light, fluffy, flavorful and much more versatile than the thicker, heavier product that comes from pancake batter. In short, when it comes to waffles, if you want to do it right, you'll want to follow this recipe!

(By the way, this recipe will likely cook up more waffles than you can handle in one sitting. The great part is, they freeze beautifully. Simple slide them into a zip top bag and store in the freezer. To reheat, simply pop them in the toaster, just like their big box frozen cousins, they work nicely as a quick and easy breakfast meal right out of the freezer).

That's all we have for you today - but we're back next week with another brand new recipe, followed by a tasty treat utilizing the versatile little blueberry - look out for that next Sunday. Until then,

~Cheers

Prepare Yourself with a Whole Lot of Garlic!

Good evening everyone!  I absolutely love the combination of cheese and pasta!  To me, there is no greater combination of foods that can be put together.  Sure there are quite a few that can compare, but for comfort food, when cheese wraps itself around pasta, it's sure to be a hit.  When I found this recipe to enhance the traditional mac and cheese with garlic, it was worth whipping up a batch and see what would happen!

The Recipe:  Roasted Garlic Mac & Cheese
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light, October 2014 Issue

What You'll Need:
2 Whole Garlic Heads
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Water
10 Ounces Whole-Grain Penne
2 3/4 Cup 1% Low-Fat Milk
3 1/2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
4 Ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded and divided (about 1 cup)
2 Ounces Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

To start, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Once cooked, drain in a colander and set aside.

Next, remove the white, papery skin from the garlic heads, but do not peel or separate the cloves.  If you've ever worked with garlic, this is a hard concept to follow through since in most recipes it calls to separate the garlic cloves.  Tempting as it may seem, keep the cloves intact, but try to remove as much skin as possible.  Place the garlic heads in a microwave-safe bowl and rub the garlic heads with oil.  Pour the water in the bottle of the bowl and cover the entire thing with plastic wrap.  Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 4.5 minutes or until the garlic is very tender.  Remove the bowl from the microwave and let it cool slightly.

Next, combine the milk and flour in a medium saucepan, stirring with a whisk.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  Cook the milk mixture for three minutes or until thickened.  Once cooked, remove from the heat and add the salt, pepper, 1 ounce of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.  Stir until smooth and the cheeses have melted.  Set this aside.

Begin to preheat an oven broiler.  Meanwhile, from the microwaved bowl, separate the garlic cloves and squeeze to extract the garlic pulp.  Some of the garlic cloves will still be pretty warm, but if you work quickly, it should be a light task.  Place the garlic pulp and two cups of the milk mixture in a blender.  Process until the sauce is smooth.  Stir the garlic mixture into the remaining milk mixture and stir until well incorporated.  Add the pasta and stir to coat.  

Spoon the pasta mixture into a broiler-safe 11x7 glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Alternatively, you could use 6 (10 ounce) ramekins or gratin dishes.  Once in the desired baking vessel, sprinkle with the remaining three ounces of cheddar cheese.  Broil for two minutes or until the cheese has melted and begin to turn brown.  Let the cooking vessel stand for five minutes, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

If you are not a fan of particularly strong garlic flavor, this mac and cheese will not be for you.  If you love garlic infused in every single bite, along with some potent cheese flavor, then be careful not to eat the entire batch in one sitting!  I didn't quite process the garlic to a smooth consistency, as instructed, but the flavor made itself known and was quite delightful.  While there was only two cheeses in this recipe, you could fool anyone with the outstanding cheese flavor.  If you want to kick up your mac and cheese game, this recipe is for you!

Join us next week as we continue our quest for awesome recipes to present to you.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Express Sheperd's Pie

Good evening everyone! When it comes to traditional winter dishes, it’s hard to beat shepherd's pie. Built like a pot pie, a shepherd's pie is typically a bit thicker (think “gravy” to a standard pot pie’s “stew” filling) and topped with mashed potatoes. The distinctions between shepherd's pie and pot pie aren’t too grand, but they are significant enough to make them two distinct dishes.

 The largest difference is in time. Where a traditional pot pie can be covered and baked in a few hours, a shepherd's pie (and its thick mashed potato topping) can take double the amount of time both in the oven and in prep work.

 Of course, there’s also the matter of calories – while traditional shepherd’s pie is a nice “on occasion” comfort food, I don’t think you could really classify it as “good for you”. Plus, we’re entering the new year and most folks are looking to cut calories after all of the holiday indulging – on their way to their new healthier 2015.

So, therein lies the challenge – can we take traditional shepherd’s pie, cut down the prep time and make it a healthy weekend meal option? We found a recipe that gives it a good shot, and with our adaptations the results are worth duplicating.

The Recipe: Quick Shepherd's Pie
Original recipe adapted from: Eatingwell.com

What You’ll Need:

1 Pound Ground Turkey (Lean)
1 Medium Onion
1 Cup Frozen Corn
1 Cup Frozen Green Beans
¾ Cup Frozen Peas
14.5 Ounces (1 Can) Low Sodium Chicken Broth
3-4 Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
All Purpose Flour (amount will vary)

Begin by dicing (if necessary) your potatoes and boiling them in a medium pot for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Once tender, mash them by hand with potato masher (you want the potatoes to still have a few lumps – we’re not looking for perfectly smooth, so by hand is the best way to get there). Add in a splash of low fat milk and 1 tablespoon of butter while you’re mashing to make the texture of the potatoes a bit smoother. Set aside.

 While your potatoes are boiling, turn your attention to the main dish. In a large dutch oven or other nonstick pan, brown the ground turnkey alongside the onion – keep stirring regularly until the onion is translucent and the turkey is cooked through. Next, add the green beans and peas, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans have softened and the peas are nearly cooked through.

Next, add in a pinch of dried oregano or Italian seasoning (we opted for Italian, to add a bit more variety to the dish, but if you’re looking to keep it as authentic as possible, straight oregano is the way to go). Slowly stir in the broth and the frozen corn. Cover and bring the dish to a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer until the all of the vegetables have cooked through (5 to 7 minutes).

 Finally, stir in two tablespoons of all purpose flour. Allow the mixture to return to a simmer and evaluate the dish – if it has thickened up to your liking, move on to serving, if not, add another tablespoon of flour and repeat the process. Be sure to only add one tablespoon at a time – you CAN over thicken the base, so keep an eye on things.

To serve, scoop the desired amount of the turkey base into a bowl and top with a spoonful of the mashed potatoes you prepared earlier. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

The Results:

Traditional shepherd’s pie is a lamb based dish that is slow roasted all day and topped with a thick layer of mashed potatoes, then baked to the point of turning those spuds crispy.

That’s the long way of saying: you’re not going to duplicate true shepherd’s pie flavor in a quick (or healthy) fashion. You can, however, create something close – and that’s what this dish does well. You still have rich flavors – you still have a savory potato topping – but you only have to invest 35 minutes into the dish and it’s caloric content finishes in the 300-400 range, rather than 700 to 800 of the original. All in all, not a bad trade off to make.

 That's all we have for you today, but be sure to stop in during the week to see another new recipe courtesy of Maggie. I'll follow up next weekend with two recipes that are perfectly suited for those cozy weekend mornings. Until then, 

~Cheers

World's Greatest Chili

Hello again everyone! For years, I've had a love / hate relationship with chili. When done correctly, traditional chili is a beautiful blend of rich meaty flavors that simply cannot be matched by any other stew. However, it's been difficult for me to find a chili recipe that does "it" correctly. My stomach tends to be overly sensitive to tomato sauce - it's too acidic and sends me on a one way trip to massive heartburn town. The compromise - it seems - is to laden the chili with other additives and when it comes to chili that means beans. Now, I'm not opposed to the occasional beans in my chili, but too many turns the batch into a fibrous chewy...disaster.

So, the trick was finding a recipe that didn't go overboard on the tomato base, that ALSO didn't compromise the structural integrity of the dish (I.E. let's keep the beans to a limited number...or out all together).

As with most kitchen conundrums, Alton Brown came to the rescue. His recipe is based on the traditional old west style of chili - the stuff the cowboys made out on the range. While his original recipe uses a pressure cooker (to replicate the days in a dutch oven in half the time) you can also use a slow cooker to reach the same result (which is what we did). So, how does Alton Brown solve my chili challenge? Let's get cooking and find out!

Original Recipe From: Alton Brown (Good Eats: The Big Chili)
The Recipe: Pressure Cooker Chili

What You'll Need:

2 Pounds Beef Stew Meat
1 Pound Ground Pork
16 Ounces Salsa (Medium or spicy)
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 Adobo Chile (Diced fine - from the canned variety)
1 Teaspoon Adobo Chile Sauce (From the can)
30 Tortilla Chips (Crushed)
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Bottle Beer (Preferably an Ale)


First and foremost - yes, this is not your traditional ingredient list for chili - and that's not a bad thing. Secondly, YES, this done turn into amazing chili. Stick with me, it's worth it.

Begin by browning all of the meat in a large dutch oven (work in batches to avoid overcrowding) use peanut oil in the dutch oven to aid in the browning process. Transfer the browned meat into a large slow cooker. If you have any browned on or stuck bits in the bottom of your dutch oven, use a bit of the beer to deglaze the pan (pour a bit of beer into the dutch oven over medium heat and give it a gentle stir - that should work everything right up).

Add this bit of beer (and the rest of the bottle) over the meat in the slow cooker along with the chili powder, salsa adobo chile (and sauce) and finally about half of the crushed tortilla chips. Give the mixture a good stir and then cover the slow cooker and set it on low for 8 hours.

After 8 hours, evaluate your chili. Odds are, it'll need a bit more "thickening" - that's where the rest of the tortilla chips come in. Stir them in and then serve immediately.

The Results:

Doesn't matter how you position it - there's no way to make chili photogenic 

This is the most wonderful, flavorful and meaty chili dishes I've ever had. The tomato sauce problem is eased by using a salsa base - it doesn't really change the flavor, but the versatility of salsa means it can take long slow heat without falling apart and since good salsa is typically made with fresh tomatoes - not the canned "metal like" tomatoes that so many tomato sauces or tomato juices are made with the flavor is cleaner and much better overall. The tortilla chips serve a wonderful purpose as well - they act as a thickening agent without overwhelming the dish with other flavors or making it overly chewy (looking at you - beans) and since most of them cook away and break during the 8 hour slow cook - you won't even know they're there.

That's all we have for you this week. We're "closed" for Christmas - but we'll be back next Sunday with a brand new weekend dish. Until then, Happy Holidays and as always,

~Cheers

Broccoli Pesto Pasta: Better for your Pallet!

Good evening everyone!  As Tyler mentioned previously, we are transitioning to a new way of posting recipes.  We are still focusing on delicious and healthy recipes, and we also want to showcase weeknight dishes that are a snap to make, without too much hassle.  Tonight's recipe is a great example of that.  While most pasta recipes focus too much on the sauce it's doused in, this dish showcases a brilliant, yet healthy alternative to the norm.  And it's speedy recipe to whip up in a flash.

The Recipe:  Broccoli and Pecorino Pesto Pasta
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light, September 2014 Issue

What You'll Need:
8 Ounces uncooked Whole-Wheat Angel Hair Pasta
1 (12 Ounce) package microwave-in-bag fresh Broccoli Florets
1/4 Cup fresh Basil Leaves
3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon grated fresh Lemon Rind
3 Tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon crushed Red Pepper Flakes
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Ounce Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)

To start, prepare a medium saucepan, filled with water, over medium-high heat.  Bring the water to a boil and add the pasta.  Cook according to package directions, omitting any salt or oil.  In a sink, place a heatproof bowl over a colander.  Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving one cup of cooking liquid.

While the pasta is cooking, cook the broccoli according to package directions.  Once cooked, allow five minutes to cool the broccoli.  Prepare a food processor and add the broccoli, basil leaves, olive oil, lemon rind, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, and Pecorino Romano cheese into the processor.  Pulse all the ingredients together until the broccoli and basil leaves are finely chopped.

Keeping the processor on, slowly add the reserved one cup of cooking liquid through the chute, until the sauce has reached desired consistency.  In a large bowl, add the pasta, along with the broccoli mixture and toss to combine.  Place onto a serving dish, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

Like it's basic pesto predecessor, it keeps all the same flavors like before.  Adding the broccoli not only thickens the sauce, but makes it boosts its nutritional quantity.  If you didn't know you were eating broccoli, you'd be incredibly surprised to find it in this dish.  I'm all for dressing down overly complicated recipes.  If you are big fan of pesto (like myself,) you will not be disappointed with this dish!

That all we have for you this evening.  Check back frequently for brand new recipes to share with you and yours!  Until then,

~Cheers!

Smooth and Savory Potato Soup

Good evening everyone! As Christmas approaches, and the cool weather takes hold of the country - we've officially moved into soup season! One of my all time favorite soups is potato soup - a fact that can be easily discerned by looking over the archives of the blog. We've tried just about every variant we could get our hands on, from rustic to bacon infused - it's all been sampled (and savored!) So, it's rare when we find a new potato soup recipe that we HAVEN'T tried before.

Today is one of those rare days.

Today's dish blends yukon gold potatoes with the ever versatile leek to create a smooth and savory dish that's sure to hit the spot as the snow flies and the windows frost over.


The Recipe: Creamy Potato Leek Soup

Original Recipe From: Good Eats: "Sprung a leek"


What You'll Need:

1 Pound Leeks (Roughly 3 large leeks) Cleaned, dark green sections removed, diced
1 Pound yukon gold potatoes (roughy 4 medium), diced
3 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Quart Vegetable Broth
Heavy Pinch Kosher Salt
Fresh Chives


Place a large dutch oven over medium high heat and melt the butter. Once melted, add the diced leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are cooked through and softened - this takes about 25 minutes.

Next, add the potatoes and vegetable broth to the dutch oven and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the pot reaches a nice, rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium low and cover the pot. Allow the mixture to cook for 45 minutes (stir once halfway through).

Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion or stick blender to blend the mixture until smooth. As the last lumps are being blended from the soup, slowly pour the heavy cream into the pot (while continuing to blend).

Finally, taste the soup and adjust with salt and pepper as necessary - serve with the fresh chives and enjoy!

The Results:

This smooth, savory soup is simple yet delicious. It's impressive how deep and flavorful this dish is despite only having two main ingredients. The potatoes act as a nice neutral backdrop for the leeks to shine, blending nicely with the heavy cream and chives to make this soup a personal favorite.

That's all we have for you this evening. We're making a bit of a change to the way we're posting updates to the blog. Maggie and I have each moved into new jobs, and the resulting new employment has changed our posting abilities. So, to amend this, we've picked up a new format. We still plan on posting two new recipes per week - but now Maggie will focus on weeknight cooking, posting her dishes sometime during the workweek. I'll shift to weekends and focus more on weekend cooking - soups, stews, roast - more ambitious projects - my posts will be up on Sunday evenings.

Nothing more than that is changing - we're still cooking - we're still sharing the recipes with you - it's just the timing that'll be different. Get it? Got it? Good!

Stop back in next week for a brand new dish from Maggie. Until then,

~Cheers

A Curious Case for Citrusy Chicken

Good evening everyone!  On my continuing series of soup/stew recipes, I came across this Asian inspired dish.  While it has more of a broth base, the ingredient in the broth make it delightfully more cozy and delicious.

The Recipe:  Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon and Ginger
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light, November 2014 Issue

What You'll Need:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Cup chopped Onion
1 1/2 Tablespoons finely minced fresh Ginger
1 Tablespoon White Miso
1 (8 Ounce package) pre sliced Cremini Mushrooms
4 1/2 Cups unsalted Chicken Stock
1 1/2 Cups shredded skinless rotisserie Chicken Breast
3 Cups chopped Bok Choy
1 (8.5 Ounce) pouch precooked Brown Rice
1 Tablespoon lower-sodium Soy Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon grated Lemon Rind
2 Tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice

To start, heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and add the oil.  Once the oil has heated and been swirled around the cooking vessel, add the onion, ginger, and miso.  Saute for four minutes or until the onion has just begun to soften.  Next, add the mushrooms and cook for two minutes, or until they've taken on a bit of color.  Add the chicken stock, rotisserie chicken, and bok choy and stir to incorporate.  Bring the ingredients to a boil and once bubbling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for eight to ten minutes.

While the soup simmers, prepare the pouched rice according to package directions.  After the soup has simmered, add the rice, soy sauce, salt and pepper into the soup and cook for four minutes or until the bok choy has become tender.  Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and stir in the lemon rind and juice.  Ladle into soup bowls, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

This recipe has a very distinct hint of citrus flavor, from the ginger and lemon.  While it's not completely overpowering, it's pronounced enough to note it, but it certainly does not take away from the flavor of the dish.  The chicken and the rice make the soup almost a homey feel, which I would have never gotten from putting rice in the soup.  The bok choy definitely makes its presence known.  It's almost a bitter green, without going into the realm of kale.  Adding it to the soup is a welcome addition, but the key is to cooking it until it becomes tender.  It might throw off the whole soup otherwise.  Overall, a great soup to add if you're looking to switch up your tradition Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.

T-Day Extravaganza!

Good evening everyone! This week, obviously, features the Thanksgiving holiday. Which, for a cooking blog is a bit like culinary Christmas. (Which makes Christmas like culinary new year? I'm not sure how that works...) Over the past four years, we've featured recipes around the holiday feast - from side dishes to ideas for leftovers - we've done it all but the turkey.

Until today.

That's right. We're doing a turkey this year! After years of putting off committing to the main event (it wasn't really practical for a family of two) we're finally taking on the feature dish on many menus. The results, if I do say so myself, were nothing short of outstanding. Simply put, unless you're 100% in love with your current turkey cooking method - you'll want to give this recipe a try.

The Recipe: Good Eats Roast Turkey
Original Recipe From: 'Good Eats' - Via Alton Brown

What You'll Need:

1 Turkey (...I hope that's implied) weight varies by amount you need to feed

For the Brine:
1 Gallon Vegetable Broth
1 Gallon Water (Heavily iced)
1 Cup Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons All Spice Berries
1 Teaspoon Whole Black Pepper Corns

For the Turkey:
1 Apple (Sliced roughly)
1 Onion (Sliced roughly)
2-3 Fresh Sprigs Rosemary
1-2 Fresh Sprigs Sage
Canola Oil


2-3 Days before T-day, you'll want to fully thaw your bird. Stir it in the refrigerator once thawed.

8 to 16 hours before the main event - begin preparing your brine.

In a large (clean and food safe) 5 gallon bucket, combine the broth, water, brown sugar, salt, all spice berries and pepper corns. Submerge the turkey (breast side down) in the brine and store it and cool place. Monitor the turkey from time to make sure the ice is still intact (replace if necessary).

3 hours before dinner time, remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it well.  Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Pat the turkey (inside and out) dry with a paper towel. Meanwhile, add the apple and onion slices to a microwave safe dish with a cup of water and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Once that's complete, transfer the steeped veggies into the turkey's...cavity...along with the sage and rosemary. Cover the outside of the turkey with a liberal helping of canola oil. Transfer the bird to your favorite roasting rack and set aside.

Do you have an instant read thermometer? (You really should) Good! Now's the time to place the probe into the deepest part of the breast. Set the temperature alarm for 161 degrees and pop the bird into the oven for 30 minutes. (30 minutes at 500 degrees will create that great golden color that looks so good on the serving tray)

After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and let the bird roast until the probe starts beeping (I.E. until it reaches 161 degrees internally). Now, it's VERY IMPORTANT (you can tell, because I wrote it in all caps) that you allow the turkey to rest (covered by aluminum foil) for 15 minutes before carving. Get impatient and cut it up before then and you'll have wasted all of that effort you put into brining - your patience will be rewarded.

Finally, after the 15 minutes are up, simply carve up and enjoy.

The Results:

Best. Turkey. Ever.

Let me reiterate... BEST TURKEY EVER! This is one juicy and flavorful bird that I would be willing to put up against every other turkey I've ever eaten (or you've ever eaten) EVER. Yes, ever.

We paired out thanksgiving feast with some favorite side dishes:

Escalloped Corn
Green Bean Casserole 
Mashed Sweet Potatoes 
Pumpkin Pie 


With the holiday, we're not going to be posting any more this week. We hope you all have a happy and healthy turkey day with your friends and family. Until next week,

~Cheers

Can a Sandwich Influence a Stew?

Good evening everyone!  It's becoming apparent to me that I have a problem...a soup/stew problem.  Every recipe I find, I tend to gravitate towards the warm, brothy-ness of a soup.  In fact, I have three (including today's) recipes lined up that are some variation of a soup or stew.  When the temperatures are only the 20's-30's, can you blame me?  Tonight, I'm creating a very unique stew, that has influences from a very famous sandwich from Philadelphia.

The Recipe:  Philly Cheesesteak Stew
Adapted from a Recipe Found On:  www.pinterest.com

What You'll Need:
1 1/2 Pounds Beef Sirloin, very thinly sliced
1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
4 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour, divided
2 Onions, quartered and thinly sliced
10 Ounces White Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 Teaspoon dried Thyme
2 Cloves Garlic, pressed through a garlic press
4 Cups Beef Stock
2-4 Slices Provolone Cheese

Before you begin anything, pour the beef broth in a large pot and set over medium-low heat, so that it's hot when you are ready to use it.  Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add the beef sirloin, onion powder, and a couple of pinches of salt and black pepper and toss to coat evenly.  Sprinkle two tablespoons of flour over the meat and toss to coat again.  Set this mixture aside.

Next, place a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add three to four tablespoons of olive oil in.  Once heated, add half of the sirloin in and cook for a minute or two and flip the pieces over to cook on the other side, continuing to cook for a minute or two.  Remove the pieces of meat to a clean plate and add the repeat with the remaining sirloin. 

After the beef has cooked and been removed from the skillet, add a tablespoon of oil into the pan and add the sliced onions, along with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook for six minutes, until the onions have started to caramelize, but not burn.  Once the onions have cooked and started to soften, add the mushrooms and allow them to saute with the onions, cooking for six minutes, stirring frequently.

Next, add the dried thyme and garlic into the skillet and stir to incorporate.  Once the garlic becomes fragrant, sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of flour over the onion/mushroom mixture and stir to combine and blend well.  Once thoroughly mixed, slowly add the hot beef stock to the skillet and stir as to not have any flour clumps forming.

Turn the heat down on the skillet to medium-low, add the cooked sirloin pieces, and let the stew simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, so all the flavors can infused and it can begin to tighten up.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Preheat an oven to broil on high.  Prepare a small baking sheet with aluminum foil and place some crocks on top.  Ladle the stew evenly in the crocks and top with a slice of provolone cheese.  Place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook for a minute or two, just so the cheese has just began to melt.  Serve and enjoy!

The End Result:

The incorporation of the onions, mushrooms, and beef in the recipe almost reminds me of a french onion soup, but obviously with a little more meat.  It's full of flavor and letting the stew the simmer with all the ingredients makes that happen.  The original recipe had the soup in sourdough bowls and letting the cheese melt on top of that.  While that is a very delicious idea, I had been itching for months to use the crocks Tyler got me for my birthday, and they were a great vessel to use the soup in.  If you want to try a new hearty stew, this is the recipe for you!

Root Vegetable Pot Pie

Good evening everyone! As fall changes to winter, there's lots of things not to love. It's dark by 5pm (thanks, daylight savings time). It's a whole lot colder and then there's...snow. There is one positive from the switching seasons; root vegetables have moved into their prime season! From potatoes to turnips, if it's a root veggie, now is the time you want to get in the kitchen. While the globalization of the food industry means you can have root vegetables all year round, you'll likely never find them any better than they will be over the next few months.

If you decide to cook up some root vegetables, the next decision you'll need to make is which veggie to choose? Potatoes are a solid staple, as are carrots. You can change things up a bit by using rutabagas, turnips or parsnips as well - but we say, why limit yourself to one? The great perk about root vegetables is that they all compliment each other beautifully in any dish - so why keep them separate?

Enter tonight's recipe. Inspired by the standard chicken pot pie, this dish switches chicken for root vegetables and the result is one tasty late fall treat.

The Recipe: Root Vegetable Pot Pie

What You'll Need:

4 Large Russet Potatoes (Peeled, diced)
3 Large Carrots  (Peeled, diced)
4 Large Parsnips (Peeled, diced)
4 Cups Vegetable Broth
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Sheet Puff Pastry

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray and add the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until well combined. Place the baking dish into the center of the oven and allow the vegetables to roast for 40 minutes.

While the veggies roast, you can prepare the sauce. In a large stock pot, add the vegetable broth and set over medium high heat. Bring the broth to  a light simmer before slowly whisking the heavy cream into the mixture. Once well blended, bring the mixture to a simmer once more before whisking in the flour. Stir until well blended and bring the mixture to a simmer one final time before removing from heat and setting the pot aside.

Shortly before your veggies are done with the initial roast, place your puff pasty on a lightly floured countertop and work it flat until it is approximately the same size as your baking dish.

After 40 minutes, remove the vegetables from the oven and slowly pour the sauce mixture over the vegetables. Carefully top the dish with the puff pastry and press around the edges to create a seal. Return the dish to the oven and let it bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

The Results:

There's few things that can compete with slow roasted root vegetables. Topped with the savory sauce (which simulates traditional pot pie sauce quite nicely) and the flaky crust, you'll hardly notice this isn't a standard chicken pot pie. It's a bit time intensive, but the end result makes for one great weekend meal the whole family is sure to enjoy!

Corn Soufflé? Corn Soufflé!

Good evening everyone! Some combinations just sound great – burgers & fries, ice cream sandwich, chicken noodle soup. These are things that, paired together, generally bring positive thoughts to the mind and palette. 

Corn soufflé is…well…not one of those things. In fact, I’m not sure what first came to my mind when I read “corn soufflé” (I know what comes to mind NOW, but that’s clouded by the results of this recipe) all I remember is that the concept was intriguing and I wanted to give it a try. Corn and soufflé are things you very rarely read together, and yet the concept of tonight’s dish was interesting enough to make me wonder if that notion should change.

After you try this dish for yourself, I think you’ll agree with me.

The Recipe: Corn soufflé

Original Recipe Found In: Hy-Vee Seasons Magazine (October 2014 Issue)

What You’ll Need: 

6 Cups Frozen Corn (Thawed)*

2 Cups Half and Half

6 Large Eggs (Yolks and whites separated)

6 Tablespoons Butter (Softened, divided)

2 Tablespoons Honey

½ Teaspoon Salt

½ Teaspoon Pepper

2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

3 Green Onions (Diced)

* The preferred method would obviously be fresh corn kernels here, but it’s October and the best Iowa sweet corn has long been consumed. If you saved some (via freezing) from this summer, this would be a great place to use a bit of it – for the rest of us, frozen is the only option.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and coat the inside of a 3 quart baking or casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large food processor (and we do mean large…a lot is going to go into this baby) add 4 cups of the corn and the half and half. Pulse until the mixture is perfectly smooth and well blended. Next, add the egg yolks, honey, butter (divided into tablespoon sized chunks for easier processing) as well as the salt and pepper and pulse again until the mixture is smooth and all of the ingredients have worked in.

Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and stir in the remaining 2 cups of corn kernels as well as the green onions and parmesan cheese. Set this bowl aside.

Add the egg whites to a medium mixing bowl and beat them with an electric mixer until they become soft and slight peaks begin to form on the tips. You can use a standard handheld beater for this, but an electric mixer makes much faster (and easier) work. Once the egg whites are nice and foamy and have formed little peaks, carefully fold them into the bowl with the corn mixture. Once everything is combined, transfer this mixture into your baking dish and set it in the center of the oven for 45 minutes. 

Cook the soufflé until the top is golden brown and the dish is cooked through. You can check the doneness by inserting a knife into the center of the soufflé. If the blade comes out clean, you’re done – if there’s a bit of liquid on the knife, it needs more time. (For what it’s worth, we ended up cooking for an additional 30 minutes to reach the “done” point – and we have a fairly reliable oven.)

All that’s left is to serve and enjoy. You’re free to top with additional salt, pepper or butter if you so choose.

The Results: 

The phrase “corn soufflé” should absolutely be in your culinary vocabulary. This dish was full of sweet corn flavor, balanced nicely from the browning in the oven (and the green onions). The highlight was the light and fluffy nature of the dish – it was almost like you were eating whipped corn…and odd concept, but when you try it, you’ll get it. In short, despite sharing two words that don’t typically associate – this recipe is one side dish you’ll definitely want to become familiar with.

Ain't Nothing Wrong with Mixing Chili and Pasta

Good evening everyone!  Sorry I haven't been around for a while - I've been adjusting to a new job and I've finally gotten some time to jot down the recipes I've been making.  The weather is getting colder and it's time for some warm, fill-you-up, kind of meals.  This recipe is no exception:  when you combine a hearty chili with pasta, the end result is quite delicious.

The Recipe:  Chili Pasta Bake
An Adaptation from a Recipe Found On: www.pinterest.com

What You'll Need:
1/2 Tablespoon Canola or Vegetable Oil
1 Whole Onion, chopped
1 Pound Ground Beef
1/2 Pound small shell Pasta
1 (15 Ounce) Can of Tomato Sauce
1 (14.5 Ounce) Can of Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles
1 (15 Ounce) Can of Kidney or Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 Tablespoon Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Cumin
3 Shakes of Cayenne Powder
1/4 Cup Water
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Next, in a large, nonstick skillet, drizzle the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chopped onions and saute for three minutes, or until they have become softened and semi-transulcent.  Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 10 or so minutes.

While the beef is cooking, bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil, over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook according package directions are al dente.  Once cooked, drain in a colander and set the pasta aside.

After the ground beef is cooked, add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and green chiles, beans, chili powder, cumin, cayenne powder, and water.  Mix all the ingredients until well combined and let the combination simmer for about five minutes.  Then add the cooked pasta and stir to combine.  Let the new combination simmer for five more minutes.

Carefully, pour the chili pasta mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.  Flatten out the mixture with a spatula and cover with cheese.  Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the cheese has fully melted.  Spoon into serving dishes, top with sour cream and green onions (if desired,) serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

This is one hearty meal!  First off, the chili portion, with the beef, beans, and tomatoes - while it didn't simmer in a stewpot all day, the flavor elements are there and that part works.  Plus, all those ingredients filling the pasta shells, made for little morsels of chili goodness.  While I am a fan of cheese, I'm not sure that a thick layer of cheese on top would have been the best course.  Incorporating the cheese into the chili pasta mixture might have been the better option.  Plus, the spices made the chili have a little bit of heat, so that helped, in what might have been a bland dish.  Overall, if you're looking to feed a crowd with a great, robust meal, this chili is for you!

Thanks for joining us tonight, check back frequently for more fall meals brought to you by myself and Tyler.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Out of this world Au Gratin

Good evening everyone! We’ve been blogging in our little corner of the internet for quite a while now (4 years and counting). During that time, we’ve cooked up hundreds of unique recipes. Some have been instant hits; others have had room for improvement.

My point is, we’ve had some great dishes cross our table in four years. So, when I start tonight’s blog by saying this recipe is probably in my top 5 all time recipes, I think it should carry some weight.

I discovered tonight’s recipe in the Hy-Vee Seasons magazine (a publication issued by the Midwestern grocery store chain) and was intrigued at the unique combination of ingredients and decided to give it a shot. Boy, am I glad I did!

The Recipe: Potatoes Au Gratin

Original Recipe Found In: Hy-Vee Seasons Magazine – October 2014 Issue

What You’ll Need:

1 Large White Onion (Diced fine)

2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)

6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

6 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Salt

½ Teaspoon Black Pepper

3 ½ Cups Milk (Low fat preferred)

4 Cups Thinly Sliced Sweet Potatoes (Roughly 1.5 Pounds)

4 Cups Thinly Sliced Yukon Gold Potatoes (Roughly 1.5 Pounds)

8 Ounces Asiago Cheese (Shredded – better if you shred it yourself)

½ Cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese

6 Slices Thick Cut Bacon (Cooked, crumbled)

You’ll want to use a mandolin to slice the potatoes as a consistent cut will help with both building the recipe and keeping even cooking. Set the mandolin to the medium setting (typically ½ inch) and slice all of the potatoes at the same setting.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prep a 3 quart baking dish (with lid) with a generous coating of non-stick cooking spray. (It’s a great idea to spray the underside of the lid too).

To make the sauce, melt the butter in stock pot over medium high heat and then add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent and is cooked through, this should take about 5 minutes. Next, whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper. Continue to whisk as you add the milk (all 3 ½ cups worth). Reduce the heat to medium and allow the mixture to simmer (stirring occasionally) until the mixture begins to thicken. It’s tough to gauge at first, as the mixture doesn’t really change for the first 5 minutes of cooking, but very shortly after the first five minutes, you should really see the sauce start to thicken and cling to the spoon. Once you’ve reached that point, you’re ready to move to the next stage.

Use a ladle to transfer enough of the sauce to cover the bottom of your baking dish. Next, layer the potatoes evenly across the bottom (on top of the sauce). I alternated Yukon gold with sweet potato and gently overlapped each edge to form a solid layer. Top this potato layer with 1/3 of the asiago cheese, then top that with another ladle full of the sauce.

Repeat this process three times (Sauce, potatoes, cheese – repeat) until you’ve used all of potatoes and sauce. If done correctly, you should be topping the last bit of asiago with the last ladle full of sauce. Finally, top THIS layer with the parmesan cheese, making sure to evenly cover the entire dish. Place the lid atop the baking dish and transfer it to your oven to cook for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and take off the lid. Return the dish to oven (uncovered) for 40 to 50 minutes or until the cheese becomes deep golden brown in color. At that point, remove the dish from the oven and let the dish stand for 10 minutes before topping with bacon. Serve and enjoy!

The Results:

As I mentioned in the open, this is a top five recipe in terms of our blog. The flavor of this dish is simply incredible. The Yukon gold and sweet potatoes blend beautifully with the asiago cheese while the sauce binds the entire dish together. There simply are not enough adequate words within the English language to describe my love for the final product…it’s brilliant and well worth the time and effort to try it for yourself.

Chow down on this chowder!

Good evening everyone! As October continues to roll along, the days are growing cooler and the weather is getting gloomier (well, in the midwest anyway). Rain, cold wins, overcast skies - all mark the onset of fall. It's days like these that lend themselves perfectly to homemade soups and stews. We're back this week with a cousin of the traditional stew (chowder) that works in some great fall flavors guaranteed to warm you on even the coldest days.


The Recipe: Corn & Sausage Chowder
Original Recipe Found In: Hy-Vee Seasons Magazine (October 2013 issue)

What You'll Need:

1 Pound Ground Pork Sausage (Mild)
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 Cups Chopped White Onion (1 Large onion)
2 Clove Garlic (Minced)
1/3 Cup All Purpose Flour
32 Ounces Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 Large Yukon Gold Potatoes (Diced in 3/4 inch cubes)
1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
1 Teaspoon Dried Sage
1 Teaspoon Dried Basil
1 1/2 Cups Half and Half
3 Cups Frozen Corn (Thawed prior to use)
1 Large Red Bell Pepper (Diced fine)


Place a large stockpot over medium high heat and bring it to temperature. Once the pot is nice and hot, add the sausage and cook until completely browned and cooked through. Transfer the sausage to a bowl for storage, but reserve the drippings in the stock pot.

Next, add the butter to the pot and swirl until it melts completely. Once melted, add the onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to low and allow the onion to soften (3 to 5 minutes) before stirring in the flour. Work in small sections when adding the flour as the mixture can (and will) clump if too much flour is added at once.

Slowly add the broth the pot, making sure to gently stir as your pour in the broth. Increase the heat to medium before stirring in the potatoes, basil, sage and parsley along with a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to boil before covering and reducing the heat to medium low. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes before moving on to the next stage.

Next, slowly add the half and half, corn, bell pepper and the sausage to the pot. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and allow it to cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Serve immediately with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

The Results:

This nice little chowder recipe packs a whole lot of flavor into every bite. The sausage and bell pepper add a bit of heat, while the potatoes and broth tone it all down with some nice neutral undertones. The end result is a balanced spoonful of flavor in every bite. This chowder recipe is easy (and fast) to put together and is sure to feed the whole family for multiple nights. That's a win-win in our book!


That's all we have for you this evening. Maggie will take to the kitchen on Wednesday night with a brand new recipe and I'll follow her on Thursday with a unique twist on a classic fall favorite. Until then,

~Cheers

Pumpkin Week Recipe Four: Pumpkin Dip

While most of the recipes I have presented this week can be shared within the home, I highly recommend you double this recipe and take it to your workplace or next potluck.  It encapsulates the fall flavor perfectly, without missing a beat.

What You'll Need:
1 (15 Ounce) Can of 100% Pure Pumpkin
2 Boxes of Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
1 (8 Ounce) Tub of Whipped Topping
1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

If the whipped topping you purchased was originally frozen, thaw in the refrigerator for at least four hours.  Once thawed, scoop out into a large mixing bowl.  Add the pumpkin, dry vanilla pudding, and pumpkin pie spice.  Mix together until thoroughly combined.  Transfer to a serving bowl and keep chilled.  Serve with graham crackers and enjoy!

The End Result:

While the picture doesn't present itself well, the flavor is quite tasty.  Hints of pumpkin and vanilla make each other known, without overpowering the other.  The whipped topping gives both an equal playing field to showcase their flavors.  The only thing I would change is that the pumpkin pie spice is a little much.  I would use 1/2 teaspoon, or even 1/4 teaspoon, just so your tongue doesn't go numb.  It's best to be shared with others, but I don't blame you if you want it all to yourself!

That's all for this evening.  Tyler will join us for one last recipe this week for a killer chowder.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Pumpkin Week Recipe Three: Pumpkin French Toast

I suppose it was inevitable - pumpkin has made its way to breakfast food.  While doughnuts are pretty standard fare for this, this french toast recipe will definitely make you want more.

What You'll Need:
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Milk (skim, almond, whatever you have on hand)
1/4 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
6-8 slices of Texas Toast Bread*

*This style of bread was made for french toast!  While thicker than its regular sandwich bread counterpart, it soaks all the ingredients of the french toast mixture.  Plus it makes it extra fluffy and delicious!

To start, heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  While the skillet is heating up, you can make your french toast batter.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until well combined.  Add the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and brown sugar.  Thoroughly mix until all the ingredients have formed a consistent batter.  The pumpkin will be a little bit more tricky to mix in, but it will be essential to batter.

Next, dip two pieces of the bread, front and back in the batter.  You can hang the bread over the bowl to drip any remaining excess.  Once the skillet is heated, spray with cooking spray and lay the two pieces of bread flat on the skillet.  After one side has cooked for two to three minutes, flip the pieces over and cook for another two minutes.  Repeat with the other pieces of bread.

Serve the french toast with syrup and enjoy!

The End Result:

If you are a huge fan of pumpkin, like we are, this is probably one of the best recipes to showcase the flavor of pumpkin.  The batter doesn't soak too deeply in the bread, so it doesn't have a gut-busting after feeling.  We had three to four pieces each and we didn't feel weighed down by it.  Instead, the toast is very light and fluffy, not to mention the great, non-overwhelming flavor of pumpkin.  I will probably make this recipe again, because it's simplicity matches it's great taste.

Thanks for joining us tonight.  Check back tomorrow as we present our final Pumpkin Week recipe.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Pumpkin Week Recipe Two: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Good evening everyone!  Tonight's cookie recipe will blow your socks off.  Well, that might be an overstatement.  But not everyone thinks of pairing pumpkin and chocolate together.  It's a flavor combination that was meant to be together.

What You'll Need:
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Cup 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Egg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Milk
2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips

To start, in a large mixing bowl, add the vegetable oil, pumpkin, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.  Whisk until all the ingredients have combined.  In another large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.  In a small dish, combine the baking soda and milk until it becomes a sticky goo.  Add to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine.  Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until all ingredients are well combined.  Fold the chocolate chips and let the batter sit for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, preheat an oven to 350 degrees and cover a large baking sheet with baking spray.  Once the batter has sat and the oven is up to temperature, scoop out the batter using a cookie scoop.  Place the balls of batter two inches apart on the baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes.  Let cool for five minutes, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

While one doesn't normally think of pumpkin and chocolate going together, it's a great combination for this cookie recipe.  The pumpkin flavor isn't too heavy in the batter and holds the chocolate chips in perfectly.  It's actually a delicate cookie, without getting too heavy on the pallet.  I was quite surprised at how delicious this cookie actually was and it's a great way to have pumpkin, without an explicit pumpkin taste.

Check back later this week for two more pumpkin recipes, one to take to your next fall outing, and one for home use only.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Pumpkin Week Recipe One: Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Greetings everyone!  As Tyler previously mentioned, this week, I will be highlighting Autumn's favorite gourd: the pumpkin.  While some people celebrate its annual return by buying any (and all) pumpkin flavored drink, the pumpkin actually serves itself to be made in numerous ways.  I have found four recipes to infuse the delicious flavor of pumpkin into every day recipes.  Of course, you could make these recipes any time of the year, but there's something about fall that makes us crave this particular flavor.  First up, Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes!

What You'll Need:
1 (15 Ounce) Can Pumpkin Puree
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup Evaporated Milk
2/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

To start, preheat an oven to 350 degrees.  Prep a muffin tin by lightly spraying 12 to 15 silicone muffin liners with cooking spray and set aside.  Silicone muffin liners will help pop the cupcakes out better than paper muffin liners.  If you haven't invested in silicone liners, I would highly recommend it!

In a large bowl, add the pumpkin, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and evaporated milk.  Whisk until everything is combined.  Next, add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into the pumpkin mixture.  Slowly combine until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.  

Next, fill each muffin liner with a 1/3 cup of the pumpkin mixture.  Place the muffin tins in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Once baked, take the tins out of the oven and let cool for 20 minutes.  After this, remove the cupcakes from the tins and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Serve with a dollop of whipped topping and enjoy!

The End Result:

If you are wanting pumpkin pie, but aren't willing to go through the effort of the entire process, these cupcakes are for you!  They are just like little pumpkin pies, with the same consistency as pie, but without the crust and a third of less effort.  Plus, it's easier to serve.  While the notion of cold cupcakes might throw you for a loop, trust me, you won't think a thing about it.

Join us again tomorrow as I present a pumpkin cookie, with a unique twist.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Country Beef Stew

Good evening everyone! With the cold winds of fall fully taking hold of the Midwest, we thought this week would be a great one to continue exploring stew recipes. I discovered a recipe for “Irish Penicillin” this week (AKA Lamb stew) that looked like it would be a fun one to try – so we set out to the grocery store to acquire all of the provisions…where we ran into a problem.

Apparently, unless it’s Easter or Christmas, lamb is tough to come by in your local grocery store. The friendly butcher at the Hy-Vee counter told us, “we just throw it out, unfortunately”.  It seems that lamb just doesn’t sell unless it’s a major holiday, so the grocers just don’t stock it. Of course, they can special order it – but we politely declined.

If you’ve learned anything from this blog, I’d hope it’s this: adaptation and flexibility are the biggest tools in your kitchen arsenal. No lamb? No big deal. We’ll adapt. Now we’re making beef stew!

The Recipe: Country Beef Stew

What You’ll Need:

2 Pounds Stew Meat / Beef Tips*

1 Pound Baby Carrots

1 Pound Russet Potatoes (Peeled, diced into 1 – ½ inch cubes)

1 Large Leek (Diced, rinsed)

3 Celery Ribs (Diced)

15-18 Ounces Low Sodium Chicken Broth

½ Teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley

* Most grocery stores will carry some form of stew meat in their meat department. The key is looking for the proper kind. Most stew meats are made from diced roast or steak tips, but some grocery stores can cut corners and serve ubiquitous “stew meat” from a unnamed source (I.E. leftover cow parts). Ideally you’re looking for a roast cut, that’s been cubed into 1 inch pieces for you – most of the time the price will be similar if not identical – even if there’s a slight premium, the time saved is typically worth the slight markup, in my opinion.

Some stew recipes call for all of the ingredients to be cooked in the pot – simply throw everything in and let it go. Depending on the recipe, this works just fine, but I’ve found that taking a few minutes of additional prep can go a long way in enhancing the flavor of a stew. As such, we’re browning our stew meat before adding it to the slow cooker.

Place a large (12 inch) skillet over medium high heat until it becomes roaring hot. Add the beef to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until all edges are browned. We’re not cooking the beef through here, so don’t be concerned if there are still some pink spots on the beef – the high heat of the skillet will make a nice sear, however, and the browning of the beef enhances the flavor in a way that simply boiling the beef could not.

Once the beef is browned, add it to a large (5 to 6 quart) slow cooker (make sure to scrape all browned on bits from the skillet into the slow cooker as well – that’s flavor you don’t want to leave behind!). Add in the baby carrots, potatoes, celery and enough chicken broth to cover the entire mixture. Give it a good stir before covering and setting the slow cooker to “low”.  Allow the stew to simmer for a good 8 hours before serving.

You may be asking, “If this is beef stew, why are we using chicken broth?” Good question! Beef broth carries a very strong and distinct flavor. For some soups and stews, it works well as a flavor enhancer or main component of the dish’s flavor. In this dish, however, the browned stew meat is the star of the show and brings a lot of flavor to the dish. Using beef broth would overwhelm our stew meat’s natural flavors and may make things a bit too…stout. Chicken broth, however, is relatively neutral. It brings flavors that enhance carrots and potatoes (thus why it’s so good in vegetable soup) but it won’t really disrupt the natural flavors of the dish. In this case, that’s a good thing.

After 8 hours, your stew should smell fantastic and the veggies should be delightfully tender and flavorful. Before serving, stir in the thyme and parsley and a salt and pepper as needed (to taste). Serve and enjoy!

The Results:

For a dish that’s designed to feature lamb, this beef “audible” worked quite nicely! The beef’s flavor was fantastic and after a full 8 hours in a slow cooker, it moved into the carrots, potatoes and broth evenly, creating a big warm bowl of beef goodness. This recipe makes for a fantastic weekend meal. Simply throw it together in the morning and reap the rewards that night. As a bonus – you’ll have leftovers for the next few days, and the stew seems to get better and better with each reheat!

That’s all we have for you this week. It was a short week (recipe wise) because we’ve been holding back a few recipes in order to present you with a theme week next week. Maggie has been busy over the past week and half, and she’s created stockpile of recipes featuring fall’s best flavor – PUMPKIN. We’ll have a week chocked full of pumpkin dishes coming your way, so be sure to stop back for that! Until then,

~Cheers