Burgundy Beef Stew

I wanted to use up the red wine and beef stock in the fridge I still had leftover from the Coq au Vin recipe, but I didn't want a labor-intensive recipe since I work this week and didn't have a long time to slave over the stove.  We've been eating a lot of chicken lately, so I wanted something different.  I found this recipe for Beef Stew in a Slow Cooker magazine.  I didn't have any Burgundy wine, so I just used up the Cabernet Sauvignon.  We couldn't taste the wine at all.  Overall, we thought the dish could have used more seasoning (even though I used more than the recipe even suggested), but we enjoyed it anyway. 

Burgundy Beef Stew
from Better Homes & Gardens: Ultimate Slow Cooker
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless beef chuck pot roast, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 medium carrots, chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 (9 oz) package frozen cut green beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 oz) can reduced-sodium beef broth
1 cup Burgundy wine
Egg Noodles, cooked (optional)

Directions:
Place beef in a 4-quart slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Stir in carrots, onions, green beans, and garlic.   Pour broth and wine over everything in the slow cooker.   Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours, or on high for 5-6 hours.   Serve with juices in a bowl, or if desired, serve over noodles.

Mint and Chip Cheesecake

This is what I made as a birthday treat for me and my coworkers.  I asked a fellow coworker (her birthday was just one day earlier than mine) what her favorite dessert was and she said cheesecake, so I found this recipe.  I liked it, although the mint was subtle and I think it could have used even more mint flavor.  I was a little scared that I had overcooked the cake because the top turned brown, but the inside was perfect.

Mint and Chip Cheesecake
from Better Homes and Gardens - Great Cheesecakes

Ingredients:
2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I used ~2/3 package of Oreo cookies in food processor)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup green crème de menthe
3 eggs
24 oz carton sour cream
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon shortening

Directions:
In medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and melted butter.  Press mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of 9" springform pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar.  Beat in crème de menthe.  Add eggs all at once and beat on low speed until combined.  Stir in sour cream and mini chocolate chips until combined.  Pour into crust-lined pan.

Place springform pan on a shallow baking pan and bake at preheated 375ºF oven for 50-55 minutes or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken.  Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.  Loosen sides of pan and cool another 30 minutes.  Remove side of pan and cool a little longer.  Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.

Before serving, in a small saucepan, combine 1 oz chocolate and shortening.  Cook and stir over low heat until melted.  Drizzle chocolate over cheesecake.  Chill 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.  Serve.

Coq au Vin and Pommes de Terre Sautées

For tonight's dinner, I decided to take on a Julia Child classic--Coq au Vin (aka Chicken in Red Wine with Onions, Mushrooms, and Bacon).  I even stayed true to the recipe by including the evil mushrooms.   I figured Jeremy would enjoy them (and amazingly, I didn't hate them).  Instead of Cognac (which would have cost me $35 for a large bottle which I'd rarely use again), I bought a small bottle of Brandy at the liquor store for $3.  It deglazed the pan just fine.  I didn't do the whole flaming pan experience because my stove has a microwave over the top and I didn't want to set the house on fire.   For the wine, I used a Cabernet Sauvignon because that's what was in my cupboard.  I think Julia Child would approve.  We really liked the chicken; it stayed deliciously moist.  I bought a whole cut up chicken at the store which made enough for dinner plus leftovers the next day.  The buttery sauteéd potatoes were excellent too.

Coq au Vin    (2013 Cookbook Challenge)
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lardons (or very thick-cut bacon), cut into 1/4- by 1&1/2-inch strips
2 or more tablespoons olive oil
3&1/2 to 4&1/2 pounds chicken, cut into parts (or all of one kind of part), thoroughly dried
1/4 cup Cognac or Armagnac (I used brandy)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
20 small white onions, peeled
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups red wine, preferably Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, or Pinot Noir
About 2 cups brown chicken stock or beef stock
1 or 2 garlic cloves, mashed or minced
About 1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed, washed, and sliced or quartered

Directions:
Sauté the bacon/lardons in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to a side dish, leaving the drippings in the pan.

Heat the drippings in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, before careful not to crowd the pan. (You may need to work in batches). Cook the chicken, turning frequently, until nicely browned on all sides.  Carefully pour the Cognac or Armagnac into the pan, let it become bubbling hot, and then, if desired–and if you’re brave–ignite the sauce with a match. Let it flame for a minute, tilting the pan by its handle and swirling the sauce to burn off alcohol. To extinguish the flames, simply cover the pan with its lid.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme to the pan and place the onions around the chicken.  Cover and simmer gently, turning the chicken once, for about 10 minutes.

Uncover the pan, sprinkle the flour over everything, and turn the chicken and onions so the flour is absorbed by the sauce. Cover and cook, turning once or twice, for 3 to 4 minutes more.

Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock or bouillon to almost cover the chicken. Add the lardons/bacon, garlic, and tomato paste to the pan, cover, and gently simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Test the chicken for doneness (there should be no trace of pink and the juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife) and remove those pieces that are ready. Continue to cook the rest of the chicken a few minutes longer. If the onions are not quite tender, continue cooking them in the sauce, then return the chicken to the pan, add the mushrooms, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes. The sauce should be just thick enough to lightly coat the chicken and vegetables. If it is too thin, boil it down rapidly to concentrate; if it is too thick, thin it with spoonfuls of stock or bouillon. Taste the sauce carefully, and correct the seasoning accordingly. Serve immediately or let cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight. To reheat, skim any fat that has congealed on the surface of the stew and place the pan of coq au vin over medium-low heat.

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Pommes de Terre Sautées   (Sauteed Potatoes)
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Ingredients:
1 pound (2-3 cups) potatoes, halved or cut into small cubes, ~1" (I used a fingerling potatoes)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon softened butter
1 tablespoon minced curly leaf parsley


Directions:
Add butter and oil to skillet over medium-high heat.  When the foam subsides, put potatoes into skillet and cook for 2 minutes, shaking skillet back and forth to roll potatoes.  Sear on all sides for another 4-5 minutes until potatoes are pale golden color all over.  Sprinkle with salt and roll again.  Lower heat, cover skillet, and cook for 15 minutes, shaking occasionally to prevent sticking and insure an even cook.   Off the heat, roll in butter and parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Barbecued Ribs

I saw these barbecued ribs on sale at the grocery store, and fell prey to the store's marketing scheme and made an impulse purchase.  Hey, it's a yummy Football Sunday sort of dinner.  We enjoyed it.  I supposed I could have grilled them, but this indoor version was good too.

 Indoors Barbecued Ribs   (2013 Cookbook Chalenge)
from Joy of Cooking
Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 sides pork spareribs or 2 racks baby back ribs

Southern Barbecue Dry Rub:   (you won't use all of it)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground mace (I used nutmeg)
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons ground black pepper

Barbecue Sauce:
3/4 cup castup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 lemon slices

Directions:
Pat dry the ribs.  Rub with the Southern Barbecue Dry Rub.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate a couple hours.   Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350º.  Cover the ribs with foil and roast, rib side up, for 45 minutes.  Uncover, turn meat side up, and roast for another 45-60 minutes at 300º.   Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often for 5 minutes.  (The sauce will keep in fridge for a couple weeks).  During the last 15-30 minutes of roasting, baste the ribs with the sauce, repeating every 10-15 minutes.  Remove ribs from heat and let stand for 15 minutes.  Repeat basting.

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

I wanted to use the prosciutto I still had leftover in the fridge from a previous recipe, so I found this recipe for Chicken Saltimbocca in my cookbook collection.  Apparently, saltimbocca means "jump in the mouth."  I don't think it jumped, but it was pretty good. :)

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca  (2013 Cookbook Challenge)
from Cooking Light: The New Way to Cook Light
Serves 4;  202 calories/serving

Ingredients:
4 (4-oz) chicken cutlets (or 8 smaller tenders)
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 fresh sage leaves
2 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 8 strips
1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup fat-free chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions:
Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt.  Place sage leaves on each cutlet.  Wrap prosciutto slices around each cutlet, securing sage leaves in place.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Add chicken.  Cook 2 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove chicken from pan.  Whisk together broth, juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.  Add cornstarch mixture and remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook a minute until slightly thickened.  Spoon sauce over chicken to serve.

Beet and Beet Green Gratin

Here's another recipe using veggies I picked up at the Farmer's Market.  I got it in my head that I wanted to make a beet recipe, and I saw this one in the online version of New York Times and thought the picture looked pretty, so I gave it a try.  My creation didn't look like theirs (see link), but it still tasted pretty good.  I used both red and golden beets.

Beet and Beet Green Gratin
Serves 6
167 calories/serving

Ingredients:
2 bunches (6-8) beets (~2 lbs), preferably one red and one golden, with greens
salt to taste
3 eggs
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped chives
2 ounced Gruyere cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Slice off the beet greens about an inch from the beet, scrub beets cleans, wrap each beet loosely in foil, transfer to a baking sheet, and roast in the oven at 400º for about 50-60 minutes until easily pierced with fork.  Remove and let beets cool enough to handle.  Hold one beet with a paper towel and use the edge of the paper to rub the skin away. Repeat with remaining beets.  Slice thin.

Remove stems and wash the beet greens.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Meanwhile, fill another bowl with ice water.  When the pot of water comes to a boil, blanch the greens in the boiling water for about one minute.  Transfer to the ice water, then drain and squeeze out the water.  Chop coarsely.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet and add the garlic.  Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant.  Stir in the greens.  Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 375º.  Beat together the eggs, salt, pepper, milk, chives, and cheese.  Gently stir in the beets and greens.  Scrape into a 2-quart casserole dish.  Bake 35-40 minutes until set and lightly browned on top.  Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.  Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.  Leftovers keep for 4-5 days.

Curried Carrot Soup

I bought some carrots at the Farmer's Market.  The lady there was kind of funny.  She shoved a piece of carrot at me and enthusiastically proclaimed, "Try it!  Isn't it good?! Very sweet.  We have the best carrots!"  I was thinking to myself that it tasted like any other carrot, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings, so I just smiled and nodded and bought a bunch.  I decided to make a soup that was in my Conscious Cleanse book even though I'm not really doing the cleanse anymore.  I had heard good things about the soup so I gave it a try.  It was okay...something different.  I liked the curry seasoning with the carrots. 

Curried Carrot Soup

Yield: 4 bowls

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
1/2 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 cups chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
nutmeg

Directions:
In a stock pot over medium heat, cook oil and curry powder, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Stir in carrots, celery, and onion; toss to coat and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.  Stir in broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Skim grease from top if necessary.  

In a blender, working in batches of no more than 2 cups, purée soup.  Return to pot and heat through.  Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Add nutmeg if desired.  Serve.   Refrigerate leftover soup in a glass container for up to 3 days.

Crockpot Chicken and Zucchini "Pasta" with Asparagus, Peas, and Creamy Basil

I've heard a lot of good things about crockpot chicken, so I decided to try it out.  I found this recipe online which boasted to be the best crockpot chicken ever.   Hmmph.  It was okay, but I thought it needed more seasoning and more moisture.  It was pretty bland. I'm thinking I should have put the breast side down instead of up so that it absorbed more juices from the pot?  Oh well.  

The zucchini "pasta", on the other hand, was surprisingly good.  I was skeptical, and to be truthful, it didn't taste like spaghetti, but it was still tasty.   To make the spaghetti-like strands, I ran four sides of the zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise on the largest holes of a box cheese grater--much easier and faster than using a vegetable peeler--and cheaper than buying a spiralizer.

Zucchini "Pasta" with Asparagus, Peas, and Creamy Basil
Serves 4


Ingredients:
2 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 bunch asparagus (16-20 spears), peeled and cut ~1-2 inches below tops
1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon basil paste
1 tablespoon cream cheese
salt and pepper
lemon zest
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cut the ends off the zucchini and push lengthwise along the largest holes of a cheese grater until you get to the seeded section.  Repeat on four sides.  You should produce long, thin ribbons of zucchini.  Repeat with the yellow squash.  You can choose to peel the zucchini and squash first if you want it to appear more like spaghetti, but it's not necessary.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the asparagus, peas, and garlic. Lightly saute for a few minutes, then add the zucchini and saute a few minutes longer.  Add the basil and cream cheese and stir until coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with a little sprinkle of lemon zest and Parmesan cheese.

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Crockpot Chicken

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, giblets removed from inside
1 onion
4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pats butter
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:
Chop the onion and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.   Combine the spices and rub the mixture all over chicken.  Place chicken in slow cooker.   Pour the broth into the pot and place a couple pats of butter on the breast.  Cover, and cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8 hours on low until the chicken is falling off the bone.

Lemon Pepper Chicken

Here's a fast and easy recipe that also tastes good.

Lemon Pepper Chicken
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
Sprinkle ground black pepper over chicken breasts and season lightly with sea salt.   In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil.  Place a skillet over medium-high heat and fill the pan with the marinade.  Add chicken breasts and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or until no longer pink, brushing occasionally with excess marinade to keep moist.  Serve and enjoy.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

As far as healthy meals go, this was a nice filling and satisfying lunch.  I chose to use olive oil instead of sesame oil because I just don't like sesame oil very much, and I left out the mushrooms because I don't like those much either.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Yield: 12 wraps with ~1/2 cup filling each

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1&1/2 lbs ground turkey
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup fresh whole cilantro leaves
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 head romaine or Bibb lettuce

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil and garlic for 2 minutes.  Add ground turkey, stirring to break larger chunks into small pieces, and cook for 6-8 minutes or until turkey is crumbly and no longer pink.  Stir in onions, carrots, mushrooms, celery, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes, and cook for 5 minutes.  Add cilantro leaves and cook for a few more minutes.  Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon ~1/2 cup of turkey mixture onto a leaf of lettuce.  Roll or fold in half and serve.