Beef Stew with Roasted Winter Vegetables

This twist on traditional beef stew is a welcome addition to any winter table. The vegetables are first roasted to bring out their full flavor. Spoon piping hot stew over mashed potatoes flavored with bay leaves.

Makes 6 servings.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

4 cups cubed winter vegetables (cut into 1/2-inch pieces), such as carrots, butternut squash, parsnips or sweet potatoes
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup Kitchen Basics® Chicken Stock
1/4 cup dry red wine
5 McCormick® Gourmet Collection Turkish Bay Leaves, divided
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Black Pepper, Coarse Grind
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Thyme Leaves
3 cups prepared mashed potatoes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss cubed vegetables and onion with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Place on large baking sheet. Roast 20 minutes or until vegetables are golden in color.
2. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add beef; cook and stir 5 minutes or until browned. Add roasted vegetables, stock, wine, 3 of the bay leaves, pepper, salt and thyme. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
3. Prepare fresh or instant mashed potatoes, adding remaining 2 bay leaves to the cooking water. Remove bay leaves from potatoes and stew. Serve stew over mashed potatoes.

Tips

Test Kitchen Tip: Prepare as directed using 1/4 cup apple juice in place of wine.

Recipe: http://mccormickgourmet.com/Recipes/Main-Dishes/Beef-Stew-with-Roasted-Winter-Vegetables.aspx

Cuban Stuffed Peppers

Bell peppers are filled with a Cuban picadillo stuffing of rice, ground beef, tomatoes, raisins and Spanish olives.

Makes 6 servings.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

 

3 medium bell peppers, halved lengthwise, stem and seeds removed

1/2 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cuban Seasoning

1 large tomato, chopped

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

1/4 cup raisins

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives

1 cup cooked rice

1. Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Add bell pepper halves; cook 15 minutes on medium heat or until tender. Immediately remove bell peppers with slotted spoon to ice bath to stop cooking process. Pat dry with paper towels. Arrange bell pepper halves, cut-sides up, in 13x9-inch baking dish.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Brown ground beef in large skillet on medium-high heat. Drain fat. Add onion and Seasoning; cook and stir 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except cooked rice. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Stir in rice. Spoon beef mixture evenly into bell pepper halves.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until bell peppers are tender.


Recipe is from:  www.mccormickgourmet.com/Recipes

Susan's Gourment Mash Potatoes

I have been making this side dish for about 25 years!! I just love it with a good cut of meat!!!



5 -  Med Size Potatoes - Cooked

1 - 1 1/2 cups of Mild Cheddar Cheese

1 - Stick of Salted Butter

5 - Green Onions, Chopped

1 - 1 1/2 Cups of Sour Cream

1/2 - teaspoons of white pepper

Chives for Garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees:

First, broil the potatoes until you can stick a fork half way though them...cool... Take the outside skin off...Grate them - large side of grater! 



Melt butter, then put all ingredients together, then add chives if you want. 

Put in GLASS casserole pan, (do not put in metal pan, it will not taste right), cook in oven for about 40 mins...if you do it ahead and put in frig, cook 50 mins

The Best Spicy 3 Bean Chili

This Chili recipe is the best one around, I have throw all others away!! Beyond Yummy!!!

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

1 pound boneless pork loin chops, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Vegetable cooking spray

2 onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (1.12-ounce) envelope fajita seasoning

1 (14.5-ounce) can fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons hot sauce

 Toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped tomatoes, reduced-fat shredded Mexican 4-cheese blend

Instruction:

Cook first 4 ingredients in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain; return to Dutch oven.

Add onions and garlic to Dutch oven, and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are tender.

Stir in black beans and next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until pork is tender. Serve with desired toppings.

From:  www.myrecipes.com

Paige Matthes Irving Fudge Recipe

Paige Matthes Irving Fudge Recipe

I am thinking about making some fudge for hubby!!!!!

3/4 cup butter
3 c sugar
2/3 c evap milk
1 12 oz pkg choc chips
7oz  jar marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups of Walnuts (if you choose or any nut that you like)

Mix butter, sugar & evap milk in saucepan-bring to a full boil stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 min over med heat.

Take off heat and stir in chips until melted, then marshmallow creme & vanilla, then add nuts (if so desired). I use a 8x8 in square pan, I also use wax paper and spray with Pam Olive Oil.  Then cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch squares after you lift out of pan (the wax paper makes it easy to take out of pan)

Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake

This is from Paula Deans website!! I have made this 3 times in the last 6 months...It is so yummy!

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 ounces red food coloring

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vinegar

Icing:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup melted marshmallows

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting

Icing:

Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti!

One of Jack's favorite, have with Farm Fresh Bread and Cesar Salad!

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves

2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed

Pinch sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

1 cup dried bread crumbs

1 (8-ounce) ball fresh buffalo mozzarella, water drained

Freshly grated Parmesan

1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

Directions

Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes), cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/2-inch thick. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, season with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once. 

Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil. Bake the Chicken Parmesan for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti.