Beef Burgundy over Noodles

This weekend I was going through some of my cookbooks to find something different to make for a change.  I stumbled on this recipe in my Taste of Home cookbook.  I have had much success with many recipes from that book and this was no exception.  You can find the recipe online here.

Don't let the time fool you, this is a pretty easy recipe.  There really isn't much chopping, it just takes a while to cook.  This makes enough for 2 servings, so Lisa, you would definitely want to double the recipe.  I could see making this if we had company.  I made mine with beef broth and I used dried parsley.  I also did include the browning sauce. 

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I have to say, I can't remember where I got this recipe from.  I think it might have been off of allrecipes.com.  It's pretty basic, but a good recipe. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup sliced carrots
• 1/2 pound fresh sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 cups half-and-half

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for 2 more minutes. Then add the flour and stir well. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly, until all has been added. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer.
2. Next, add the rice, chicken, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper, almonds and sherry. Allow to heat through, then pour in the half-and-half. Let simmer for 1 to 2 hours. (Note: Do not boil or your roux will break.) 

Summer's Notes:

• I typically omit the almonds and I think in the past I have omitted the sherry because I didn't have any on hand.  It still tastes fabulous.
• I poach the chicken to cook it, since it's quick and easy.  I have also used leftovers from a roasted chicken which works out nicely too.
• This recipe freezes well.
• There is some prep time involved since you need to cook the wild rice and the chicken before putting everything together, and the chopping can take a bit of time.  Other than that, it's super easy.
• We usually have some bread or rolls as a side with this.  Crackers would probably work just fine too.

Beef and Pepper Stir Fry

We now have "Stir Fry-day" every Friday in our house, and the same ol' chicken recipe I've been using has been getting a little old. I consulted with my friend Lisa O. and she gave me a super simple recipe for beef stir fry. The beautiful thing about any stir fry is that you can mix and match any veggie combo you like! So far I've made this with just green and red peppers and also peppers and celery. I loved them both.

This has turned out great for me 2 weeks in a row! Hope you like it as much as we do!!!

Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• Beef for stir fry (about 1lb; my grocer sells it pre-packaged this way)
• 1/2 tablespoon sliced fresh ginger
• 4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
• Canola oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp white cooking wine
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp sugar
• Whatever veggies you like

Place strips of beef in In a medium bowl. Add soy sauce, wine, sugar and stir. Allow to marinate about 15 - 20 minutes before cooking and stir occasionally.

While the beef is marinating, chop up your garlic, ginger and veggies.


Get the oil in your wok good and hot. Add garlic and ginger and saute for about 30 sec to 1 min. Add beef. Stir fry for about 3 -5 minutes. If you couldn't fit all your beef in, once the first batch is nearly done, push them up the sides of the wok and add the rest of the beef. Once the pink is almost gone, it's done. Remove the beef and juices from the wok to a bowl and set aside.

Add oil to wok if needed. Stir fry veggies. When they are nearly done, add back the beef beef (and collected juices) into the wpk, along with whatever additional "saucy" ingredients you want.

Moroccan Chicken with Eggplant, Tomato & a Pile of Spices

One of my favorite resources, Veggie Venture/Kitchen Parade led me to this awesome recipe. This is the second week in a row that I am making it. It is that good! Link to recipe here.


Lisa's Notes:

• It is a bit time intensive for prep, but if you are organized everything comes together well.
• This is a nice one pot meal with minimal clean up.
• Pairs particularly well with cous cous.
• I've used both bone-in and boneless thighs. Either one works well.
• I let it cook about 20 min longer than the recipe calls for because I am paranoid about chicken being cooked all the way through.
• I used a cup of chicken broth instead of stock.
• I used my 4.5 qt Dutch oven

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Hands-on time: 25 minutes prep, then occasional attention until ready
Time to table: 60 minutes
Serves 4

• 1 pound fresh eggplant, cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika or pimentón, the smoky Spanish paprika
• 2 teaspoons whole fennel seed
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock or Homemade Vegetable Bouillon
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1-1/2 lemons)
• 1 pound chicken thighs, bone-in or bone-out, skin removed and fat trimmed

• Chopped cilantro

ROAST EGGPLANT Set oven at 400F. Toss eggplant in 1 tablespoon olive oil until evenly coated. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet and bake 25-30 minutes (no need to wait for oven to fully heat) or until light brown.
MAKE SAUCE Heat a Dutch oven on medium high, heat the second tablespoon olive oil until shimmery. Add onion and garlic and stir to coat with fat; sauté until golden. Add spices, stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth and lemon juice and bring to a boil.
COOK Reduce heat, add chicken thighs, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Turn thighs over, cover, simmer another 10 minutes. Add eggplant, simmer 10 minutes uncovered.
To serve, top with cilantro and serve with Oven-Baked Rice or something else that will soak up the fragrant juices.